RM 761 - cooling unit is warm but fridge no cold

[dufferin]

A fellow ASer at our rally has a problem with his fridge. It did quit on electrical during the night and he started it on gas.
Though after 4 hours the fridge doesn't seem to be cold.
The cooling unit is warm.
So I don't know why the fridge doesn't get cold...
any help
thanks in advance.
d

[Boondocker]

Disclaimer: I am not an expert at all

On the other hand, it almost sounds like the coolant may have leaked out. I would turn the unit off right away and hope nothing got cooked. If it isnt cooling, you wont be any worse off and you may avoid some further damage.

[john hd]

if it is making a gurgling sound while the heat is on it is probably junk.

mine did that with no teltale ammonia smell or yellow staining.

john

[Boondocker]

The more I think about this the more I am worried about fire danger: disconnect it.

[dufferin]

no smell, I looked for a leak doesn't seem there's one.

[dufferin]

thank you for your help

[scottanlily]

There is one important thing that many may not do and I was one of them
make sure the trailer is level ,not just by the eye thing ,get those small
RV levels or a couple of little hardware store levels to ensure that the fridge is not off level .you would be really surprised too find it is not ! I was told by my local RV shop that the fridge can " cook " not level and fail .Ive had mine not cool so good and be warm at the back of it .leveling it made it work better than it ever had ,cold My dads dometic in his RV was really warm at the rear and not cold at all .I got him too level the coach ,and it works great ice and all .Im thinking that the prolonged heating damages the cooling unit .I wouldn't have thought the fridge being off level some would make a big difference ,then I found out I was mistaken ,and level it every time its on .Level it side to side and front to rear

Scott of scottanlily

[lewster]

Originally Posted by scottanlily

There is one important thing that many may not do and I was one of them
make sure the trailer is level ,not just by the eye thing ,get those small
RV levels or a couple of little hardware store levels to ensure that the fridge is not off level .you would be really surprised too find it is not ! I was told by my local RV shop that the fridge can " cook " not level and fail .Ive had mine not cool so good and be warm at the back of it .leveling it made it work better than it ever had ,cold My dads dometic in his RV was really warm at the rear and not cold at all .I got him too level the coach ,and it works great ice and all .Im thinking that the prolonged heating damages the cooling unit .I wouldn't have thought the fridge being off level some would make a big difference ,then I found out I was mistaken ,and level it every time its on .Level it side to side and front to rear

Scott of scottanlily

Scott,,,,

You are so correct about the leveling, especially with units made prioir to 2000. Since the process of absorptive refrigeration depends entirely on heating the ammonia/hydrogen refrigerant and gravity to properly move the solution thru the stages of the process ( a boring, long-winded explaination of the absorptive process is available for the asking ), leveling the fridge, not necessarily the RV, with a bubble level is one of the key actors to getting maximun cooling performance from the older units. Place the level in the freezer compartment and be sure that it is level in both planes.

Newer units need only to be 'level' as defined by being able to walk and stand 'comfortably' inside the RV. This is the 'new' standard that Dometic uses.

[scottanlily]

Well , on the leveling with the RV ,you will encounter not so level campgrounds and the like so you would have to level the RV in a way to level the fridge ,and since the fridge is solidly mounted to the trailer thats the only way you can do it ,obviousely the fridge mounting should first be level as installed in the trailer .(trailer level ,fridge level at the same time )


Scott

[lewster]

Originally Posted by scottanlily

Well , on the leveling with the RV ,you will encounter not so level campgrounds and the like so you would have to level the RV in a way to level the fridge ,and since the fridge is solidly mounted to the trailer thats the only way you can do it ,obviousely the fridge mounting should first be level as installed in the trailer .(trailer level ,fridge level at the same time )


Scott

Very correct in theory....but unfortunately, the reality of some situations dictate leveling the fridge and not the RV. Some SOB OEMs are not as careful as their counterparts at Airsteam.