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n2916s · 01-03-2016, 09:16 AM

The cooling unit is a simple boiler apparatus. It is a closed system with an ammonia based fluid that cycles from liquid to gas and back. That process is what extracts the heat from your reefer. If the unit is getting hot and you are hearing gurgling but still no cooling, then the cooling unit is either perforated or plugged internally (rust does this). No need for further troubleshooting.

I have read of people "burping" their refrigerator by removing it and turning on its head for a while. Don't see the value -- even if you broke some blockage free, it is just a matter of time before it plugs again...

Pretty sure there is at least a rebuilt cooling unit in your future

Mike

DandTPerez · 01-03-2016, 10:08 PM

Thanks. That's what I'm fearing. I like the 3 way option because driving with the gas on makes me really nervous but we need to keep it cold while driving. I'm gonna look around more and try to find a used one. A local guy has one but isn't answering the email on the ad. I'm gonna shove the regular dorm fridge in there from the other camper for right now. I'm gonna be spending more on this thing than I did my house fridge. Lol. Thanks for all your help. This thing has been a learning exprience for sure.

DandTPerez · 01-03-2016, 10:10 PM

What's the good company you used for yours when you replaced/rebuilt it? Thanks in advance.

ijustlee · 01-03-2016, 11:02 PM

Gas refrigerators need to have the freezer floor level in order for gravity to circulate the fluid. When they are working right the boiler section is hot and the unit sounds like an old coffee percolator and the pipes or plate in the freezer will get cold within say 15 to 30 minutes. If the fridge is level, the boiler hot and no cooling, it has lost the hydrogen charge through a tiny rust hole or is plugged internally. Flip it end over end a few times and try it, it might work for years. If not, a rebuilt unit that will hold the hydrogen atoms inside the pipes is what you need. Or maybe a new fridge. If I could go back in time I'd like to meet the guy who was looking at a flame and said to himself "I think I'll make some ice cubes with that!". Leland

Fast.Eddie · 01-03-2016, 11:59 PM

Quote:

What's the good company you used for yours when you replaced/rebuilt it? Thanks in advance.

I'll have a look thru my old emails when I get back to my desktop tomorrow. But when ours failed, there was a strong ammonia smell in the interior of tye reefer and the nasty orange-yellow liquid ammonia was visible, dribbling down on the inside of the reefer.

You will likely need to ship your old CU back to the vendor or pay a core charge. Parts are hard to come by for these old boxes, so they re-use parts from the core to build others. We had to pre-order ours because these are usually made to order. We let ours sit in the back yard for a few days (in the summer) before bagging/boxing it up and return shipping it to rid it of the smell, but it didn't help.

If yours is leaking, it should be VERY obvious, because we are talking about a strong, foul-smelling liquid that doesnt evaporate quickly, not a gas.

DandTPerez · 01-04-2016, 08:26 AM

There's no smell and no residue. But we just got the camper a couple months ago, and before that it sat at a car lot down the street for a year. The PO passed away and it was tied up in the estate for a bit. But I keep thinking it should be ok because he lived in the camper full time. He ran a local membership campground and just lived there in this. So I'd like to think it should work and we are doing something wrong. But it sitting up unused could have jacked it up. Thanks for all the info guys.

n2916s · 01-04-2016, 12:23 PM

I used RVrefrigeration.net but that was years ago so no idea on prices now. The Amish use absorption refrigerators so there are lots of rebuilding outfits out there.

Mike

Fast.Eddie · 01-04-2016, 07:02 PM

In looking at my email, I originally replaced the OEM CU that was leaking in May of 2005 with a unit purchased from NuCold in Arkansas. According to my email, that unit took 6 weeks for them to manufacture for me, and while it worked fine immediately after replacement, it failed within 6 months. It showed the same signs that yours does...no leaking or smell, boiler was getting hot and making gurgling noises, but no cooling. I did not elect to go through the warranty return process with them for some reason...according to my sketchy email correspondence, something to do with the shipping charges ($60 at that time) and lack of available packaging to pack it up in...but if you google NuCold, they have a number of complaints made against them, and I recommend that you stay away from them based on my experience.

I replaced that failed CU in July of 2007 with a unit that I bought from a seller on eBay Motors. There was a fair amount of hand holding with this seller, represented by David Force (rvrepair1029@comcast.net) in the weeks prior to me purchasing the unit, and he was extremely helpful throughout the entire process. Our CU was shipped within 3 days of purchase. The contact details I have from 2007 are: David Force, RV Repair, 874 Enfield Rd., Memphis, TN 38116. The purchase price was $465 with a $100 refundable core charge ($365 net), 3 year standard warranty with an additional 2 year extension (5 year total) that I purchased for an additional $75. He offered a 30 day satisfaction guarantee with a full refund and prepaid return shipping, and following installation he issued a call tag to return ship the core at his expense when we were satisfied with the operation of the CU. I am most appreciative of his advice and the way he conducted himself throughout this entire transaction...I asked many, many questions and he answered all of them promptly. I would highly recommend this vendor if you can get in touch with him.

Some vendors might shy away from warranting when they hear that you plan to install it yourself, and paying an RV repair facility to change this out can be very costly as it is time-consuming. Make sure you discuss this aspect with your vendor should you go down that road...how do they handle the warranty process with a DIYer? Hopefully you won't have to do it twice like we did.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

Fast.Eddie · 01-04-2016, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by n2916s

I used RVrefrigeration.net but that was years ago so no idea on prices now. The Amish use absorption refrigerators so there are lots of rebuilding outfits out there.

Mike

Adsorption, with a "d". Nit-picky, I know. I seem to remember that the second unit I bought was made by the Amish.

DandTPerez · 01-04-2016, 10:18 PM

Thanks fast.eddie I'm printing that info to save. We actually got a call back from a guy with an rm100 on craigslist. It looks rough on the back but we are gonna see if we can get it to work for now till we can get ours going. It doesn't have a circut board apparently, just a bunch of relays and junction boxes and manual switches. So hopefully it will get us through till we get the 500-600 for ours. Thanks for all the info guys. Just when I think I understand this refrigerator I learn a ton more!

Fast.Eddie · 01-04-2016, 11:18 PM

One other thing I might mention is that it is critical that the refrigerator be level during operation. The shelf that is attached to the CU coil as it enters the freezer compartment needs to be level in all directions to avoid permanently damaging the reefer. Incidentally, this is the coldest part of the CU and a good place to check for cooling.

The RM1303 reefers had a mid-model revision that was supposed to make them more forgiving to out of level operation, and you can visually identify which model you have by the shape of something...I think it is the heat shield in the heating area??? I'm guessing. Anyway, my box is in a 1985 model coach and it was the later (more tolerant) version. I've operated ours out of level for short periods of time, but be aware that this can cause permanent damage to the reefer.

n2916s · 01-05-2016, 07:59 AM

Got to love auto correct.

DandTPerez · 01-05-2016, 10:10 PM

The rm100 today was a bust. No 12v function. We found a rm760 but I can't find anything confirming the 12v setting other than a schematic but I found the same thing for the 100 and then it didn't have it. Like at all. He's gonna fool with ours more. It's out of the camper in his shop. He's going to try burping it again and doing some hokey pokey then leveling it and trying again. The camper is a 1984. I'm assuming since everything is original except the toilet that the fridge is original too. We have a regular mini fridge we can use in the mean time. Thanks again for all the tips and info.

Fast.Eddie · 01-05-2016, 10:53 PM

I'm no refrigeration guru but there is an area with hydrogen in the CU. Hydrogen is the smallest atom so it is not too hard to imagine the H2 gas leaking out over time from an opening that is too small for the anhydrous ammonia molecule to escape. The ammonia and water solution must still be present, because you can hear the ammonia boiling off and there are no visible leaks or smells...must be the hydrogen has leaked out. That's my pet theory as to why our first CU failed so quickly.