Dometic refrig question

[Born2RV]

Once again I turn to fellow RV'ers for your expertise.

I am helping a friend with a Dometic refrigerator - in the back, at the bottom of the access area, there is a dry yellowish powder like substance. Could this be dried ammonia? Or some magical substance left behind by big foot. The RV is used quite a bit, just a bit shy of full time.

Thanks in advance

[bigwheel1970]

Same thing happened to me a while back.In my case, I chose to replace the cooling unit. I am very happy I did. It only took a couple of hours and fridge worked better then new. I used a company called Arcticold. They build brand new aftermarket units with a lifetime warranty and sell them for around $600. They even sent me a video on how to install it.

[j-d]

Many have gone "residential" for replacement fridges. Some call them "party" or "dorm" or "apartment" fridges since the "family size" most of us would want at home are too big for most RV installations.
MANY advantages. RES fridges are getting better and small ones are coming out in many dimensions at falling prices. RV fridges are getting more expensive and their durability (the cooling unit with the ammonia, hydrogen and powder) hasn't improved a lick. RV fridge might burn your coach down and RES probably won't.
IF Your Friend's Personal Style in RVing is to go from home where there's AC power to cool a RES fridge, To and From Hookup Sites, then by all means go RES. They can keep food cold over a travel day. Just pack a cooler for the trip so the fridge isn't opened till it's running again. It'll cool back down faster than an RV fridge.
Part of the value of an RV to us is that it can run stand-alone. We have the potential of storm evacuations so we value the ability of our fridge to run awhile on LPG.
The RES fridge fans haven't talked about is re-sale appeal or price. Used RV's seem to be a Buyer's Market. Shoppers can easily reject an RV with Old Tires, Poor Fridge, etc. etc. That stuff seems to make an RV easier to sell, but maybe not at a higher price.

[Born2RV]

Thank you...

Sadly new units are $1200+, used are questionable and over $700. Thinking of replacing it with a 110 only unit and adjusting the cabinet. Anyone do that?

Thanks again.

[Old-Biscuit]

Cooling unit has cracked.

Hydrogen has already leaked out so chances of fire are minimal.

Ammonia has already leaked out so chances of skin/eye irritation is minimal

Sodium chromate is what has left the yellow residue.

Fridge is NOT cooling anymore.

[wlstroud]

Speaking from experience, the unit is done for. Back coil assembly replacement or refrigerator replacement is the fix.

[beemerphile1]

The cooling unit is leaking, it is kaput. Do not try using a leaking cooling unit, unless your goal is to burn it to the ground.

[DrewE]

As Chris said, it's stuff that's leaked out of the cooling unit, and not good news for the fridge or the fridge owner.

It's not the ammonia itself, which is gaseous at normal atmospheric temperatures and pressures (or often dissolved in water), but anticorrosion chemicals used in the refrigerator, typically sodium chromate.

[tvman44]

Sounds like it is time for a new refrigerator or at least a new cooling unit for the old one. 🙂

[Chris_Bryant]

That's the sign of a leaking cooling unit.