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Troutboy · 09-12-2017, 09:57 PM

Don't worry about the fan noise at this point. If they fix it as they say they can, and it works, you can easily swap the fan out for a more quiet one that allows you to sleep,at night.

Not sure why they don't use the quiet fans, but they don't.

I hope it works out and you have the right solution soon!

OTRA15 · 09-13-2017, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troutboy

Don't worry about the fan noise at this point. If they fix it as they say they can, and it works, you can easily swap the fan out for a more quiet one that allows you to sleep,at night.
. . .

Swapping out the fan(s) would, however, probably void the warranty for this so-called "fix" IMO.

Gail Miller · 09-13-2017, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Swapping out the fan(s) would, however, probably void the warranty for this so-called "fix" IMO.

I said before, when the parts come it, look at the fan, then order/buy a quieter one and have them put it in instead of the noisy one AS will supply.

Troutboy · 09-13-2017, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Swapping out the fan(s) would, however, probably void the warranty for this so-called "fix" IMO.

Likely true. However, the fan swap is so easy to do, one could easily swap the old fan back on if other issues arose that needed warranty work.

OTRA15 · 09-13-2017, 03:28 PM

FYI Bborzell's new thread [If you report that your fridge works] has taken on an energy of its own, and is now a parallel thread IMO, and is not just focused on successful uses of the BC fridge:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f404...ks-172603.html

OTRA15 · 09-14-2017, 07:48 AM

And yet another new thread has become a general discussion of the BC fridge:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f404...er-172228.html

FYI and FWIW

FricknFrack · 09-15-2017, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gail Miller

I said before, when the parts come it, look at the fan, then order/buy a quieter one and have them put it in instead of the noisy one AS will supply.

FWIW have you slept with the AC running? Talk about freight train running...there's no way that new fridge fan can compare. There's a relatively constant low hum from the current fan in there that never turns off. Hoping it's not much louder than that cuz it is bearable right now.

Bborzell · 09-15-2017, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FricknFrack

FWIW have you slept with the AC running? Talk about freight train running...there's no way that new fridge fan can compare. There's a relatively constant low hum from the current fan in there that never turns off. Hoping it's not much louder than that cuz it is bearable right now.

No question about the A/C noise level. Our first stop on our cross country trip in July was east of Las Vegas. Pulled into a park at 6 pm at 104 degrees. By 9 pm, it had cooled to 97. We slept with the A/C on. As loud as it was, we were able to sleep knowing that the alternative was much less desirable.

During the first half of our trip (until we got to Jackson Center where AS removed the fan from the 1st fix), we had the 1st fix fan running constantly.

The A/C easiy drowned out the fridge fan noise, but when the A/C was off, the constant hum/drone of the added fridge fan was a serious annoyance all night.

Joe Wezensky · 09-18-2017, 04:10 PM

We took delivery of our 2017 Basecamp in May 2017. We were fortunate that some of the earlier problems that Airstream experienced were already addressed and corrected when we took delivery. Now, almost five months later we still DON’T have a refrigerator that functions as it should on either shore power of propane. We have not been able to utilize the Basecamp for boondocking as intended and we are very concerned that the refrigerator problem will have a negative effect on the re-sale value if it is not corrected as promised. We have been discussing this problem with Airstream warranty and the service department at Camper Clinic II for at least three months. The personnel we are dealing with at both locations have been very understanding but the problem never seems to get any closer to a resolution. Since we are newbees I have been taking the Basecamp to a local parking lot to practice backing up and it never fails to draw attention from people who are impressed with the Basecamp. (not my back-up skills). We have answered so many questions and given so many tours that I feel I probably should be selling rather than working on my back-up skills. It is so embarrassing when people ask where we have camped and I have to admit that we have not yet had a chance, because of the refrigerator problem. I was told by Airstream warranty that the proposed fix involved adding an additional battery which will add an additional 40 Lbs to the hitch weight. The primary reason we went with the Basecamp was because the hitch weight was only 10 lbs over our TV specified 400 lbs limit. Now I have another problem to resolve because of the additional 40 lbs. Any suggestions, other than purchasing another TV, from our readers would be appreciated.

Gail Miller · 09-18-2017, 05:11 PM

On the 'newest' fridge fix ... does anyone know if the extra battery is because of the additional fans? Or do they intend to make one battery just dedicated to the fridge in general?

Bborzell · 09-18-2017, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gail Miller

On the 'newest' fridge fix ... does anyone know if the extra battery is because of the additional fans? Or do they intend to make one battery just dedicated to the fridge in general?

No certainty given that AS has been silent toward the public on the matter, but I have been told by both AS warranty and my dealer that the additional battery is designed to add amp hours to the existing system in order to ensure that the additional fan (one, I have been told) does not draw down the single installed battery.

I was also told that, since we have the factory solar package with a single AGM battery, the additional battery would also be an AGM.

Gail Miller · 09-18-2017, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bborzell

No certainty given that AS has been silent toward the public on the matter, but I have been told by both AS warranty and my dealer that the additional battery is designed to add amp hours to the existing system in order to ensure that the additional fan (one, I have been told) does not draw down the single installed battery.

I was also told that, since we have the factory solar package with a single AGM battery, the additional battery would also be an AGM.

I too was wondering about the additional tongue weight. :-(

Bborzell · 09-18-2017, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Wezensky

We took delivery of our 2017 Basecamp in May 2017. We were fortunate that some of the earlier problems that Airstream experienced were already addressed and corrected when we took delivery. Now, almost five months later we still DON’T have a refrigerator that functions as it should on either shore power of propane. We have not been able to utilize the Basecamp for boondocking as intended and we are very concerned that the refrigerator problem will have a negative effect on the re-sale value if it is not corrected as promised. We have been discussing this problem with Airstream warranty and the service department at Camper Clinic II for at least three months. The personnel we are dealing with at both locations have been very understanding but the problem never seems to get any closer to a resolution. Since we are newbees I have been taking the Basecamp to a local parking lot to practice backing up and it never fails to draw attention from people who are impressed with the Basecamp. (not my back-up skills). We have answered so many questions and given so many tours that I feel I probably should be selling rather than working on my back-up skills. It is so embarrassing when people ask where we have camped and I have to admit that we have not yet had a chance, because of the refrigerator problem. I was told by Airstream warranty that the proposed fix involved adding an additional battery which will add an additional 40 Lbs to the hitch weight. The primary reason we went with the Basecamp was because the hitch weight was only 10 lbs over our TV specified 400 lbs limit. Now I have another problem to resolve because of the additional 40 lbs. Any suggestions, other than purchasing another TV, from our readers would be appreciated.

While it's not easy to keep up on variations in operating conditions that are associated with any particular Basecamp fridge inability to cool to food safe (40 degrees or less) temps, my experience and that of everyone else who has reported in detail as been that the fridge cashes it in at about 80 degrees outside temperature.

The vast majority of the data that I have compiled that shows failure to maintain a food safe box temperature has been while driving and on propane. While we have had a few instances where 120 V power couldn't keep the temp at 40 or below, those occasions were during a time period when we had many days of 90 plus degree heat.

It would appear that the main potentially adverse effect of running on propane is the presense of an open flame within the fridge enclosure. Other than that, both 120V and propane power under normal operation contribute to heat within the cabinet. It is possible that propane adds more heat because of the open flame, but I don't think that anyone has adequately documented that or how much.

I raise these points because, if your fridge will not operate adequately with either power source, it would be helpful to know if you have tried both sources while the outside temperature was lower than 80 degrees. If you have not, then your problem is likely the same as the rest of us who have tried to camp on warm days/nights and who have had fridge cooling failures.

OTOH, if your fridge cannot attain/maintain food safe temps on 120V while it is cool outside, then you might have an additional factor going on that needs attention.

Gail Miller · 09-18-2017, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FricknFrack

FWIW have you slept with the AC running? Talk about freight train running...there's no way that new fridge fan can compare. There's a relatively constant low hum from the current fan in there that never turns off. Hoping it's not much louder than that cuz it is bearable right now.

I'm hoping I can tolerate the AC noise since I really like to be cool :-) I did have it one when I was replacing the seal on the bathroom door and I don't remember it bothering me. Sleeping is a different thing though.

MrKenmore · 09-20-2017, 07:48 PM

On a trip in Kentucky now. We thought the fridge may function on shore power but it is completely useless. Sometimes in the past on shore power it gets down to 28 degrees which is obviously too cold. Thank goodness I brought a decent cooler. If I was about to go out on another trip, I would remove the fridge so the cooler would have a place to be stowed. I considered buying a 120V mini fridge in Walmart!

Gail Miller · 09-20-2017, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrKenmore

On a trip in Kentucky now. We thought the fridge may function on shore power but it is completely useless. Sometimes in the past on shore power it gets down to 28 degrees which is obviously too cold. Thank goodness I brought a decent cooler. If I was about to go out on another trip, I would remove the fridge so the cooler would have a place to be stowed. I considered buying a 120V mini fridge in Walmart!

Removing the fridge is what I'm leaning toward too ... I'll just put a cooler there, which I've already bought! That fridge is just an albatross taking up space for me :-)

MrKenmore · 09-27-2017, 11:45 AM

Rumor is that a bulletin has been issued and some BC's have had the fix done. We're waiting on the PDF of the bulletin from AS. Anyone have a copy? Anyone have the new fix done? Preferably someone in the south west!

Gail Miller · 09-27-2017, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrKenmore

Rumor is that a bulletin has been issued and some BC's have had the fix done. We're waiting on the PDF of the bulletin from AS. Anyone have a copy? Anyone have the new fix done? Preferably someone in the south west!

See if this works: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lq3hjs2r4t...23172.pdf?dl=0

MrKenmore · 09-27-2017, 01:00 PM

Link worked. Thanks! I am trying to figure our the new air flow path based on the fix. Gail - Is your BC getting this now?

Gail Miller · 09-27-2017, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrKenmore

Link worked. Thanks! I am trying to figure our the new air flow path based on the fix. Gail - Is your BC getting this now?

I'm probably going to wait and see if it helps others' before I have it done. I may want my fridge taken out and use the space for coolers. I was told by Gretchen (Airstream warranty department) that they were still gathering parts.