Absorption refrigerator cool down time

Be interesting to see if/how much faster it cools if you toss in a couple of frozen 2l bottles. (I realize this isn't what you're doing this for... :) just a random thought )

Bert the Welder wrote:
Be interesting to see if/how much faster it cools if you toss in a couple of frozen 2l bottles. (I realize this isn't what you're doing this for... :) just a random thought )

I do that when I use my RV fridge and we use the water when it melts for drinking or coffee..I use 1 gallon lipton tea jugs,there tough..

I posted this because of the recent post about how long it takes for the refer to cool down and no-one had a definite answer other than,over night...

I was curious also having never timed it..

I've never tried to check it by the hour. I turn mine on the day before loading and it is always down to mid-thirties by the next morning. Meanwhile, the food to be loaded is being precooled in the frig at home.

Mine is a 8-cu.-ft. Norcold, in its 13-th season of use.

Sounds about right on the timing. Quickest cool down is on electric.

As far as level, you only need to be within 3 degrees side-to-side and 6 degrees front to back per spec. For a normal mounted refrigerator with the back to a side wall, this equates to about 8" side to side and 8" front to back. Usually pretty easy to get within that.

I used to start mine early... have since moved to just turn it on, load it up with cold food and roll. By the time it gets warm it is already cold. Just don't stock it with a case of warm beer and you are fine.

Interesting, but sounds about right. We have a Dometic in our FW and although I haven't timed it, it seems to take that long to cool it down. Hence, we start it up the night before we're going to pack it for a trip.

My test from several years ago showed a 100% duty cycle for 6 hours on electric, with an ambient temperature of 19 c (66 f)

About 12 hours for my current fridge. Just like your's.

I did the test like 3 years ago and here are the results again.
Dometic 5 cu fridge about 16 yo at the time.

Refridgerator test
tm-amb-ins-fd/rf-flr/fr-fd/fr
12--80--80--80----80----80
1---87--84--78----64----80
2---90--86--78----35----71
3---91--88--74----23----55
4---94--90--69----17----46
5---94--90--68----13----36
6---92--90--64-----8----32
7---93--90--63-----9----32
8---89--89--57----12----36
10--79--85--55-----8----32 (froze)
6---64--74--47----10----32 ......day 2
9---76--75--45-----9----26 (thermostat switched off)
10--87--78--40-----0----15
12--94--87--42-----5----18
1---99--90--40-----2----13
4--103--96--39-----0-----6
5--104--94--40-----0-----3
6--100--96--40-----0-----1
8---93--95--40---(-5)----1
10--88--92--34---(-3)----4
turned off for the night/switched to propane
6---77--82--50----40----40..... day 3
7---77--82--50----30----36
9---86--85--48-----5----24
11--88--89--50-----2----11
12--92--92--55-----0----11
1---95--94--55-----0-----7
3--102--97--50---(-2)----2
4--103--98--50---(-2)----2
5--103--99--52---(-6)----1
7---99--99--50---(-5)----0

I simulated food with water bottles, so
fd is temperature of bottle inside the fridge.
Time is what clock show at given day.
ins=temp inside camper
fl = temp of freezer compartment floor

About 4 hour's to 40 degree's.