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mandolindave · 08-10-2015, 03:54 PM

" some put a few milk cartons of ice in the freezer to help stability if there is not much else in there."

Be careful if you are using actual milk cartons. The government advises against using milk cartons for water storage. They said it is basically impossible to clean the milk off of the plastic or wax, and you can end up with a fuzzy science project if the cartons get to room temps for a long time.

rmkrum · 08-10-2015, 04:22 PM

Ooooh! Science!

Yeah, really had it happen one time. I use the containers designed for ice, or some sealed pillow-like gizmos that have water in them designed for cooling lunch boxes. Freeze them over and over again, and unless they leak, no issues with fuzzy stuff growing.

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BigAl · 08-10-2015, 04:53 PM

I think the reusable freezer paks with a blue gel in them actually work better than plain ice.
putting ice packs in the fridge is a good idea that I hadn't thought of. Going to try it.
Al

brian2424 · 08-10-2015, 05:30 PM

I was having a similar situation in my 2014 International Stirling. At ambient temperatures in the 100 degree range I was seeing fridge temperatures in the high 40's to mid 50's. Recently the thermos switch came loose from where it was situated from the factory so I located it on the fins (as has been suggested on this forum) and saw my highest temperatures to date. Then I moved the switch down to the drain tray and within a couple of hours the fridge was down to 35 degrees on setting number 5. So you may want to play with where the switch is located? Seems to have done the trick for me.

MelGoddard · 08-10-2015, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DHart

We just picked up our 2016 30' Serenity.

I'm doing a test of the fridge right now and not sure if I am seeing what I should see in terms of fridge cooling performance.

Here is the scenario:

-Outside temp is around 100 degrees.
-Temp in the parked trailer (all windows open) is around 100 degrees.
-Fridge is empty
-Cooling setting is on HIGH (Coldest)

Empty fridge has been running on GAS, on HIGH, for 24 hours. Freezer temp is 16 degrees. Seems good to me! Fridge temp is 45 degrees. Not so great.

So, about 6 hours ago I switched over to running it on AC. Now, freezer temp is still 16 degrees, but fridge is at 52 degrees. (During the afternoon, the late day sun has been beating on the fridge side of the trailer.)

The fridge side of the trailer is facing west, with hot western sun hitting that side of the coach all afternoon.

Obviously, we are not occupying the trailer. It is parked beside the house. And the heat of the environment and temps inside the trailer cannot be helping the fridge do its job at all. And the fact that the fridge is empty... may be a factor as well?

Considering all this, does it sound like our fridge is doing its job as best as can be expected, or should it be cooling the refrigerator section a LOT better than it is?

Freezer performance looks great. Fridge performance is really causing us some concern, but we're not sure how much the environmental factors are influencing the performance.

Hey, enjoy what you have. Look at the environment that it has to deal with! Remember that an absorption fridge has no moving parts, and relies on differentials of fluids.
Not much differential, not much cooling.
I'd say it's working at it's max.

RVDreamer · 08-10-2015, 06:09 PM

It sounds fine to me. It is really hard to cool in hot weather with an empty fridge.

If you fill it, the temp will go down some. Also side awnings and shade on the fridge side makes a huge difference.

I don't think you have anything to worry about.

TouringDan · 08-10-2015, 10:20 PM

I think your fridge is operating about normal. However I think this performance is not acceptable considering your warm environment.

To deal with your high temperatures I believe you will need to install some computer fans just under the roof vent to improve the heat transfer. Without fans you only have natural convection. With fans you will have forced convection.

I have ordered four 90mm computer fans from Amazon for less than $40.

We also put a one gallon frozen water container in the fridge to help in the cooling and we put frozen water bottles in the freezer or fridge as need be. As another said you can move them to the freezer at night so they will refreeze and them put them in the fridge during the daytime.

Parking in the shade also helps. We always try to point the Airstream north; our fridge is on the curb side.

I monitor fridge temperature with a remote thermometer from Walmart- the best $10 I have ever spent.

new fridge or old fridge, I don't think it makes much difference.

Good luck, Dan

hmsteader · 08-11-2015, 10:04 AM

All the suggestions sound great. I purchased an office desk fan, about 6" dia, 110VAC from Wally World for about $10. I installed it on the floor of the back side of the refer, rotated it upward, plugged it in the duplex receptacle, and turned it on.
If you want to leave it in place while traveling, I took a fender washer, overlaid it over the wire fan base and screwed it down holding the fan in place.
It worked for me.

switz · 08-12-2015, 01:37 AM

Unless the inverter is left on, the 110Vac fan mentioned above will not operate when not connected to shore power. Thus the need for fans that can operate off of battery power.

Msmoto · 08-12-2015, 02:27 AM

It may take two days on AC to get the fridge to its coolest. I will try the modifications. Also, make certain your trailer is fully level.

Ms Tommie Lauer
Greensboro, NC
2015 Serenity 30 RB / 2008 Dodge Cummins 4 X 4
WBCCI #4165 AIR #31871 KM4LPO

switz · 08-13-2015, 03:02 AM

Suggest placing a level on the floor of the coach and noting the bubble positions with the level in line with the frame and cross frame. Then put the level inside the refrigerator and observe the bubble in similar orientations. You may find the appliance shelf is not in the same plane as the floor and one might need to compensate for that difference went setting up the trailer.

In the trailers with a refrigerator chimney, I think the suggestion for several 12Vdc manually controlled exhaust fans mounted close to the ceiling opening would certainly help move the air past the coils on a hot day. Perhaps, in addition, some fans also mounted lower in the cabinet directly below the coils blowing air upwards across the coils would be the best effort at cooling.

In the models with the two side doors and no chimney, I think the secondary fans blowing upwards across the coils as well as the exhaust fans on the top door would be optimum.