NovaKool 5.8 cu ft fridge in 17B

[jaffee]

Who wants to see what it looks like when you put a 5.8 cu ft. fridge in a 3 cu. ft fridge space? I posted this to the facebook group, but thought this forum would also get a kick out of it.

Step 1. Thanks to some help from various folks on here, I was pretty sure I'd be able to fit it through the door of the trailer... if I took the door of the fridge off. And it fit! Just. Barely. I very nearly scraped the coils off the back.

Step 2. Surprise! The power outlet will interfere with the back of the fridge... it needs to be moved.

Step 3. Resize the cabinet opening and reinforce where the top of the fridge will be with 3/4" plywood.

Step 4. Cut more holes in your brand new trailer because this DC compressor fridge needs ventilation and you foolishly didn't have escape add the exterior vents that a propane fridge would require. Also add more support to these holes.

Step 5. Cruise amazon to find some attractive and correctly sized vent covers.

Step 6. Wiggle the fridge into place (having giant vent holes made this much easier!), put the door and flange back on (oops, you need to remove the dinette table to be able to open the door far enough to access the screws).

Step 7. Install the vent covers. And you're done! Just kidding, your whole trailer is covered in sawdust and there's foam insulation, bits of wood and tools everywhere. Clean up before your partner sees. Next time remember step 0 where you take everything out and put dropcloths down.

This is the NovaKool R5810 in a 17B. I'm not aware of anyone with a bigger fridge in a 17B and of this, I am very proud 😁. It's also smaller on the exterior and lighter than the 4 cu ft dometic that is an ETI option.

Check it out on the facebook group to see photos... uploading them here is kind of annoying, though if anyone wants to see them and is opposed to facebook for whatever reason (don't blame you), I'll make more of an effort.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/9139...9037835549109/

[rbryan4]

Many people won't be able to view your post (including me) because they don't have a Facebook account.

[Ron in BC]

Me neither.

Ron

[brroberts]

No FB here either. I deleted the account a few years ago. It got to the point the negatives out weighed the positives.

[Donna D.]

ALL social media is exactly the same. Doesn't matter if it's here on the EscapeForum, FiberglassRV, the CasitaForum OR Facebook. Don't want to read 'it'? Use your scroll wheel.... I love Facebook, it keeps me connected to people I've known for 50 years. BUT, I do know how to scroll on by....


Nice pics and documentation Matt. Glad I got to see/read about this mod.

[SRS]

I have a Facebook account and when I click the link it says "Content Unavailable". Going to Escape Travel Trailers on Facebook directly doesn't show any content regarding his NovaKool installation. FWIW

[brroberts]

FB for me got to be too much to scroll by for the amount of contact. It took a lot weeding and time. My wife still uses it. It just got sickening for me with the amount of garbage on it after about 10 years. Any forum that gets that way, I dump. So far, this one has not become that bad.

[jaffee]

Here are some of the pictures. Didn't mean to open up the social media worm can . More in a sec

[jaffee]

And the rest.

[brroberts]

Thanks!

[Mike G]

Congrats on earning the title (largest fridge in a 17B)! Hope you enjoyed the project, too.

Oddly, the fridge in my mental image (before seeing the pics) was monstrous... reaching from floor almost to ceiling! But the reality is actually quite normal-looking.

[brroberts]

I expected it it to look bigger too.