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Old 12-16-2017, 06:56 AM   #1
darrylwt
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Changing out refrigerator to a residential refrigerator

I have a 2015 HC Montana 305RL and have a lot of issues with the refrigerator work and not keeping cool. I am think of taking it in a getting a residential refrigerator installed.
Has anyone done this and what are the issues now that 20% of the new 5th wheels are coming with the Res. Frig. And Keystone has a option in the model number like the Montana 3160RL standard and the 3161RL with Res. Rrig.
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2015 Chevy 3500 Z71 Long Bed
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2015 Keystone Montana HC 305RL
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Old 12-16-2017, 07:18 AM   #2
ctbruce
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1. You have to add an inverter to run off of batteries.
2. Boondocking, if you do that is hard without a generator.
3. You can't run them when the room temperature is above I think 110 degrees. That may be off a little, but it's close. So running it on batteries while pulling it in the summer may damage the compressor.

Hope this helps.

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Old 12-16-2017, 07:28 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ctbruce View Post
1. You have to add an inverter to run off of batteries.
2. Boondocking, if you do that is hard without a generator.
3. You can't run them when the room temperature is above I think 110 degrees. That may be off a little, but it's close. So running it on batteries while pulling it in the summer may damage the compressor.

Hope this helps.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
I have a 3000 watt inverter and 975 watts or solar and 6 6volt batteries
and thinking of going to a lithium battery banks.
Besides when the temp. gets up to 90 degrees the standard refrigerator does not work either at least mine doesn't.
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2015 Chevy 3500 Z71 Long Bed
Wireless Air bags, Cold Air intake
with 5" exhaust system
2015 Keystone Montana HC 305RL
650 Watt Solar panels, 4 6volt T-105
Go power 3000 inverter.
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Old 12-16-2017, 07:37 AM   #4
chuckster57
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If your refer is mounted on a slide, there should be fans mounted on the back side of the refer that pull air across the cooling unit. Maybe one or more of those is bad. If it’s not mounted on a slide, it may or may not have a fan or two. Either way, it may be a whole lot easier and cheaper to replace or add fans. We run units in 100 degree temps without any issues.

Also if it’s not on a slide, check the roof vent for obstructions.
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Old 12-16-2017, 07:39 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
If your refer is mounted on a slide, there should be fans mounted on the back side of the refer that pull air across the cooling unit. Maybe one or more of those is bad. If it’s not mounted on a slide, it may or may not have a fan or two. Either way, it may be a whole lot easier and cheaper to replace or add fans. We run units in 100 degree temps without any issues.

Also if it’s not on a slide, check the roof vent for obstructions.
Ditto... 100`F+ and with 80%+ humidity... mine works just fine...
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Old 12-16-2017, 07:51 AM   #6
darrylwt
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
If your refer is mounted on a slide, there should be fans mounted on the back side of the refer that pull air across the cooling unit. Maybe one or more of those is bad. If it’s not mounted on a slide, it may or may not have a fan or two. Either way, it may be a whole lot easier and cheaper to replace or add fans. We run units in 100 degree temps without any issues.

Also if it’s not on a slide, check the roof vent for obstructions.
I have 4 fans the are mounted below the upper fins and they all work as soon as the temp. goes up the refer runs 35 degrees and freezer run -16 until the temp outside goes to 90 the refer gores to 55 degrees I added a fan at the top vent and I added. I have completely modified the to of the top vent to make sure the air flow is forced out the top vent. Dometic told me after 60 hours the refer goes into a 2 hour defrost and every 48 hours another 2 hour defrost so I thought maybe it was getting stuck in the defrost so I replaced the circuit board and the same thing is going on.
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2015 Chevy 3500 Z71 Long Bed
Wireless Air bags, Cold Air intake
with 5" exhaust system
2015 Keystone Montana HC 305RL
650 Watt Solar panels, 4 6volt T-105
Go power 3000 inverter.
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Old 12-16-2017, 07:52 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by Javi View Post
Ditto... 100`F+ and with 80%+ humidity... mine works just fine...
Is yours a 4 door in the slide?
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Darryl from So. California
2015 Chevy 3500 Z71 Long Bed
Wireless Air bags, Cold Air intake
with 5" exhaust system
2015 Keystone Montana HC 305RL
650 Watt Solar panels, 4 6volt T-105
Go power 3000 inverter.
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Old 12-16-2017, 08:12 AM   #8
Dave W
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Ditto on the fans

Res fridges seem like a band aid and limit how you can travel.

Our 343RL's 1206 NorCold worked just fine in well over 105F while we traveled in the South in 2015 and 16. It also faces South at our summer campsite and to date, never missed a Btu. The last 5er had a fan failure and the Dometic would struggle. I replaced that fan with two variable speed ball bearing fans, replaced the failed thermistor with an adjustable attic fan thermostat and that problem also went away. Since the fan behind our current 5ers fridge is starting to get noisy, will do the same mod again but use a better bearing, i.e. fluid dynamic

FWIW, these fans are inexpensive, 'simple' computer case fans. You just need to do some research on what will work best for your needs. Which reminds me of my project needs............
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Old 12-16-2017, 09:21 AM   #9
darrylwt
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Originally Posted by Dave W View Post
Ditto on the fans

Res fridges seem like a band aid and limit how you can travel.

Our 343RL's 1206 NorCold worked just fine in well over 105F while we traveled in the South in 2015 and 16. It also faces South at our summer campsite and to date, never missed a Btu. The last 5er had a fan failure and the Dometic would struggle. I replaced that fan with two variable speed ball bearing fans, replaced the failed thermistor with an adjustable attic fan thermostat and that problem also went away. Since the fan behind our current 5ers fridge is starting to get noisy, will do the same mod again but use a better bearing, i.e. fluid dynamic

FWIW, these fans are inexpensive, 'simple' computer case fans. You just need to do some research on what will work best for your needs. Which reminds me of my project needs............
I have a question; why do we have to do all this stuff just to make a refrigerator work, we spend 75K and then have to redo everything?
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2015 Chevy 3500 Z71 Long Bed
Wireless Air bags, Cold Air intake
with 5" exhaust system
2015 Keystone Montana HC 305RL
650 Watt Solar panels, 4 6volt T-105
Go power 3000 inverter.
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Old 12-16-2017, 09:34 AM   #10
Dave W
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I have a question; why do we have to do all this stuff just to make a refrigerator work, we spend 75K and then have to redo everything?
If you don't maintain any complicated item, it very shortly turns to crap. This is a simple, 20-30 buck DIY fix. If you don't want to or can't cope with something like this minor mod, which is in effect maintenance, you are in the wrong pastime
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Old 12-16-2017, 09:50 AM   #11
kfxgreenie
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Residential refers shall stay in homes where they belong.
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Old 12-16-2017, 10:54 AM   #12
sourdough
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Residential refers shall stay in homes where they belong.

^^^Kinda my thinking. Doesn't the name they call them say it all? Residential??? Not RV.
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Old 12-16-2017, 11:57 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by darrylwt View Post
I have a question; why do we have to do all this stuff just to make a refrigerator work, we spend 75K and then have to redo everything?
My truck listed for about that same amount and I've had to change the oil every 7500 miles. Seems like they ought to at least develop a system where the oil will go as long as the transmission fluid..... The same can be said for trucks, and most other "mechanical things".... And let's not get started on having to clean the chimney to keep the residue out... How much would it cost to build chimney pipes with Teflon so we wouldn't have to worry about buildup???

As for the fans, dirt collects on any moving fan blade. Eventually there's enough dirt to make the blades "off-balanced" when that happens, the bearings start getting "loaded down' and eventually start making noise. I suppose if someone wanted to clean the vent fan blades every week, they could probably get two or three times the lifespan from the fans. So it comes down to a choice of spending hours and hours cleaning the fans to make them last or spending $15 every couple of years to replace them and not "fuss with" the cleaning..... As for building a better mousetrap. Now that you mention it, maybe that's an idea you could perfect, sell to the RV industry and call it a "better mousetrap"...... I'd buy self cleaning fans for $25 rather than pay $15 for the ones I'll need to replace in a couple of years.
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Old 12-16-2017, 03:09 PM   #14
darrylwt
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Originally Posted by Dave W View Post
If you don't maintain any complicated item, it very shortly turns to crap. This is a simple, 20-30 buck DIY fix. If you don't want to or can't cope with something like this minor mod, which is in effect maintenance, you are in the wrong pastime
Dave I don't have a problem fixing things and adding things after all I have added over 15K with of stuff to my trailer and love making extra storage shelf's and tinkering with stuff, but when something doesn't work from the get go and I have tried to get it to work and it has been back to the dealer 5 or 6 times for the same thing and it works one day but not the next it is frustrating to say the least. How can a refrigerator go from -16 degrees in the freezer and 35 in the main box for a week and than go to 55 degrees one day and the next drop back down to 35 degrees for a few more days than back up? The dealer said oh it's the circuit board so they replaced and it still nothing and the thermistor 3 times.
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Darryl from So. California
2015 Chevy 3500 Z71 Long Bed
Wireless Air bags, Cold Air intake
with 5" exhaust system
2015 Keystone Montana HC 305RL
650 Watt Solar panels, 4 6volt T-105
Go power 3000 inverter.
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Old 12-16-2017, 04:10 PM   #15
chuckster57
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I understand your frustration. Have you looked for the fans on the backside of the refer?
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Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

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Old 12-16-2017, 04:21 PM   #16
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I understand your frustration. I've been there. It took 6+ months to get our Dometic working. Three trips to the mega dealer and no better. I found an independent repair shop that replaced the entire cooling system and I think it may be fixed.
The Dometics have a 2 year warranty. You can also buy extended warranty after that. My work was all under warranty.
But it still seems to have a mind of its own. One day 35 degrees, the next 43.
Heck with it as long as the beer is cool and the food doesn't spoil.
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