How do I make the refrigerator colder?

[THE-RV-MAN]

I live in Vegas and need some help to make my fridge out here a little colder. The plastic slide in the fridge is up all the way. What else can I do?

[Old-Biscuit]

Your fridge has an adjustable temp control on upper panel (1-9) so moving the thermistor up/down will NOT have an affect on overall temps (that only works on fridges that have factory pre-set temp control..non adjustable types)

Your thermistor should be on the 12th fin from right if the fridge serial number is SN832170 or lower.
Your thermistor should be on the 2nd fin from right if serial number is higher than SN832170 OR if you have had a new style power board installed.

Fin temp (Which thermistor senses) can be accessed thru Diagnostic Mode
Diagnostic Mode (SN832170 and lower)
Press and hold 'mode' & 'temp set' buttons at same time
Release 'mode' & temps set' buttons at same time as soon as '88' shows in display
Use 'mode' button to scroll thru the 10 different screens

Diagnostic Mode (SN832171 and higher)
Press and hold 'mode' & 'temp set' buttons at same time
Release 'mode' & temps set' buttons at same time as soon as '1' shows in display ('88' will display a few seconds later)
Use 'mode' button to scroll thru the 10 different screens

Service Manual
Pgs. 46-51 Diagnostic Mode(s)


If fins are frosted up where thermistor is located......false readings.
Control thinks it's very cold....so it doesn't operate cooling cycle as long as it probably needs

[Raften]

It is a good idea to freeze and refreeze water bottles but only near the end of a trip would I have room in the freezer to do that. I sometimes wrap a piece of dry ice in a towel and put in the fridge.

[p220sigman]

I don't know if our fridge in our Pop-up is different, but adding a baffle to direct all the air flow through the fins in the back and adding a small fan to help the air move made a huge difference down here. I only have to actually run the fan if we are camping in really hot weather. If I run it when the outside temps are in the 80's or lower, things will freeze. I made the baffle out of one of those silver windshield covers that I picked up at Walmart for like 5 bucks. Just cut it to fit and used metal tape to secure it.

As far as installing a fan, you should be able to get 12V power right at the back of the fridge to wire it. I wired mine through a switch so that I can turn it on/off as needed. You may have to make some kind of bracket for the fan. I was able to use a lenght of pipe strap to secure mine.

Whole project cost about $20 and took about an hour.

[Lspangler]

Search snip the tip for rv fridge. It removes the stupid slider and gives you a rotating dial to set the temp

I bought it but haven't installed yet

[ktmrfs]

only open when needed, get in and out quick and make sure it closes tight. Recovery rate on an absorption fridge is very low so constant open/close will not help. and even a slight gap on the door seal can be an issue.

[THE-RV-MAN]

rexlion wrote:
My 3 cubic foot Norcold was supposed to get coldest when the clip holding the temp wire is all the way down and to the right. I guess different models may have different settings, but check your manual or your dealer if unsure.

Thank you I will

[marcsbigfoot20b]

You need an internal fan inside the fridge too.
This will circulate the warmer air across the fins and cool the air better. You will have less frost or ice on the fins and the air will be colder. Ice or frost on the fins will hinder the temperature convection. Also this will make the top to bottom temps more even instead of cold at the bottom of fridge and warmer at the top.

Little portable battery operated fans are cheap like $15.

[rexlion]

My 3 cubic foot Norcold was supposed to get coldest when the clip holding the temp wire is all the way down and to the right. I guess different models may have different settings, but check your manual or your dealer if unsure.

[THE-RV-MAN]

Thank you all for your wonderful input.
To a answer a few questions:

The fridge is not on a slide out.
I live in my 5th Wheeler full-time.
I'm at a resort for the last 6 months so my spot is my spot. I believe it's on the north side. (It's a great spot I must add)
I'm running the fridge on electric at all times.
It's a NORCOLD 4 door fridge with ice maker. Model 120x-IM
It's frosting on like 4 fins but not to bad. It's the fins with the slide on it.

I'm good gonna take the advise of the fans. Taking off the cover outside is not a problem or buying the fans but installing them is something I don't know how to do.

Any other questions let me no. Keep the advise coming. Thank you all and GOD Bless. 🙂

[2oldman]

THE-RV-MAN wrote:
.What else can I do?

Park with fridge on north side.

[12thgenusa]

Make sure the condensation drain is routed such that it forms a p-trap. This prevents intrusion of warm air into the fridge. Good for at least several degree decrease.

[mockturtle]

As suggested above, freeze containers of water overnight and put them in the refrigerator during the heat of the day. Refreeze at night. It really helps. It also helps, of course, if your awning is on the same side as your fridge.

[j-d]

I'm wondering if part of why a muffin fan IN the fridge is that by keeping the air moving, it keeps that fin thermistor from being satisfied a little longer?

Your fridge isn't in a Slide, right? Those must have a fan on the outside coils.

What's your Fridge Make and Model? If it's a Norcold, they shut the cooling off every so many (36?) hours as a poor man's defrost. It isn't active defrost like a home unit, just stops cooling an hour or so.

Is it Frosting on the Fins? If not, and in the Dry West, might not be frosting, and it's a Norcold, turn it OFF for 10-seconds or so every day. That'll keep the cooling unit running full time.

If it IS Frosting, needs to be cleared of that frost. I'm doing that now with a pump sprayer with water. Seems to be the fastest way. but the door's still open those few minutes.

Speaking of door, do you have good contact at the gaskets? ALL the way around? On our Norcold, we have to physically push the corner opposite the latch, every time we shut the fridge or freezer door.

Finally, check installation of your fridge. There should be NO dead space above or to either side. And, nearly no space behind. The idea is for the heat of the outside coils to create a draft that passes only through those coils. Some of us here have put baffles behind the coils (between coils and inside of coach wall) to direct draft through the coils. This is specified in installation directions.

I have two little (80mm square frame, 25mm thick) computer fans blowing upward from the bottom of the coils. If you buy those, the very cheapest have sleeve bearings and won't last as long as ball-bearing ones. I still get a couple seasons out of the cheap ones. Walmart has a four-pack of fans for $7.

[ed6713]

You can add a 12v muffin fan in the chimney flue to help move cool air over the cooling fins.
A very common solution