dometic fridge problem

[Silvertwinkie]

Dad took his SOB to a repair shop to get the cooling unit serviced. There have been no promises that they can fix it, but they did say they have saved many by refurbing the cooling units.

I'll keep you posted on the repair as it unfolds. It is rumored to cost about $250-$300 to fix if they can fix it.

Eric

[davespann]

I did as one other reader did. Install an aux. cooling fan behind the box to move air over the coils. The only thing different I did was use a 110V fan I bought at an appliance parts store for $15. I fabricated a bracket and secured it to the inner wall behind the box. I plugged it into the elec. box that was already located behind the refrig. I also use a battery operated fan inside the door and it improved refrig ops alot. Every little bit helps. I used a 4" fan as the area behind the box is very tight. I used self tapping screws with a 1/4" air ratchet to secure bracket to wall.

[montanaandy]

I am intrested in installing a fan behind the fridge to better move/vent the air but I guess that I am a bit paranoid about doing anything to the fridge (i.e. moving it) since I finally have it level and working. If I attempt to pull the fridge out, do I run a great risk of messing things up (taking it off level). I frequently tinker with other things in the trailer (lights, plumbing, converter, etc.) and don't worry about that. Thanks,

Montanaandy

[beachmpk]

We did not pull the fridge out. All work was easily done on the back of the fridge throught the access door.

[montanaandy]

Beachmpk:

Thanks for the input. I will give it a try next weekend (trying to get ready to head to the mountains this weekend).

Montanaandy

[Pahaska]

If you have any access to a place that scraps old computers, excellect 12v fans can bought for $5 or less. I bought some small fans for $1 each with heat sinks a while back. Computer fans are chosen to be very quiet and reliable.

[Jabba]

When you installed exterior fans to cool the coils, did you mount at the air intake opening? Or above the burner element? Our intake is in the floor, not the wall. I've noticed the flue becomes hot to touch in the cabinet, so I am going to try putting a fan in to help coolit off too (vent appears to be clear). Our unit currently doesn't have enough oomph to cool on gas alone, wondering if the fan may help that. Sounds like a great weekend test.

[thenewkid64]

Jason,

Any additional movement up the flue is going to be benifical. I have a 1 year old unit and installed a 12 volt high volume CPU fan just above the access door to the refer. It points straight up the middle of the flue. When we camp where the sun beats on the side of the MH that houses the refer I run it to help with cooling. When I run the fan I can lower the thermostat.

The flue may be hot, that is normal. The Liquid needs to be brought to it's boling point in order to work. The airflow that needs to be augmented is over the fins that are near the top of the refer. This is where the heat is dissapated from the cooling unit. If you add a 12 volt fan in the floor opening pointing up, just be sure it is not blowing up the flue of the refer, just the flue of the trailer.

[Jabba]

Hi Brett,

Thanks for the pointer. I'll see if there is somewhere I can mount it and try and center it under the coils, above the burner. Right now I have to crank the T-stat to the max setting to get it in the zone, so hopefully this will help.

Thanks!

[davespann]

I did all my work installing the aux. fan thru the access door behind the refrig. I reached as high as I could, which was bear to do, and using a 1/4" air ratchet and self tapping screws I was able to secure the fan and fabricated bracket to the inner wall. The 110V fan is very quiet and only draws less than an amp (if that as per the appliance parts store person).

Any additional air movement is what is needed.

Dave Spann

[JimC]

I just read this thread and the fan ideas sound good. This winter I will rebuild the cabinets around our new 2510. A fan will be added to increase air flow over the cooling coils. I also plan to add foam insulation to the sides and top of the cabinet holding the refrigerator.

The higher the air tempature is inside the trailer, the more insulation it takes to slow the heat flow into the refrigerator. Also, the high air tempature reduces the efficiency of heat flow out of the cooling coils. This makes me wonder if insulation added to the exterior wall behind the refrigerator would help also? Anybody have thoughts on this?

[ipso_facto]

Maybe this explains my current situation. My Dometic is not level,and the fresh food section does not go below 60F, whereas I remember the last time it was level, it went to below 30F. Hm.

Another issue that can cause erratic cooling is whether the refrigerator is level - - in other words has the coach been leveled. Again, the older the coach/refrigerator the more critical the leveling becomes. My Argosy is far more sensitive to the degree to which the coach has been leveled than is the Overlander with its newer refrigerator.

[gaylejoe]

Regarding the setting for the temp, which setting is colder? A high or low number.

[Chaplain Kent]

Originally Posted by gaylejoe

Regarding the setting for the temp, which setting is colder? A high or low number.

The higher the number the colder the setting.