Old fridges

[Peggy]

Our "new" 1974, 13ft. boler has the original fridge, I'm thinkin'. The only identification inside is "Mini-15", Escort Cooler Company, Canada. Any opinions on this? It's pretty small, and looks to be not full depth of the cupboard. Suggestions for replacements?Thanks!

[Alf S.]

Hi: Our local S.W.Ontario appliance dealer is www.gammonsrv.com At least you may find some options on line to help you shop locally for a replacement. Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Donna D.]

I see 78 people have viewed this topic and only Alf has given you his opinion ...well ...guess I'll give you mine too!

Depends

How's that for an opinion or suggestion

Actually it does matter...what do you want to accomplish? Are you looking for a three-way refrigerator, one that only runs on electricity (because you're always plugged in), would an icebox do? Or perhaps a 12-volt Igloo??

Maybe if you gave us some measurements of what you have to work with. .that would help too.

[Sandra Lair]

Peggy,
We bought a small Haier refrigerator (at Sam's or Wal-Mart) as a replacement in our Scamp. It's electric only but we don't boondock, so that's fine. It's not very big but it's all we need since we usually only camp 2 or 3 nights at a time.
Sandra

[Benny K]

I believe that the Escort is original to the Boler.....I replaced mine with a somewhat larger fridge that was in an older Starcraft pop up trailer......as you`re finding out, there are lots of options.....even using a vertical electric cooler, i.e. Koolatron or Coleman.....the only problem with these is that in hot weather the higher ambient temp reduces the ability of the coolers to cool....they only stay about 30-40 degrees below the ambient temp and also you don`t have a freezer capability with them, although the prices are pretty good.....I have a chest model and it was okay in the summer as extra cooling capacity....Benny

[Peggy]

Thanks for all the suggestions about the fridges. So, now that I have scrubbed it squeaky clean, we plugged it in, and no cooling happening! Is there anything to check before we just send it to the dump? I scrubbed all the storage compartments today too, and didn't see anything that looks like a fuse.. Tried the propane for the fridge and flame shot out the wrong junction of the tubing, in the outside compartment, but a bit of tightening of nuts seemed to fix that. A bit nervewracking, if the propane connections can jiggle loose.
So, what to do about the fridge?

[Connie M.]

Our frig didn't work at first, but after we took it on a really bumpy road, it began to work just fine.
I've seen other posts that bumpy roads or removing and carefully rotating an old dead frig can bring it back to life.

[Robin H]

I too have just found out the fridge in my 73 13' boler does not work. The rv shops said it is around $700 to replace - they suggested I just get a bar fridge from somewhere as I plan to always be in an electrified site. So I guess that is where I am at!

Robin

[John Perry]

I too have just found out the fridge in my 73 13' boler does not work. The rv shops said it is around $700 to replace - they suggested I just get a bar fridge from somewhere as I plan to always be in an electrified site. So I guess that is where I am at!

Robin

Remove the refer and set it upside down for 24 hours and reinstall it and it will probably work. I have done this on 3 old refers in the past and it has corrected the problem every time.

John

[Peggy]

Are you serious about the upside down? What could that do? Is it an annual event? Weekly? Thanks

[Brian B-P]

Yeah, they're serious about the inverting and shaking thing. It's not a regular event, just a last-resort way to get the fluids in the system mixed up and flowing again, maybe once in the life of the unit.

Before resorting to that, I would do some more troubleshooting. Obviously, the propane burner wasn't entirely operable at first, and it still may not be right. If it is a three-way (AC/DC/propane), I would try each of the other heat sources first. Starting from shut down (not still warm from the propane burner), I would turn on one of the other sources; if the tube above the burner heats up, the electrical heating element is working. If that heat doesn't make the refrigerator cool down (allowing hours for it to be noticeable), then I might consider that it needs a "shake up".

There are various refrigerator service manuals in the Document Center; while none may be for this model, the operating principles are all the same, so they may still be helpful.

I'm lucky: I didn't need to do anything extreme to mine, and I would not look forward to getting it out of the cabinet.

[John & Sandy M]

One thing to remember with the propane fridges is that they are SLOW to get cooled down (on either electric or propane... and they don't make any noise). You might leave it on in either mode over night and see if any result. If not, take a rubber hammer and tap on the coils in the back (crystals form in the tubes and may plug them up). The ammonia fridge is really handy when there is no electrical power as I live in hurricane country and stuff happens from time to time.

[John Perry]

Are you serious about the upside down? What could that do? Is it an annual event? Weekly? Thanks

Very Serious. It has something to do with the liquid in the coils. I am not a refer tech so I only know that it works most of the time.
I just bought a slide in Camper for my PU on Ebay and the refer did not work . It does now after being turned uupside down over night.

John

[Benny K]

A ride on a rough road got my clunker going again a couple years ago......prior to that I had the fridge out when I pulled it out of a pop up and the coils didn`t cool but turning it on one side and listen to the gurgle , then onto it`s top, again more gurgling, then on the other side and ditto , and then back onto it`s bottom and it worked fine for about 3 years until when I let it run too long, parked, but not leveled....they have to be level to work....that was when I took it down a rough road.....there is a particular rotation to start, either right or left but have forgotten since I took an appliance course about 30+ years ago.......also like someone posted earlier....level it, fire it up and feel the inside body of the freezer.... and let it run for a few hours and then stick your hand on the freezer, and if it works, you`ll feel the frost starting to build there...it takes longer to actually feel the difference in the cooler part of the fridge... .....Benny

[Victor Benz]

Peggy;

I've done a few of these, and it is worth taking the time to be sure your fridge cannot be fixed, given the price of a replacement. A couple of points:

Try to get a manual for your fridge. If you cannot find one, look at the ones in this site's document center, especially the troubleshooting one.

No RV fridge goes to the "back of the cabinet". There is space required there for proper air circulation. Make sure you check that the coils are clean, and the vent panels are not plugged.

No RV Fridge is designed to run from warm on 12 volt. The 12 volt circuit is only a "keep temperature" option, and is best assisted with a booster fan on the coil side of the fridge.

If you are running on 110 volt, then you should have a 110 volt plug in the rear of the fridge. This is usually accessible from outside the trailer, through the lower cooling panel. Make sure you have 110 power to that plug but testing it with a light.

If you are trying to run on propane, make sure the pilot is lit. Again, you can check this by opening the outside panel. If the pilot cannot be maintained, maybe the burner require cleaning.

Fridges that have sat idle for some time will often have some of the refrigerant crystallize, usually in the most inconventient spot. The actions mentioned above (bumpy road/turn it upside down) may help.

It is also possible that your refrigerant needs recharging, looing the ammonia from the refrigeration through a small leak. I had to do that with one fridge, and found a local shop that could do it. I removed the fridge and took it to them. That also gave me the opportunity to properly seal the back of the fridge compartment, solving a number of leak problems I had.

With my Fiber Stream, the ignitor was not working, and the previous owner lit the pilot with a match. Turned out the problem was a failed switch, which I replaced with a generic one from an appliance store. I also disassembled the propane supply line/burner and cleaned it. It was very sooty. If you do that, make sure you take special care with the propane flow orifice. Soak it, and blow it dry with a hair dryer, but don't stick anything hard into the orifice hole.

[Benny K]

Hi again, just so that I wouldn`t have to eat my words, I went outside this morning and plugged in my power to the trailer and found that in a couple hours, my fridge was AOK cold on 110V... ...Benny

[Peggy]

So, I'm trying to give this old fridge a chance...The access to coils is thru the outside vent, which slides sideways in a channel.The vent has no cover, so yes, there was lots of road dust in there, and on the coils. Is there supposed to be a cover over that grill? Inside the trailer. the fridge plugs in, with a cord that comes off the left side of the fridge inside the cupboard. You have to leave the cupboard door open and plug it in outside, into the only outlet in the trailer, on the front of the cupboard. Is that the way it should be?
Next I tried to get the fridge out, removed all the screws in the front plate of the fridge. Then removed all the screws in a sheet metal cover on the L of the fridge, at the rear of the cupboard ( not sure what that does.) But the fridge wouldn't budge. Now I see the big cooling coil inside the fridge is larger than the opening in the back of the fridge.so that must have to be removed in order to get the fridge out... On and on .. I appreciate the help, this stuff probably seems so elementary to some of you guys! Thanks!

[Benny K]

Other than flipping the fridge, did you try the previously mentioned remedies first? Removing the fridge would be the last option.....I put in a 110v receptacle under the counter and that is where my fridge plugs in......Benny

[Peggy]

Well, we have decided this old fridge is toast. We were assuming we would have to get a new one, 3 way, for $1000 or more. On my way home from work, I saw a little trailer beside to the road, so pulled over to have a chat. They put their money into an DC and electric fridge, and a good solar panel. Says the battery will keep it running for at least 14 hours, but with their $200 solar panel, it never is an issue. Is there a consensus yet, about this issue? We do want the ability to "boondock"... Thanks!

[Robin H]

Well I took some great advise and flipped my 'dead' fridge upside down for a few days. Put it back upright, plugged her in and guess what....seems to be working just fine!! Had a cup of water frozen in the freezer just overnight (i might add that this is the tiniest freezer i have ever seen!).

So...for now i don't have to worry about replacing my fridge

thanks
Robin