Residential Refrigerator

[Chief Brown]

We have a 2021 MHC 331RL with a residential refrigerator. On our way back from Florida we stopped for an overnight stay and noticed that the items inside the refrigerator were cold but were sweating. We came on home and when we opened the refrigerator to unload the light would not come on and again the items were cold but sweaty.
Any thoughts?

[MandK]

Is the Inverter working? What was the temperature in the fridge?

[Jay & Bobbie]

Sounds like you forgot to turn the inverter on. I do that occasionally with same results.

[DutchmenSport]

My first thought was the same as MandK (above). It sounds like your inverter was not turned on.

Possible causes: The on-off button on the inverter itself might have accidently been pushed, or something bumped it which turned it off. Next, there is a red cut-off switch that runs between your house batteries and the inverter. If this cut-off switch is in the "off" position, then the inverter is turned off. Third possibility: The batteries themselves might be low, not charged, and the low battery turned off the inverter. Check this simple possibility first. If the light is out, there is no electricity going to the refrigerator. (Of course .... the refrigerator has to be turned "on" also)

If the inverter checks out OK, and if you plug into shore power and the refrigerator light comes back on, but when you unplug the camper, the light goes out again, the next thing to check will be the "transfer switch". There is a transfer switch that control the "source" of the electricity that is diverted to the refrigerator.

The transfer switch detects shore power when the trailer is plugged into electricity. The transfer switch detects when shore power is cut off (camper unplugged). When that happens, the transfer switch, switches the source from shore power to the inverter out-put (AC).

Remember, in order for the inverter to work (not plugged into shore power), the power starts with the battery (12 volt DC). It passed through a cut off switch. It then goes into the Inverter. The inverter must be turned on. The inverter changes the 12 volt DC power to 120 volt AC power. The AC power now leaves the inverter and travels to the transfer switch. If the camper is not plugged into shore power, the transfer switch will pass the AC power to the breaker panel and from there, it will go to your refrigerator.

So, the breakdown could happen anywhere along that path. The simplest to start is with the on-off button on the inverter and the cut-off switch from the battery to the inverter. Note: you actually have 2 cut off switches..... one for the inverter, and a second one for the camper "house". They are wired separate.

Good luck, and I wish you success in finding a very simple solution.

[Chief Brown]

The inverter was on and the battery was charged. Is there a warranty on these refrigerators or is it just the standard 1 year that comes on the RV? I don’t know enough about these residential refrigerators to ask intelligent questions.

[DutchmenSport]

What is the make and brand of the refrigerator. My Samsung had a 5 year warranty of some parts. Last August, it was real close to that 5 year mark, the freezer fan went out, Samsung paid for the parts. I did have to pay for the labor though.

So, what brand is the refrigerator. Does the refrigerator run when you are plugged into shore power. If it runs when plugged into shore power, then there is nothing wrong with the refrigerator. If it does not run when you are not plugged into shore power, then there is something going on with the camper and has nothing to do with the refrigerator.

Pull the refrigerator from the wall and plug in a light or a small appliance and see if it works. If it does not, then you know it's the trailer and not the refrigerator.

Also, run an extension cord from the refrigerator, outside the trailer and plug it in .... through a separate circuit (not plugged in through the camper). If the refrigerator turns on and runs, there is nothing wrong with the refrigerator. Again, the problem is somewhere inside the camper.

Let us know. Good luck.

[Chief Brown]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I’m going to start working on this tomorrow. Will give you updates.