dvarholy
Veteran Member
I recently replaced the Thetford/Norcold DE461 in my 1989 Tradewinds '43 MY. The 20 year old fridge worked well for many years, but was no longer supported by the manufacturer. Most notably, the door gaskets are no longer available. This was creating a serious issue due to air leakage and failing to maintain temperature. The air leakage also created a frequent need to defrost the freezer which, on these units, is not frost free. Below, I will outline my experience and observations after two months with the new unit:
The freezer and refrigerator are actually two complete separate units. The two sections can be disassembled to make installation much easier. This, by itself, is a huge advantage over everything else. Some boats, such as Sea-Ray, require cabinetry and built in furnishings be painstakingly disassembled for installation. I was able to disassemble the Isotherm in 20 minutes, carry the sections onboard, and then reassemble the unit in the galley. Installation was complete in a few hours and without any assistance. The two units could be installed as top freezer or top refrigerator. This is personal preference. Reversing the two sections will take about half an hour. There are separate thermostats for the freezer and refrigerator. This allows flexability in temperature control. There are separate power cords and DC connections as well. If one unit fails, the other will be unaffected. If the freezer is not needed,it can be turned off to save battery power. The separate refrigerator will continue running even if the freezer needs to defrost. The fit and finish are of high quality. The door handles and hinges are all metal and of good quality. This especially noticable when compared to the Norcold's plastic door catches. The door seals are also magnetic, which further improves their seal. The interior compartments are contoured in a way that is easier to clean, especially when compared with the Norcold's sharp angled inserts with so many inside corners. The unit is quieter than the Norcold it replaced. The freezer is frost free. This is most important for those living aboard or cruising full time. There are service access fittings for diagnosis and charging. This is surprising in that most commercial reach-in coolers no longer have such fittings. Some users may notice increased effort is needed when opening the doors, especially the freezer. The doors are not reversable. There is a seperate model for left and right swing. The manual was not very easy to navigate and not very detailed.
Daniel Varholy
'89 Tradewinds '43 MY
Journeyman HVAC technician
The freezer and refrigerator are actually two complete separate units. The two sections can be disassembled to make installation much easier. This, by itself, is a huge advantage over everything else. Some boats, such as Sea-Ray, require cabinetry and built in furnishings be painstakingly disassembled for installation. I was able to disassemble the Isotherm in 20 minutes, carry the sections onboard, and then reassemble the unit in the galley. Installation was complete in a few hours and without any assistance. The two units could be installed as top freezer or top refrigerator. This is personal preference. Reversing the two sections will take about half an hour. There are separate thermostats for the freezer and refrigerator. This allows flexability in temperature control. There are separate power cords and DC connections as well. If one unit fails, the other will be unaffected. If the freezer is not needed,it can be turned off to save battery power. The separate refrigerator will continue running even if the freezer needs to defrost. The fit and finish are of high quality. The door handles and hinges are all metal and of good quality. This especially noticable when compared to the Norcold's plastic door catches. The door seals are also magnetic, which further improves their seal. The interior compartments are contoured in a way that is easier to clean, especially when compared with the Norcold's sharp angled inserts with so many inside corners. The unit is quieter than the Norcold it replaced. The freezer is frost free. This is most important for those living aboard or cruising full time. There are service access fittings for diagnosis and charging. This is surprising in that most commercial reach-in coolers no longer have such fittings. Some users may notice increased effort is needed when opening the doors, especially the freezer. The doors are not reversable. There is a seperate model for left and right swing. The manual was not very easy to navigate and not very detailed.
Daniel Varholy
'89 Tradewinds '43 MY
Journeyman HVAC technician
