Samsung RF18 Fridge Install - Lower Ceiling Height Coaches = Dropping the Furnace with No Exterior Coach Appearance Changes

[Brad Loehr]

There is lots of good info from past members on the forum about their Samsung installs.  Thanks to everyone that contributed and sharing their experience on the Samsung conversion.  The conversion is a fair bit of work and screwing around but it is well worth the hassle.

I wanted to add a little more information on the lower ceiling height models and what obstacles were completed to make the fridge fit in my 2005 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40 DST with the 80 inch floor to ceiling height.

This is one of the best upgrades we have done in our motorhome and I wish I had done this earlier.  Not only because of the extra 1/3 capacity, the constant temperature in both the fridge and freezer, but also because of peace of mind of not having to worry about the Nevercold catching on fire…

For beginners the cabinet entry space where the Norcold 1200 LRIM was fit in was 63.25” H X 32 3/4" W X 26” D.  The inner part of the cabinet is bigger in width so you do not need to worry about air gap on the sides.  The Norcold overhung the cabinet by 2”. 

For the Samsung RF18 the 69” high at the top of the hinge, 32” wide, and with the 26 inch deep the fridge will overhang at the door hinge point another 3 1/4".  After lowering the furnace and new platform you will have 1 3/4" of gap on top of the fridge and it will clear your roof light if there is one on the left door swing radius.

Please see that attached document for all the details on dropping the Attwood furnace and fridge platform so there is no exterior appearance changes to the coach.

Samsung RF18 Install with Low Ceiling Height.pdf

Here are the past documents from Monacoers for your reference on the Samsung fridge conversion

BP Conversion.pdf FW Conversion.pdf Samsung Conversion.pdf Samsung RF197 Fridge Install.pdf Samsung RF197ACBP Fridge Install.pdf

Here are manuals and guides for the Samsung fridge conversion

RF18 Owners Manual.pdf RF18 Quick Guide.pdf RF197 Disassembly and Reassembly Manual.pdf RF197 Exploded View Parts List.pdf RF197 User Manual.pdf Samsung - RF195 - RF217 Service Manual.pdf

Samsung RF18 Service Manual.pdf Samsung RF18A5101 Quick User Guide.pdf Samsung RF18A5101 User Manual.pdf

[Oregon04Windsor]

Great write up.  Did you install the icemaker too?

[Brad Loehr]

Yes the RF18 has the ice maker and I plumbed in the water line.  All in all, for the size of the enclosure the Samsung RF18 fits perfectly.  1/3 more space and a great ice maker as well!  Lots of work but well worth it in the long run

[jacwjames]

Nice install.

I have the Suburban furnace and the intake & exhaust tubing is rigid so when I lowered the furnace I had to cut new holes, probably the worse part of my mode, not necessarily the cutting but "thinking" about it.   After sleeping on it I got up enough courage and came up with a decent way to align it. 

You are correct in that it is also one of my better modes.  Temps stay where you set them, ice drops all day long, and it really hasn't added much to my generator run time.

[Tom Cherry]

@Frank McElroy

WOW....  what a great story. Brad sent me the PDF offline.  I'll add you in the LIST and then you can see it as I did.

BRAD...

GREAT JOB.

Thanks for sharing....

This has been a MAJOR issue for many folks...

[Brad Loehr]

3 hours ago, jacwjames said:

Nice install.

I have the Suburban furnace and the intake & exhaust tubing is rigid so when I lowered the furnace I had to cut new holes, probably the worse part of my mode, not necessarily the cutting but "thinking" about it.   After sleeping on it I got up enough courage and came up with a decent way to align it. 

You are correct in that it is also one of my better modes.  Temps stay where you set them, ice drops all day long, and it really hasn't added much to my generator run time.

I couldnt get myself to cutting a hole in the side of the coach.  The exhaust flex pipe was a bit hard to manipulate on such a short length but it worked out quite well in the end.  I can still easily pull out the furnace assembly from the outside of the coach fairly easily and there was no visible changes from the exterior.

[RVerBob]

HELP.. New to RVing Life.  I recently purchased a coach from another owner that had a residential refrigerator already installed.   He resided in the south (warm temps) and I reside in the midwest (much colder temperatures).  

To anyone that has a residential refrigerator installed (or who knows):

1. What is the proper temperature for both the refrigerator AND the freezer?

2. I've read in several blogs that people are insulating their exterior access panel (behind their refrigerator), is this something I should do?  If yes, should this be airtight or loose to allow air flow?

 

[Brad Loehr]

35 minutes ago, RVerBob said:

HELP.. New to RVing Life.  I recently purchased a coach from another owner that had a residential refrigerator already installed.   He resided in the south (warm temps) and I reside in the midwest (much colder temperatures).  

To anyone that has a residential refrigerator installed (or who knows):

1. What is the proper temperature for both the refrigerator AND the freezer?

2. I've read in several blogs that people are insulating their exterior access panel (behind their refrigerator), is this something I should do?  If yes, should this be airtight or loose to allow air flow?

 

Your fridge temp should be 35 to 38 f and freezer 0 f.  

Yes insulate and seal off the upper roof vent and side of coach access vent.  

Look at your fridge specifications for air gap between the wall and fridge. Usually 1 inch gap.

Perhaps look at your fridge and make sure the is no accumulation of dust, pet hair, etc in cooling fan and cooling fins.  This will effect performance.

[Tom Cherry]

Typically ZERO & 36.  If ice cream is hard…,maybe 2…or soft -2.  Never above 38 on the refer. Boon docking use the energy mode and turn off icemaker.  An icemaker mold will BURN you finger if you TRY to unplug the power and put your finger on the mold for leverage….”a friend told me”…LOL…healed up OK.

If you do not INSULATE….watch the $$ or more precisely. The inability to cool.  You do have 3 units.  But WHY would you want them to HUFF and PUFF.  At home, if you air condition, do you leave a window open in the kitchen.

Bottom LINE.  The RES REFER was made to operated in a CONTROLLED CLIMATE….like your home.  If you don’t insulate the lower panel and the upper or the Roof vent….  You are AIR CONDITIONING the great outdoors.  All FACTORY RES REFERS come with BLANK Panels….and some have insulated them as the fiberglass panel has LESS R-Value than the sidewalls.  

Next….you can NOT camp if the  outside temps hit or get below 32 DF at night.  It SHUTS DOWN.  No internet MYTH.  Fact.  I could not use my JUST INSTALLED new Samsung in the NC Moutains for 3 days.  At night, it would lock up.  Then UNPLUG….wait… and do that again. Samsung FACTORY tech said.  Ain’t NOTHING WRONG.  They don’t work like the NON ENERGY STAR ones….get cold at night for one in a garage.  Same DEAL.  He looked at the insulation that I had added and said….you will never have a PROBLEM….that was 7 years and 30K and 120 nights ago.

NOW…if some WELL MEANING, but not knowledgeable installer wrapped it up in insulation….like a gas.  IT is GONNA RUN HOT and never cool.  Do you have a blanket of insulation around your kitchen unit.  There MUST be air circulating and it MUST be conditioned air.

Facts….experience…from a retired engineer that took care of plant cooling systems….and common sense.  UNFORTUNATELY too much idle prattle from folks that read and parrot.  There were too many botched jobs during the first years of conversion….until, they looked at the Factory Installs and said…OPPS …NOW I KNOW!

[RVerBob]

Thank you, very much, Brad L and Tom C for your insight, experience and support!  Greatly appreciated.   And, no, Tom, I don't like to cool the outside during summer :))

Ice Cream tip was very cool .. thanks again!