the dog house get's a new refrigerator

[mossemi]

I completed our new Nova Kool R5810 AC/DC refrigerator installation before our trip to the 2025 OTTO's Rally and the 3 week shakedown was everything we hoped for!

I want to thank all of the early adopters, Try2Relax, MountainOliver, Geronimo John, Ty J and rideadeuce, who preceded my installation and shared there experiences.

I have attached a few pictures that are similar to those that have already been posted.

I would also like to shout out to David & Kristine Hess, Cooper Jenkins and the rest of the folks at Sea Biscuit Metal Designs for their help and creation of the upper and lower vents for my refrigerator installation.  If you need something custom made from metal, they are my goto team!

Mossey

Edited May 24 by mossemi
Replace incorrect pictures

[topgun2]

Very nice with the vents in the fridge basically matching those in the microwave.  Like the additional insulation in the compartment too.  Nice job!

Bill

[Patriot]

Well done Mike! I can’t imagine how much work and effort this mod took. Hats off!! 🫡

 

Edited May 18 by Patriot

[ScubaRx]

Wow, just wow...

[jd1923]

New fridge, but you lost half of your freezer space. Excellent installation work though, just wish some manufacturer would design and offer a compressor fridge with a full-width freezer. Love the freezer space in our old Dometic absorption fridge and glad it still performs well. Don't want a fridge like this and then have to buy another freezer for the TV.

[Patriot]

2 hours ago, jd1923 said:

New fridge, but you lost half of your freezer space. Excellent installation work though, just wish some manufacturer would design and offer a compressor fridge with a full-width freezer. Love the freezer space in our old Dometic absorption fridge and glad it still performs well. Don't want a fridge like this and then have to buy another freezer for the TV.

Really?? 😏 

I say nice job @mossemi and a lot of work, Ya gotta roll what works for you brother! 👍🏻

We have the Norcold and still carry a Truma 36C cooler in our TV.

Well done Mike!!

Patriot🇺🇸

Edited May 18 by Patriot

[rideandfly]

Mike,

Beautiful installation. 

I have been wondering what I would do if our 10 year old Dometic three way quits, your installation is a good one. Went back looking over the information shared by Try2Relax, MountainOliver, Geronimo John, Ty J and rideadeuce, really appreciate their post, too.

Thanks for posting!

[Geronimo John]

Respectfully disagree.  Prior to my March 2023 installation DIY, I had done extensive research on this very topic.  At that time, of all the alternatives to the Dometic OEM 3-Way, this Nova Kool had the largest freezer.  In fact it is pretty close to the size of the Dometic's. 

How is this possible? 

The Nova Kool has much more compact cooling system and as such they have run their freezer space nearly to the back wall.  So on the surface view, it LOOKS like you stated.  In reality it is MUCH deeper.   If I recall, the Nova Kool freezer size is:   6” H X 11” D X 10.25” Wide 

You can do the math to get to a more accurate percentage, but it does not appear to be 50%. 

GJ

Edited May 19 by Geronimo John

[Geronimo John]

PS:  Beautiful install Mossemi!

Edited May 18 by Geronimo John

[ADKCamper]

Great looking installation! We've got a 2018 Dometic 3-way that's likely the same as yours was. It struggles in the heat and will probably suffer the same fate at some point... we're messing with fridge fans now, but the compressor fridge certainly seems like the way to go.

Did the old Dometic have to come out in pieces?

Did the new Nova Kool fit through the door opening without removing the screen or the door?

[Geronimo John]

6 hours ago, ADKCamper said:

we're messing with fridge fans now,

Our 2018 Dometic frig is a ditto to yours.  We were having the same issues out west in the heat.   I found that by parking the curb side to the north direction, and deploying the awning a few feet to also keep the sun off of it together helped.  But the dual condenser fans in the top vent helped it a LOT. 

On the other hand, I'm in full agreement that John Davies had about these ammonia absorption.  He was worried in his posts about the fire hazard.  

But to me the real hazard is the potential for it to let CO into our trailers.  The refer cabinet was initially well sealed.  But with each mile and years, we see that the foil tape seals are being degraded.  Any crack in those seals could lead to a CO fatality. 

I earnestly suggest that all owners of the three way absorption refers ensure that their CO detector is fully serviceable.  Also that even if it appears to be OK, that you replace it every fourth year.  Not five or ten as some have suggested. 

If any full time Oliver owner of an older trailer is financially not able to do so, PM me and I'll send you a replacement for free.   That's how serious I take the CO hazard in our older trailers.

GJ

   

[rideadeuce]

Great job MIke! One of my favorite up-grades. Much more efficient unit boon-docking and works without worry. I like the fact that if I have to do anything, it is turning the setting down to keep things from freezing. Again, the vents look awesome. BTW, I did have the door come open on our last weekend trip. If you have the door loaded up make sure to use the locking clasp.

Best, M

It was good to see you at the rally.  

[mountainoliver]

Wow! Great job and good looking installation. I know that you will really like the new fridge. Glad to have been able to be of assistance. We never have to even think about the fridge, it just does its thing without worrying about outside temperature or if it’s level or bugs/dust getting into the camper through outside vents. You absolutely will never regret the changeover!

[routlaw]

Just curious how much noise do these things make while running? My experience with DC fridges is they are so loud one can’t sleep at night, or at least I couldn’t.

Thanks

[Jason Foster]

2 hours ago, routlaw said:

Just curious how much noise do these things make while running? My experience with DC fridges is they are so loud one can’t sleep at night, or at least I couldn’t.

Thanks

The one that came standard with my 2024 doesn’t make a sound. I can barely hear it with my ear up to the door. 

[mountainoliver]

During the day I can’t hear it, at night there’s a slight hum. Like a household fridge but much less. I mainly hear the 5 inch computer fan that’s installed on the fridge. 

[mountainoliver]

My Dometic came out through the door but I had to remove the cooling unit from the back of the fridge and reassemble it outside. For the new fridge I had to take the screen door off its hinges and remove the fridge door and the hinges. There was 1/4 inch clearance moving the new fridge in. The new fridge has quite a bit more room than the Dometic fridge because it is so deep. 

[jd1923]

On 5/18/2025 at 1:07 PM, Geronimo John said:

Nova Kool freezer size is:   6” H X 11” D X 10.25” Wide 

On 5/18/2025 at 10:31 AM, jd1923 said:

Excellent installation work though...

Sorry to have ruffled some feathers here. I did complement the work! I'm just so rarely amazed with product designs and engineers that have rarely used, installed or maintained the products they design.

Our Dometic freezer is 6"H 8.25"D and 17"W = 841.5 cu in.
Using GJ's measurements the Nova Cool freezer is 676.5 cu in.

Correction: not half the size, though it looks that way in the view, it's 20% smaller. And I believer there is more benefit to 7" greater width vs. 3" greater depth.

This is an expensive unit ($2K or more with tax and shipping?) and after this a suggestion is to add another fridge/freezer in the truck bed? No thank you.

Thank goodness ours as-is, but with addition of the Beech Lane dual fan for the hot days runs this efficiently. Picture shows average fridge and freezer temps, late morning and evening on a day where cabin temp if 80F. Not bad for a 10-year-old POS! 🤣

Perhaps I need some time away from this forum...

[Geronimo John]

25 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

Perhaps I need some time away from this forum...

No your good John.  We all appreciate your posts and the quality of the mods you do.  I do have to admit that some of us may be a bit anal sometimes in our responses though.  Like mine maybe?  

I don't think of our Dometic 3-Way as a total POS.  After all it is in it's 8th season and gets the job done. And as you mentioned the Beach Lane condenser fans do make it more effective in very high temperatures.   I do think that its technology presents a few special hazards that we owners need to keep top of mind to ensure tragedy stays away.   

When I was planning ahead to the future and posted an updated DIY, it was just that... looking to the day when my Dometic dies.   Hopefully I'll have a few more years before doing a John Davies on mine to get it out; and buying a new one.  For both of us, hopefully by then the price will have come down like the Litho's have.  

[routlaw]

So far at least for us we have not encountered issues with the Dometic fridge and while we don't camp normally in uber hot weather like you folks do in the Deep South and Southwest in the summer still we have been in temps well into the 80's, 90's and flirting with triple digits yet the 3 way absorption seems to cool well enough and keeps items in the freezer section frozen with a setting at 4. The big complaint is the lack of fridge storage and now the possible concern of CO2 emissions in the cab not something I had been aware of until now. Good to know. Would have preferred if Oliver had designed the interior for a larger fridge and eliminated the microwave which we opted out of. Don't use one at home, saw no need for it while camping. While we have made good use of that space for other storage, still it would have been a great option for larger fridge, Oh well nothing is ever perfect.

 

[Geronimo John]

14 minutes ago, routlaw said:

Would have preferred if Oliver had designed the interior for a larger fridge and eliminated the microwave

If keeping the OE2 footprint/size the same, I think that a taller refrigerator with more freezer space, and keeping a space for a Microwave/Convection/Air Fryer (pick one).  To do so, the overhead cabinet would need to be reduced.  

Or maybe a 25' Ollie with a dry bath and bigger kitchen to get a full size frig.  With a Heavy Duty Package that includes beefier jacks,  5200 axles, disk brakes and race style FOX cooled shocks.  Ditch the Anderson and require a F-250/2500 TV.  

But then this ought to be a separate thread I suspect!

GJ

[jd1923]

1 hour ago, Geronimo John said:

Or maybe a 25' Ollie,

with 80” long beds! (1/2 a queen)

[Mike and Carol]

12 hours ago, routlaw said:

So far at least for us we have not encountered issues with the Dometic fridge and while we don't camp normally in uber hot weather like you folks do in the Deep South and Southwest in the summer still we have been in temps well into the 80's, 90's and flirting with triple digits yet the 3 way absorption seems to cool well enough and keeps items in the freezer section frozen with a setting at 4.

Our Dometic has served us well too.  We try to avoid the heat, and usually only encounter it as we escape from the south Texas temperatures to cooler climates.  I know the time will come when it will need to be replaced, but hopefully we’ll have a few more years of service from the Dometic.  Mike

[mountainoliver]

There was an earlier question about removing the old fridge. I had quite a bit of trouble with the original fridge (as many on the forums can testify to) so was extremely happy to get rid of it but still was very careful about it’s removal. 🤪

[Jason Foster]

14 hours ago, jd1923 said:

Sorry to have ruffled some feathers here.

Perhaps I need some time away from this forum...

Actually, I prefer you here and in prime form. What you say is generally what Im thinking and it is a relief to read comments that sometimes goes against the grain. It’s like adding spice to the stew. Makes it thst much better. 
 

I’m not fond of Dometic, but I certainly can’t complain too much if they keep running and doing their job even when the door falls off due to poor design and is held on with duct tape, and the shelves won’t hold a milk jug anymore. 
 

I like to keep things simple.  I like the phrase, one fridge to find them, one fridge to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them. So I would prefer to have just one fridge freezer that will hold everything instead of two, one in camper and one in truck. And even though the idea of a dry bath is appealing, I kinda like the Hobbit hole I have now.