Greetings, I guess i'm the 3rd person here that is trying to fix their RM2201. In the past have put in a lot of effort with little or no improvement. For starters, let me explain why i'm trying to fix this fridge.
For those that may not be aware, Dometic has a chart that lists "The Replacement" for RM2200, 2201, 2202 is their RM2193:
http://w2.distone.com/bradstrailer/d...eplacement.pdf
Little that people may know, this is NOT really a replacement due to the fact that the RM2193 does NOT HAVE A FREEZER BOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dometic N. America chose this model based only on physical dimension that is closest to the RM2201.
But there's more to this problem. If you look overseas, Dometic UK/Europe/Aus/NZ has the RM5310 which looks pretty close to a RM2201 replacement. Being a new model, it has controls on the front like all the new fridge/freezers do. On physical dimensions: LWH
RM2201: 22 1/4" x 19 1/2" x 18 1/4"
RM5310: 24.33" x 19.14" x 18.66"
Why Dometic did NOT release the RM5310 in N. America? I'm uncertain, and my only reason I could think of is that in typical N. American fashion a small fridge / freezer box would attract little sales and everything in N. America is larger in size (ie houses and vehicles are bigger in N. America than in Europe, etc.)
The only drawback with the RM5310 is it's 240VAC and does not run on 12V. It requires a 12VDC connection to run the LPG/Propane igniter. One may be clever enough to modify the 240VDC heating element with a 120VAC equivalent.
Anyways back to fixing my RM2201. In the early years the fridge worked perfectly. Almost too good as in early spring in Canada, the fridge fins inside would have frost. So I do know how well th RM2201 can perform. Then 1 year bringing it out of winter storage, the fridge just seem to quit while the freezer box fins would work excellent. For years we used the fridge with the freezer door open but when the summer came where outside approaching 30C (90F). Not a chance the freezer could freeze as all the frost would melt leaving a small puddle of water inside the fridge. Anyways, it was clear something wasn't optimal.
In past i've had no luck adding fans on the top fins of the evaporator. It actually made it worse because in the rear compartment, the fan would just circulate the heat from the lower level rather than expelling the heat direct to the outside.
As we speak, I have the RM2201 sitting upside down hoping the burping technique would free up some dislodged sediment. I still strongly suspect the cooling unit is the issue despite the freezer box working during moderate outdoor temperatures. There must be a blockage or restriction in the cooling unit that goes to the fridge portion fins. I've read in other forums that the freezing fins are primary for cooling, then secondary cooling is the fridge, so the pipes in between might be blocked and hence why I have the RM2201 upside down. I may have to repeat this a few times.
Other report that running on
propane the fridge works better than plug in electric. I will have to do closer testing as the points where the
propane flame heats is at the bottom while the 120V electric heating elements are higher up. This may have a different effect and suspect a low flame may not help at all. The service manual shows there is a tube diffuser to spread the
propane flame heat higher up, but i'm not sure if this is quite effective. As i've read, keeping the fridge level is important for propane function as the tilt of the burner flame will not heat higher up via this diffuser. Still i'm skeptical. I will need to see how hot 120v electric heats along the tube vs propane, if having the heat higher up in the tube makes the fridge work better.
If I put the RM2201 fridge back in and the results are minimal improvement... I will look to import the RM5310 from NZ (where I travel yearly). Stay tuned
2014 Lil Snoozy LS
Linear Mode
