fridge removal and replacement

Section for discussion of Chinook interior and appliance issues, repair or installation.
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Blue~Go
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Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: fridge removal and replacement

Post by Blue~Go »

kdarling wrote:Has anyone peeked inside the area above the closet? In newer models, that's where the generator control and CO monitor is. There's nothing in mine, so it hit me that perhaps I could ream out a nice opening to make a tiny shelf for hats, gloves, etc at the rear entrance. Anyone looked there, or have a photo inside?
Here are photos of mine (1999). This is with the front closet wall off. The plywood "shelf" you see is the "roof" of the normal closet. It is carpeted on the underside that faces the closet, and there is a perforated flange on the underside that serves as a closet "rod" (carpet is the white, marine hull liner type carpet they used in many places). This area housed only the generator start panel/hourmeter and the hard-wired CO monitor. Ignore the white "thing" on the left of the first photo; that is the gen start panel that I have in a bag that photobombed.

The rear/outboard corner is where most of the wiring goes up/down after coming "across the great divide" of the rear door. That's why you see so much loom there.

1) "cutaway" overview without front panel on.
2) Same view, but shows detail of aft/outboard.
3) Same view, but shows detail of forward/outboard. The "wall" on the left is the wall that is common with the refrigerator compartment (thread subject tie-in!).
closet above.jpg
closet above aft outboard.jpg
closet above forward outboard.jpg
1999 Concourse
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jeanie19
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Joined: July 31st, 2014, 10:56 am
Location: Whidbey Island, Washington

Re: fridge removal and replacement

Post by jeanie19 »

On the topic of an above-closet cubby, I did that and have started a new topic "installed a cubby in co detector space" under "appliances & interior" and posted some pictures. Thanks to Blue for the conversation last summer that prompted me to do it, very valuable and convenient storage.
Jeanie K.
2000 Chinook Concourse
Plank flooring, Wave heater, CO cubby
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kdarling
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Joined: October 20th, 2015, 6:57 am
Location: Northern NJ

Re: fridge removal and replacement

Post by kdarling »

Blue, thanks as always for the incredibly helpful photos. Almost like having a Haynes manual where they tear a vehicle apart and put it back together :)

Do you call how much space, if any, was above the original fridge?

I'm thinking that it would be very handy to put something like a 1" pipe between that rear space and the microwave cabinet across the top of the fridge compartment, to be used for running power, switched light and video cables from rear to front.

Hmm, actually maybe there's room back where the stock wire bundle goes through.
1994 Concourse dinette, Ford 7.5L (460 V8)
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Blue~Go
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Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: fridge removal and replacement

Post by Blue~Go »

kdarling wrote:Blue, thanks as always for the incredibly helpful photos. Almost like having a Haynes manual where they tear a vehicle apart and put it back together :)
Ha! Well I would have treasured photos like this before I tore in, so figured others might too.
kdarling wrote:Do you call how much space, if any, was above the original fridge?.....
Hmm, actually maybe there's room back where the stock wire bundle goes through.
I didn't measure (because the fridge was in the way.... then it was not there...), but I'd say not much. Through I guess there must have been some on the hallway side, because the molded roof indent for the refrigerator roof vent only takes up the outside "half" of the space. I can't remember if the top of the refrigerator was flat, but I'd guess it was.

On a related topic, an area I'd want to check in all Chinooks is the wiring bundle running outboard of the refrigerator high up (continues on above the dining window). Reason I say that is that the DC wire bundle (around a dozen or more wires at that point) ran right behind the refrigerator fins, and it looked like they had rubbed or heated :shock: The cause looked to be proximity combined with lack of securing. The insulation was still intact, but who knows for how long? There was no loom there, and since there was nothing convenient to attach the bundle to (as it went across the 'fridge area) it was just kind of hanging there (note: "was" - I changed it).

Along those lines, the rest of the wiring running over to, and up the passenger side was all tidily encased in loom and secured. The equivalent run forward on the driver's side (above the couch window) was not in loom. As if maybe they ran out.... Didn't cause a problem on that side (nothing to chafe on, and it was still P-clipped), but I added loom for the tidy factor.

Here are a couple photos of the wiring bundle that ran behind the 'fridge, as seen just after fridge removed. You can see the marks from (I believe) the refrigerator fins on the wiring insulation. The wall was just fiberglass outer shell with the carpet used on the roof glued to it (marine hull liner type material). The horizontal "bars" are stiffener pieces, as is the tabbed vertical ply on the left side of the photo. Note that in these photos I have already removed the thin pieces of caulked "wallboard" that ran along each side at the outside wall to seal the refrigerator compartment off from the inhabited part of the rig.
IMG_0959.jpg
IMG_0960.jpg
1999 Concourse
phonemd
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Joined: June 27th, 2017, 10:06 pm

Re: fridge removal and replacement

Post by phonemd »

I'm new to this site. I just bought my first Chinook, after selling my Roadtrek..........I did indeed get the frig out in one piece. it was not easy. After disconnecting the gas and the electric, IT slid out, but I had to remove the left side of the verticle trim to get it out. and then slide it out on the diagnal. I did have to remove the passenger side window, it's not so bad if you have a helper hold it so it doesn't fall out......I had the Royal Dometic unit, which I am replacing with the new Dometic Americana which is the exact same size. I will report on the installation of the new one when I get it this week.
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