Urgent: strong ammonia odor in freezer

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by perryg114

So where do these things fail? Does the heated tube rust out from exposure to heat?

Perry

I had one that appeared to rust at the heated area around the gas flame in my SOB. In my AS, I could find no obvious area of leak.

What bothers me about these things is that they appear to be just coated with primer. Primer attracts and holds moisture. The unit I got from RV cooling unit Warehouse appears to be clear coated over the gray. Will that help with longevity???? We'll see.

[perryg114]

I would expect the paint to burn off where the flame hits it. I also expect that these things last a much shorter time running on propane as opposed to electricity. Why don't they make the tubing out of stainless steel so they won't rust out. They cost enough that they should be made out of stainelss steel. Mine is over 30 yrs old and works fine but I would like to do what I can to extend that life. These things usually run for decades if running on electricity.

Perry

[Phrunes]

Originally Posted by perryg114

So where do these things fail? Does the heated tube rust out from exposure to heat?

Perry

The ammonia typically perforates the tubes over time. They can be repaired, by having them cut out and replaced and recharged by a qualified repair center.

[perryg114]

So they fail from the inside out? I have seen alot of rust on the outside of these things. Many things we view as corrosive are not corrosive till they are exposed to air.

Handbook of Corrosion Data - Google Books

Perry

[Phrunes]

Read this...it will answer all of these vexing questions
http://www.gasrefrigeration.net/why%20they%20fail.htm

[Melody Ranch]

Lets make this easy....get a new replacement. All the chasing, shipping, unfamiliar work will not be worth it to you. You need a fridge...get one.