|
|
07-10-2021, 03:21 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Johnson City, Texas
Trailer: 2019 19 ft.
Posts: 485
|
Removing Dometic DM2663 refrigerator
We have the large Dometic DM2663 tri-mode 6 cu ft. refrigerator in our 19'. We need to remove it.
Getting it out of the refrigerator closet is straight forward, but tight. Six screws and some spray-in foam hold it in place. Once free to slide forward, removing it from the cabinet takes two people to carefully pull it out and lower it.
Using furniture pads, we got the Dometic to the door to find that you cannot take the refrigerator through the door opening. The door opening is 22-7/8" wide.
Minimum front width is 24-3/4".
Minimum depth is 24-7/8"
We figured there must be a way to wiggle it out the door, through the narrow path between front bench and kitchen cabinet.
There is a top heat exchanger that spans the entire width in the back. When combined with the other tubing and exhaust stack, there's no way to angle the unit to get it out.
Seems the only way to get it out the door is to remove the entire refrigerant unit from the back, and that pretty much kills the unit.
How do you get the refrigerator out the door?
73/gus
__________________
Mary & Gus
K5MCL & KR4K
2019 E19' (F1), Mercedes Sprinter 2500 or GLS580
|
|
|
07-10-2021, 03:30 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Austin, Texas
Trailer: 2019 5.0TA "Junior", 2019 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi
Posts: 1,600
|
I recall others who needed to remove/replace the fridge having to remove the door frame, which makes the opening just wide enough to fit.
__________________
David, Mary, and the cats
|
|
|
07-10-2021, 05:13 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Trailer: 2015 5.0 TA
Posts: 394
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by davidmurphy02
I recall others who needed to remove/replace the fridge having to remove the door frame, which makes the opening just wide enough to fit.
|
yes, correct, a bit of work to take out and reinstall
|
|
|
07-10-2021, 08:52 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: New Mexico, New Mexico
Trailer: 2017 E19
Posts: 613
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by davidmurphy02
I recall others who needed to remove/replace the fridge having to remove the door frame, which makes the opening just wide enough to fit.
|
David,
For my background information, do you mean the door frame of the trailer or of the frig?
--Steve
|
|
|
07-10-2021, 09:06 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Austin, Texas
Trailer: 2019 5.0TA "Junior", 2019 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi
Posts: 1,600
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by MVA
David,
For my background information, do you mean the door frame of the trailer or of the frig?
--Steve
|
The door frame of the trailer.
__________________
David, Mary, and the cats
|
|
|
07-10-2021, 09:21 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: New Mexico, New Mexico
Trailer: 2017 E19
Posts: 613
|
Ugg. Thanks
|
|
|
07-10-2021, 09:34 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Austin, Texas
Trailer: 2019 5.0TA "Junior", 2019 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi
Posts: 1,600
|
Sometimes when people post build pictures it will seem like the trailer is not very far along inside but the fridge is sitting there....they probably put it in early in the process before they put the front door on.
__________________
David, Mary, and the cats
|
|
|
07-10-2021, 10:20 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Johnson City, Texas
Trailer: 2019 19 ft.
Posts: 485
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by MVA
Ugg. Thanks
|
Ugh is right. Removing the door frame to service the refrigerator is nuts. Poor, bad design.
73/gus
|
|
|
07-10-2021, 10:51 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by gklott
Ugh is right. Removing the door frame to service the refrigerator is nuts. Poor, bad design.
73/gus
|
Or, maybe customers keep demanding bigger.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
|
|
|
07-11-2021, 05:37 AM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Johnson City, Texas
Trailer: 2019 19 ft.
Posts: 485
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo
Or, maybe customers keep demanding bigger.
|
Exactly. You properly design the trailer for what the customers “demand.” If Escape offers an option, the design should fully support it. Removing the entire door frame to service an appliance is poor engineering. Escape should fully disclose this in the option description.
Would Dometic warranty cover door frame removal?
73/gus
|
|
|
07-11-2021, 07:01 AM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Kenedy County, Texas
Trailer: 2019 Escape 21
Posts: 522
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by gklott
Exactly. You properly design the trailer for what the customers “demand.” If Escape offers an option, the design should fully support it. Removing the entire door frame to service an appliance is poor engineering. Escape should fully disclose this in the option description.
Would Dometic warranty cover door frame removal?
73/gus
|
When my fridge failed soon after I received my trailer, Dometic finally agreed to replace it. A repair faciality in Corpus replaced it and had to remove the door and frame. Dometic would not pay for that part of the repair but I talked to Dustin and ETI paid for it. About $200 .
__________________
Putting a smoke detector in my chimney wasn't such a good idea.
|
|
|
07-11-2021, 08:13 AM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Johnson City, Texas
Trailer: 2019 19 ft.
Posts: 485
|
Got it out!
Quote:
Originally Posted by gklott
How do you get the refrigerator out the door?
|
You remove the entire refrigerant system from the back.
I followed the method shown on
The empty cabinet opening is 23-7/8" x 53-7/8".
Next task is to clean out the cabinet, including removing the wood deflector at the top back of the cabinet.
73/gus
__________________
Mary & Gus
K5MCL & KR4K
2019 E19' (F1), Mercedes Sprinter 2500 or GLS580
|
|
|
07-11-2021, 08:25 AM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: New Mexico, New Mexico
Trailer: 2017 E19
Posts: 613
|
Gus,
Did you disassemble the frig in the trailer (remove the cooling unit on the back) or remove the trailer door in order to get the frig out of the trailer? Was it possible to do the conversion inside the trailer so you would not have to remove the frig box out of the trailer?
|
|
|
07-11-2021, 09:13 AM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Johnson City, Texas
Trailer: 2019 19 ft.
Posts: 485
|
Isotherm Cruise 195 INOX
Quote:
Originally Posted by MVA
Did you disassemble the frig in the trailer (remove the cooling unit on the back)?
|
Yes, removed the cooling unit while still inside the trailer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MVA
or remove the trailer door in order to get the frig out of the trailer?
|
Did not remove the trailer door. Once you remove the cooling unit, the remainder comes easily through the door.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MVA
Was it possible to do the conversion inside the trailer so you would not have to remove the frig box out of the trailer?
|
Yes, I believe it would be possible to do the conversion inside the trailer. The company that makes the conversion has one that fits the DM2663.
We laid the Dometic down on the floor after removing the door handles. We protected the cabinets and flooring with moving pads.
However, we are NOT doing the conversion.
We are replacing the Dometic DM2663 with an Indel Webasto Isotherm Cruise 195 COMBI Stainless Steel (INOX) DC/AC marine refrigerator / freezer {model 1195BB7NK0000}. Lots of marine dealers sell this frig/freezer. The highly efficient, fan cooled 12/24V Danfoss / Secop compressor (type BD35F X 2) is a proven design.
The Cruise 195 is also a near perfect fit into the cabinet space. It is 6.9 cu ft (fridge: 4.6 + freezer: 2.3) with dimensions H x W x D (inch) 52.9 x 21.4 x 22.5.
The Cruise 195 goes through the door!
73/gus
__________________
Mary & Gus
K5MCL & KR4K
2019 E19' (F1), Mercedes Sprinter 2500 or GLS580
|
|
|
07-11-2021, 09:17 AM
|
#15
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Johnson City, Texas
Trailer: 2019 19 ft.
Posts: 485
|
Available Dometic DM2663 parts
The Dometic DM2663 doors, shelving, and any other parts are available free, local pickup only. We are about an hour drive west of Austin or an hour drive north of San Antonio, TX. Send a PM if interested.
73/gus
__________________
Mary & Gus
K5MCL & KR4K
2019 E19' (F1), Mercedes Sprinter 2500 or GLS580
|
|
|
07-11-2021, 10:21 AM
|
#16
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: New Mexico, New Mexico
Trailer: 2017 E19
Posts: 613
|
Easier replacement than removal. Good luck in this retrofit.
|
|
|
07-11-2021, 02:08 PM
|
#17
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Johnson City, Texas
Trailer: 2019 19 ft.
Posts: 485
|
Isotherm Cruise 195 set in place
Quote:
Originally Posted by MVA
Easier replacement than removal. Good luck in this retrofit.
|
You have that right. Our new Isotherm Cruise 195 refrigerator/freezer was MUCH easier to get into place. It actually fit through the door.
We are working on trim and the DC/AC connections now.
73/gus
__________________
Mary & Gus
K5MCL & KR4K
2019 E19' (F1), Mercedes Sprinter 2500 or GLS580
|
|
|
07-11-2021, 07:44 PM
|
#18
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: St Augustine, Florida
Trailer: 5.0 TA Delivered 4/7/22
Posts: 926
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by gklott
|
Nice! Do they offer a gas option on that fridge or just 120/12v?
__________________
2022 5.0TA . F150 4 wheel drive, EB 3.5 Andersen ultimate hitch. Trailer delivered 4/22. Jack
|
|
|
07-11-2021, 07:53 PM
|
#19
|
Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,054
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by gklott
|
That is a very NICE looking frig!
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
|
|
|
07-11-2021, 08:08 PM
|
#20
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Retired from Dallas & Full-Timing, Texas
Trailer: 2017 21' Escape as of 01/16/17
Posts: 1,312
|
Removing Dometic DM2663 refrigerator
Quote:
Originally Posted by gklott
The Dometic DM2663 doors, shelving, and any other parts are available free, local pickup only. We are about an hour drive west of Austin or an hour drive north of San Antonio, TX. Send a PM if interested.
73/gus
|
Dah! We probably just drove past your place today!
Just sent you a PM.
Fred Morón
__________________
Fred M.
"Whoever said retirement was overrated...
...never had an Escape"
|
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|