Replacing Norcold 3-way fridge with Isotherm 2-way

AnOldUR · December 2021

gulfarea said:

You must put it all the way to the left in the space because there is a wood piece with 4 pocket screws covered with foil (to keep the heat down from the old gas ones flame) but this wood also is the support for the complete counter top on the right side so I did not want to remove it.

It's been a while since my mod was done. I removed the wood piece thinking it was there to hold the foil insulation, not as a support. We've put many miles on since then and have seen no shifting or sagging of the counter top. Originally I put screen over the vents, but I've now completely blocked them off with duct tape on the interior of the vented covers. I would like to find or make a solid cover for the outside that seals them off.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/dh/uw7x9n0m6axu.jpg

AnOldUR · December 2021

Looking at the @Bayliss picture above I noticed some differences to my mod. Not that it's any better, but I moved the gas line to the back and flipped the 120V receptacle so that it's accessible from the fridge compartment. I also routed the 12V line around the back to power my fridge. I only use 12V to power it.

gulfarea · December 2021

@AnOldUR Did yours have the screw coming in from the bottom like @Bayliss on that piece? Would be good info for the next person who does this mod. Art

AnOldUR · December 2021

@gulfarea I can't remember. I just looked back at all my pictures and can't find anything to show if that was the case. What I do remember is the PITA it was to remove that foil wall. I think there were pocket screws put in before the outer shell was put on. That made removal very difficult. A lot of cursing during that part of the job. I had to pull out the drawer and supports that the drawer runners were attached to. Another PITA! (edit to add that it was well worth it)

gulfarea · December 2021

By moving it to the left I did not have to mess with that vertical board and it makes a backstop for the trash bin area when I install the door. Also my 2 way came with the hard plastic mounts around the edges for screwing into the vertical styles all ready on which saved me some time. I am always amazed about how many tools we must have to do even simple projects! Now need a paint brush to stain the right vertical style!

webers3 · December 2021

@gulfarea what is the model?

AnOldUR · December 2021

@gulfarea, really nice job! My bad. I was confusing this thread with one on pullout installations where the extra width is sometimes necessary.

Bayliss · December 2021

@gulfarea, I ordered the door through "Missouri Teardrop Trailers." You can E-mail your request to info@missouriteardroptrailers.com , ATTN: Barb. Include a photo of the door that you want and include the model, year and VIN for your trailer. After Barb confirms the order with nuCamp, she will send you the cost and provide you with a phone number to call her with your credit card info.

As far as I know, the door includes the hinge and door knob, but just tell Barb that you need the hardware (i.e., hinges and door knob) as well. (I have asked nuCamp not to pre-drill the door knob hole, because I may position it differently. However, Elsie did not indicate whether they would grant that request. Also, I told her that I need the hinges attached and she did not provide a separate part number, so I can only assume that the hardware is included. Barb at Missouri Teardrop Trailers could not tell me for sure either. However, she did say that she forwarded a copy of my E-mail message to Elsie.) Cost for me, including shipping, was $66.21, but yours may be slightly different depending on the shipping cost.

Bayliss · December 2021

@gulfarea, you did a nice job. I have included below a photo of what the cabinet door will look like (approximately.) I have a few questions for you: What wood did you use for the vertical trim insert (maple? birch?), and how wide did you cut it - - (2", possibly?) Also, what do you plan to use for stain? I have thought about asking nuCamp if they would send me a piece of trim, stained to match, or if they won't do that, maybe send me a small amount of stain. Unfortunately, they don't seem to respond directly to special requests, so it would likely be futile. Finally, what gauge wire did you use for the 12V connection? (I believe it is 12 gauge, but I could not find the size on the nuCamp wires.)

@AnOldUR, thank you for the info regarding your experience with having removed the wood in the back corner. I know that @subfreq111 removed it as well for his Isotherm installation, but I do not know if he left the side vents open. Maybe he will comment if he reads this discussion thread. Flipping the AC plug makes sense for your slide out installation, but since the back of the Isotherm will be completely enclosed in the cabinet, I will leave the wiring as is. I plan to cap off the gas line and attach the hose to the wall to keep it out of the way, but available for re-use if that is later desired by me or a future owner of the trailer.

@webers3, the new refrigerator is the Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance, AC/DC, 2.3cf. I purchased mine online from West Marine and picked it up in Phoenix, AZ (I live in Tucson) to avoid the shipping cost. I tested it out and had the same experience as @gulfarea and others who have made this modification. It is quiet and cools down quickly.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/ld/o9nmu5gdwdls.jpg

gulfarea · December 2021

BayLiss thanks so much for the info! You will not have to change the gauge of the wire for the 12 volts as the old fridge used a lot of amps so nucamp used very heavy wire to the old fridge which I soldered to the red and black that came on the new 2 way, The positive wire is the one with the blue stripe. As for the stain I will use minwax wood finish penetrating stain, semi-transparent, natural 209 from lowes (have not done that yet) Thanks for your help, ART

gulfarea · December 2021

BayLiss, as for the wood for the vertical style I went to lowes and bought some 1x3 which really measures 3/4x2-3/8 just like all the rest of the cabinet wood Art

Bayliss · December 2021

Thanks @gulfarea.

gulfarea · December 2021

Problem #4,302. I don't have enough room on the right side to mount the hinges like the lower cabinet door as the door screen is in the way. Will have to use magnets like I did on my exterior A/C compartment cover. That way I can get into my new trash bin. Art

Bayliss · December 2021

It's always some little thing that messes with your plans, eh @gulfarea. At least you noticed it before encountering problem #4,303.

AnOldUR · December 2021

Bayliss said:
I plan to cap off the gas line and attach the hose to the wall to keep it out of the way, but available for re-use if that is later desired by me or a future owner of the trailer.

Capped mine off also, but would like to use it for an external gas port.

gulfarea · January 2022

I finished my install and made a door held on by magnets (I really like magnets) for what I am now using as my trash compartment on the right side of the refrigerator. I did have to taper the door (hatch) on the right side where it has to go behind the screen door. I drilled two 1/2 inch holes 1/4 deep in the vertical style so both magnets (which are only 1/8 thick) would fit snug leaving no gap in between the door hatch and the style. The magnet on the hatch side

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/19/ckaw6pi6kf2x.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/5j/y785jhe1iq1k.jpg

is not recessed so it fits perfect into the hole in the style working like a peg to locate the hatch for fast closing. You can see the magnets in the photo where I labeled them. I am calling it a door but really it is a hatch held on with magnets as I could not use hinges as the side door screen is right where I would have to put the hinges. Believe me they hold very well! Art

webers3 · January 2022

Very nice!! Here is mine
https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/179460#Comment_179460

gulfarea · January 2022

@webers3 great job Art

Bayliss · February 2022

Following helpful input and insight provided by @Ron, @subfreq111 and @gulfarea, I completed the installation of the Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance two-way refrigerator in my 2019 320 S Boondock. Absent a frustrating hicccup involving the alignment of the refrigerator door (more on that below), the installation went well and the refrigerator fits perfectly. I tested it out on both electrical and 12 VDC and it works great. It gets cold quickly and maintains the correct temperature, so I am very pleased. The Battleborn 100 Ah lithium battery that I installed (discussed in a separate thread) provided more than sufficient power and the refrigerator generally used about 10% of the battery capacity on a daily basis. The temperature where we camped while testing it recently (in New Mexico and Texas) was generally cool, so the real test will be how it works in higher temps, but I anticipate that it will perform to expectation. The compressor seemed to cycle on and off fairly regularly, primarily during the daytime, but the refrigerator maintained the desired temperature 24/7. The freezer also performed very well and was nice to have while camping.

As depicted in the photos below, I opted to install the refrigerator all the way to the right inside the cabinet that previously housed the larger (in exterior dimensions) factory installed Norcold N180_3R three-way refrigerator. This left about 6" or so of space to the left of the refrigerator, so I created a separate storage compartment in that area. To enclose the new storage area, I ordered a new cabinet door (identical to the one located below the refrigerator) from nüCamp. It took about a month to receive the door and had a light-blond colored finish, which did not match our cabinets. My wife removed the finish and has been working hard trying to get the stain color to match. It is now pretty close, but she plans to do some more staining to match the color. Regardless, we are very happy with how the new door (which we opted to install below the refrigerator) worked out.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/5d/2ev6o8m7c30u.jpeg

I had to remove the trailer's screen door so that I could attach the refrigerator's right side trim to the existing cabinet frame. That was very easy to do. The refrigerator fit perfectly along the right side of the cabinet, leaving the exact amount of space needed for a perfect fit of the screen door when I replaced it. When I replaced the screen door, I just had to very slightly bend the left side of the screen door frame to get it to slip over two small metal posts/screws that secure the screen door frame in place.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/2d/17kztyr96nb8.jpeg

It is almost as if the Isotherm refrigerator was designed for the refrigerator cabinet opening. It quite literally "fit like a glove." I added 1" high wood strips under the refrigerator feet and that brought it up as high as I could get it inside the cabinet, just clearing the base of the stove's propane regulator (see photo below.)

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/r3/ncpejtm1sppa.jpg

I added a 1/2" thick section of plywood to create a wall between the refrigerator compartment and the new storage area. It is secured in place with a few metal "L" brackets. Measuring the back edge of that piece of plywood (using a template my wife and I created using aluminum foil) to attempt to match the curve of the front wall of the trailer was probably the most difficult and time consuming part of the project, but we got it pretty close.

I purchased a really nice 1" x 3" (3/4" x 2 1/2" actual size) strip of birch from Home Depot, which I trimmed to 2" wide to fill the gap on the face of the cabinet between the new storage compartment and the left side of the refrigerator. The refrigerator's left side trim is secured to that piece of wood with two screws. My wife was able to stain the wood to match the other cabinetry. My wife stapled some fine mesh aluminum screen (also purchased from Home Depot) over the inside of the two refrigerator compartmet vents. That will prevent insects from entering that area while also providing good ventilation for the refrigerator. I used a 3/8" brass male flare plug to close off the propane gas line that was previously connected to the Norcold three-way refrigerator.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/r2/hum7hh4syo4c.jpeg

Initially, we chose to leave both exterior side vents with unrestricted air flow. I had some concern that this might create too much air flow into the refrigerator compartment and trailer cabin area, but I wanted to test that possibility. During our test trip, it was evident that a lot of cool air was entering the trailer due to the exposed area under the refrigerator. The airway under the refrigerator is required for proper operation of the refrigerator, because air flows from below the refrigerator and up its side/back and the hot air must exhaust from the top and/or sides. After returning from our trip, I decided that I would close off the air flow from the lower of the two side vents to cut down on the amount of air entering the trailer cabin. I closed it off by simply inserting a couple thin sheets of foam inside the vent's frame (see photo below.) The top vent has retained its unrestricted air flow. Although I will have to test it out during a future trip, I believe this will sufficiently reduce excess air flow. One thing I like about utilizing the side vent (as opposed to nuCamp's installation of venting hot air back inside the trailer via a vent at the top of the refrigerator) is that there will be better air flow and ventilation, day and night. And, probably more significant, it will provide improved ventilation for the refrigerator whenever the trailer is closed up during the day while camping and we are away on a hike, sight-seeing, etc.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/ew/n13ileeua5xf.jpg

Anyway, so far, so good. My wife and I have found that the Isotherm two-way is a great improvement over the Norcold three-way, which simply does not keep up in warmer temperatures. Additionally, the lithium battery provides a reliable and constant source of power to keep the Isotherm running efficiently both while camping and towing.

Oh, returning to that one hiccup we had with the refrigerator door...........since we opted to install the refrigerator at the right side of the cabinet, we had to reverse the door swing. It comes configured with a right-hand opening, but that will not work with the T@B's screen door. Therefore, we needed to reverse the door hinge pins to accommodate a left-hand opening. That is very easy to do, but when we did that we discovered that the manufacturer misaligned one of the three screw holes for the lower hinge pin. That prevented the door from properly closing and sealing. It was quite frustrating, but I called the manufacturer and the warehouse manager I talked to immediately acknowledged the problem. I spent some time on the phone with him and he provided valuable input on how to get around the misaligned screw hole. It took a bit of time, but I finally got it all figured out and the door closed just as designed. So, I give the manufacturer (indel Webasto) kudos for good customer service. If you are wondering, changing the door swing is a plus for us. We spend 90% of our camping time outside the trailer, so being able to access the refrigerator so easily from the doorway opening is fantastic.

gulfarea · February 2022

@Bayliss Great job! Art

Bayliss · December 2022

UPDATE - - ADDING AIR EXHAUST VENTS ABOVE THE ISOTHERM REFRIGERATOR:

We used our Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance refrigerator continuosly for 3 months straight (July 28th-Oct 28th) on a trip that began and ended in Arizona. We traveled through 7 Canadian provinces and 25 states. Temperatures ranged from the low 100s (with high humidity) down to freezing. I am happy to report that the Isotherm worked flawlessly, maintaining a constant temperature between 36-40 degrees. As I mentioned in an earlier post, prior to our trip I had closed off the lower of the two exterior refrigerator vents with a couple sheets of thin foam. That was to hopefully cut down on unncessary cold air entering the refrigerator compartment and trailer cabin. Unfortunately, that did not achieve the desired result.

Therefore, I decided I should close off those vents completely. My solution was to remove the vent frames from the trailer, install plexiglass to the inside (back) of the frames, and then reinstall and caulk them. I taped the plexiglass sheets in place with heavy-duty tape, just in case I want to remove/place them in the future. I had first intended to cut the plexiglass to be easily removable from the outside, but because of how the vent covers are configured, that was not feasible. The below photo shows what the vents now look like (with the cover off.) They don't appear much different than before, except you can see light reflecting on the plexiglass. The photo was taken with the refrigerator installed, so you can see its upper and lower metal frames inside the vent openings, as well as the mesh screen that we previously installed to prevent insects from entering that compartment. The exterior vent covers remain removable.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/n1/hnkzojq6xziv.jpg

After closing off the outside vents, I needed to vent the area above the refrigerator inside the trailer cabin. What I decided upon was to do essentially what nuCamp did. nuCamp uses a single horizontal vent that stretches across the cabinet above the refrigerator. In that same location, I added five circular 1.5" exhaust vents ( https://www.amazon.com/Maurice-Franklin-Round-Plastic-Vent/dp/B01DH8EKS4/ref=sr_1_5?crid=BMRDCG63O31N&keywords=maurice+franklin+louver+1.5&qid=1671137731&sprefix=Maurice+Franklin+,aps,460&sr=8-5 ), which worked well and fit the cabinet trim perfectly. This is what they look like, installed:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/9q/9cnhpvgtoo8r.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/66/1z0wzp9o43oz.jpg

Before drilling the 1.5" holes, I covered the wood with painter's tape, measured to center the middle vent directly over the refrigetor door handle, and spaced the vents 3" from center-to-center of each other as depicted below. We always vent our trailer while camping by opening the roof vent as needed, while also at least cracking open one or two windows. Therefore, the vents should perform as expected and allow warm air flowing from the back of the refrigerator and up over the top to exhaust. As depicted in the last photo, there is plenty of clearance above the refrigerator for drilling the holes and for air to exhaust. When drilling, to ensure that I did not damage the connections under the countertop stove, I just had to be careful not to allow the hole saw to lurch forward into the cabinet as I finished drilling each hole.)

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/of/zchiaxrequmq.jpg

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Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/gx/mepzktrk6cjb.jpg

AnOldUR · December 2022

Great fix for sealing the vents off. We took the PITA approach of replacing the vents with boat deck hatches. Not a project to be taken lightly. To accommodate the slightly taller deck hatches we had to cut into the side walls to open up the existing vent holes. It was not that practical either. We only gained minimal storage space. It was one of those projects that once begun there's no turning back even though you regret ever starting. Regardless, now that it's over, we do like the look from the outside better than the vents.

Bayliss · December 2022

Thanks, @AnOldUR. I like the look of the deck hatches. It was a daring (but successful) move to make the larger opening. Must have been scary cutting into the side of the trailer, but it worked out well and you have made good use of the additional storage space.

AnOldUR · December 2022

@Bayliss the best part of this thread is getting rid of the 3-way. Although our 12V chest fridge on a slide has worked out fine, I am jealous of the Isotherm installations.

gulfarea · December 2022

The 2 best modes I have done to my 320, # 1 geting rid of 3 way fridge and installing 2 way, #2 best mod making the tong jack electric with the 1 dollar bolt! Sure thank this forum and all who contribuit to it! Art

gulfarea · December 2022

@Bayliss Thanks so much for your 1/1/2 hole vent idea! I only ran into one problem, I mounted my 2 way more to the left and when I drilled the second hole from the left I hit a pocket bolt holding the top counter down. No big problem, just remover that pocket bolt. Thanks again for you very good mod! Art

Bayliss · December 2022

Great, @gulfarea! I'm glad it worked out for you.

Rollingztone · December 2022

I noticed that you removed the knob on the door beneath the Isotherm. Did you need that space for the installation? Or have you just not put the knob back on yet?

Bayliss · December 2022

@Rollingztone, good obs. It had nothing to do with the refrigerator or venting installations. I had just removed the knob so I could replace it with a different one, which I have. My wife took the photo you are referring to before I had done that.

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Replacing Norcold 3-way fridge with Isotherm 2-way

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