New Fridge Problem

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M

mudshark

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Nov 15, 2014
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503
Hi All
Here in southern Pennsylvania it is hot and muggy. Our Dometic fridge is warm. The freezer is keeping up but the fridge side is just barely cool. We ran into this last year due to the humidity. I have tried it on AC and Gas with the same poor results. I was wondering...would it help if I set up a fan outside the coach to blow air on the back of the fridge where it vents to the outside? Could only use this when on AC of course. What does the gang think? Would this improve the refrigeration?
 
Yes, additional air flow through the back of the fridge will likely help, at least some and for a while.  And it can be used on either AC or LP - the gas flame won't blow out.  The objective is to move air upward and out the top vent, so position the fan accordingly.

However, odds are that your cooling unit is failing, e.g. a tiny pinhole leak is letting the ammonia/hydrogen coolant leak out. The only fix for that is a replacement cooling unit or a whole new fridge. Replacing the cooling unit is a fairly simple DIY task - no refrigeration skills needed. Just unbolt one and bolt the new one on. There maybe wiring to take out of the way and put back, though.
 
We had same problem in Key West in a 2004 Beaver. I assume same vintage refrigerator as yours. We called a service man to come check out. He said he was very busy and could not make it out. But (sound crazy) told me to tap on cooling tubes in back of fridge with rubber mallet. Sometime the get blocked or partially blocked. It worked!! No problem rest of time spend in Florida or on our way home to Washington.
 
Thanks Guys!
JSplaine I will try that. It does sound odd but worth a try. No rubber mallet. I will have to use the handle end of a hammer.

I was watching a Utube video that suggested it may be the thermistor. Any comments on that?
 
One thing is to make sure you choose a camping spot either in the shade or with that side of the refrigerator in the shade.  If you end up some place where it is hot sun on both sides, you can hang something light on the area of the refrigerator to give it some shade.

Also, if you are traveling with a lot of people, especially kids, keep drinks and things people need constantly in a separate cooler outside with ice.  That way you will not have so many people constantly opening and closing the refrigerator.
 
I didn't see any yellow but then again, I wasn't looking for it. I will look when this thunderstorm passes. I was able to get a fan in the compartment but not long enough to be noticeable.

Thanks JudyJB
It is just the two of us and we try not to open the door excessively. We are aware of the "hot" side of the coach. That's how we lost so much food last year. Where we are now that side of the coach is facing north. We won't know until the storm passes.
 
If the freezer is working normally I would also suggest checking the door seals. I had a similar situation a while back and it turned out the refrigerator door was not closing tight. A very small gap (dollar bill method) was enough to keep the fridge from cooling. I put on new seals and have had no more problems.
 
Thanks jav
I will check that tomorrow. I did check seals a year ago when this problem surfaced before. I will check them again for age.
 
javandyke said:
If the freezer is working normally I would also suggest checking the door seals. I had a similar situation a while back and it turned out the refrigerator door was not closing tight. A very small gap (dollar bill method) was enough to keep the fridge from cooling. I put on new seals and have had no more problems.
Click to expand...

X's 2 on this.... Check them carefully and even clean them with some soapy water. After everything is dry, test the seal by placing a dollar bill between the seal and the fridge and pull it out. you should have the same friction all the way around the door.
 
The cold freezer, warm fridge complaint is a common symptom.  An RV fridge is a two-stage cooling unit where the freezer gets the primary cooling and the rest gets a second stage effort that is simply much less cold.  As the cooling unit deteriorates, the primary stage continues to work well enough to keep the freezer icy, but the second stage gets weaker and weaker. The 2nd stage depends on the hydrogen in the coolant  to work and the hydrogen is the first thing lost when a pinhole leak develops.

The yellow powder only appears after most of the coolant is gone, and then only in a percentage of the cases.  Usually only those with a major crack in the boiler area. Therefore, seeing the yellow powder is a sure sign of a failed cooling unit, but lack of the yellow proves nothing.
 
Thanks Gary
I did tap on the tubes with the wooden handle of my claw hammer, (don't have a rubber mallet with me), and I was able to set up a fan in the compartment blowing upward. We had another thunderstorm roll through which made me take it down. This morning the temperature has dropped to 69 degrees/87% humidity. The fridge seem to be back to normal. The same thing happened last year in Carlisle, PA. Maybe it just doesn't like Pennsylvania!We had no problem in Arizona, (dry heat), and no problem in Louisiana, (very humid). I am at a loss for what is going on here.
 
Check the area behind the fridge for blockage that will inhibit air flow upward and out the upper vent.  Too often there are bundles of wires or  bird nests or whatever impeding the air flow. Also, RV makers may not have installed the proper baffles to guide the air up & out.  It's something that can be skipped on the assembly line and nobody will see, and maybe nobody will care (unless weather gets really hot).  Absorption fridges work by condensing & then evaporating the coolant, in multiple steps. If the temperature reaches a certain point, it won't condense at one or both stages and cooling literally stops.
 
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