Time to replace defective and potentially dangerous absorption fridge

[pgchin]

Wow,
Take a few weeks off to get rolling on a "walk about" and miss all the fun! Given all the "press" absorption refers are getting, everyone "chooses" their own path. Me, I replaced the original rm7030 for an NDR1292 SS back in 07. The coils were shot and Donna wanted "residential style doors". I moved a dinette chair past the old refer back in the day and decisively broke the 40 dollar latches, when I dumped the rm7030, I kept the latch for a future person in need! At the time, the residential refer technology was not where it is today. If I had to do it all over again, I am still not sure what I would do. I have a bottom cooling residential at home and with 2 dogs, I have to clean the coils every month! And you can't get in there with anything but an old style coil brush to clean them, a BIG PIA and you must also move the refer out of the enclosure in order to clean the coils every month to access the coils from both the front and back to clean them properly! In the bus I have an install set up just like Cory's and we have to remove that bottom drawer EVERY week to clean out all the "hair" from the 2 dogs now since the air space at the bottom of that drawer is about 1 1/2 inch!Here are my observations FWIW:
-Neither refer exhibits "charring" of the cabinet and the ndr1292ss is a bit bigger and I had to rebuild the upper cabinet and make it 2 inches smaller.
-the "installation" enclosure in a 95/6 EXCEEDS Dometics specifications, I was real sure when I did the 1292 install "to make it so" Obie Wan! They provided a set of specs, very detailed with the 1292.
- I inspect the cabinet and coils every six months, the old rm7030's coils were "toast". The boiler stack was shot and the top of the coils over the boiler stack where it vents were all rusted through and deteriorating.
- If I keep the NDR1292,I will change out the coil assembly with the Amish one in 10 years.....2017 is still way out there! We'll see how the residential technology changes by then and call the ball in 2017
- I am perplexed why some low usage units "char" (for lack of a better word) and some don't, I use mine 5-6 months a year. Inquiring minds what to know!
- I am VERY RARELY level, since I NEVER use the jacks and air down, granted I do not have a slide so airing down is an option for me, for others it is not.
- The new ndr1292's coils seem to be holding up well so far, but in 10 years they go period! You can't see in the boiler stack without taking it apart and according to the articles written about these refers by fire professionals and insurance companies, the "bulk" of the coil failures appears to be in there. These same articles also state the number 1 cause of RV fires is the refer.
I respect Cory's and others decision, I indeed may follow, but I am going to get my "use" out of the 1292 since I had to call the ball in 07....... Great thread BTW!