Please help me get new fridge cooling better...

[DHart]

We just picked up our 2016 30' Airstream Serenity with 8 cu ft Dometic Gas/AC fridge.



The coach is parked outside our home while I am doing the test of the new fridge operation.

Here is the scenario:

-Outside temp is around 100 degrees daytime, down to 85 or so at night.
-Temp in the parked trailer (all windows open) is around 100 degrees daytime, 85 night tme.
-Fridge is empty
-Cooling setting is on HIGH (Coldest)

Empty fridge has been running on GAS, on HIGH, for 24 hours. Freezer temp is 16 degrees. Seems good to me! Fridge temp is 45 degrees in mid morning. Not so great.

So, early afternoon I switched over to running it on AC. Now, freezer temp is still 16 degrees, but fridge is at 52 degrees. (During the afternoon, the dropping sun has been beating on the fridge side of the trailer.)

The fridge side of the trailer is facing west, with hot western sun hitting that side of the coach all afternoon.

Obviously, we are not occupying the trailer. It is parked beside the house. And the heat of the environment and temps inside the trailer cannot be helping the fridge do its job at all. And the fact that the fridge is empty... may be a factor as well?

Considering all this, does it sound like our fridge is doing its job as best as can be expected, or should it be cooling the refrigerator section a LOT better than it is?

Freezer performance looks great. Fridge performance is really causing us some concern, but we're not sure how much the environmental factors are influencing the performance.

What should/can I do to improve the cooling of the fridge. Would just filling the fridge with pre-cooled stuff and running the AC in the coach to lower the inside temps in the coach make all the difference to bring the fridge temp down to mid 30's?

[DHart]

dougrainer wrote:
I made a mistake on your refer model number. The Model number MUST have an F in the model number for a Dometic installed fan. You do NOT have that fan(not really needed). On your model, the refer is NOT installed all the way to the sidewall. Due to the curved wall the bottom of the refer is about 10 inches IN from the outer door and that means the curve of the A/S roof is NOT a factor in removing convection air. The odds are, you have a bad cooling unit. I confused your model with the A/S models that have two side vent doors and no roof vent. Those models have the fan. Doug

Doug... thanks for that additional info. Two days ago the dealer service person said he would look into this and call me right back. Still waiting to hear what he has learned.

[dougrainer]

I made a mistake on your refer model number. The Model number MUST have an F in the model number for a Dometic installed fan. You do NOT have that fan(not really needed). On your model, the refer is NOT installed all the way to the sidewall. Due to the curved wall the bottom of the refer is about 10 inches IN from the outer door and that means the curve of the A/S roof is NOT a factor in removing convection air. The odds are, you have a bad cooling unit. I confused your model with the A/S models that have two side vent doors and no roof vent. Those models have the fan. Doug

[MEXICOWANDERER]

THE "SMART" FIX.....

NO, NOT SPOKANE. THE FACILITY

[Old-Biscuit]

DHart wrote:
I put a small 120v fan in the mechanical compartment of the fridge pointing upward. After about a day, this doesn't seem to have made any significant difference. Freezer still around 14* and fridge around 44*.

I have a call in to local Airstream service. They are discussing with their tech to determine next step.

If there IS a fan higher up in the flue (where I can't see) would it be easy to HEAR if it was on?

See if there is a 12V DC line coming off of the DC Terminal Block with an in-line fuse holder (3A fuse)
That is what would be used to power thermalfuse controlled fan IF fan was installed as it should have been.

[DHart]

I put a small 120v fan in the mechanical compartment of the fridge pointing upward. After about a day, this doesn't seem to have made any significant difference. Freezer still around 14* and fridge around 44*.

I have a call in to local Airstream service. They are discussing with their tech to determine next step.

If there IS a fan higher up in the flue (where I can't see) would it be easy to HEAR if it was on?

[downtheroad]

To the original poster DHart
What happened? Did you resolve the issue?

[dougrainer]

lawrosa wrote:

DHart wrote:
There is a drain tube with a perforated plug in the end of it. If water was in the tube, it would drain out of the perforations.

It would when the trap fills. The trap should be always filled with water.

While it is BEST to loop the drain tube I have found that 99% of OEM installs NEVER make the loop or P trap. AND, that has never caused an operational problem even here in Texas with 100 degree heat right now. The plastic plug end is enough to keep hot air from migrating up. The temps the OP has has NOTHING to do with
1. Drain Tube
2. Thermister placement
3. 4 hours is not correct. BOTH Norcold and Dometic will state 24 hours to check for correct cooling.
4. The reason I asked him to use a bottom fan was to help the Service Center diagnosis the problem. IF the extra fan allowed correct cooling, then the Dometic installed fan system is not working.
5. You make the assumption(wrong) that only slide out or side door upper and lower vent doors require an extra/optional fan. It all depends on the Model of the Refer and the install of the refer. In an A/S, the roof vent is NOT directly above the bottom like on a non curved roof, and the Convection air needs extra help to push the hot air out the top. Doug

[Old-Biscuit]

Dometic Drain hose plug






Which has NOTHING to do with freezer temps only being 16*F

Lack of proper DRAFT


YES OPs fridge should have an external fan.....due to the curved design of Air Stream (Model LBX is FAN)

3A In-line fuse from 12V DC terminal block in outside compartment feeds the thermalfuse (on condenser fin) for fan (above absorber tubes)

[lawrosa]

OPs Fridge comes with an external fan (LBX

Are you sure??? Those units that have the fan have no roof vent and have two doors on side of RV for fridge ...AFAIK....

[lawrosa]

Dometic has been using that drain tube plug for decades.
Norcold uses a drip tray that drain tube sits in

I have the same fridge. He has the tray. Its a dometic...

Condensate goes in tray from the fins and exits a tube. If no water in the trap hot air enters the fridge compartment and it stays warm.

[Old-Biscuit]

lawrosa wrote:

OP............
Your warm fridge is due to lack of outside fan operation and/or lack of proper installation clearances/airflow obstructions/dead air spaces.
RV absorption fridges require very narrow clearances so that air flow (Draft) is up/thru/across absorber tubes and evap/condenser fins

I highly doubt it in an airstream that its not installed correctly...

If you dont have a trap hot air will get in. The small drips in the tray flowing out the tube does not block the line.. You need a trap. You can gain 10 degrees just with that one fix.

Hot air is getting in if the OP dont have it..

Could be a door seal.

Could be a level issue.

IMO an extra fan is not needed. Solar roof one or one in fridge. Especially in a brand new airstream..

Maybe in an old unit caked with dust, no trap, weak element your just compensating...

Warm air is NOT getting into Freezer Section
Freezer is only getting down to 16*F

Dometic has been using that drain tube plug for decades.
Norcold uses a drip tray that drain tube sits in

Fridge has improper/insufficient air flow (DRAFT)
OPs Fridge comes with an external fan (LBX)
Fan is NOT working
Air flow is not correct.

And I don't give a rats patooty if it is an Air Stream, a Phaeton or and old Yellowstone rig.
OP is not going to get COLD temps until fridge air flow (lack of) is addressed and corrected.

Bandaid Internet fixes will NOT resolve OPs issues.........Period

[lawrosa]

OP............
Your warm fridge is due to lack of outside fan operation and/or lack of proper installation clearances/airflow obstructions/dead air spaces.
RV absorption fridges require very narrow clearances so that air flow (Draft) is up/thru/across absorber tubes and evap/condenser fins

I highly doubt it in an airstream that its not installed correctly...

If you dont have a trap hot air will get in. The small drips in the tray flowing out the tube does not block the line.. You need a trap. You can gain 10 degrees just with that one fix.

Hot air is getting in if the OP dont have it..

Could be a door seal.

Could be a level issue.

IMO an extra fan is not needed. Solar roof one or one in fridge. Especially in a brand new airstream..

Maybe in an old unit caked with dust, no trap, weak element your just compensating...

Last what are you reading the temps in the fridge with??? Thermometer? Digital? Did you check its accuracy? Some **** bought from china at worth a darn...

too many variables here IMO...

[Old-Biscuit]

lawrosa wrote:
Thermistor placement...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmzDYZFYmx0

Drain tube fix..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2olgFfBEAuo

Internet is a marvelous tool BUT not everything you find is specific.


OPs fridge has an adjustable temp set point control on upper panel. That is what is used to adjust temp with. His thermistor goes on far right fin mid-position.

Moving a thermistor UP/DOWN will affect fridge temps (minor 4*-6*F overall) on models with 'Auto Temp Control' They will NOT have an adjustable temp setting on upper control panel.
They will have an 'indicator' on sidewall of food section by thermistor (Like the blue strip in video) indicating direction of movement for thermistor adjustment.

OPs fridge does NOT have that.....put the clip mid-position with tip of thermistor just sticking out top of clip


Drain tube.
OPs fridge has a drip tube drain plug with small holes in it.
It acts as a plug to keep insects/bugs out and the small holes allow condensate to drip out......very slow rate which acts as a vapor barrier to stop warm air from entering.


OP............
Your warm fridge is due to lack of outside fan operation and/or lack of proper installation clearances/airflow obstructions/dead air spaces.
RV absorption fridges require very narrow clearances so that air flow (Draft) is up/thru/across absorber tubes and evap/condenser fins

16*F in freezer and 40-50*F in food compartment....insufficient air flow

You need to return to dealer and have fridge air flow issues addressed

[DHart]

lawrosa wrote:

DHart wrote:
There is a drain tube with a perforated plug in the end of it. If water was in the tube, it would drain out of the perforations.

It would when the trap fills. The trap should be always filled with water.

I'll have aother look at it and see if I can locate the trap.