Refrigerator Problems - New Unit

[joshua32064]

I have been on the road for the last 3 weeks with my 2004 International CCD and everything has been great. Besides a few small issues which Joe and Jay at Oasis RV have been taken care of, I have had NO problems or complaints. The one issue that I am having and can't seem to be resolved, is with the refrigerator.

When the refrigerator is plugged in any RV park it runs great. When the coach is boondocked and running off propane, it runs great. The problem I am having, is when I leave my campsite and leave the refrigerator running while I am driving. By the time I reach wherever I am going, the refrigerator has a check light on and is not running when I enter and start to set everything up.

Has anyone experienced a similar problem? What could be causing this? All suggestions and solutions are welcome.

Thanks again.

[Silvertwinkie]

I am not sure that this is the problem, however on units with a streetside fridge, sometimes the pilot can get blown out if a large gust is produced by a semi passing you, etc. Now I know that in the '04s it's all electronic controls, but I don't know if it will attempt to relight or if several attempts are made if it just throws it's arms up and gives up. A few folks fabricated some extra shielding for the pilot light to protect it, but that was on '99s on up through I think 2003.

Then again, it could also be a defective board too, but again, these are just guesses.

I'll also add that when Sherry RV delivered my Safari over 300 miles to my house, the fridge was on and running on propane without any problems. Keep in mind I have not taken the unit on any trips yet FWIW....

Eric

[53flyingcloud]

joshua32064

I'd check the frig with a "mock hook up".
(no connection to 120vac) Then, measure your 12 volt system to your frig's control board.
I wish you luck...
BTW, how's the weather out there in AZ?

ciao

Eric,
I just read your reply..You might have something there,"gust" per sic could be the problem.

[joshua32064]

The weather here is absolutely beautiful. It was in the mid 70's today. I think that Eric could be onto something and I am going to discuss it with the dealer. I am going to be taking a long trip this weekend, so it will be interesting to see what I find out.

The one thing that i do have going is that it's under warranty!

Josh

[Silvertwinkie]

Josh,

PM Jack Canavera (jcanavera). He actually fabricated something. He might be able to provide more specifics as at the time, when I had the Bambi, it was a curbside fridge and a non issue. Perhaps now that I have the Safari with the streetside unit, I too might be asking Jack for more info again.

Good luck with it...make sure to keep us posted as to who the culprit really was....

Eric

[Silvertwinkie]

Here is a link, there could be more on the subject by going to the search button and entering fridge blows out. At any rate here is one link on the subject of the pilot blowing out......

http://www.airforums.com/forum...idge+blows+out

Also I should add that I asked both the dealer and the factory if this was still an issue and I got wierd looks...so don't be shocked if the dealer thinks you're crazy. I think a good test is to run it on LP when it's not moving. If it's good, and only has issues when in transit...see what Jack and the others did as far as a metal shield for the pilot area....if it goes away, you've got your fix...not one that the dealer might do or know about.

Eric

[joshua32064]

Eric,

The coach has been sitting at the dealer all week and has been running off of LP. I spoke with the service manager today and he said that there has been no problem with the fridge.

I am going to give him a call tomorrow and talk to him about the possibility of what you have listed in your message. I will post what I find out from him.

Thanks again.

[john hd]

josh

if everything else checks out, you may try installing a piece of furnace filter to the inside of the exterior door.

i will act as a baffle to wind gusts and still allow enough air to operate properly.

mine is on the curbside and have never had any problems.

john

[Navigator]

Was the 12v section of a RV refrig eliminated?
When traveling, my refrig works great on 12v.
Dick

[markjoandall]

Josh,

I had the same problem with my unit. Eventually I solved the problem myself. I installed a series of baffles inside the service door on the outside of the rig. These baffles slow down the gusting wind on the street side while driving. I think the problem comes from the bow wave of passing trucks. Some people have used furnace filters. However I think you have to be careful to take the filter out of the door when parked because it will affect the efficiency of the refrigerator.

You can call Dometic, they have two different solutions to the problem. I had the dealer install one to my unit, a small baffle next to the flame. It didn't work.

It's a frustration that you just have to work through. Life gets better when you come up with the solution that works best for you.

[87MH]

If the unit in question is a 3-way (propane, 110, and 12 volts). it may well be working properly.

The 12 volt system in mine is designed to come on only when the board senses an excess of 13.2 volts. This is designed to insure that the heating element will only come on when the prime mover (engine) is running (positive alternator/generator output), thereby preventing the heating element in the fridge from draining the start battery. If the fridge senses a loss of 13.2 volt plus voltage (such as when the car or truck comes to an idle, or when the tow vehicle is shut off), the fridge has an intelligent delay of about 20 minutes before allowing a gas light to occur.

An example of one of the safety factors of this delay is to prevent the gas burner from lighting when the driver pulls into a gas station to fuel up. After the fridge is on DC power, and the driver pulls into a gas station, the 20 minute delay (possible check light situation) is usually long enough for the driver to safely fuel up, and get underway again, thereby allowing the 12 volt (actually 13.2 volt plus) element to again take over cooling the fridge. This prevents the gas burner from attempting an ignition while the unit is stopped at a fuel pump.

You can check it yourself by keeping the tow at a fast idle (don't let the voltage drop below 13.4 volts), and check for a warning light at the fridge. A further check would be to let the fridge alone for a half hour or so after 12 volt signal interruption, and insure that an automatic propane light has occured. This assumes you have an "auto" select fridge. On mine, there is no manual selection of power supplies, the board makes the decision of 110 volt, 12 volt, and propane power supplies, in that order.

[jcanavera]

Originally posted by Silvertwinkie
Josh,

PM Jack Canavera (jcanavera). He actually fabricated something. Eric

Josh here is a link to the Safari forum where we discussed this problem and also have a picture of the fix.

http://www.airforums.com/forum...=&threadid=311

This was a known problem back in 2001 for me and it seems to rear its head from time to time on various newer Airstreams. I haven't traveled with my new Classic yet so I don't if this problem has been resolved.

I can tell you that if its a wind blown problem the dealer will not find it with the trailer sitting in his lot. Apparently Airstream and Dometic have disagreed on the cause and the fix. Airstream's solution has been to have the dealership create a baffle inside the refrigerator compartment to divert the windflow as it enters the access door. (check out the picture at the link).

This solution was not 100% successful for all trailers and the next line was to affix a small furnace filter to the inside of the access door. Normally that took care of the situations that the baffle didn't cure. The offset is that Airstream also advised removing the filter once you park.

Bottom line the dealer could be clueless but they should call Airstream and see what they have to say. Your warranty should take care of any fixes so unless you are some distance from your dealer you might put this in his trouble bag.

Jack

[joshua32064]

Thank you for all of your responses. As I had mentioned in an earlier post, the dealer has had the unit running on LP for the last week and has reported no problems. The more I read your posts, I am definitely thinking that the wind is blowing out the flame. During this time of year, it is super windy in AZ and with the truck drivers passing you at 75 miles per hour, it all adds up.

I am going to discuss this with the dealer and then try the filter on my trip this weekend. Thanks for all of your help and suggestions.

[87MH]

Josh:

Truely, the problem could be electrical or mechanical (air current related).

One more thought on the electrical side.

The current requirement for the Dometic 3800 is about 24 amps DC.

This is, relatively speaking, a large load.

You may want to do some voltage trouble shooting and do a close actual amperage estimate on your 12 volt tow/trailer charging system.

Lets say, for instance, you have 10 amps of misc. loads while towing (batt. charging, panels, warning devices, etc.), and then the fridge kicks in with an additional 24 amps. The total 34 amp load, assuming a 30 foot wire length from your tow vehicle's alternator to the trailer distribution block, plus losses from there, requires a 2 guage wire in order to keep the voltage loss less than 5%.

Check your actual voltage at the fridge with the tow vehicle alternator running the heating element in the fridge.


On Edit:

Remember, the electronic circuit board in the Dometic will not allow the 12 volt element to remain "on" at voltages less than 13.2, and the voltages might cycle below this with the heating element "on", and come back up when the circuit board turns the 12 volt heater "off". Since a delay is built in for the propane heater llighting, the circuit may never allow the burner to come on while you are travelling, since the 12 volt element might be continuously cycling on and off due to a low voltage / "OK" voltage situation caused by a too small "charging" wire from the alternator to the trailer as the circuit board turns the 12 volt heater on and off.

[Pahaska]

In the past, with a street-side refrigerator in two of my previous SOB trailers, I had the same problem of the refrigerator blowing out and fixed it with a small baffle that I conjured up out of some scrap aluminum. In one case, gusty Texas winds were all that was needed to blow out the flame, in the other it was passing trucks that caused the blowout.

My current Classic has the street-side refrigerator, but it is installed so deep into the trailer that I haven't had any problems with blowout even though there is no baffle installed.

I was lucky that my first attempt at installing a baffle fixed both of my previous blowout problems. I can only recommend that you do some cut and try with some thin metal.

[Pahaska]

Originally posted by 87MH
Josh:

Truely, the problem could be electrical or mechanical (air current related).

One more thought on the electrical side.

The current requirement for the Dometic 3800 is about 24 amps DC.

This is, relatively speaking, a large load.

Reread his post; he is running on propane, not on DC. His check lights are because the flame went out or blew out. The refrigerator in question is a 2-way refrigerator and the current load is negligable.

[87MH]

John:

Josh states his propane system does not work, but we still don't know if his unit is 120/propane or 120/12/120.

Following my diagnosis of the 12 volt low voltage scenario (relight delays caused by intermittant 12 volt heat cycles), this could still be the cause of Josh's no cooling while travelling problem.

I'm in 100% agreement that, if he has a 120/propane system only, your assesment of wind problems is accurate.

IF, however, he does have a 3 way unit, a simple check would be to disconnect the high amperage 12 volt feed (separate from the circuit board feed), which would permit the unit to run on 120 or propane only, taking the 12 volt cycling possibility entirely out of the picture.

[Silvertwinkie]

I'm not sure Airstream installed any 12/120/LP units in 2004 or 2003. Don't quote me on this though.

[Pahaska]

AFAIK, Airstream currently does not offer a 3-way refrigerator in any trailer line and has not for some time. I was in the 28' CCD at the dealer last week and it had precisely the same 2-way refrigerator as I have in my 2003 Classic.

[joshua32064]

Just for clarification, the refrigerator is 120/propane. It is absolutely and without a doubt a two way fridge and not a 3 way.