Fridge issue.... - Fiberglass RV
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Old 07-04-2012, 02:04 PM   #1
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Fridge issue....

Arrrgghh..... I bought my 1999 Casita SD 17' May 1. Have been travelling on business, then took Casita in for some minor maintenance. The guy I bought it from said the Fridge (3 Way Dometic Americana, with freezer) worked fine. It was cool to the touch when we bought it. Today I plugged everything up, turned the fridge to AC, thermostat to "4", it's not cooling! It is plugged in, I confirmed that. I don't hear a motor hum. Can anyone think of anything I did not do? The only thing left to do is replace the fuse....no one open here on July 4. Hopefully I've just missed something....any ideas would be appreciated....
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Old 07-04-2012, 02:13 PM   #2
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#1 it doesn't hum. No fan
#2. Sometimes it may take as much as 24 hrs to cool down depending on the outside temp.
Also make sure Your camper is level, and that you adjusted the ac thermostat.
Does it work on lp?
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Old 07-04-2012, 02:14 PM   #3
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You won't hear a motor hum because there is no motor required. There is a heating element for 120VAC and 12VDC operation which is silent. If the shrouded heating element is warm or hot and the coils are hot, perhaps you should wait it out until tomorrow for a temperature drop . . . or a fuse if nothing is hot. You could switch to propane operation today and see what it does on gas.

jack
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Old 07-04-2012, 02:58 PM   #4
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Well....it is 98 degrees here in South Carolina today. I was sort of expecting it to cool right down, and I sure didn't realize there was no motor. Yes, it does also run on LP. Maybe things aren't as dire as I thought. I think I'll keep it all plugged up tonight...see how things are tomorrow morning. Thanks, all.
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Old 07-04-2012, 05:16 PM   #5
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Did you put anything in the fridge that was not already cold?

If so, it will take a very long time to get cold!

I always put in a frozen water bottle and something already cold when I turn on the fridge.
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Old 07-04-2012, 06:56 PM   #6
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Here's something to consider while your fridge isn't working and remember when it is so you won't go into shock. I've never heard of an absorption refrigerator which will cool to greater than 40 degrees F. below the ambient temperature. 30 degrees is a more usual benchmark. Temperatures of 58 and 68 degrees F. won't prevent perishables from "perishing" for very long. Might need the help of a good trailer AC to knock the top off that heat before you can expect the sort of "refrigeration" you get at home with a compresser fridge.

jack
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Old 07-04-2012, 07:43 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit
I've never heard of an absorption refrigerator which will cool to greater than 40 degrees F. below the ambient temperature. 30 degrees is a more usual benchmark.

jack
Mine will make ice in its freezer when it is 90 degrees out. Haven't checked the temperature in the freezer, but the ice trays freeze pretty quickly, so I know it's cold in there.
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Old 07-04-2012, 07:48 PM   #8
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Both my fridges make ice. Dometic RM183B and RM211

But I do see what Jack is saying, There is a maximum difference from the ambient temperature.
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Old 07-04-2012, 07:50 PM   #9
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Apparently, your fridge doesn't know its limitations, Jesse. What's the make and model?

I've been to Hamilton in the summer, Roy. Wasn't oppressively humid but I'd say it was right warm. Congratulations.

Dometics (except for my rm2202)clearly don't read the cooling benchmarks which are listed in every absorption fridge article in Google. Jesse's is cooling 60 degrees below ambient if I read correctly. Y'all sure are lucky!

jack
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Old 07-04-2012, 07:59 PM   #10
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Apparently, your fridge doesn't know its limitations, Jesse. What's the make and model?

jack
It's an old Dometic. It is the original one that came in our '84 Scamp. It is ugly as heck, and I considered replacing it with an all refrigerator model (no freezer), but it works so well that I decided not to take a chance on a new one. I have heard too many stories about ones that don't cool too well.
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Old 07-04-2012, 08:47 PM   #11
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Rabbit, mine was only cooling 30 below ambient. But I made a couple of adjustments and now it's cooling around 55 below ambient. In fact, if I leave it on high, things in the refrigerator freeze overnight.

In case anyone is interested, I moved the thermistor off the fins and down to the top shelf. Then I insulated all around the outside of the refrigerator with Reflectix and fiberglass batt insulation. And finally I built a baffle out of Reflectix to direct all the air coming in the bottom vent over the exterior cooling fins.

I had thought I'd have to buy another refrigerator. But now this one works GREAT!

BTW, I read how to do that project on this forum, I believe. Sorry I can't remember the posters name so I could give proper credit.



Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit View Post
Here's something to consider while your fridge isn't working and remember when it is so you won't go into shock. I've never heard of an absorption refrigerator which will cool to greater than 40 degrees F. below the ambient temperature. 30 degrees is a more usual benchmark. Temperatures of 58 and 68 degrees F. won't prevent perishables from "perishing" for very long. Might need the help of a good trailer AC to knock the top off that heat before you can expect the sort of "refrigeration" you get at home with a compresser fridge.

jack
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Old 07-04-2012, 09:02 PM   #12
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My Dometic "Americana" RM2852 makes Ice in outside temps over 100* F
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Old 07-05-2012, 06:18 AM   #13
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Well, turns out this whole thing was a false alarm! Checked it this morning and it's nice and cool! Thanks for all the feedback. And I learned some things that I didn't know, so it's all good!
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Old 07-05-2012, 09:19 AM   #14
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Well, turns out this whole thing was a false alarm! Checked it this morning and it's nice and cool! Thanks for all the feedback. And I learned some things that I didn't know, so it's all good!

Good to hear! I always plug the fridge in about 12 hours prior to leaving on a trip and put water in the ice cube tray - thats a good check point for making sure its working. I also put a milk jug with frozen water in the fridge to help it cool down and I never put warm items into it.

Mine will make ice no matter the temp out side is as well but as others have suggested keeping it cool in the main fridge compartment in temps over 90 is a bit of a problem. Sharon's suggestions are really good ones. I also picked up a small battery operated fridge fan from Camping World that goes in the fridge that helps a bit as well.
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Old 07-05-2012, 10:18 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carol H

Good to hear! I always plug the fridge in about 12 hours prior to leaving on a trip and put water in the ice cube tray - thats a good check point for making sure its working. I also put a milk jug with frozen water in the fridge to help it cool down and I never put warm items into it.

Mine will make ice no matter the temp out side is as well but as others have suggested keeping it cool in the main fridge compartment in temps over 90 is a bit of a problem. Sharon's suggestions are really good ones. I also picked up a small battery operated fridge fan from Camping World that goes in the fridge that helps a bit as well.
Yes, I can attest to that as well -- the fridge fans are well worth it. These fridges don't have a recirculating fan like your fridge at home. Cold air will fall to the bottom, and it will be warmer on the top shelves. The fan will even everything out and keep items on the bottom shelf from possibly freezing.
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Old 07-05-2012, 06:11 PM   #16
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I seriously considered adding a proper chimney or flue for the little Dometic rm 2202 to concentrate airflow to the upper radiator fins. I did add one muffin fan behind the upper vent and then decided to rid myself of the bother and put a 2.7ft\2 dorm fridge in its place. To this rig I added a 1500watt true sine wave inverter and one group 27 battery. I already had an 80watt PV panel. It has worked out well for me altho I reallly could use about another 100amp hrs. of battery (another group 27) for extended off grid use. My Dometic was 1.2ft\2. I felt it was inadequate sizewise even if it were functioning adequately. Had I added a small battery-powered fan, an indoor/outdoor thermometer (as recommended by Donna D.) AND ice packs or ice in bottles, I would have further reduced the capacity. Mine did make ice on 120VAC but would warm up after about 12 hrs. I decided not to troubleshoot it AND not to spend money on it because I consider it a toy and a joke. I'm good with the experience of others that the darn things work OR can be retroengineered to work. Had I had a 3 or 4 cubic footer, I also might have considered it worthwhile to do what it takes to help it to optimimum performance or any performance at all. Different strokes, folks.

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