Legacy Elite II Dometic RM2454 refer

[Try2Relax]

I do not think that between the three units, any of them will disappoint. The others have a bit more fit and finish to them vs. the NovaKool from what I've seen, but whereas the only thing that shows is the front on the door, that wasn't a concern for me.

 

Performance wise, no doubt, no question, worth every penny, I'm amazed at how rock solid it is at holding temperature. The freezer isn't a zero degree freezer, but maintains 18-20° while the fridge is 35-36° on a setting of 4 out of 7, higher colder.

 

My choosing the 5810 was based on fit and space. It actually has slightly more interior room, while occupying a smaller space, due to loss of heating components. The unit is approx 4.5" shorter than the Dometic. I also wanted to close off the exterior vents, to keep the outside temps outside, so I elevated it, split the difference and draw cool inside air in the bottom up the back and out the top, the microwave nook is elevated in the cabinet so 2 - 140mm (I think) ultra quiet low power computer fans are connected to the compressor and come on whenever it runs. Sitting at the dinette, it isn't really noticable.

 

Honestly, with the standard solar (blue sky), power draw is 25AH overnight, I wouldn't recommend ever going near a propane fridge for these trailers, as you said, for the price difference it just doesn't make sense.

 

Good luck, let us know what your research determines.

[DavidS]

Hello I am seeking input on the Dometic RM 2454 refrigerator that is installed in the Elite II trailer. Does the refer keep the temperature at or below 40 degrees F (perishables safe). when the ambient air temps are above 85 Degrees ?

 

We had the same problem on our recent trip to the Olympic Peninsula. Our first night was in Huntington, OR where it was 104°F, and then two nights in Yakima, WA where it was in the high 80's. The fridge certainly did not maintain temperatures below 40°F, more like 46-49°F. The freezer stayed well below 32°F, probably 20°F, but certainly not the desired 0°F.

 

We had electric hookups while camping and we ran the fridge on propane while driving. I read thru the instruction manual, and turned on the auxiliary fan. I don’t know whether using the fan helped. Moving to cooler climes certainly solved the problem.

 

Raptor posted about this problem, but it appears not to be a common problem?

[KarenLukens]

raptor wrote:

Hello I am seeking input on the Dometic RM 2454 refrigerator that is installed in the Elite II trailer. Does the refer keep the temperature at or below 40 degrees F (perishables safe). when the ambient air temps are above 85 Degrees ?

We had the same problem on our recent trip to the Olympic Peninsula. Our first night was in Huntington, OR where it was 104°F, and then two nights in Yakima, WA where it was in the high 80’s. The fridge certainly did not maintain temperatures below 40°F, more like 46-49°F. The freezer stayed well below 32°F, probably 20°F, but certainly not the desired 0°F. We had electric hookups while camping and we ran the fridge on propane while driving. I read thru the instruction manual, and turned on the auxiliary fan. I don’t know whether using the fan helped. Moving to cooler climes certainly solved the problem. Raptor posted about this problem, but it appears not to be a common problem?

When your having fridge cooling problems, always switch to propane, it is the only stable and reliable cooling platform. Electric AC and DC will only maintain the fridge at best when it's in the 80°s or lower where propane will do a good job at keeping it cool where you want it even over 100°. You will need to set it on 5 for sure in those temps, but we usually run it on 4 the rest of the time or 3 in cold weather :)

 

Reed

[SeaDawg]

At the moment, the Isotherm classic 130, dc only, is on sale with two major marine suppliers. I like the DC only as a, it's less money, b, we live on 12 volt, and, c, retrofitted smart controller is easier on the DC only model.

 

Leaning towards the Isotherm. Love the reviews on the novakool, though.

 

Sherry

[Overland]

My advice on the isotherm is to skip the stainless door if you're thinking about it.  It seems like a fairly thin and soft stainless and it's polished rather than brushed - I think it will be completely scratched up in no time, so if I had to do it again, I'd go with the standard finish.  In fact I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't make it out of the shop unscathed, especially since when I saw it they'd already pulled off the protective film (not smart).  Definitely get the ASU model though, and don't forget to specify the door swing direction and that you need a 4-sided mounting flange.

[SeaDawg]

I thought the same thing about the stainless, actually. I'm going with black. I can change it out later, if we get the urge... to a fake stainless panel, but I'm about over that stainless appliance look anyway. The fingerprints make me crazy on some of our home stainless appliances.

 

I'm only finding the DC only unit in right hand swing, but I don't think that's a big deal. It might actually make loading the fridge easier than the existing left swing door, when bringing in groceries. The left swing blocks the entance to the door. Since we prep and cook mostly outside, the right swing works for me.

 

I'd honestly rather have drawers, and get up off the floor, but I just can't justify the additional price. Maybe on the boat.

 

The classic, in black, DC only, isn't THAT much different in price than another dometic, gives me 15% more cooler space (though a dinky pocket sized freezer), and I can run it on silent, renewable solar instead of gas. I think it's a good compromise for us. Boaters love the Danfoss/Secor compressor, and I loved the ones we've used in foreign rentals... No worries about leveling, very durable and reliable.

 

On the fence on the asu. I'm thinking the ~$125 smart controller may gain me as much in efficiency. On our boat, asu makes a lot of sense, though. Did you install one? Or do you think it's puffery?

 

Usingthe classic in the trailer is a bit of a test on what we do next for boat refrigerator... Which has always been engine driven cold plate. Way oversized, and wasteful except on long cruises.

 

Sherry

 

 

 

 

[Overland]

To update, I've learned a few things about fridges now that we've had one in use for a bit.  First, like Sherry, I wish I'd gotten drawers (assuming the drawer unit would fit the Ollie of course since it's a bit wider).  On the Isotherm unit, the shelves on the front load seem secure enough, but under use we've had them collapse twice while on the road.  Plus everything gets rearranged enough even if the shelves hold that I think a drawer unit would have been a wiser choice.  Probably a bit easier to locate and retrieve things, too.  Worth the extra, imo.

 

Secondly, well, I might regret having promoted the ASU model since I'm replacing my ASU module as I type.   It doesn't seem to have worked from day one (supposedly - my suspicion is that the thermistor is what's really out, but Isotherm sent me an ASU module instead so that's what I'm replacing.)  Problem is that while on ASU mode the fridge doesn't keep cool, but while on manual mode, the fridge won't stop cooling, running at a nice 25° or so.

 

We also had the ASU module vibrate lose once while on the road, so be sure that those connections and the ASU module are all well secured before installing the fridge.

[Try2Relax]

Not knowing what ASU was, I had to look it up (my reading). My understanding is that when it senses extra power (engine running) it runs at 75% to max charge the cooling plate (thermal mass) my question is, did you somehow rig it to recognize when the solar is in a bulk charge state to achieve it's designed purpose?

 

They also mention recommending a 3 phase compressor, so obviously an AC environment powered by a nice big diesel engine on a boat..

 

Do they make a recommendation anywhere in their literature about RV use, I ask because while boats roll a bit, I would not think they suffer from the same micro (and not) vibrations that a rolling vehicle would, so I would wonder about some dampening mounts for any circuitry.

[Overland]

I wouldn't read anything into the 3-phase thing as they're just talking about the internal workings of the compressor.  They use a Danfoss BD35F compressor in this fridge (12v only) which can be run at four speeds: 2000-3500 rpm in 500 rpm increments.  Indel (Isotherm) only uses the lower 3 speeds for some reason, hence the 75%.  When the fridge detects a charge, it will allow the compressor to be run at 3000 rpm.  Otherwise, it limits the rpm to 2000 or 2500, depending on the switch setting.  I don't remember what the voltage needs to be before it will allow the boost mode, but it will detect a solar charge.  The Danfoss compressors, btw, use a trick similar to the soft starts that everyone is adding to their AC units - it does a phase alignment at start up to reduce the locked rotor amps and that's what allows them to run on 12v.  They're very robust units and are found in a wide range of mobile fridge and freezer units.  Isotherm is a marine brand, but as stated above, Indel brands these fridges under multiple names, some of which are specifically marketed for road use.

 

The problem, btw, does seem to have been the ASU module.  I haven't tried out the ASU mode yet, but the fridge is now working under manual mode just fine.  I suspect that the unit was either DOA from the factory, or fried at some point during construction at Oliver.  It could also be that it was never pushed in all the way which led it to short out and then eventually vibrate off.  I say that because when it's pushed in fully, it's in there super tight.  But I'll add a few dollops of silicone to hold it in place anyway, just because it's come out once and why take chances.

 

While the fridge is out, I'm going to insulate the cabinet and add a layer of reflectix to the fridge itself.

 

I'm concerned about the installation now, as the mounting holes for the fridge all look like this:

 

 

Nice.  3 screws seem to be holding, but one already spins.  I think the solution is to glue in some wood blocks behind and then some longer screws.  I'll see if Oliver can oblige.

 

One other thing I've run into multiple times is this:

 

 

That's the control panel for the fridge and a full ¾" of slack that I have in the cable to work with.  It's really frustrating, and I don't know why Oliver does this, but it seems like every other panel is wired this way, with the cables taped in place with gorilla tape and zero slack and then the extra cable wound up elsewhere.

[KarenLukens]

We use these when driving, they work really well holding everything in place. Then we take them out after arriving. We have the doubles, they work best.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-44073-Double-Refrigerator-Bar/dp/B0006IX7WY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1513259662&sr=8-5&keywords=rv+refrigerator+door+holder

[topgun2]

I used to use those bars in my old campers that had bigger fridges and they worked great.  With using the bars I seldom had to worry about that first opening of the fridge door after setting up and finding a third of my fridge contents falling out onto the floor.  However, with the smaller fridge in the Oliver I usually have it fairly well packed and there is little shifting of the contents.  But, I still use the bars if I plan on heading down rough roads or if I have the fridge lightly packed.

 

Bill

[SeaDawg]

I have read some complaints on Australian camper forums and marine forums on the weaker doors on the Isotherm. I've never used fridge bars, just pack stuff tight/ wedge it so it can't move while traveling with three-way dometic and norcold fridges. I also unload the door shelves except for very light items like cheese and bacon bits, to alleviate door sag.

The fridge bars might be of help with a weaker door, as I have read can be an issue with Isotherm. I have also read that the Isotherm doors have been recently upgraded, but don't know if it extends to the classic.

We usually travel with a few empty shelves, anyway. I can probably make it work, if that's the model we finally get.

Sherry

[Overland]

I haven't had any problems with the doors, only the shelves.  If they've changed the doors, though, I'm sure ours are the new ones since when I ordered the replacement door with the correct swing, they asked about the style of the door interior to see if I had the latest version.

 

I think fixing the shelves will be a simple matter of adding some hardware to hold them in their grooves.

 

I'm also thinking about adding a fan inside to keep the air temp consistent throughout.

[SeaDawg]

Thanks for that info, Overland.

We have about two months to decide on our new fridge I'll skip the asu option, I think,if we decide on an Indel product.

Did all the shelves give you issues, or just the glass shelf over the drawer? I have read a number of comments about replacing the glass shelf with Plexi on boating forums

Thank you.

Sherry

[SeaDawg]

So, as I mentioned on another thread, we decided to order a truckfridge tf130. Indel made, virtually identical to the Isotherm cr130. It only comes in black. That's ok with me. I like that. Last two fridges were black, and I'm used to it.

It arrived a few days ago. Plugged into 110 in the garage, it's super quiet, just a whisper of fan noise. (Built in fan behind the compressor). On high, it registered 36 on my electronic thermometer in the fridge. obviously, I will turn it down....

We have some adjustments to make, as the new fridge is much smaller outside than the old, but a little bit better interior capacity.

We have a number of projects going on right now ???? beyond the trailer. But, I'll try to keep you posted.

Beyond the dinky freezer, I love the new truckfridge.

My fave compressor, Indel made, two year warranty. And,an interior light!

 

On our installation, the fridge will be off the floor by five or six inches. I love that, too

Working on the drawer beneath the raised fridge. Really happy if that works out.

Sherry

[SeaDawg]

In the photo above, the new fridge is just sitting in the old cavity.

Looks tiny, huh? I thought so, too, though a slightly larger capacity than the old Dometic.

No more gas! This should run quietly and free, on our pv panels.

As you know by now, I'm all about running my trailer (and our home) on solar, as much as we can.

 

We went to Ikea on Sunday, and bought a drawer kit, to go with an old leftover drawer front for beneath the fridge. Also bought a drawer face for the old microwave cavity. I think the gloss white will look great with the Oliver white interior. We have 90 days to return, if not....

We'll see.

Sherry

[Overland]

Looks good - can't wait to see it installed!

[SeaDawg]

I'm anxious to see it done, too, and once again, have a working fridge.

Looking forward to testing it in the slot beside the house. Very shaded/ filtered light, between two tall homes... 20 feet apart.

We had to take a few days to lay low, as Paul came down with a mild case of the flu.

Dry fit looks good, though. I got my drawer. And a fridge off the floor... At least by ~6 inches or so.

More when we're both back at it, and feeling better.

[SeaDawg]

I took a new look at the freezer today. Though it's little at the front, it runs the entire depth of the fridge, which is, I think, deeper than my old dometic 3way.

I think it will be more than fine, for us.

Look forward to actually getting it into service.

Sherry

 

 

[SeaDawg]

So, it's been a week, with other more pressing projects, and houseguests, too, but Paul finished the install of my new tf130. I'm so happy.

We plugged it in at 2:26 pm today, with batteries on 100 percent. Set the fridge to coldest setting, and closed the door.

Checked it every half hour on the monitor for power consumption. Running on solar only, in the shade. Went to dinner at five. Averaging 3.5 to 4.1 amps consumption.

At 8, I opened the fridge and checked the temp with my kitchen digital thermometer. 36 degrees on center shelf. Battery is at 12.4 volts, 93 per cent. Sundown was awhile ago, and in the shade, we weren't gaining more than .7 amps at best, from 2 to 4 pm.

.3 gain against draw when we left.

I'm so very happy with the performance so far. It was in the high 70 s today. Supposed to be 80, but I don't think we got there.

Planning to run and use the fridge on solar only in the shaded side yard for awhile, to see what we can expect when camping.

I'm also very happy to have the fridge off the floor by another seven inches, and a big drawer, six high, underneath.

We did use some recycled styrofoam panels as extra insulation on the sides.

The fridge is so quiet, I have to put my ear next to it to hear the low humidity of the fan.

Now, on to the microwave cabinet replacement, and back to boat projects... simultaneously... Wish us luck.

Sherry

[SeaDawg]

Oh, and I have an interior light in my fridge, too!

I know for many people, this is probably not a big deal, but I don't see well in the dark, and don't love using a flashlight to find my food...

The door swing is opposite the old dometic, and previous norcold, but it is a true 180, so makes no difference to me. I'll put a cabinet bumper on the one screw of the furnace that might cause an issue with the door fully opened.

Tomorrow, I'm going to stuff the freezer, and see what I can get in there, compared to the dometic. And try to simulate normal camping supplies in the fridge, with all the shelves in place.

[Overland]

Looking good! I really like the drawer. Please keep us posted on its performance - I'm curious if it works any better/worse than the isotherm over time. Mine seems to draw about the same amps when on manual, as you'd expect.

 

The door and mounting flange on yours is completely different than the isotherm. My door and frame are flush, and project maybe ¼" from the face of the cabinet. Because of that, I don't get a 180° door swing - my door opens I'd say about 120°. It hasn't been a problem, but I do wish it opened as much as yours. I wonder if the flange for the truck fridge would work with the isotherm and what that would look like. I also like that the frame on yours has some venting built in and I'm curious if it could be installed without any rear venting at all, though the venting that Oliver installed for mine is unobtrusive and nicely done.

 

Here's a lousy picture of mine, but you can see the top vent by the sink and of course how the door sits in the frame. Looks like the latch and its location are different on the two units as well. Also looks like I need to straighten out that middle drawer.

 

 

 

 

 

[Overland]

By the way, if you're looking for ice trays to fit, we found that three of these Oxo trays work well - https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-No-Spill-Silicone-Bottles/dp/B06XRMBV15/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1518278124&sr=8-9&keywords=oxo+ice+tray

[SeaDawg]

Thanks, overland. Is that a vent below the fridge, and to the right? I'm assuming that the vent in the vertical microfiber backsplash is also for your fridge?

 

Yes, the top of the flange is a vent. Right now, our tf130 has mega venting, as we have not closed any of the original vents from the three way, but we want to. I'm leery about road dust and dirt and mud daubers, in a more intricate environment. We can still get in to clean and vacuum, even if we seal the outdoor vents with film or foam sheets.  And it would eliminate some cold air circulation...

 

Not sure what to close or leave open yet. We have a few months left to test.

 

During the day today, we only lost 6 hours of battery time, which is great, but with all the shade from two tall homes, and a bunch of trees, we don't get much solar in the side yard. We plugged into the house an hour ago. I don't want to stretch the batteries. We were at 79 per cent. Technically, plugged in, still all solar power, because we run the house off solar....but...

 

My thoughts right now are, plug in at home, bring the fridge down from 70 to 39 on house solar, and we may be ok. We'll see.

 

At most today, I was getting momentary 3 amp gain. Mostly .5 to 1.5, in the best sun of the day, because of where we park. I've never really monitored gain here, because usually nothing is running.

 

That's ok. Like I said before, I'd like to know what we can and can't do, before we leave for boondocking.

 

I'm jotting notes each time I am in the trailer, for reference. More later, but dinner is almost ready.

 

Sherry

[SeaDawg]

Overland, your stainless door is BEAUTIFUL! The door swing limit is probably worth it for the sleek flush mount in the tight aisle. It looks great!

 

Thanks for the info on the oxo ice cube trays. I have one sealed tray we bought in a kmart in Australia years ago. It has tens of thousands of miles on it, and it's a valuable piece of gear. ???

 

I'll look at the oxos.

 

Sherry