Eurovan Vitrifrigo C60i

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Updated 2015-06-28 : Upgrading the Vitrifrigo Fan to a much quieter unit
Updated 2015-06-04 : Update with experiences after having the fridge for two years: Updates
Updated 2013-07-16 : Info about the Danfoss Variable Speed Compressor Controller : Turbo Mode
Updated 2013-05-12 : First version

Introduction

In which I describe replacing the Norcold 3163 refrigerator with a Vitrifrigo.C60i.

The Norcold 3163 is a clever design: runs on Propane, 120VAC, or 12VDC. With tender loving care, it can function great in 3 seasons. But in hot Summer climates (100F+ daytime temperatures), the Norcold just can not keep up. I've had a half dozen trips where food either spoiled, or I spent most of the trip worrying about food spoiling. No fun. In addition, the Norcold dumps a LOT of heat into the Eurovan camper cabin. The extra heat is welcome in Winter, but not helpful in Summer.

Notes:

• some parts of this project require custom woodworking and metal cutting. It's not rocket science, but this is not exactly a "plug and play" replacement. It took me the better part of 2 full afternoons to do this.
• My van is a 2000 Eurovan but has been customized fairly heavily. Expect to see extra wires, gizmos, and gadgets dangling in these pictures that your van will not have.
• After installation, there is a lot of leftover space. I elected to not turn that space into shelves, but others folks have done so (see pictures here)
• Karl estimates this fridge uses between 22 and 42 amp*hours per day, depending on temperature. If you have the stock Eurovan camper battery, this fridge may drain your house battery in a day or two, especially if your battery is tired. More batteries and/or a solar panel are very helpful.

Update: Thoughts after 2 years of use

Overall I'm really happy with the upgrade. The fridge "just works" and I no longer spend mental energy worrying about it, which is a very nice change as compared to the Norcold.

Pros

• Reliable, great performance: Makes ice cubes and keeps frozen food frozen. Cools down quickly. I've had no problems in 95F+ temperatures.
• Energy Efficient: with my 85W solar panel, I've had days where the batteries remain fully charged - I suspect the fridge could run indefinitely.
• Off-angle parking: the Vitrifrigo is not as sensitive to uneven campsites as the Norcold is.

Cons:

• Noise: the Norcold, although not silent, is quiet and the little noise it makes is constant. The Vitrifrigo is louder and the sounds are intermittent. After some experimentation I've determined the compressor itself is quiet, but the single ventilation fan is what makes most of the noise. I'm a light sleeper, and sleep on the bottom bunk, and the first few nights were unpleasant, as the Vitrifrigo will cycle on and off every 10 minutes or so. After a few nights I started to get used to it. Some day, I may try fitting a quieter fan to see if that helps. If you are a very light sleeper and sleep on the bottom bunk, you may want to think about this.
  Update: see Upgrading the Vitrifrigo Fan to a much quieter unit
• Layout: the Vitrifrigo feels like it has less space for fresh food than the Norcold. Part of this is the fact that it has a freezer compartment, and part of it is the layout is unusual. Once you figure out how to pack it, however, it does hold plenty of food. Making use of the freezer and realizing that you can pack frozen items is a big win once you get used to it.
• Controls: the thermostat/On-Off dial is inside the fridge under the freezer compartment. It's awkward to reach when the fridge is full of food, and there's no indicator light on the outside to tell if the fridge is on or off. On the other hand, you generally only have to deal with this at the start and end of a trip, so it's not a big problem.

Parts:

• Vitrifrigo C60i purchased from Westy Ventures. Karl was very helpful answering my pre-sale questions over email, and his prices couldn't be beat.
  
• To plug the unused propane line, get a 3/8" brass flare plug from your local hardware store.
  
• Wood
• Shelf Brackets
• Metal screws (assorted)
• Electrical male spade plugs (for the bare wire ends of the Vitrifrigo)
• Aluminum stock (see below)

Tools:

• Electric drill/screwdriver
• Dremel
• Saw (skill saw or table saw)
• Hack saw and sander (useful for final fit adjustment)

Step-by-Step:

(click each picture for full size)

1. Remove the old Norcold 3163
   You are on your own for this one, there are guides available to help. When you are done, you should be left with something like this:
   
2. Block off the fridge vents
   I used a painted aluminium Stop sign. Cut out pieces to match, drill holes, and attach these pieces on top of the existing vents that have holes.
   
   Result:
   
3. Plug the propane line
   Plug the propane line with the flare plug.
   Propane Line Plugged
   
   
   
4. Secure
   Secure the line so it doesn't rattle or bump around, develop a leak, and send you to a fiery death. (Seriously, don't ignore this step. Electricity + Propane leak = bad).
   Propane Line Secured
   
5. Wiring
   The Vitrifrigo has Red and Black wires. Crimp male spade plugs to the end. Then connect to the existing 12V wires which were connected to the Norcold. Red goes to Yellow, Black goes to White.
   
6. Cut the frame on the Vitrifrigo C60i
   The C60i is a tight fit in the dimension of Height. It does fit, but just barely. These pictures show the cut that I made in the frame, and the resulting fit:
   
   Result:
   
   Not shown: After cutting the frame top off, the side pieces are wobbly. I added 4 extra screws on each side frame to strengthen them.
   
7. Fit Note
   The C60i depth is just right, but there is a conflict: the tube on the back of the C60i just touches the old (now unused) 120VAC outlet. I didn't need to relocate mine, but you might need to, especially if you push the C60i further back.
   
8. Move the Feet
   The floor of my eurovan is uneven, and I discovered that the front feet on the fridge were hanging up on the floor. Removing the front feet helped, but then the fridge door would drag on the carpet. The solution was simple: move the feet forward about 1 inch.
   
9. Make a shim on the right side
   Cut a piece of wood to shim out the right side so that it's flush with the circuit panel, above. I re-used the existing screw holes.
   
10. Add a metal bracket on the Left Side
    A simple shelf bracket can be added to the left side.
    
11. Oops - I wasn't paying attention, and managed to drill a hole in my circuit panel, killing it.
    Fortunately, GoWesty has them in stock: Buy a New one
    
12. Left side frame: Cut a piece of wood about 24" long by 5 1/2" width. I used 3/4" wood but thicker would be fine. To clear the bracket and the latch on the C60i, you'll need to cut a notch. (See note in the picture regarding the notch)
    
    Not shown: the back of the left side of the frame will need some shimming: I used 1/8" hobby board and an old Home Depot yardstick to get it just right.
    Not shown: on the back of the left frame, I added another bracket connecting to the floor.
    
13. Not Shown:
    (about 2 hours of cutting, drilling, sanding, re-cutting, re-drilling, re-sanding, cursing, etc.)
14. Success!
    Installation looks reasonably clean. I may change out the wood panel out for shelving later but for now it's good enough.
    
15. It works!
    It cools down fast: within about 45 minutes, the freezer was down to 17F and the fridge was at 41F. This was on a day with ambient temperatures of about 80F.
    
16. The Danfoss Electronic Unit for BD35/50F Compressors, model 101N0210
    The fridge, as delivered, comes with the Danfoss 101N0210 electronic control unit. Circuit Diagram: Download PDF
    Danfoss 101N0210
    
    This control unit supports user-selectable compressor RPMs : from 2000 up to 3500, which is controlled by changing the resistor value between the C and T connectors. My fridge shipped with a 277 Ohm resistor, so it would run at 2500 RPM.
    
    Resistor Pack
    
    2500 RPM is a fine compromise, but I decided that I wanted to improve this. With a simple circuit, resistors, and a toggle switch, I was able to set up the fridge so that it can run at either 2000 RPM (slower, quieter, more energy efficient, but less cooling ability) or 3500 RPM (faster, louder, more cooling ability and less energy efficient).
    
    Instructions:
    1. If you already installed it, pull the fridge back out again
    2. Remove the small circuit board that is on the T connector (if you have one)
    3. Get a 1523 Ohm resistor (I used 1000 and 500 Ohm resistors in series, which is close enough)
    4. Make a circuit as shown in this picture: It's a 1500 Ohm resistor with a male and female spade plug, which are also connected to a toggle switch which shorts across the two connectors. Note that putting the switch ON gives the slow speed, whereas having the switch OFF gives the fast speed. I mounted the switch upside-down as a result so that "up" = "fast".
       
       New Resistor With Switch
       
       
    5. Mount the switch somewhere (fortunately, I had a spare switch)
       
       Danfoss Turbo Mode Switch
       
       
    Effects of the turbo-mode switch
    
    

    Resistor Value	RPM	Amps (typical)
    0 Ohms (short circuit)	2000	2.6 to 3.0
    1500 Ohms (approximately)	3500	5.7 to 6.0

    
    
    Subjectively, the noise is not that different between the two settings, as the bulk of the noise seems to come from the fan, which runs at the same speed regardless of what speed the compressor is running at. The amperage draw of the fridge nearly doubles, however.
    
    Ice-making test comparing 2000 vs 3500 RPM settings
    
    Test conditions: empty fridge with 2 medium size ice trays in freezer, fridge thermostat put on maximum setting. Temperature measured in center of freezer compartment via wireless thermometer.
    
    

    Time (hours)	(3500 RPM) Temperature and %ice made	(2000 RPM) Temperature and %ice made
    0	77F	74F
    0.5	34F	44F
    1.0	22F	29F
    1.5	19F - (20% ice)	24F
    2.0	16F	23F - (5% ice)
    2.5	15F - (90% ice)	24F
    3.0	13F - (95% ice)	23F
    3.5	12F - (100% ice) test completed	22F - (50% ice)
    5.0		16F - (100% ice)

    
    Conclusion: at 3500 RPM, cooling capacity is roughly 50% higher at a cost of roughly 2X the energy use.