Replace Frigidaire Residential Refridgerator source

[Georgia_Biker]

Hey Fellow Heartland RV'ers!

We are on the road in Carrabelle, FL and our Residential Fridge has quit working. It is a Frigidaire in a Model 3875FB Big Horn. During the night there was a loud nose coming from the fan behind the ice maker. I turned the ice maker off and cut off the water but it still kept running and knocking. I turned the Fridge off and when I turned it back on the panel lights came on and the inside lights are on but, the compressor is not working. The food in the freezer is already thawing.

We head back home on Tuesday and I am sure I'll have to put the rig in the shop. I don't have any appliance repair talents and can certainly not wrestle this big fellow out by myself.

Worst case scenerio would be a replacement but, I have not found any at the usual RV parts sources - I guess Heartland would be the best.

Any thoughts?

 

[lynndiwagoner]

I don't think compressors make loud knocking sounds. Sounds like the condenser fan. When that fan quits running it usually will make the compressor run hot and trip the built in temperature sensor. Pretty easy fix. I'd call an appliance repairman to take a look at it. I don't think this model is RV specific.

 

[CDN]

Hello,

I would defrost and make sure as mentioned the fan might be making the noise. I have had this happen in sticks and bricks fridges in the past.

Brian

 

[danemayer]

Larry,

I think you'll find that RV dealer service people don't know much about residential refrigerators but they may be more able when it comes to horsing it out of the unit.

You might call around to appliance repair shops and try to find someone who actually does repairs on Frigidaires. My experience with the stocks and bricks appliances is that many repair people come out and charge $150 to tell you that the appliance is shot because they don't really want to work on it - they want to sell a new unit. But maybe you can find someone who would actually want to do a repair.

 

[travlingman]

If you call a residential service to come out and look, make sure they know it is in an RV when you call. Most will tell you they will not come. If you find someone who will come, you will have to pull the fridge out before they get there.

 

[Georgia_Biker]

Larry,

I think you'll find that RV dealer service people don't know much about residential refrigerators but they may be more able when it comes to horsing it out of the unit.

You might call around to appliance repair shops and try to find someone who actually does repairs on Frigidaires. My experience with the stocks and bricks appliances is that many repair people come out and charge $150 to tell you that the appliance is shot because they don't really want to work on it - they want to sell a new unit. But maybe you can find someone who would actually want to do a repair.

Dan -

You and others confirm my fears - being a "residential" fridge I can actually buy at Lowes or Home Depot normal appliance repair people are the people that can fix them. The problem is two fold - getting it out of the hole without damaging something, especialy my body, and then getting a repair person that will visit an RV.

I have a good RV service I use but, I have to take the RV there - I am going to call and talk with them after I get home and explore my options.

- - - Updated - - -

Just out of curiosity has anyone ever pulled their fridge out? Do you remove the doors? It looks pretty heavy and awkward-

Any advice?

 

[lynndiwagoner]

They're really not that hard to get out....the residential ones. Have you tried taking off the bottom outside access cover to see if the condenser fan is visible? I put a Samsung RF18 in mine as a replacement for the Norcold and if I take off the bottom outside cover I can see the compressor and condenser fan. The fan might just need to be moved a little or something simple. Good luck.

 

[travlingman]

Dan -

You and others confirm my fears - being a "residential" fridge I can actually buy at Lowes or Home Depot normal appliance repair people are the people that can fix them. The problem is two fold - getting it out of the hole without damaging something, especialy my body, and then getting a repair person that will visit an RV.

I have a good RV service I use but, I have to take the RV there - I am going to call and talk with them after I get home and explore my options.

- - - Updated - - -

Just out of curiosity has anyone ever pulled their fridge out? Do you remove the doors? It looks pretty heavy and awkward-

Any advice?

I have the Frigidaire in mine. Easy to get out. Take bottom plastic cover off of fridge, mine had 2 screws holding fridge to floor. Take top wood trim off, should see a bracket on back of fridge screwed to wall. Lay a couple of 2x4's down in alignment with fridge wheels, put a piece of heavy cardboard over wood trim of slide in front of fridge. Get wheels up on cardboard and pull out. I didn't have to take doors off. Came out easily.

 

[Georgia_Biker]

I have the Frigidaire in mine. Easy to get out. Take bottom plastic cover off of fridge, mine had 2 screws holding fridge to floor. Take top wood trim off, should see a bracket on back of fridge screwed to wall. Lay a couple of 2x4's down in alignment with fridge wheels, put a piece of heavy cardboard over wood trim of slide in front of fridge. Get wheels up on cardboard and pull out. I didn't have to take doors off. Came out easily.

Thanks for the information - did you pull it out to repair ? Or did you pull it out to replace it? - if you replaced it did it go through your entry door? I was told it would most likely have to go out the rear window - whew!

 

[travlingman]

Thanks for the information - did you pull it out to repair ? Or did you pull it out to replace it? - if you replaced it did it go through your entry door? I was told it would most likely have to go out the rear window - whew!

Took mine out to repair leak on water supply line. To get fridge out, should be able to take doors off and then out the front door.

 

[boatto5er]

It’s a counter depth fridge. Should be able to get it out just by taking the door handles off.


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[cenogene]

Our serviceman told us we needed to buy a replacement residential fridge. Our unit completely failed in our Big Country 4010. My question is...how do I find a fridge I can manually turn off when we are not using the RV (I.E. winter months). It's not like we can easily unplug it. I have been looking at several units but can't seen anything about a manual on/off selection.

 

[LBR]

Our serviceman told us we needed to buy a replacement residential fridge. Our unit completely failed in our Big Country 4010. My question is...how do I find a fridge I can manually turn off when we are not using the RV (I.E. winter months). It's not like we can easily unplug it. I have been looking at several units but can't seen anything about a manual on/off selection.

You should have a dedicated 120V refrigerator circuit breaker like our CY. I always keep ours shut off.

 

[cenogene]

That's an idea. I'll have to look for it. I'm just so used to turning it off via the front control panel...You get used to certain way of doing things and forget to think "outside" the box. Thanks!

 

[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

Thanks for the information - did you pull it out to repair ? Or did you pull it out to replace it? - if you replaced it did it go through your entry door? I was told it would most likely have to go out the rear window - whew!

I don't know this for sure but I've been told that you have to remove the big rear window to remove the fridge out the back. I can't imagine what a PITA that would be.. Hopefully I am wrong.

 

[cenogene]

My service guy said it would fit thru the doorway (fortunately). I'm not looking forward to the process but nothing will happen unless I locate a replacement fridge. Hopefully one a little smaller to allow for better air ventilation.

 

[GETnBYE]

Hey Fellow Heartland RV'ers!

We are on the road in Carrabelle, FL and our Residential Fridge has quit working. It is a Frigidaire in a Model 3875FB Big Horn. During the night there was a loud nose coming from the fan behind the ice maker. I turned the ice maker off and cut off the water but it still kept running and knocking. I turned the Fridge off and when I turned it back on the panel lights came on and the inside lights are on but, the compressor is not working. The food in the freezer is already thawing.

We head back home on Tuesday and I am sure I'll have to put the rig in the shop. I don't have any appliance repair talents and can certainly not wrestle this big fellow out by myself.

Worst case scenerio would be a replacement but, I have not found any at the usual RV parts sources - I guess Heartland would be the best.

Any thoughts?

This is a long shot, but might not hurt to try.

* Just noticed this is an old post, but the YouTube video may help someone else doing a search so I’ll leave it.

 

[cenogene]

This is a long shot, but might not hurt to try.

* Just noticed this is an old post, but the YouTube video may help someone else doing a search so I’ll leave it.

Thanks so much for posting this. I'll give it a shot this weekend!