Fridge Unit

L

lissa caltrider

New member
Aug 7, 2010
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I am not sure what you call the wall unit that the fridge is in, but mine
has come detached from the coach. I took it to Charlie's Campers and they
think if they pull the fridge out they can come up with some way to
re-attach it, but he is concerned about the pilot light being between the
walls. Apparently the cavity it is in is open to the rest of the coach and
he is worried about carbon monoxide issues. I guess in newer coaches
fridges are in their own compartment to contain the pilot light??



Any thoughts I could share with the shop?





Lissa



 
Lissa, if there is a concern about a pilot light on the fridge, you do NOT have a fridge as supplied by GM. ALL GM supplied fridges were 12V/120V. If you have a fridge with a pilot light it means you either have a non-GMC upfitted coach or someone changed the fridge. Yes a fridge that is propand should be in its own enclsure open to the OUTSIDE only. The BIG concern is not just the pilot but the flame that exists when the fridge is cooling. If you have a propane fridge and it is not isolated eg airtight from the interior of the coach I would strongly suggest you do NOT use the fridge until this issue is resolved. Death by carbon monoxide poisoning happens WAY too often !!!!

DAVE KING ( with a 12v/120V electric NORCOLD)
 
> ... he is concerned about the pilot light being between the
> walls. Apparently the cavity it is in is open to the rest of the coach and he is worried about carbon monoxide issues. I guess in newer coaches fridges are in their own compartment to contain the pilot light??
>
> Any thoughts I could share with the shop?


Lissa,

If you have a GM up-fitted coach (most of them) It did not come with a propane refer. It had an all electric unit. Over the years, many (most?) have been converted to 2 or 3 way "gas absorption" (aka propane) units.

As a result, the design of the cabinet was NOT designed for the needs of a propane unit. It SHOULD be sealed from the coach interior, have a vents in the side/roof and have some way for any propane leakage to escape from the bottom of the cabinet.

I have to go to work now, so if no one else provides some pictures, I should be able to find some in a day or so...
--
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#1)'73 26' exPainted D. -- (#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
http://m000035.blogspot.com
 
Lissa,

Several years ago, Emery Stora sorted out a way to pull the outer
wall back
into the fridge wall and anchor it. Search the photosite or get
hold of Emery.

Gary Kosier

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lissa Caltrider"
To:
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 9:29 PM
Subject: [GMCnet] Fridge Unit

>I am not sure what you call the wall unit that the fridge is in,
>but mine
> has come detached from the coach. I took it to Charlie's
> Campers and they
> think if they pull the fridge out they can come up with some
> way to
> re-attach it, but he is concerned about the pilot light being
> between the
> walls. Apparently the cavity it is in is open to the rest of
> the coach and
> he is worried about carbon monoxide issues. I guess in newer
> coaches
> fridges are in their own compartment to contain the pilot
> light??
>
>
>
> Any thoughts I could share with the shop?
>
>
>
>
>
> Lissa
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
 
Tell us where you live and a local GMCer may be able to stop by and offer
some advice...and that's free!

Mike in NS

>
>
> Here are some images for you i found.
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=5828
>
> cheers and beers
> --
> Steve & Debbie
> Monticello, FL
> 77 Palm Beach
> EX G4WDT
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>

--
Michael Beaton
1977 Kingsley 26-11
1977 Eleganza II 26-3
Antigonish, NS
 
And, here is how I did mine: http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=4826

I ran the propane line under the water heater frame. I used copper tubing from the upper rear corner of the propane tank area through the tank compartment wall and then through the wall near the lower left back side of the refrigerator. In the propane tank area I ran a flex line from a "tee" after the regulator to a fitting on the end of the copper tubing.

Here is a picture showing the flexible hose but the copper line is blocked by the picture of the jack. It goes through the wall about where the base of the red jack is in the picture, near the back of the compartment. You can see the flex line going up into that area.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=1956&cat=3187

Here is a picture of the pol fittings that go into the end of the regulator.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=35836&title=pol-fittings&cat=5594

There has been some talk of putting too much weight on these and cracking them when you add additional parts after the regulator. So, I changed to the shorter fitting and I that will eliminate the potential problem. My original one was bent slightly where the flats were located. The new one has been in for several years now with no problem.

The quick connect and the shutoff valve to it are for my portable bar b que grill which I connect with a hose to the quick connect.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM

>
>
> Here are some images for you i found.
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=5828
>
> cheers and beers
> --
> Steve & Debbie
> Monticello, FL
> 77 Palm Beach
> EX G4WDT
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM
 
>
>
> Lissa, if there is a concern about a pilot light on the fridge, you do NOT have a fridge as supplied by GM. ALL GM supplied fridges were 12V/120V.

NO, not ALL GM did have a propane refrigerator as an option in some model years.


> If you have a fridge with a pilot light it means you either have a non-GMC upfitted coach or someone changed the fridge. Yes a fridge that is propand should be in its own enclsure open to the OUTSIDE only. The BIG concern is not just the pilot but the flame that exists when the fridge is cooling. If you have a propane fridge and it is not isolated eg airtight from the interior of the coach I would strongly suggest you do NOT use the fridge until this issue is resolved. Death by carbon monoxide poisoning happens WAY too often !!!!
>
> DAVE KING ( with a 12v/120V electric NORCOLD)
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM
 
Thank you all for your responses. WOW. This is so scary to me!! The
pictures you might be able to dig up, Mike, are they of photos of what I
SHOULD have??

Lissa

-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces
[mailto:gmclist-bounces] On Behalf Of Mike Miller
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 9:58 PM
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Fridge Unit

> ... he is concerned about the pilot light being between the walls.
> Apparently the cavity it is in is open to the rest of the coach and he is
worried about carbon monoxide issues. I guess in newer coaches fridges are
in their own compartment to contain the pilot light??
>
> Any thoughts I could share with the shop?

Lissa,

If you have a GM up-fitted coach (most of them) It did not come with a
propane refer. It had an all electric unit. Over the years, many (most?)
have been converted to 2 or 3 way "gas absorption" (aka propane) units.

As a result, the design of the cabinet was NOT designed for the needs of a
propane unit. It SHOULD be sealed from the coach interior, have a vents in
the side/roof and have some way for any propane leakage to escape from the
bottom of the cabinet.

I have to go to work now, so if no one else provides some pictures, I should
be able to find some in a day or so...
--
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#1)'73 26' exPainted D. -- (#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23'
Birchaven Side Bath http://m000035.blogspot.com
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
 
> Thank you all for your responses. WOW. This is so scary to me!! The
> pictures you might be able to dig up, Mike, are they of photos of what I
> SHOULD have?? ...


I thought I had posted pictures of when I re-did my refer cabinet. Seems, if I did, it was before the GMC photo site started. (We used to post on "free" sites... and lost lots of pictures when the sites changed.) Anyway, I have to look through my old hard drives... they SHOULD be in there somewhere....

In the mean time... you can search the current photo site for pictures that others have posted.

Here is a search of the GMC photo site on "Refrigerator": http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/search.php?searchid=43105

There are several reasons to ensure the refer is securely attached besides sealing. -- I have heard of a story about a loose refer cabinet coming loose in an accident and flying forward into the passengers... it wasn't pretty. (I do not know anything else about this incident... if it even happened.)

You want to ensure the cabinet is fastened to the coach body. I fastened it at the top (next to the vent that should have been installed with the propane refer), at the bottom and I also fastened it at the beltline.... just like many battling the middle aged spread http://bdub.net/gmcmotorhome.info/spread.html

For most, absorption refers have many advantages over the compressor refers, but they are different. When using a absorption refer in a space designed for a compressor refer, there are other things to consider:

-- Insulation around the sides of the refer should be added as the area behind the refer will be "open" to the outside.

-- You might need some type of baffle. The shape of the body reduces the "chimney effect" that absorption refers use rather than a fan. Most refers install instructions state a maximum distance between the back of the refer and the wall.

-- You'll need some way for any "spilled" propane to escape to the outside. Propane is heaver than air and will pool in any low spots. On all the OEM propane refer installs I have seen (Coachman) the bottom of the cabinet is level with the access door. On my '73, I drilled a 1.5 inch hole from the back of the refer to the corner of the wheel well. In this hole, I installed and sealed a plastic sink drain pipe.

-- All the gas line connections should be placed in areas vented to the outside... remember that propane sinks.

-- Many coach fires start around propane refer. You might want to put an automatic fire extinguisher in that area.

You should not find absorption refers "so scary" as long as you understand the differences and account for them.

NOTE: In the interest of full disclosure, after doing all the changes to my '73, I replaced the propane powered refer with a electric compressor (12v/120v) model. I like to have frozen ice cream even with outside temps well over 100 degrees.
--
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#1)'73 26' exPainted D. -- (#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
http://m000035.blogspot.com
 
I cannot thank you enough for all these ideas!

Lissa

-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces
[mailto:gmclist-bounces] On Behalf Of Mike Miller
Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2011 1:52 PM
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Fridge Unit

> Thank you all for your responses. WOW. This is so scary to me!! The
> pictures you might be able to dig up, Mike, are they of photos of what
> I SHOULD have?? ...

I thought I had posted pictures of when I re-did my refer cabinet. Seems,
if I did, it was before the GMC photo site started. (We used to post on
"free" sites... and lost lots of pictures when the sites changed.) Anyway,
I have to look through my old hard drives... they SHOULD be in there
somewhere....

In the mean time... you can search the current photo site for pictures that
others have posted.

Here is a search of the GMC photo site on "Refrigerator":
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/search.php?searchid=43105

There are several reasons to ensure the refer is securely attached besides
sealing. -- I have heard of a story about a loose refer cabinet coming
loose in an accident and flying forward into the passengers... it wasn't
pretty. (I do not know anything else about this incident... if it even
happened.)

You want to ensure the cabinet is fastened to the coach body. I fastened it
at the top (next to the vent that should have been installed with the
propane refer), at the bottom and I also fastened it at the beltline....
just like many battling the middle aged spread
http://bdub.net/gmcmotorhome.info/spread.html

For most, absorption refers have many advantages over the compressor refers,
but they are different. When using a absorption refer in a space designed
for a compressor refer, there are other things to consider:

-- Insulation around the sides of the refer should be added as the area
behind the refer will be "open" to the outside.

-- You might need some type of baffle. The shape of the body reduces the
"chimney effect" that absorption refers use rather than a fan. Most refers
install instructions state a maximum distance between the back of the refer
and the wall.

-- You'll need some way for any "spilled" propane to escape to the outside.
Propane is heaver than air and will pool in any low spots. On all the OEM
propane refer installs I have seen (Coachman) the bottom of the cabinet is
level with the access door. On my '73, I drilled a 1.5 inch hole from the
back of the refer to the corner of the wheel well. In this hole, I
installed and sealed a plastic sink drain pipe.

-- All the gas line connections should be placed in areas vented to the
outside... remember that propane sinks.

-- Many coach fires start around propane refer. You might want to put an
automatic fire extinguisher in that area.

You should not find absorption refers "so scary" as long as you understand
the differences and account for them.

NOTE: In the interest of full disclosure, after doing all the changes to my
'73, I replaced the propane powered refer with a electric compressor
(12v/120v) model. I like to have frozen ice cream even with outside temps
well over 100 degrees.
--
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#1)'73 26' exPainted D. -- (#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23'
Birchaven Side Bath http://m000035.blogspot.com
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
 
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