Suggestions for bottom vent for Norcold refrigerator

[oldmansax]

Our old Norcold had a death rattle     so we have been looking for a replacement.

We found a deal not too far away for an almost new Norcold 120X-IM 12 cu. ft. WITH AN ICE MAKER!!! WHOOPEEEEEEE!   

We went & picked it up today, figured it would be a good day as it's raining cats & dogs here, and when we got home the old one had gone to the great refrigerator heaven in the sky. So, after cleaning it out & cooking all the food we just bought      I need to install the new one NOW, instead of at my leisure.

Which brings me to the next question. The old one has a regular refrigerator though the roof vent, but the bottom vent was in the bus interior. This worked fine because it only ran on 120V & 12V, no LP. The new one runs on 120V & LP so I need to install a bottom outside vent. If I remember correctly the standard Norcold deal is brushed aluminum or something pretty flimsy.

What can I use that will look nice & be substantial? The install manual says I need an opening of 9 3/4" x 19 3/8". It has to be hinged so the unit can be serviced and electrical & LP connected.

Any ideas? I am thinking I should make something that spans the tubing in the walls so I will have something substantial to connect to. I am looking at a roughly 200 square inch opening but not all of that is free space. Has anyone used anything ready made? Or, should I just go down to the local metal fab shop & have something made up?

TOM

[gus]

Tom,

I can send you a photo by email of my Norcold outside air intake. It isn't at all bad looking but does require cutting a hole in the side of the bus. Since mine was already installed by the PO I had no choice.

However, I don't see how you could ever have an inside intake and still fit the fridge into a reasonable space. Also, servicing the fridge from inside would be almost impossible. I had to replace the igniter panel once and it wasn't too bad from the outside. I can't even imagine how I could have done it from inside.

Be sure to pay close attention to the dimensions for the exhaust flue, this is critical for proper fridge operation. Cooling air has to be forced to flow over the boiler fins so the flue has to be shallow enough to allow this.

When I first got my bus the fridge had no outside vent?? I'm lucky I live through this because it was my first RV and I didn't know any better.

[Dreamscape]

Here is what I found on the e place.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NORCOLD-ACCESS-VENT-DOOR-P-W_W0QQitemZ260296417487QQihZ016QQcategoryZ50073QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

another, this one is aluminum

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NORCOLD-VENT-DOOR-POLAR-WHITE_W0QQitemZ260296417797QQihZ016QQcategoryZ50073QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

HTH,

Paul

[luvrbus]

Tom, does your fridge set on a outside wall, mine is in the middle of the kitchen and I vented it out the bottom of the bus and slide it out for repairs 
good luck

[gus]

luvr,

If your fridge is LP I don't see how you could ever exhaust it out the bottom??

Intake cooling and combustion air, yes. But those hot combustion gases have to go somewhere and they won't go down.

[luvrbus]

Gus, I think we are talking about intake air he has the roof vent already and I should have said intake  my vent is on the roof  sorry   

good luck

[oldmansax]

My refrigerator is on an outside wall. I looked at the ones on ebay but they are not really what I like.

TOM

[Jriddle]

If you don't like what is on E-bay you could build your own design. You need to be able to access back of frig from the back side to do maintenance. You can light from back if needed. If you are going to use electricity only you could vent from bottom.

John

[RTS/Daytona]

see the following

[luvrbus]

Tom, check with a marine supplier they should have a stainless one    good luck

[gus]

Tom,

Mine is just like the white one shown on eeeeeebay with the three rows of louvers. I didn't like the white. Since my 4104 is bright Al I painted it with Al paint and it now looks much better, blends right in.

If your MC7 has bright stainless sides Al might look ok but SS would look better.

[oldmansax]

After further investigation I see that there is a cross member right in the way of the vent. I think I will have the local fab shop make me an external mount vent out of stainless to match the bus.

Thanks for the ideas!

TOM

[gus]

A small cross member won't make much difference in air intake but it might be a nuisance to maintenance accessibility.

I agree that SS will look much better, maybe you could even get it corrugated to match the bus sides.

[Tom Y]

Tom, I was looking at a Prevost today that had a vertical and angled brace in the access opening. It was not to bad but the first I have seen like this. Good luck Tom Y

[oldmansax]

UPDATE:

My local shop needs $400 to build a lower grill to my specs which is too rich for my blood now. I am looking for other solutions.

On a happy note, the new fridge is VERY NICE 

TOM