It's a HOT BOX!

[Buttercup]

Yes, that's right - HOT. We loaded up the fridge before departing to the 49th annual WBCCI International Rally. I placed a temperature logging probe in the bottom rack of the fridge prior to loading. The fridge was running electric before loading and actually was half full before the probe started recording.

Prior to leaving I switched to gas on the fridge. The fridge was full. The freezer was also loaded with things that were already frozen. I had placed a small battery powered fan in the fridge. This fan is very small and does not really circulate much air but it is probably better than nothing.

We got on the road at about 10:00 and drove straight from Reno to Bend, Oregon. We stopped only briefly for dinner at Lakeview, Or. at about 4:30.

When we arrived in Bend and opened up the fridge to just check on things we were shocked to feel that the fridge was beyond warm. It was hot. It was warmer than we have ever felt before. I pulled out a hammer and tap on the coils with authority (and perhaps some anger). My thinking is that if the little pilot tube is partially clogged this may help to clear it.

CLICK HERE to read the entire story of the hot box. I have posted charts and information about this experience on my web site.

[dwightdi]

I do not know what happen on your first leg of your trip but, given that the temperature in Salem got above 100 degrees, maybe that is all you can expect from an amonia based fridge. You usually get about 40 - 50 degree drop.

Did the freezer section keep the ice cream at least partially frozen? If so, at least the glass is half full.

I have a small cheap indoor/outdoor digital thermometer mounted in my unit. allows me to keep an eye on the internal temp without opening the door. Put the outdoor probe in a glass of water (thermal inertia) for more consistant reading. A small computer fan (main box circulating) (12 volt) directed at the back coils and up the vent will give you another 5 degrees decrease. I run it only during the hot part of the day. I use an old cpu cooling fan for the fan inside the box, directed at the cooling coils. It it better than the 3 volt battery powered units while not drawing much current and not having to buy batteries all the time.

[Mike Lewis]

see my post under," Fridge Doesn't Work".-----pieman

[Buttercup]

We had an interesting refrigerator problem reciently with our 06 Classic. We were parked in 100 degree temps for several days when suddenly the frig. temps started climbing. The freezer seemed normal at first but while it was still below freezing it had climbed also. To make a long story short, I found the fridge door was adjusted to low and the plunger that turned the interior lamp off missed the the door edge and remained on. It had worked normally untill, with a little use and some weight in the door, it lower slightly.It is equiped with halogen bulb that put off lots of heat ,enough to raise the temps in the frig. over 20 degrees. This lamp is part of the frig's system that keeps things from freezing in low ambient temps and or helps eveporate water droplets that form on the cooling fins inside when using it in high humities. There is a switch on the out side that turns the interior lamp on when either of these systems are needed. I had dismissed them as "frills" but when the lamp remained on I found that if needed this little lamp will put off enough heat to cause global warming. The solution of course was to remove the door and shim it to the proper position where the door fit the opening and turn the lamp off.------------ Pieman

Yes except that we have no light. This is a vintage trailer - 1977. That fridge has been questionable at best since we have owned it. I think that sitting for 13 years with no fluid movement did not help.

The door is latched shut and actually does seal quite nicely.

Yes the temperature was hot on the road - at the peak it was 97 degrees. But at that part of the trip it was 94 degrees according to the temperature gauge on the H2. so really the temperature should have stayed less than 60. Plus with the trailer moving down the road I know that the hot air is sucked out the top so there is good air flow through the coils.
No - this is a sign to me that we just need to replace - which we were going to do anyway. The plus side is that the new fridge will be bigger and will certainly have better insulation.

[HHP]

As a side bar, how do you like towing with the H2? I will be using my H2 to tow my 2006 23' to Pismo Beach (my first trip/with the trailer) the 21st of this month.

[john hd]

cup

if you want to save the original look and update/rebuild check out what i did to my fridge.

http://www.airforums.com/forum...air-23857.html

john

[Buttercup]

Nice work, John. But I am dealing with the Mama factor. Mama wants a new fridge.

But further diagnosis tell me that I am either low on hydrogen or more probably have a partially plugged pump tube (what I earlier called the pilot tube).