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Isotherm C65 Elegance Just Moved In(stalled)

mytabbys701
mytabbys701 Member Posts: 21
in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
After studying many posts here on the forum, we garnered the courage to replace the Norcold 3-way with the Isotherm 2-way in our 2018 T@B 320S.


(Note - the bland panel to the right is temporary)



The work was much easier than anticipated. With all the options and configurations we elected to:

  • install all the way "to the left"
  • use dual power (AC (shorepower) & DC) with a battery disconnect switch
  • inspired by @grassgd post for venting the compartment
  • active fan(s) for venting air in and out of the compartment with diverters for directing airflow

Picts below show some of the aspects of the install.

The open cabinet shows the risers the fridge sits on.


The risers are aligned to help promote "intake" airflow from right lower T@B vent under the fridge to the left side of the cabinet/fridge.  Also shown in the same picture is two "outflow" fans which pull the air from the left of the cabinet out the right upper T@B vent. Those two fans + the compressor fan (which is in the same flow direction) promotes the circular (facing clockwise) flow in, under, up, over and across the top, and out. (we used tissue paper to "watch" the flow).

One word about these risers is that they make install / remove of the new fridge slightly less "easy", as the fridge needs to "step up" and "step down" on the install / remove, but it works.

We were inspired by this post https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/17340/norcold-180-3-out-and-vitrifrigo-c62ixd4-f-in

The next few pictures (with the "green" material) show the diverter(s) used to help manage that flow. Once working, these diverters were wrapped in foil tape to aid in insulation. Also, (not shown) is the various crevasses in the cabinet area that were taped up keep air from "going to" or "coming from" places not wanted (for instance where the LP gas lines and DC power lines come up from the bottom).



Finally, to close out the cabinet, one vertical piece of white popular hardwood (first two pictures in this post) was used as the right-side fridge mount. It has been stained with Minwax Natural 209 (six coats) but we are not happy with it. So that vertical along with the "blank" installed in the cabinet void (again for airflow) are temporary for now until we can find the baltic birch pieces needed to fit it right (the last two picts).

Thanks to all of those that paved are way to this install!
2018 T@B 320S, a.k.a. The 4th Bedroom/2018 Toyota Tacoma SR5
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Comments

  • SLJ
    SLJ Member Posts: 644
    edited June 2024
    Nice install. I love ours. Very efficient. Our tow vehicle supplies enough power to run it and keep the batteries charged on the road. We have two 100ah lithium batteries and no longer have any worries about the fridge staying cool or running low on battery. On longer trips we keep most drinks in a separate cooler that gets opened and closed more often and typically doubles as a table between our chairs outside under the awning.
    2021 T@B 320 S Boondock
    2025 KZ Sportsmen 130RD
    2025 Ford Ranger
    The Finger Lakes of New York
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