Fridge Defend

[SloPace]

I purchased a 2019 Lance trailer with a Dometic DMR702 2 way fridge. It has a fusible link for temperature control. If your traveling on a hot day with fridge on propane, it will blow and you have no fridge – gas or shore power. You have to get a new fuse link from Dometic. So no fridge till they send you a new one.
I want to override the fusible link & install Fridge Defend. The website has 4 different kits available.

https://www.arprv.com/purchase.php

I’d appreciate a recommendation.
Thanks

[kmb1966]

The fridge defend is a safety device that turns the cooling unit OFF when the boiler reaches an unsafe operating temperature due to a variety of reasons that are not necessarily related to improper installation. For example, operating the fridge off level causes the boiler temperature to skyrocket and weakens the boiler tubes. Norcold and Dometic have safety temp switches but they are set to trigger at very very high temperatures and the ARP turns it OFF before damage occurs. It does a variety of other things as well. Personally I would not have an absorption refrigerator without the ARP device.

[prichardson]

Sounds to me like improper installation; especially in respect to meeting ventilation requirements.

[mchero]

"Turning off the cooling unit when it is overheating is a VERY good idea."

I would think turning ANYTHING when it's overheating is a very good idea.

[SloPace]

This is something new on the Dometic. I purchased it last March new & took 2 trips in hot weather. Both times I blew the link. The second time the mechanic called Lance. They said they have been getting a lot of complaints about it & had a workaround. Which was putting a manually controlled fan in the compartment.

Since Dometic was stingy with the links, I didn't trust the fan would work & didn't want to get stuck, I relied on blue ice.

I'm planning hot weather trips this summer & want a fridge that keeps working.

Incidentaly, no where in the Dometic does say not drive with fridge on propane.

I will contact ARP. Thanks for the suggestion.

[wa8yxm]

jdc1 wrote:
25+ years of RVing...never had the fridge stop cooling while driving. Is this a problem with the newer expensive models?

I've had a fridge stop cooling one time in 15 years of driving this RV (before that.. Well I did not have an absorption unit).

At 14.5 the cooling unit failed.. I'm a full timer. We put a new back on the box and it's keeping my milk cold as It type.

Never had a fusable link fuse save for the cartridge fuses when I shorted out the light circuit installing the internal fans.

[ScottG]

I think the fridge defend is a good idea for the reasons Brett stated. But, now I wish I had put the money towards a compressor conversion instead.

[wolfe10]

Turning off the cooling unit when it is overheating is a VERY good idea. Primary cause is running with the refrigerator outside the refrigerator manufacturer's level specs. So, parked out of level in a rest area for lunch, for example can overheat the unit. This also leads to cumulative damage by precipitating out the anti-rust component to the boiler fluid.

Contact ARP with your refrigerator model number for more information on their product:

https://www.arprv.com/contact-us.php

[2012Coleman]

What I've read about this product is that it turns your fridge off when it senses high temps. Not sure why you want that to happen. If your fridge vent is on the roof, you should never have this problem as everyone knows, heat rises. Fridges installed in slides may need additional vent fans, or a thermostat that causes the fans to come on at a lower temp.

This device is a PITA to install and really not worth the time or effort IMO

Maybe buy a couple spare fusible links to keep on hand just in case, but my fridge in either of the campers I've owned never had this happen in the hot Florida summers.

[jdc1]

25+ years of RVing...never had the fridge stop cooling while driving. Is this a problem with the newer expensive models?