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Old 11-27-2014, 06:42 AM   #1
randye
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Refridgerator

HI I need a little help. My DW left the freezer door open just a crack and everything was thawed out in the morning, so threw all the food away. Then about a week ago she defrosted the Fridge and we found it less than cold, I checked and found the plastic switch laying on the tray out of its plastic holder. Its been back on the fin for about 18 hrs and still isn't very cold. My question is if I run it on Propane will that help it get colder, than the electric? Thanks
 
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Old 11-27-2014, 07:35 AM   #2
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It takes a while for an RV refrig to cool down, especially if it has warmed up to outside temps before cooling it down again. I normally plug our unit in and turn on the frig at least three days before loading it and taking off for the road. The 18 hours could be on the very edge of cooling the frig/freezer off some but I'd wait a day or so and see if the temps drop more in both.

You know it depends on where you install the thermistor on the fin as to how it also cools. I don't remember which is cooler the high point or low point. As long as the temp is set low on the settings for the frig it should not make that much difference on whether you run in on electric or propane.

If you can get a frig thermometer or even two and put them in both the frig and freezer it helps to monitor the temps also. I've also seen several MOC members have the remote thermometers with the sensor inside the unit to monitor the temps.

I'm sure there will be more respond to your thread so we'll see what they have to say also.
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Old 11-27-2014, 07:47 AM   #3
DQDick
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You don't say what kind of fridg you have. If it's Norcold google Norcold Thermistor and you get sites like this: http://www.arprv.com/norcold-thermistor.html
If you have a Dometic do the same thing and you'll get stuff like this:
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Old 11-27-2014, 03:49 PM   #4
randye
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Hi DQDick I have the Dometic, thanks for the link,I will be checking the fuses and the heating unit tomorrow. I turned it on to gas around eleven this morning and returned home at about six p.m. and still not cold 60deq so the gas or electric not working at this point.
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Old 11-28-2014, 02:46 AM   #5
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Now this is just a guess, but with the door open, that means the cooling process worked overtime trying to keep the temp cold. So is it possible that it tripped a high temp sensor and something needs to be reset?? With Norcolds there is a way to reset things with a magnet, don't know about Dometic, but something to look into.
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Old 11-28-2014, 06:22 AM   #6
jpkelpe
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if you have that thermistor that slides up and down on the fins ,,,up for cold (north is colder) and down is warmer (go south for warmth)
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Old 11-28-2014, 10:33 AM   #7
randye
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Now that I had time to look at it, there is a yellow powder just below the flue. I can faintly smell ammonia, seems I remember something about that not being good a all. Does that mean I need a completely new unit. On the link above It says the circuit board could be bad or the heating unit. I found the fuses but both look good can they be bad even if no burn color, the wire seem to be intact. I tried to ohm but no reading may meant it's bad. I don't want to buy the heating unit and find the circuit board is bad. Thanks for the input.
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Old 11-28-2014, 12:05 PM   #8
DQDick
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If you've got yellow powder and an ammonia smell you most likely have a leak.
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Old 11-28-2014, 12:22 PM   #9
8.1al
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Yellow powder=leak in cooling unit
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Old 11-28-2014, 12:30 PM   #10
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If you are handy with your hands you can install a new cooling unit for a fraction of the cost of a new refrigerator
http://rvcoolingunit.com/

Several members have replaced their rv refrigerators with residential units for less money than a new rv fridge
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Old 11-29-2014, 01:26 AM   #11
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I replaced the cooling unit a couple of years ago. Used the outfit 8.1al referred to. Not a bad job at all and their manufacture rep was a wealth of information. Seems like the new unit was around $600. There are some great youtube video's showing the process. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Jim
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Old 11-29-2014, 04:42 AM   #12
randye
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The area RV Tech says the unit cost a little over 6oo.oo and then he wants 400.00 to install. I found a site that wants 425.00 + 73.00 shipping. with a 2 yr warranty on the cooling unit and 6 months on the other parts. My wife like the residential Fringe from Sears it's 60" tall and 24" wide and 26" deep. Makes it 10.1 cubic ft. The only thing I'm not sure of is if it will have to sit a couple of inches just outside the cabinet the other is in. So my plan is to pull the old on out and do some more measurements and them make the decision first of next week. I have the 07 3485SA The fringe is a Dometic rm2862, if anyone has replaced one in this year and model, would be nice to know how well it fit. Thanks.
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Old 11-29-2014, 03:39 PM   #13
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Update Old fridge is out. I may have a slight problem on the Avanti apartment size fridge the depth being 26". The galley vent tube is in the corner behind old fridge and is 2" in Dia. I would be ok if, I can bell reduce it down to say 1". Has anyone done that before. I used particle board to cover side vent area and r13 insulation. Would I have to open that back up when I install residential fridge? I temporarily cut another board and insulation at the top so cold air would not come down from roof vent. Should that stay open after I install the new fridge? I have as you see a lot of questions, first time I have replaced one in an RV. thanks.
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Old 08-10-2018, 04:54 AM   #14
Happy Campin
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Norcold 4 door refridgerator mode operation

How to set my mode to auto
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