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Topic: Removing and replacing the Norcold 1200 with the RF18?
Posted By: Busskipper on 04/28/17 07:20am

Removing and replacing the Norcold 1200 with the Samsung RF18?

Opened up the Coach for a Spring tailgate and the Nor cold was Not cold any more.

Have a TS 2005 42 DS04.

Have read and watched many post on the subject replacement and now is the time, just not looking forward to it, but if you all help me out should not be that hard.

RF18HFENB Is the desired replacement unit from Home Depot - $997.00

http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners........oduct/no-dispenser-french-door-rf18hfenb

Understand getting the space to the correct size (33 W – 71H – 24.25D) – which in my case will require losing the drawer under the old Norcold.

Then a strong piece of ¾ ply under for it to sit on.

Rearrange the electric and icemaker supply to fit – will do this in the access hole/panel and then make water tight.

Attachment’s to anchor in place.

Questions;

Once the new unit is in and secured, how much ventilation is needed, or do I trim it tightly all around?

Some have sealed it like the old Norcold some have not, which way is better? (Thinking it will need air circulation to work)

Looking to you all for the “Experienced” info and knowledge that the forums have.

Any other hints, advice, insight, that might be helpful will be appreciated.

Not likely but will try to document the job.

Thanks for the Help,

Busskipper
Maryland/Colorado
Travel Supreme 42DS04
GX470-FMCA - Travel less now - But still love to be on the Road
States traveled in this Coach
Posted By: ChrisFSB on 04/28/17 09:32am

Sounds like the exact upgrade I did. Here were the steps:

  • Remove Norcold
  • Remove existing base
  • Remove drawer below - this was time consuming to give as good a finish as possible
  • Relocated Electrical to bottom left
  • Replace water hose
  • Install plexiglass to block old exterior vent
  • Foam filled top roof vent
  • Create new floor to required height
  • Install new fridge
  • Secure using metal strip along the front of fridge base


The only gotcha is that there is an electrical box on top of the fridge. So while the opening was the right size, there was a cross member inside the cabinet that the electrical box hit. A quick sawzall to notch it fixed that.

I paid Home Depot for their Haul-Away service ($15) and they not only put the new fridge in place, but also took the Norcold away (I had it out on the driveway ready for them). They spent about 60 mins with me, getting the new one in, etc. They went above and beyond!

[image]
[image]
[image]

Posted By: Archie Kravitz on 04/28/17 09:39am

Put one in my Essex. Sealed the top and the outside access. All air movement is thru front lower grill bellow freezer door. Use a pull strap on top handles and bunge across freezer door while traveling. Best mod I did. Freezer down to temp in less of an hour. only 170 watts on the inverter. I scrapped the lower plastic filler and made a screen out of speaker clothe across the bottom for ventilation.

Posted By: Archie Kravitz on 04/28/17 09:45am

Also picked up a set of house door seals (The stiff ones) from Home Depot and stuck them around the sides to fill in the gap. Turned out pretty good.
Wish they had lips on the front of the shelves. I put 12 packs of soda sideways so **** don't fall out after road trip. I still think I have twice the storage as that 1200. Did you have a scorch mark on ceiling from Norcold when you took yours out?

Posted By: ChrisFSB on 04/28/17 09:51am

Archie Kravitz wrote:

Did you have a scorch mark on ceiling from Norcold when you took yours out?


No scorch marks, but I had previously installed the after market product that monitors temps and shuts the Norcold boiler down on overheat - so that might have prevented it.

Like you, this was an upgrade I should have done years ago...

Posted By: JR45 on 04/28/17 10:38am

My install looks just like this one. http://www.moenracing.com/Samsung/
JR

2006 Country Coach Inspire 360 40ft Genoa Designer Series Cat C9 Samsung 197 RR
Aluminum Radiator was recently replaced with a STEEL & COPPER Bolt Together Radiator w/ updated rubber mountings
SilverLeaf VMS 330
Toad--2011 Ford Edge Sport, Air Force One
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Posted By: Ivylog on 04/28/17 01:18pm

Bill, I know you've seen this but for others: My DW did not want to loose the large drawer under our NoCold 1200. Finally found what I hoped would be a perfect fit... came within 1/2" height of fitting. Cut the 3/4" floor out and put in side rails to hold the refer. Here is my DIY install. It's a Whirlpool 21 cuft and I had to take the driver's side window out to get it in as it is not a counter depth unit. If the DW is not fairly tall, getting to things in the back of the freezer could be a problem.

Amazing how energy efficient these energy star refers are... 96 watts when running less than half the time. I power it and my sat receiver/TV off of a 1000W PSW inverter. Two batteries will run it 30 hours if I turn the ice maker off. The Samsung run OK on a MSW because they have DC compressors.

With the kitchen slide in the door on the refrigerator section will not open all the way... the freezer will. It does stick out 3" further than the 1200. I left the roof vent open and closed off most of the bottom outside vent.

[image]

This post is my opinion (free advice). It is not intended to influence anyone's judgment nor do I advocate anyone do what I propose.
Sold 04 Dynasty to our son after 14 great years.
Upgraded with a 08 HR Navigator 45’...
Posted By: Gjac on 04/28/17 09:20pm

What makes the Norcold 1200 so problematic? Is there something in the design that it much different than the other Norcold models? Does the double door Domectic have the same problem?

Posted By: Ivylog on 04/29/17 06:27am

Go to EBay and look at pictures of 1200 cooling units and then ones for smaller sizes. You will see very little difference in the size/amount of the coils. Now look at a Armish 1200 cooling unit... almost twice the the size in the lower section.

When you undersize the cooling unit it has to run longer/hotter and air movement fans are needed. Put it in a slide where you do not have thermal syphonIng of the air or there is too big of a gap at the back of the coils and you do not get enough air flow over the coils... poor cooling.

*Why does a NoCold 12xx have to have a thermal shutdown added to it? They could not even get this bandaid right as it is on at least revision E and it still shuts it down when nothing is wrong... especially if you get the black box moist. Fortunately D and E can be reset using a magnet.

* This post was edited 04/29/17 06:34am by Ivylog *

Posted By: tinkerer on 04/29/17 06:46am

[image] border="0" alt="[image]">
I have posted this picture before, but will post it again as this change in our motorhome was one of the best improvements we ever made. I had to leave the bottom drawer in because of the heat ducts on the bottom. I have the rear vent made so I can run it open or run it closed, the Samsung vents from the bottom. I do have a gap in the rear as the top vent is still there, but it gives some space for the plugs in the back. I lucked out as one of the plugs in the rear was connected to our inverter. We don't use the icemaker as we don't trust the water from the RV parks and the tank for drinking. We now have frozen ice cream and non frozen eggs. We winter for 3 months in a park in Arizona and our electrical bill is half of what if was with the Norcold 1200.

* This post was edited 04/29/17 06:44pm by tinkerer *

Posted By: Busskipper on 04/29/17 08:16am

Ivylog wrote:

Bill, I know you've seen this but for others: My DW did not want to loose the large drawer under our NoCold 1200. Finally found what I hoped would be a perfect fit... came within 1/2" height of fitting. Cut the 3/4" floor out and put in side rails to hold the refer. Here is my DIY install. It's a Whirlpool 21 cuft and I had to take the driver's side window out to get it in as it is not a counter depth unit. If the DW is not fairly tall, getting to things in the back of the freezer could be a problem.

Amazing how energy efficient these energy star refers are... 96 watts when running less than half the time. I power it and my sat receiver/TV off of a 1000W PSW inverter. Two batteries will run it 30 hours if I turn the ice maker off. The Samsung run OK on a MSW because they have DC compressors.

With the kitchen slide in the door on the refrigerator section will not open all the way... the freezer will. It does stick out 3" further than the 1200. I left the roof vent open and closed off most of the bottom outside vent.

[image]


I too would like to save the Drawer BUT needs to be a Counter Depth.

1. Counter Depth
2. French door
3. 33"
4, Black

Need Number 1
Would like Number 2
33" will fit but so will 30 and 24 if counter depth.
But fit is most important.

Have you heard of anyone using this model -- https://www.haieramerica.com/product/hrq16n3bgshttps://www.haieramerica.com/product/hrq16n3bgs

No Ice maker which is not bad as we can Adapt.

Thanks for the help - keep it coming, Please

Posted By: Ivylog on 04/29/17 04:50pm

The Haier is not Energy Star rated.

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