Residential Refrigerator Conversion

Short-Bed-Dually

Active Member
Residential Refrigerator Conversion Bighorn 3575EL

I have a 2017 Bighorn 3575EL with a Norcold Refrigerator Model 2118SST. I am making plans to replace this with a Residential Refrigerator. I have reviewed the previous posts on this changeover but have some questions.
I am looking at the Samsung RF18HFENBSR-2 refrigerator and wanted to know how the reliability of this unit has been. I see in many reviews a problem with water leaking into the crisper drawers. (Maybe this problem has been resolved by now) If anyone has used any other 33" wide refrigerators I would be interested in those models and reviews.
Also on getting the unit into the camper, were you able to get the old one out and the new one in through the door and around the island.
Thanks
 

Roller4tan

Well-known member
Put the Samsung in my Bighorn 2 years ago. No problems. Removed doors prior to removal. New fridge needed doors removed to fit into camper and around island. I needed to remove the drawer under the old fridge and fitted 3/4" plywood to the floor. One thing, if you are planning on adding an inverter, add a dedicated outlet to the slide for the fridge. you'll enjoy the extra room.
 

Short-Bed-Dually

Active Member
Put the Samsung in my Bighorn 2 years ago. No problems. Removed doors prior to removal. New fridge needed doors removed to fit into camper and around island. I needed to remove the drawer under the old fridge and fitted 3/4" plywood to the floor. One thing, if you are planning on adding an inverter, add a dedicated outlet to the slide for the fridge. you'll enjoy the extra room.


I have a 3500 watt converter installed now on a transfer switch for the whole camper. I'll need to check and see if the refrigerator outlet is on a separate breaker. Did you have much problem with the drawer removal? How was the fit to the top cabinet? Did you hook up the ice maker?

Thanks for your reply.
 

CoveredWagon

Well-known member
I have a 3500 watt converter installed now on a transfer switch for the whole camper. I'll need to check and see if the refrigerator outlet is on a separate breaker. Did you have much problem with the drawer removal? How was the fit to the top cabinet? Did you hook up the ice maker?

Thanks for your reply.

You will need an INVERTER not a converter.
 

david-steph2018

Well-known member
Re: Residential Refrigerator Conversion Bighorn 3575EL

I have a 2017 Bighorn 3575EL with a Norcold Refrigerator Model 2118SST. I am making plans to replace this with a Residential Refrigerator. I have reviewed the previous posts on this changeover but have some questions.
I am looking at the Samsung RF18HFENBSR-2 refrigerator and wanted to know how the reliability of this unit has been. I see in many reviews a problem with water leaking into the crisper drawers. (Maybe this problem has been resolved by now) If anyone has used any other 33" wide refrigerators I would be interested in those models and reviews.
Also on getting the unit into the camper, were you able to get the old one out and the new one in through the door and around the island.
Thanks

If you are going to add a residential fridge may I suggest you find somebody who has a Cyclone or a Road Warrior with one factory installed and see if you could look at their set-up. In our we have a dedicated transfer switch in line to switch from 120volt to the inverter for travel.
 

Short-Bed-Dually

Active Member
Re: Residential Refrigerator Conversion Bighorn 3575EL

If you are going to add a residential fridge may I suggest you find somebody who has a Cyclone or a Road Warrior with one factory installed and see if you could look at their set-up. In our we have a dedicated transfer switch in line to switch from 120volt to the inverter for travel.

That is what I have already installed with 6 golf cart batteries.
 

Roller4tan

Well-known member
I have a 3500 watt converter installed now on a transfer switch for the whole camper. I'll need to check and see if the refrigerator outlet is on a separate breaker. Did you have much problem with the drawer removal? How was the fit to the top cabinet? Did you hook up the ice maker?

Thanks for your reply.

Drawer removal wasn't too difficult and I removed the bottom facing below the drawer as well. for a smooth transition to the floor. The top of the new fridge has 4-5 " gap, so I cut the old drawer front and screwed it to the top facing over the fridge to cover the opening. I do use the icemaker. I ran a braided line from a filter under the sink, down thru the drain pipe hole to the coroplast and thru a hole in the frame out to the outside of the slide then up thru the floor behind the fridge to the water connection. A small bungee cord hooked to the line keeps it out of the way when running in the slide. The reason for the dedicated outlet was to just feed the fridge using the inverter. I realized that after I already installed the fridge. The breaker for the fridge also feed the other outlets on the slide and the rear wall of the trailer which is the entertainment center. The inverter will handle the load.
 

Short-Bed-Dually

Active Member
Drawer removal wasn't too difficult and I removed the bottom facing below the drawer as well. for a smooth transition to the floor. The top of the new fridge has 4-5 " gap, so I cut the old drawer front and screwed it to the top facing over the fridge to cover the opening. I do use the icemaker. I ran a braided line from a filter under the sink, down thru the drain pipe hole to the coroplast and thru a hole in the frame out to the outside of the slide then up thru the floor behind the fridge to the water connection. A small bungee cord hooked to the line keeps it out of the way when running in the slide. The reason for the dedicated outlet was to just feed the fridge using the inverter. I realized that after I already installed the fridge. The breaker for the fridge also feed the other outlets on the slide and the rear wall of the trailer which is the entertainment center. The inverter will handle the load.

I watched a video on a 3010RE and it looks like it has about the same interior room as my camper so I should be able to get it in through the door.
Do you have any pictures of you installation process?
 

LBR

Well-known member
Re: Residential Refrigerator Conversion Bighorn 3575EL

That is what I have already installed with 6 golf cart batteries.

You have only described a full house 3500W inverter you installed and david-steph2018 is describing a dedicated factory 1000W inverter with transfer switch and own dedicated refer plug....not what you have and 2 completely different setups.
 

Short-Bed-Dually

Active Member
Re: Residential Refrigerator Conversion Bighorn 3575EL

You have only described a full house 3500W inverter you installed and david-steph2018 is describing a dedicated factory 1000W inverter with transfer switch and own dedicated refer plug....not what you have and 2 completely different setups.

You are correct.
 

Roller4tan

Well-known member
I watched a video on a 3010RE and it looks like it has about the same interior room as my camper so I should be able to get it in through the door.
Do you have any pictures of you installation process?

Sorry no pictures during install. I was just excited to get rid of the Norcold aka "never"cold..

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