Fridge died! Are Arcticold units OK?

Failure mode is the same as one in a previous trailer. Diagnosis then was a blockage in the cooling unit.

2 trailers.....both fridges cooling units blockage :H

You might want to review/revise your way of operating fridges.

Off level operation even for 20 minutes can cause overheating of coolant which then crystallizes. The crystals then plate out on tubing like a plague--------permanently. This damage is accumulative

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Failure mode is the same as one in a previous trailer. Diagnosis then was a blockage in the cooling unit.

2 trailers.....both fridges cooling units blockage :H

You might want to review/revise your way of operating fridges.

Off level operation even for 20 minutes can cause overheating of coolant which then crystallizes. The crystals then plate out on tubing like a plague--------permanently. This damage is accumulative

My first trailer was a 1984 Prowler that was permananently parked in a Campground in Ontario. It was dead level and never moved.
I then owned a Class A followed by a Citation fifth-wheel and had no problems.
My current one has been the traveler, but I have been meticulous about leveling it when parked.
Not sure what else I could do.

This last one is 16 years old. I suspect it may have been on borrowed time :B I have owned it since 2007, I have no idea how it was treated for the first 8 years.
It was working perfectly when I shut it down to Winterize last Fall. It failed to start up when I turned it on last week. I had even leveled it for Winter storage!

My current one has been the traveler, but I have been meticulous about leveling it when parked.
Not sure what else I could do.

This last one is 16 years old. I suspect it may have been on borrowed time I have owned it since 2007, I have no idea how it was treated for the first 8 years.

OK..........16 yrs is pretty good service even with 8 yrs of unknown operation

Current one......the traveler.
What model year is it?

When traveling is fridge ON? (mine is---always)
Only reason I ask is if on while in transit no problem because the bouncing/rolling/swaying etc keeps coolant in motion

BUT roadside stops for potty breaks, lunch, sight seeing can be issue if off-level......doesn't take extended off level operation to start causing damage which accumulates

Good luck with your cooling unit swap. Don't have any info on that company or it's units

Old-Biscuit wrote:

My current one has been the traveler, but I have been meticulous about leveling it when parked.
Not sure what else I could do.

This last one is 16 years old. I suspect it may have been on borrowed time I have owned it since 2007, I have no idea how it was treated for the first 8 years.

OK..........16 yrs is pretty good service even with 8 yrs of unknown operation

Current one......the traveler.
What model year is it?

When traveling is fridge ON? (mine is---always)
Only reason I ask is if on while in transit no problem because the bouncing/rolling/swaying etc keeps coolant in motion

BUT roadside stops for potty breaks, lunch, sight seeing can be issue if off-level......doesn't take extended off level operation to start causing damage which accumulates

Good luck with your cooling unit swap. Don't have any info on that company or it's units

Current unit is in a 1999 Sunnybrook. I think it's the original.
Yes, I do travel with the fridge on EXCEPT when stopping for breaks etc. If the unit is off level I turn the fridge off.
Think I'll just accept that a 16 year old fridge gave up and move on. Not sure what I would/could change about the way I use them that would decrease the chance of future failure.

To the original question- a friend of mine is now a distributor for Arcticold- I've looked at them a bit, and done some control work on some with these units. They look good, use thicker wall tubing than stock, seem to work well (the 1200 I worked on would maintain 30 degrees in the bottom compartment).
I won't give an opinion vis-a-vi the Pines "Amish" units- not enough experience for an opinion.

Decision made - Arcticold unit is on order.