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Old 06-01-2013, 05:16 PM   #1
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2006 30' Classic
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Dometic RM3862 Refrigerator Cooling Behavior

When we left NW Florida about three weeks back, our interior refrigerator temperature was in the range of 36 to 39 degrees F.

We are now in Colorado, and the interior temperature stays in the low 40's.

Is this increase in interior temperature caused by the higher altitude, or is there something else that I should look at?

Many thanks,
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Old 06-01-2013, 05:35 PM   #2
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Are you running on propane? The lower oxygen levels at higher altitudes would reduce the heat of the flame to some extent.

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Old 06-01-2013, 05:45 PM   #3
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Heat Source

Right now, we are on electric. However, when we are on propane and stop for lunch, the interior temperature seems to be about the same. So I don't know what to say.
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2006 30' Classic
Dexter hydraulic disc brake system
Centramatics wheel balancing & Dill TPMS
Hensley hitch & Maxim skylights
Voyager Camera System WVOS713
2010 FORD F-250, ITBC, 6.8 liter V-10 gas, with VIAIR on-board air system
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Old 06-01-2013, 05:58 PM   #4
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Have you lowered the thermostat to see if that helps?

Perry
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Old 06-02-2013, 09:58 AM   #5
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Thermostat

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Originally Posted by perryg114 View Post
Have you lowered the thermostat to see if that helps?

Perry
I am not certain of what you mean by lowered the thermostat. The temperature selection on the front of the refrigerator is set at 5, which is the coldest selection available.
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2006 30' Classic
Dexter hydraulic disc brake system
Centramatics wheel balancing & Dill TPMS
Hensley hitch & Maxim skylights
Voyager Camera System WVOS713
2010 FORD F-250, ITBC, 6.8 liter V-10 gas, with VIAIR on-board air system
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Old 06-02-2013, 04:53 PM   #6
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That would be it.

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Old 06-02-2013, 09:26 PM   #7
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Are you opening the door very much? According to Lewster, one minute door open requires one hour to recover.
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Old 06-03-2013, 01:14 AM   #8
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What is the difference between the outside ambient air temperature three weeks ago in Florida, and the current daytime temperatures in Colorado?

Our refrigerator's interior temperature is 5-10 degrees warmer in the summer than in the winter. Although, daytime highs were 109-110 in Arizona desert areas today.
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Old 06-04-2013, 07:59 AM   #9
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Does the fridge cool better on gas vs electricity? If it does maybe your electric heating element is not putting out enough heat.

Do you see any difference between the fridge temperatures during the evenings vs middle of the day?

Check the position of the thermistor on the interiour of the fridge. Scoot it up towards the top of the fins. It's held on by a plastic sleeve that clips on the fins usually on the right side when looking into the fridge.

When running the fridge go to the outside vent and feel the tubes than run down to the the bottom. Do they feel hot? That would indicate the cooling unit is not blocked internally.

Have you been good about leveling over the course of your ownership? When I put my AS back in storage I will level it because the fridge is turned off the cooling unit will keep running until the boiler cools off.

Kelvin
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Old 06-04-2013, 08:06 AM   #10
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Ok what about the condensate vent tube? This is supposed to have a screen over it to keep the bugs out and also have a bend in it to act like a p-trap. If the hose is straight, warm air can find its way into the fridge and cause problems. Since your problems seem to occur on gas or electric then it is not a heating element issue. You could have a weak heater and less BTU's going into the boiler at high altitude. Watch this vid and maybe it will help you. I stole this from another thread. You can measure the output of your heating element with an amp probe and a volt meter P=IV. There should be some specs for the wattage of your unit.

FRVTS No1 RV Refrigerators Misdiagnosed Dometic Norcold Advanced Theory of Operation - YouTube


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Old 06-04-2013, 08:18 AM   #11
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My guess is your fridge just prefers Florida over Colorado... Obviously, you have a beach fridge, and not a mountain fridge.

Yeah, I've got nothin'...

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Old 06-04-2013, 08:27 AM   #12
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Temperature Effect

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Originally Posted by Phoenix View Post
What is the difference between the outside ambient air temperature three weeks ago in Florida, and the current daytime temperatures in Colorado?

Our refrigerator's interior temperature is 5-10 degrees warmer in the summer than in the winter. Although, daytime highs were 109-110 in Arizona desert areas today.
When we left home, the temperature was touching the low 80's. It feels cooler here in the mountains, but the surfaces exposed to direct sunlight get pretty hot.

Beginning yesterday, the interior temperature in the refrigerator begin to drop back down into the 37 to 39 degree F. range. The food stays cold, so I am not too worried about this, just curious.
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Dexter hydraulic disc brake system
Centramatics wheel balancing & Dill TPMS
Hensley hitch & Maxim skylights
Voyager Camera System WVOS713
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Old 06-04-2013, 08:50 AM   #13
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I have an old RM100 and I have trouble keeping stuff like lettuce from freezing.

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Old 06-08-2013, 06:35 PM   #14
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refrigerator problem

Hmmm...interesting reading! I too live in Florida. When we travel for about a month--and go from electric to gas and back and forth...it seems at some time the fridge will "defrost" on its own....ice gets watery...ice cream (the baby cups) get soft...then everything freezes again. Any ideas?
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Old 06-08-2013, 08:32 PM   #15
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Reposted from another refrigerator thread:

You might try a recirculating fan in the refrigerator section. This will help even out cold and hot spots on the inside, and may bring the temperature down. Also, RV refrigerators don't recover quickly from opening the door; so limiting how often and long the door is open will help tremendously (hard to do if you have kids).

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Camco-44123-RV...frigerator+fan

Note: Item also available at WalMart and Camping World.
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