HELP: Fridge issues and trip tmw!

[BurbMan]

Dometic fridge, we always keep a bag of ice in the freezer to help even the temps between trips. Last night went to put food in the fridge and it didn't feel very cold. Digital thermometer reading reveals fridge at 57* while freezer is at -15*! Control panel on top is set to #4 setting.

I also noted that the thermistor in the fridge slid down to the bottom of the fin. Would that cause the temp difference between fridge and freezer or is there something else I should check?

I raised the thermistor as much as I could but the cord is only long enough to get it about halfway up on the fin.

[BurbMan]

We bought a new fridge for our Lance from them about 2 years ago so had done business with these guys before, and knew if anyone could fix it it would be them!

[Scottiemom]

BurbMan wrote:
UPDATE: the guys at National RV refrigeration got me in at 8am as promised. Diagnosis was bad cooling unit. Dropped the trailer and had breakfast and did some sightseeing in Shipshewana, job was all done by noon. Replaced the cooling unit, replaced the fan, added a baffle and a second cooling fan to help air circulation since the fridge is in a slide room. Made it to our camping trip only a few hours late. Fridge this morning was at 37, freezer at -2. Out the door with tax for under $700. Bonus is now the unit hasbeen registered with Dometic as refurbed and now has a 3 year manufacturers warranty.

They are the only ones who have serviced our gas absorption refrigerators for the last 15 years. Never been disappointed.On the one they replaced the cooling unit, it never failed. The door seals did, however, and you cannot replace just the seals. I think that fridge lasted 10 years and then we had them swap out a new complete 4-door unit. Total was just under $2000 and done in 4 hours. The price we had in Florida was $5000, so we kept ice in it and drove to Indiana to have the Amish replace it.

Glenn worked on the one in my little B+ last year and it turned out to be the electrical receptacle. He sheepishly told me he didn't work on the electric supply side. The outlet was bad. He diagnosed it. A friend at my campground is an electrical engineer and he fixed it for $1.84. Glenn didn't charge me though for diagnosing it.

Glad you had a great experience.

Dale

[Thermoguy]

2oldman wrote:

BurbMan wrote:
I appreciate the help guys! Yes an IR thermometer is not the most accurate but was enough to confirm I have a problem. .

I don't know what accuracy these folks are expecting.

Did you pull the back and check for leakage in the coils?

Just want to make a comment about using an IR thermometer in this or any application. Assuming you have a reasonable unit, they can be quite accurate or very inaccurate. It's not the device as much as it is what you are looking at. If you are looking at something reflective - the cooling fins, wheel bearings, electrical connections, etc. These are materials that reflect light and therefore reflect temperature. Do not try to measure them, measure something that does not reflect near what you want to measure - or stick black tape on where you want to measure. That works for cooling fins, can work for wheel bearings, and almost works for electrical connections. Obviously, don't put tape on energized electrical, but measure the wire not the connection. Hope this helps.

To the OP - glad you got it fixed - $700 ouch... These RV's are just a money pit, huh...

[cptqueeg]

Good news!

[ford_truck_guy]

MFL wrote:

BurbMan wrote:
UPDATE: the guys at National RV refrigeration got me in at 8am as promised. Diagnosis was bad cooling unit. Dropped the trailer and had breakfast and did some sightseeing in Shipshewana, job was all done by noon. Replaced the cooling unit, replaced the fan, added a baffle and a second cooling fan to help air circulation since the fridge is in a slide room. Made it to our camping trip only a few hours late. Fridge this morning was at 37, freezer at -2. Out the door with tax for under $700. Bonus is now the unit hasbeen registered with Dometic as refurbed and now has a 3 year manufacturers warranty.

That is good service from Natl fridge, and a great price too. Fridge likely cools better than new!

Jerry

X2 - BONUS - the mountains will be BLUE if ever put in ! ! !
Happy for the good ending to that..

[MFL]

BurbMan wrote:
UPDATE: the guys at National RV refrigeration got me in at 8am as promised. Diagnosis was bad cooling unit. Dropped the trailer and had breakfast and did some sightseeing in Shipshewana, job was all done by noon. Replaced the cooling unit, replaced the fan, added a baffle and a second cooling fan to help air circulation since the fridge is in a slide room. Made it to our camping trip only a few hours late. Fridge this morning was at 37, freezer at -2. Out the door with tax for under $700. Bonus is now the unit hasbeen registered with Dometic as refurbed and now has a 3 year manufacturers warranty.

That is good service from Natl fridge, and a great price too. Fridge likely cools better than new!

Jerry

[BurbMan]

UPDATE: the guys at National RV refrigeration got me in at 8am as promised. Diagnosis was bad cooling unit. Dropped the trailer and had breakfast and did some sightseeing in Shipshewana, job was all done by noon. Replaced the cooling unit, replaced the fan, added a baffle and a second cooling fan to help air circulation since the fridge is in a slide room. Made it to our camping trip only a few hours late. Fridge this morning was at 37, freezer at -2. Out the door with tax for under $700. Bonus is now the unit hasbeen registered with Dometic as refurbed and now has a 3 year manufacturers warranty.

[Scottiemom]

If you're in Indy, take the time to run up to Shipshewana and go to National Refrigeration. Easy to get to, on 120, and the Amishman there, Glenn I think is his name, will diagnose and fix your fridge. Here is a link to their website:
https://fixyourfridge.com/

Prices are more than fair and they will fix it and guarantee their work. Even has prices posted.

Dale

[pianotuna]

dougrainer wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Sometimes taking the fridge out and rolling it end for end and side for side may free the blockage.

Wives tail. The blockage is as hard as a Weld slag. What you stated is called "burping". WILL NEVER FIX A REFER BLOCKED COOLING UNIT. But, what is can do is "rearrange" the Ammonium liquid to temporarily bypass the blockage but will only work partially for a few days to a week. Once the blockage stops the liquid again the refer stops cooling. Doug

Hi doug,

Pray tell us why it worked for BobsyourUncle?

[Nv_Guy]

It does take at least a day to properly diagnose a refrigerator. As previously mentioned one places a cup of water in the refrigerator while the cooling unit is run wide open on AC. After 24 hours you check the temp of the water. If the cooling unit is operating the water will be darn near or frozen depending on ambient temps.
Otherwise you are just throwing parts at it.

[BurbMan]

Doug, not sure why you say takes DAYS for a correct diagnosis. What possible diagnosis would come to light after observing it for a few more days? It's either the board, or the CU.

National RV will diagnose the unit, if it needs a cooling unit they will replace it while I wait. If I need a whole new unit, they will replace it while I wait. All they do is RV refrigeration, they have a huge inventory of parts and specialize in fixing units and getting them back on the road. I'm guaranteed to leave with a functioning fridge, only question is how much it will cost depending on what's wrong with it.

This RV is a 2008 model, so the fridge is 14 years old. We bought the rig knowing that the average life expectancy of an RV absorption fridge is 10-15 years, and accounted for the fact that we may have to replace the fridge. Absolute worst case is I need a whole new fridge and pay to have it replaced, and it's $2k. I'm Ok with that, the rig is still worth more than what I have into it.

If I'm outta there by lunch with a new CU and it costs me $1k, I consider that a win.

Update: After running the aux fan on the cooling unit the freezer temp has dropped to 4*, but fridge is still at 57*. Grabbed a beer and it as *meh* cool but not cold. Mountains would not have been blue if that was my brand.

[dougrainer]

Burbman, what do you think National RV refer is going to do? Unless you want to wait a few days for a CORRECT diagnosis, they can do nothing other than replace the CU. Doug

[dougrainer]

pianotuna wrote:
Sometimes taking the fridge out and rolling it end for end and side for side may free the blockage.

Wives tail. The blockage is as hard as a Weld slag. What you stated is called "burping". WILL NEVER FIX A REFER BLOCKED COOLING UNIT. But, what is can do is "rearrange" the Ammonium liquid to temporarily bypass the blockage but will only work partially for a few days to a week. Once the blockage stops the liquid again the refer stops cooling. Doug

[pianotuna]

Sometimes taking the fridge out and rolling it end for end and side for side may free the blockage.