refrigerator

[henry]

how do you remove the fridge on a 1987 carver mariner, i don;t see the hold down fasteners

[Seif911]

Hi Henry,
Have you pulled off the bottom plate on the front of the refrigerator? I am just guessing on this but it would seem likely. I'll check mine but won't get there until the weekend, maybe.

[waybomb]

Mine's working. But I know for a fact user "jaysmariner" has replaced his in his mariner, so I pm'd him and asked him to post how it's done.

I know he replaced it twice. The first new one did not come with an extra cooling kit, and it ended up frying itself in the closed cabinet.

The second one he bought, he bought it with the fan and also installed a second vent in the side wall, or maybe the back wall in the side bedroom.

So, however you do, buy the extra fan and add an extra vent.

[henry]

ok ty

[waybomb]

I haven't heard back from Jay; I think he's refloating the boat after winter storage. I was over at mine today. Mine is held on right through the front flange with screws, and it looks as if there's a couple of large lag screws holding the frame down inside the front bottom cover.

I did a changeout on my 42, but it was a full size refrigerator. I removed all visible fasteners holding it in, and it would not budge. Nobody could tell me where the "hidden" screws were. I took panels off, I climbed underneath from the engine room side, and I could not find those darn hidden screws.

Well, there weren't any. It got to the point I decided there were no hidden screws; it was just stuck in there. I just had to pry the fridge out, because it was stuck to all the wood after all those years. I literally stepped back and body slammed it. It came loose from being stuck to the bottom.

If you removed all the visible screws, yours may be stuck like mine was.

[jaysmariner]

Afternoon,
As waybomb indicated I did indeed replace the refrigerator twice. THe removal as I recall (16 years ago) was pretty straight forward. Removed front flange screws and slide out. Wiring had plenty of slack.
If you are replacing the unit with another Norcold unit ,several things will need to done.
THe height and the width should not be a problem , however the depth of the new unit was (at least for me) was greated then the old . You will have to provide a wood spacer about 1 inch square as a spacer to put between the new flange and the face of the cabinet frame the old refigurator screwed to.
AS Waybomb said, make sure the new refrigerator has a cooling fan.
THe old refrig had two compressors the new will only have one.
I also cut two 4 inch by 12inch holes in the back of the refig cubicle. THe holes will end up to the left of the bunk room closet about 6 inches from the floor and 12 inches from the ceiling.
This combination of openings and the existing opening in the hallway will provide plenty of circulation.
I did not have a cooling fan nor the extra openings and my second refrig lasted two years. My third ( with fan and openings) has lasted 14 years(knock on wood). Hope this helps . Jay

[henry]

ok thanks alot for the info

[garytheguard]

Hi not sure what model of refrigerator you have but I pulled out a Norcold DE-828 on my boat. It was straight forward, you just snap off the trim around the outside of the unit which exposes the mounting screws, remove them and shimmy out the unit. Hope this helps...Gary

[waybomb]

Speaking of refrigerators - if anybody has a failed de-828 with good doors, please contact me.
I need both doors. The fridge works fine otherwise.

[finole]

I was told using a smaller gauge cord than the equipment requires is like trying to breath through a straw. You can do it, but it is a lot more work, and you will probably die eventually.
So I think the gauge of cord and length could have an effect on the operation of a compressor. I would think you need a 14 gauge cord.