Suggested Replacement for Norcold 3163 (3 Way Fridge, 2012 T@B Max)

AldebaranJill

Can anyone suggest a replacement for the Norcold 3163 Fridge - 3 Way? I would like to replace it with another 3 way as I do a mostly boondocking and ran it on propane setting. Only 3 way suggestions please :-)

Grumpy_G

I wanted to say Norcold N180 which was the successor to the 3163 but that one is discontinued as well. Norcold is not making any small 3 way fridges anymore, Dometic still does with the RM2354 but that model has the cooling unit on the back side which might make it too deep, and getting the heat extracted is going to be a challenge. 

In another thread you mentioned the dealer can't repair your fridge because of unavailable parts. Do you know what is supposed to be defective ? The RV fridge guys (formerly Norcold Guy) might know what can be substituted. 

Marceline

Hi Jill -
Nice to hear from you!

I know that you said that you only want to hear about 3way fridges, but I fear that they are going the way of the CD player. The most recent Norcold catalog offers only a few models and they are all too big for the T@B. The Dometic site still lists a few models, no price listed, "sold in our dealer network." 

If you're dead set on keeping the 3way, your best option might be to find someone who's removed theirs or somehow who's parting out a totaled trailer. I think that I've seen a few offered here over the years. If you search on Amazon (LP rv refrigerator) there are some small LP fridges shown under no-name brands. That seems a bit risky, though.

Otherwise, if I were in your shoes, I'd take the $1500 you'd have spent on a new 3way fridge and get a 12v chest cooler and a decent sized LiFePO4 battery (100aH+). I seem to remember that you already have solar on the roof.

AldebaranJill

Marceline said:

Hi Jill -
Nice to hear from you!

I know that you said that you only want to hear about 3way fridges, but I fear that they are going the way of the CD player. The most recent Norcold catalog offers only a few models and they are all too big for the T@B. The Dometic site still lists a few models, no price listed, "sold in our dealer network." 

If you're dead set on keeping the 3way, your best option might be to find someone who's removed theirs or somehow who's parting out a totaled trailer. I think that I've seen a few offered here over the years. If you search on Amazon (LP rv refrigerator) there are some small LP fridges shown under no-name brands. That seems a bit risky, though.

Otherwise, if I were in your shoes, I'd take the $1500 you'd have spent on a new 3way fridge and get a 12v chest cooler and a decent sized LiFePO4 battery (100aH+). I seem to remember that you already have solar on the roof.

I have a Li 100AH, an 100W on roof....I was looking at coolers yesterday to see if I am gonna have to revert to ice and a high quality cooler. Do you have any 12V coolers in mind? The ARB's are all too massive. I was looking at a post of a person who replaced their clamshell with a Yeti 24.

Marceline

AldebaranJill said:

I have a Li 100AH, an 100W on roof....I was looking at coolers yesterday to see if I am gonna have to revert to ice and a high quality cooler. Do you have any 12V coolers in mind? The ARB's are all too massive. I was looking at a post of a person who replaced their clamshell with a Yeti 24.

I have a Massimo-branded 42qt that I got from Costco at least 4 years ago. I think that it was made by whoever makes the coolers sold under the Alpicool brand. It's held up surprisingly well. I use it for a variety of purposes (it's not installed in my T@B). The ARBs are nice but not worth the price for me. I think that the trick will be to find something that will fit in that space (you would probably want to put a slider under it). 

If you replace your 3way with a conventional 12v RV fridge, you'd probably need to add some solar and/or battery capacity (figuring that it will use 30-40aH per day, maybe even more if the ambient temp is high. I have an old CS-S with a 12v fridge and I get by with a 90aH LiFePO4 + 160w solar panel, but it's tough when the ambient temperature is 90deg+. The compressor seems to run nonstop. If my fridge dies, I won't replace with another front-door 12v RV fridge. My perception is that the compressor chest coolers are more energy efficient. 

AldebaranJill

Marceline said:

My perception is that the compressor chest coolers are more energy efficient. 

Yeah....I think you may be correct...I mean, I don't want to spend $1500 or $2000 on a new fridge. I think maybe that I do check out buying a nice 12V cooler, that I could maybe have someone remove the fridge and then add a slide drawer and use it to store a cooler. If it would be possible to put ice in it, and then maybe run it just a little, it could keep things at 40F. I don't need anything kept frozen. It's a good suggestion, I appreciate it very much.

rcarlson1957

Have had good luck with ICECO 12v fridges. They use the same compressors (Danfoss-Secop) as the higher end ones and are cheaper.