How much does it cost to replace the cooling unit on a Dometic or Norcold absorption fridge?
Cooling unit replacement runs $1,450-$2,450 installed for Dometic RM3962 / RM2454 or Norcold 1210 / N7X / N8X units. That range covers the new sealed cooling unit, removal of the failed core, fresh thermal paste application, a level check of the rig, and a full cool-down test before we leave.
The variance comes from the specific unit your fridge takes, whether the boiler tube shows heat damage that requires additional prep, and whether the refrigerator cabinet itself has warped from running hot - a sign that the cooling unit failed gradually over weeks rather than all at once. If we pull the fridge and find the ammonia leak has stained or softened the cabinet walls, we call you before going further. We quote flat-rate by phone after a few questions about your make, model, and how the fridge failed, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Should I convert my absorption fridge to a residential fridge?
Conversion makes sense if your rig is set up to support it - that means regular shore power access or a lithium bank of 400Ah or more paired with a 2,000W inverter. Residential units (Whirlpool, Samsung, GE) pull 100-150W when the compressor cycles, which will drain a modest battery bank overnight without a way to recharge.
The job runs $1,850-$3,250 and covers frame modification to fit the new cabinet opening, blocking off the old roof vent, inverter wiring, and a tip-over strap for safety compliance. What you gain is real refrigeration - closer to 35F versus the 40F you typically see from absorption - and a quieter, more consistent unit.
What you give up is the propane fallback, so if your inverter trips or shore power cuts out, you have no backup cooling. Florida full-timers on hookups tend to love the trade; boondockers without solar usually regret it.
Why does my Norcold or Dometic fridge cool fine on shore power but fail on propane?
The most common culprit is a clogged burner orifice - spider webs and debris are the usual offenders, and even a partial blockage drops flame output enough that the cooling unit can't reach absorption temperature on the gas side. We start by pulling the exterior vent panel, clearing the burner tube and orifice, and checking igniter spark gap before touching anything else.
From there we verify propane pressure at the fridge inlet with a manometer - it needs to sit at 11 inches WC; low regulator output or a partially closed valve will mimic a dead ignition module. If pressure and spark are good but the flame burns orange or lifts off the burner, we look at the thermocouple or DSI board next. Most calls wrap in one visit at $245-$485 when the cooling unit itself is healthy - a failed cooling unit is a separate conversation, since replacement often approaches the cost of a new fridge.
Can you install a Splendide stacked washer/dryer in my fifth wheel?
Yes, and fifth wheels are among the more straightforward installs because most manufacturers rough-in a dedicated laundry bay with blocking, a 120V outlet, water stubs, and a drain tie-in already in place. The Splendide 2100XC vented and WDC7100XC ventless are our most-installed units, with Pinnacle and Dometic combos close behind.
The job runs $585-$1,250 and covers water line connections, drain tie-in, 120V circuit verification, vent routing for vented models, and level/anti-tip mounting once the unit is set. If your rig isn't pre-plumbed, we add the rough-in, which is why that range spans as wide as it does. On vented models we also confirm the exterior vent cap is clear and properly sealed before we leave, since a blocked vent path is the most common cause of thermal cutout trips on a brand-new unit.
My ice-maker stopped making ice but the fridge still cools. Is it worth fixing?
Usually yes, and the fridge cooling fine tells us something useful - the sealed refrigerant system is working, so the problem is almost always isolated to the ice-maker circuit itself. The three most common culprits we find on-site are a frozen fill tube (warm air from a hair dryer clears it in minutes), a failed water inlet valve that's lost solenoid continuity, or a dead ice-maker module that stopped cycling.
Those repairs run $245-$485 depending on which component is at fault. Full module replacement on Dometic, Norcold, or residential-style units runs $385-$685 once the new part is on the truck. We diagnose first, tell you exactly what we found and what it costs, and you decide before we order anything.
Do you replace Furrion and Suburban ranges and cooktops?
Yes. We service and replace Furrion 17-inch and 21-inch 3-burner cooktops, Suburban SRNA3LP, Atwood Wedgewood, Greystone, and Insignia ranges.
A 3-burner cooktop swap runs $585-$985, which covers removal of the old unit, an LP regulator check, installation of the new cooktop, and a full burner ignition test before we pack up. The ignition test matters more than most owners realize - a cooktop that lights unreliably in the driveway will fail completely after a season of humidity cycling.
In Florida coastal rigs, salt-air corrosion on stainless igniter assemblies is a common failure mode, so we carry spare igniter assemblies on the truck and swap them during installation rather than leaving you with a burner that sparks once and quits. If the LP regulator shows low delivery pressure during our check, we address that before the new cooktop goes in - a weak regulator will cause uneven flame and eventually shorten the life of any range, new or old.
How fast can you respond if my fridge dies in summer heat?
In our our covered metros core service areas, we target a 2-4 hour emergency response for a failed refrigerator in summer heat. That urgency matters because an absorption fridge that stops cooling in 95-degree weather gives you roughly six hours before food is unsafe - and if you're full-timing or in a campground without a backup option, that clock starts immediately.
When we arrive, the first step is a quick triage: we check the control board, thermistor, cooling unit, and flue for blockages before pulling anything apart, because the fix determines what parts we need off the truck. A bad thermistor or board swap usually gets you cooling the same visit.
A failed cooling unit is a longer job and sometimes points toward a full fridge replacement depending on the unit's age. Outside our core areas, we dispatch through the nationwide partner network at the same flat rate.
Why does my fridge work all summer but fail when I pull it out of winter storage in Idaho?
Absorption fridges rely on a continuous gravity-driven circulation of ammonia, hydrogen, and water through the cooling unit. When the rig sits level and unused through a sub-freezing Idaho winter, that mixture stalls, and sodium chromate crystals can form in the boiler tube - blocking circulation and effectively killing the unit.
When you fire it up in spring and it runs warm, that's usually what happened. The first thing we try is the tip-revive: we lay the fridge on its side or invert it for a controlled period, let it rest upright for 24 hours, then retest.
That clears the blockage in maybe half the cases we see. If the boiler tube is corroded through or the blockage won't clear, the cooling unit itself needs replacement - the cabinet is fine, but the cooling unit is not serviceable in the field and has to be swapped. We run the tip-revive test at no charge during a cooling unit diagnostic call so you know which situation you're dealing with before committing to a repair.
What water filter do you recommend for full-time RV use?
For full-time use, the Clearsource Premier or Ultra (2-stage or 3-stage depending on your water source) is the unit we most often recommend and install. The multi-stage design handles sediment, chlorine, and taste separately, which matters when you're drawing from well water, older campground lines, or mixed sources across a long trip.
The Camco TastePURE inline works fine for weekend warriors who stay mostly on municipal hookups, but it won't keep up with daily full-time demand. Install runs $245-$425 including bracket, hose connections, and a pressure test to confirm no fittings are weeping.
On cartridge life: full-timers should plan for a swap every six months, weekenders every 12 - Florida well water typically cuts both intervals roughly in half because of the sediment and mineral load. If your incoming pressure runs above 60 PSI, we also add a regulator upstream of the filter, which protects both the cartridge and your rig's plumbing.
Are you RVIA certified and does my warranty stay intact?
Many of our techs hold RVIA and RVDA certifications, and the rest bring years of hands-on RV repair experience. When it comes to your warranty, the key is using OEM parts and documenting the work properly - which is exactly how we run every appliance job.
We use Dometic, Norcold, Whirlpool, Splendide, Furrion, and Suburban OEM components, record the serial number of every part we install, and register each component in your name with the manufacturer. That paper trail is what keeps your manufacturer warranty intact after a repair.
Most parts carry 1-3 year manufacturer coverage on top of our 90-day workmanship warranty, so if a newly installed component fails within that window, you have two layers of protection. If a failure turns out to be a covered warranty claim rather than a standard repair, we flag that during diagnosis so you know your options before we start the work.
