Fridge died! Are Arcticold units OK?

[kaydeejay]

Had a buyer lined up for my fiver but promised to de-winterize and check everything out before we met up.
Wouldn't you know it - the fridge (Dometic) is not cooling.:M
Freezer is cool but not freezing, rest of the fridge is room temperature.
Arcticold will sell a new (not re-manufactured) cooling unit for $580 plus $50 shipping with a lifetime warranty. No return of the old unit required.
Any experiences with this company, Good or Bad?

[kaydeejay]

Decision made - Arcticold unit is on order.

[Chris_Bryant]

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.

[kaydeejay]

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.

[Old-Biscuit]

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

[kaydeejay]

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!

[Old-Biscuit]

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

[kaydeejay]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Freezer can get down and food section not...........blockage can occur in between the 2 different evap sections.

SO always determine if fridge is working by checking food section temps

Freezer is cool, not cold. Probably not even as cold as the fridge should be.
The fridge section is room temperature - no cooling whatsoever.
Decided to go ahead and have now ordered the Arcticool replacement cooling unit.

[Old-Biscuit]

westend wrote:
How long did the fridge operate before it was deemed broken? If the freezer section is working, wouldn't that mean that the cooling unit is functioning?

Edit: reread the original post and I see that the freezer section is not functioning. Sorry about the bad info above, I'll need to reread post before I comment.

Residential 120V replacement may be a cheaper cost than replacing the cooling unit.

Freezer can get down and food section not...........blockage can occur in between the 2 different evap sections.

SO always determine if fridge is working by checking food section temps

[kaydeejay]

2oldman wrote:
You could check posts over a year old.

Never used that feature before so I tried it - zero results on this one!
But thanks - I learned something today!

[kaydeejay]

westend wrote:
How long did the fridge operate before it was deemed broken? If the freezer section is working, wouldn't that mean that the cooling unit is functioning?

Edit: reread the original post and I see that the freezer section is not functioning. Sorry about the bad info above, I'll need to reread post before I comment.

Residential 120V replacement may be a cheaper cost than replacing the cooling unit.

Residential won't work for me - I run the fridge on gas extensively.
And as I plan to sell the fiver soon I figure it will be better to have a functional RV fridge at that point.
So whether I keep it or not I'll go ahead with a new cooling unit.

[kaydeejay]

Chandalen wrote:
Did you try it on Gas vs. elect? The whole thing may not be broken.. if you can live with it working on gas.

Gas or electric - no difference. Plenty of heat in the heater/burner area.
Failure mode is the same as one in a previous trailer. Diagnosis then was a blockage in the cooling unit.
I took the fridge out and rolled it over a few times and actually got it to work - for a whole 2 weeks.

[Chandalen]

Did you try it on Gas vs. elect? The whole thing may not be broken.. if you can live with it working on gas.

[westend]

How long did the fridge operate before it was deemed broken? If the freezer section is working, wouldn't that mean that the cooling unit is functioning?

Edit: reread the original post and I see that the freezer section is not functioning. Sorry about the bad info above, I'll need to reread post before I comment.

Residential 120V replacement may be a cheaper cost than replacing the cooling unit.

[2oldman]

You could check posts over a year old.