Fridge funes

[Dave in CA]

I have a '95 Scamp 13 with a three way refrigerator. The problem I have is that the trailer fills with noxious fumes when the fridge is on propane. I pulled out the fridge and sealed all around the inside, but fumes still get inside the trailer. Any ideas?

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Dave in CA

I have a '95 Scamp 13 with a three way refrigerator. The problem I have is that the trailer fills with noxious fumes when the fridge is on propane. I pulled out the fridge and sealed all around the inside, but fumes still get inside the trailer. Any ideas?

What kind of fumes (funes)? If it is leaking ammonia form the evaporator then SHUT IF OFF and DO NOT USE IT AT ALL until serviced.

If the fumes are propane.. then the same advice applies.


See https://rv-roadtrips.thefuntimesguid...tor-repair.php and note the section that says "If you do smell ammonia, your situation is dire."

[Dave in CA]

I'm not sure what a "fune" is, either! The fumes are not propane or ammonia, they are fumes from the burner and they get quite strong. As I said, I took the refrigerator out and foam-sealed everything and it helped some, but did not totally eliminate the fumes.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Dave in CA

I'm not sure what a "fune" is, either! The fumes are not propane or ammonia, they are fumes from the burner and they get quite strong. As I said, I took the refrigerator out and foam-sealed everything and it helped some, but did not totally eliminate the fumes.

The burner should burn clean with the heat and vapor going out the vent.
Perhaps is just needs to be cleaned or perhaps the jet replaced but you have me worried still. Something is not right - thats all I can offer for now.

[floyd]

Mouse nest in the chimney?

[Dave in CA]

Thank you for your reply. We decided not to use the refrigerator until I can figure out why I'm getting fumes and probably CO. This refrigerator doesn't have a chimney, it has a lower vent on the wall and a vent up above that. One would think that the hot fumes would rise by convection and go out the upper vent, but some of the fumes are still getting into the inside of the trailer.

[Ed Harris]

Scamp seems to install the fridge without isolating the exhaust from the gas vent from the living space aside from merely having the cabinet between the two.

This lets the exhaust gas to migrate into the inside and unless sealed can be one cause of this problem.
I had read this and on mine looked and sure enough this was the case.

I just made aboard that went in above the exhaust port behind the fridge and sealed off the exhaust path from the chance of spreading to the inside of the trailer.

This was my experience and maybe is yours too?

I am not trying to start a big stink here by posting this but I also want you to hear what happened on my trailer.

I called Scamp and questioned them about this and the reply was that they had always done things that way ad would continue to do so.

If you look in the manual for the fridge they are pretty specific about this install error so I can not understand how it gets done this way?

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Dave in CA

Thank you for your reply. We decided not to use the refrigerator until I can figure out why I'm getting fumes and probably CO. This refrigerator doesn't have a chimney, it has a lower vent on the wall and a vent up above that. One would think that the hot fumes would rise by convection and go out the upper vent, but some of the fumes are still getting into the inside of the trailer.

If you have a small three way fridge, you have a chimney, when you open the outside to light the fridge it would be the cylinder on the RH side which gets hot when the fridge running and contains the the propane flame. It may have another proper name but exhaust rises from it and exits through the upper vent.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Dave in CA

I have a '95 Scamp 13 with a three way refrigerator. The problem I have is that the trailer fills with noxious fumes when the fridge is on propane. I pulled out the fridge and sealed all around the inside, but fumes still get inside the trailer. Any ideas?

Sorry to ask but...
Do you know what propane odorant smells like?
Could it be that is what you smell instead of the products of combustion?
At the refinery, the odorant is referred to as Skunk P!$$ which sorta characterizes the scent.

[Dave in CA]

I appreciate all your help. I took the stove out and made a new cover that goes from the top of the refrigerator to above the top vent. Then I put foam all around the cover. It did improve things a lot, but I can still smell it some. The smell is definitely from the burner. It doesn't smell like propane at all. Maybe I just missed a few little spots when I sealed it up. I'll recheck it. Thanks, again.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Dave in CA

I appreciate all your help. I took the stove out and made a new cover that goes from the top of the refrigerator to above the top vent. Then I put foam all around the cover. It did improve things a lot, but I can still smell it some. The smell is definitely from the burner. It doesn't smell like propane at all. Maybe I just missed a few little spots when I sealed it up. I'll recheck it. Thanks, again.

Something is VERY wrong. My 92 Scamps fridge was not completely sealed off well from the cabinets either and I NEVER had a smell of any type when running it on propane which I did a lot. No smell on any power source for that matter.

Have you tried the fridge on electrical? No fumes or still fumes?

Do you have a propane detector? If not buy one! That will tell you fast if it is or is not propane. Also hope you have a carbon monoxide detector.

Clean the fridge stack! As been suggested perhaps it is blocked.
Double check your propane fits - particularly since you have removed the stove.

[stevebaz]

My 1986 13 foot Scamp has what I call an exhaust diverter. If you remove the stove top and look down on top of the fridge you would see a piece of white fiberglass sheet running from the top of the fridge to above the top exhaust vent for the fridge in the trailer side. Then there are 2 pieces of white fiberglass panel taped to the side of the fridge.

These 3 panels are taped in the corners to make it a one piece diverter and taped to the sides of the fridge forcing the air in the back side of the fridge out the top vent in the side of the trailer behind the fridge. These pieces are made of the same fiberglass sheet the front of the fridge has.

I had to re-tape mine back in place when I had the stove top out for reworking the gas line when I installed my heater. I used the more expensive super sticky real aluminium foil ducting tape to seal these panels in place.

Another issue you may be having is the vent window behind the stove top if you have one. With that window open it's right over the exhaust vent for the fridge. If you have any roof vent open with / without a fan as the air exits the roof air must be drawn in to replace it. Thus if the only window that is open is the window over the stove you would probably suck in exhaust from the fridge. If your fridge isnt sealed from the trailer you could suck in fumes through your cabinet.

The tighter you seal your trailer and open a roof vent, replacement air is going to suck in from the path of least resistance. Every trailer is different and very subtle changes in airflow can make a big difference.
Sometimes air leakage in a trailer is a good thing. Opening the right window in the right place can make all the difference in the world. You want the air coming in the fridge burner to come in from its back vent and exhausting out its top vent. If this works properly your fridge will work better and you won't be polluting yourself or having the fridge consuming the air you breathe inside the trailer.

[Bob in Mb]

You have to have a chimney going to the upper vent - clean it !!!

[Scamper Jim]

Dave,

Is there any chance that piece of covering going from the top of the frig to the top of the vent is made of something other than fiberglass?

Per Dometic instructions, that cover has to be a fireproof material. Scamp uses a piece of fiberglass and even then, the one I removed recently when installing a larger frig has a seriously charred area on the underside, just above the burner stack. Also, make sure the metallic tape and foam tape still cover and seal all of the openings where the fumes can enter the camper.

If it is just a piece of plastic, you will get some interesting fumes from it when it gets hot. If it’s a piece of wood or cardboard, you will get a nice fireplace ambiance from it just before it lights up the rest of the camper.

[Darwin Maring]

You need a propane and a carbon monoxide detector (BOTH) B 4 you wind up dead.

If It Were Me, I would Install the detectors, run the fridge and B sure everyone remain outside the unit for at least an hour then I would open the door, vent out the unit, and go see what the detectors say.

No Detectors and you risk an explosion or Monoxide poisoning and in both cases you wind up dead.

[steve dunham]

If you can smell the fumes then it's not CO because CO is odorless.
If the burner is getting too much gas or air (rich or lean) it will emit an odor. The second issue is why the fumes are entering the trailer instead of going out the vent. The area around the refrigerator is supposed to be sealed so fumes do not enter the trailer .On my old Scamp , the factory did a very poor job of closing off the sides / top of the refrigerator. On my Casita , I replaced the fiberglass deflector / diverter above the refrigerator with a larger piece of sheet aluminum which helped with cooling.

[Darwin Maring]

Steve, CO could be masked by the Oder of a bad flame.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Steve, CO could be masked by the Oder of a bad flame.

You are correct . but since the OP says he is smelling fumes ,I was just pointing out that the smell was not coming from CO

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

You need a propane and a carbon monoxide detector (BOTH) B 4 you wind up dead.

.

Good advice.
If your gonna get them....
"Before" does sound like it would be the right choice.

[Dave in CA]

Again, I really appreciate the responses to my posting. You all have given me some things to try. My daughter is using the trailer and she will not use the refrigerator until the problem is solved. So, It's another trip to her house to try some new things. Thanks, again.