%&$# RV Refrigerator

[lap527]

Well the so-called testing is done on fridge...I could of sat down and cried! I am sooo disappointed and just couldn't bring myself to post late yesterday. The changing of the regulator helped, our temps on propane is the best it's ever been, 30.5 degrees. We left home about 9AM, fridge was on 30.9. We watched it go up and up. When we got to the folks house at noon or so it was 40.2. DH immediately got out, opened lower vent and the tubes in there were cold to the touch. As the camper sat in their yard it then started going back down. We left at 2:45 and the temp was 35.6. We arrived at the campground at 3:45 and it was back up to 39.0. I am sure if we had traveled any further it would of been in the 50s. We decided to leave it on propane and the fridge recovered quite nicely to the lower 30s and it was quick to rebound even after opening the door several times.

DH thought that the flame might be blowing out. However, from my reading after 3 times I don't think it would re-light again and the fridge needs to be restarted. My thoughts were on the pipes in the back. If they are cold then there is not enough heat to make the blasted thing cold. Now, is there to much air flow from the top side vent forcing the air back towards the bottom? Another forum member has same problems but he has a roof vent and we have the 2 side vents. Still yet another forum member has a unit just like ours and no problems at all. We also have the dometic baffle kit to protect the flame. We have even thought about adding some of type of loose woven insulation to the vents to slow down the air flow. The thing works great as long as you don't move the unit so we know it's not the fridge itself. After all the RVs we have owned this is the first time we have had a problem with the fridge. DH just wants to always take a cooler with us, which we do but that doesn't fix the problem. We didn't buy this thing to carry a cooler and ice with us. GRRRR....

[poncho62]

I put a couple of 4 inch computer fans (12 volt) blowing out of the top vent. That makes air go in the bottom vent, over the coils and out the top. It helped a ton with mine

[Stars101]

Oh man, I didn't realize you had the temp probe in a glass of water and still had the drastic fluctuations. That does stink 😞

[Old-Biscuit]

Flame going out...YOU would know cause it would still be out and 'failed' when you got somewhere.

If it went out and relight it would be within seconds of going out.....not long enough to affect temps.


Baffle at top of fridge.......with a upper side vent the baffle should have been there from original install AND space behind baffle/above fridge should be completely blocked off otherwise you have a 'dead air' space which will affect draft (negatively)





Fan........

Are you sure it is running?
Is it controlled via thermostat or manual ON/OFF?

T-stat would be on far right fin of condenser (top of fridge...access via upper cover)
It should close when fin temp reaches 130*F and open when fin temp drops to 115*F.

12V DC should come from terminal block on backside of fridge to t-stat to fan with a 1A in-line fuse.

[av8rds]

I'm having what I would call a similar problem with the Dometic in my new EC.

My 2003 AF and 2008 Lance didnt really care if they were all that level regardless of what the books said. The EC seems very particular. As in I have to be within ONE degree of level or it doesnt cool properly. Thats HUGE problem when driving or even in my driveway that is only 3.5 degrees. A two hour road trip pulls the temp from 32 to 40 degrees. Additionally if I dont block up the front end to less than 1 degree(ONLY about 2") in my driveway it stays around 50 degrees. Think about that, I cant even park in a parking lot that is less than 2 inches from level or it doesnt operate right.

I'm pretty sure my old manuals said within 5 degrees of level, the new dometic book says within "a few degrees"

Is your freezer getting as cold as it should? mine gets perfectly cold regardless of the angle. I was told this was an indication that the unit isnt level enough.

I'm about to take it to the dealer for work so I dont have any answers for you.

[lap527]

Background on Fridge....Dometic and Livinlite replaced original one 2 years ago. As long as camper is down at dealership the thing works great on all settings. We contacted Dometic last year and got the baffle kit because they said that it was probably because of the flame going out. We really don't know if it was or it wasn't. Temperatures have been taken in glass of water and with wireless sensor so we didn't have to open door while trying to monitor the temp. The only reason the temps didn't do any higher was because we got to our destination. DH added the metal flashing at top of fridge to deflect the heat out to the upper vent. We also have done the dollar trick to check the seals and they were good. Our tech looked at the distance between wall and coils and they are good. Now after reading one of the replies I am wondering if we have a fan that is strong enough so it will pull the air across the back of fridge, helping with the air flow. We also have one of those little blue battery operated fans inside the thing. Thanks all...and we are going to figure this out sooner or later...I will probably be an old, white haired woman by then. LOL!

[Old-Biscuit]

Lack of air flow while moving.

That 'baffle kit' you installed. WHere you having issues with flame blowing out while traveling OR did you install hoping it would cure issue with temp rises ?
It is designed to limit wind currents that would blow out the flame.
If that wasn't happening remove it.

Also need to check how fridge is installed, clearances, fan operation, baffled/closed off dead air space above fridge.
Download mfg. 'service/installation' manual for your specific model. It will have the 'clearances' that are REQUIRED by fridge mfg.
RV mfgs don't always follow fridge mfg. installation requirements..then fridge has issues and fridge mfg. gets blame


YES.best method to measure temps is thermometer in glass of water. BUT air temps fluctuating inside a fridge in transit and door NOT being opened does indicate that temps are fluctuating..
Lack of proper air flow

[Stars101]

Also remember that a thermometer that measures the AIR TEMP on the fridge is not accurate! Per my friend who is in the refrigeration biz the ONLY accurate way to assess temp is to place a thermometer probe in a cup of liquid. I had forgotten this tidbit from my past learning LOL.

These small TC refrigerators can inc. dramatically in air temp and then take hours to cool back down. But the INTERNAL temps of the food in there may very well be within normal/safe limits.

We had a small hanging mercury thermometer and also a digital probe with a wire. Both of those showed that refrigerator was "above safe limits" for multiple hours a day.

But once I put the digital probe in a small cup of liquid (I used a large pill bottle and drilled a small hole in the top and add a dab of silicone to seal... make sure your probe is waterproof). The hanging thermometer showed that the air temp was "too warm" during multiple periods during the day , but the digital one stayed within the safe range for food. The pill bottle also made it easy to unscrew the cap and add water or clean bottle.

But we did have to try numerous fixes including adding a baffle that kinda worked, but we then removed and replaced with the fan.

If you are having trouble finding a waterproof probe, try using a kitchen thermometer. Just make sure they are calibrated low enough. They come in both wired and wireless versions that are usually cheaper than an "outside" waterproof thermometer.

[enblethen]

You may want to check to see if there is a trap in the drain line. It is possible that when moving the cold refer air is sucked out through the vent.
Use the dollar bill test to see if door is sealing. Insert dollar bill into door. Close door and see if when pulling dollar bill out has some resistance. Do this in several places.

[wvabeer]

Its probably under the fridge maker warranty. If its not working right make them replace it.

[Super_Dave]

I've just come to accept temperature swings in an RV frig to be normal. If it is cold at the campsite, I'm a happy guy.

[midnightsadie]

I,had these problems, turned out to be a bad door gasket put a bungee cord across the door five hours later it could freeze milk.

[jimh406]

I'd give Livin Lite a call if you haven't. It seems strange to have so many issues with a fairly new TC. If it is blowing out, a baffle of some type will stop that.

[lap527]

sch911 wrote:
Is the unit in a slide out? Do you have flue fans installed? IMHO You need more airflow in the flue while underway not less. This will provide better condensing. Ram (dynamic) airflow is likely pressuring the upper flue vent while you drive which reduces the condenser performance which relies only on convection. By adding flue blowers you can reverse this affect. Many fridges that are built into slides have these from the factory...

No slide out, Yes we have a fan.

[Reddog1]

lap527, I realize you have a TC, and it is possible the TC design is the cause of your fridge issue, but I think this thread should be moved to the Tech Issues Forum. You will get responses from others that are very knowledgable on the Fridge. Unless you tell me otherwise, I will leave it here today, but move it this evening.

Wayne
Moderator

[sch911]

Is the unit in a slide out? Do you have flue fans installed? IMHO You need more airflow in the flue while underway not less. This will provide better condensing. Ram (dynamic) airflow is likely pressuring the upper flue vent while you drive which reduces the condenser performance which relies only on convection. By adding flue blowers you can reverse this affect. Many fridges that are built into slides have these from the factory...