Dometic 1350 temperature fluctuations

[DonMar]

We have been having the same temperature problem with our Norcold refrig. When we were passing through Texas it was hot & humid and went up to 60 degrees. Had it checked out and a new cooling unit was installed. Unit hasn't been consistent. One day it will be at 32 -36 degrees and the next it will be heading towards 44 degrees. I find that when the humidity outside goes up, the refrigerator temp starts to go up. Supposedly the door seals where checked. We had a problem with the flange not closing properly and it was replaced. I find it is not closing properly again but we know to manually close it. Suppose to have the doors replaced next week. I want to install the fans on the outside to pull the hot air out but not while it is still under warranty.
I thought we were the only ones having the problem. Interested to hear how your issue gets resolved.

[rohrmann]

We have Paul Unmack and his wife Mao here at our Quartzsite Circle, and they just put on a presentation this afternoon. The ARP device will not void any warranty and their model that controls the additional fans works great, as we have had an ARP device, now called Fridge Defend by ARP, for close to six years, ever since we had our cooling unit replaced the second time, and our fridge is still working great. The sooner you protect your fridge with the ARP device, the sooner you help protect it from damage from excessive heat at the boiler of the cooling unit. This is their web site, https://www.arprv.com/

[DonMar]

Thanks for the info. I don't see anywhere on their site showing how to install the unit. I like to understand the installation process in helping to make a decision.

[Loneoak]

Originally Posted by Anatnom

Lots of good advice here but I’d like to add what we did. I purchased a small fan for internal use inside the fridge .
it runs on a couple of AAA batteries. This fan has really worked well for me and doesn’t take up much space. Just a suggestion.

I did that last year and it is running all the time. It's the intermittent nature of the problem that drives us nuts. I have been recording the temperatures, and it tends to go up every three days. I expect it to happen again tomorrow.

[ChuckS]

First pic should help folks understand the defrost cycle time on the RM1350

Second pic details how the factory cooling fans should work.

On the outside fridge lower access panel inside the panel is a small black corrugated drain tube.. make sure the tube is nit broken off and also verify there is a small white plastic plug inserted into the end of the drain tube.. the plug has a few small holes in in.. make sure they aren’t plugged.. Don’t leave the white plug removed... it’s there for a purpose

[rohrmann]

Originally Posted by DonMar

Thanks for the info. I don't see anywhere on their site showing how to install the unit. I like to understand the installation process in helping to make a decision.

Go back to their site, click on MENU, then click on INSTALL NORCOLD & DOMETIC, and you will find all you need to install the device.

[paulinbaja]

I have 3 rvs that I deal with. I set them to be 32. When they cycle they get up to about 38 which is still plenty cold to protect food life.

[Jpc]

Originally Posted by Loneoak

If the seals were the problem, then wouldn't it be a problem all the time, not intermittently?


By the way, Iv'e been keeping track, and the temperature is fine for three days, then it starts to go up again. It happened on Wednesday, Saturday, and it's doing it now. It's on some kind of a three day cycle.

Try turning off your fridge off and back on for just 1 minute every day and this will override your defrost cycle and if it stays cold during this process it will tell you that the heating up is from your defrost mode doing its thing. The ARP device has a defrost mode override if you chose to use that option.

[wbejin@gmail.com]

I fixed the problem on my 2015 by installing a fan in the upper vent, pushing air out the top vent thus increasing air flow. Vents on new Montana's are at least 25% larger than they are on mine.

[jsb5717]

As has been stated, this is a well documented issue. The solution is to add fans to move the hot air out from behind the fridge. Many of us have done it and it solves the problem. The fridge is likely working just fine, it just can't compete with the volume of warm air behind it so the fins aren't getting adequate cooling.

Google fan kits for Dometic fridges. They are typically less than $50. I bought one with an adjustable thermistor so I could tweak it to operate the fans at the correct temps based on where the thermistor was located. It's not difficult and will most likely solve the issue.

[Eagleback]

We live in Naples full time for 6 years and its unfortunate, but the rv fridges just do not work well here as it is just too warm for them to keep a constant temp. when the temps get in to the high 80's and above the temp also rises in the box. No amount of fans or monitoring systems help enough to keep the food safe and cold as we have done all that. Out went the Norcold and in went a residential fridge. Except for the maybe saluns and dometic upgrades the Norcold replacement to a residential is by far the best upgrade we have done as we no longer have spoiled food and milk actually last for more and 4 days.

[Creeker]

Your fridge is heating up during the auto defrost cycle and taking way too long to recover because of inadequate ventilation. Not enough air moving across and through those outside fins, then out the upper vent. You now know the solution. You just need to follow through and your fridge problems will be a distant memory. Its not expensive nor hard to do. You'll be very glad you did.

For the person waiting until his/her warranty is up before adding the fans;
Your doing non reversible damage to your cooling unit by letting it operate at those extremely high temps for extended periods.

An RV fridge is wonderful when they are installed correctly with proper baffling and ventilation. For our camping style, I wouldn't own a camper without one.

[Loneoak]

Problem solved! I kept a log of fridge temperatures and did a lot of research. I found information on Heartland and Forest River forums.

Last Wednesday, things were really bad, so I turned the fridge off for two minutes, then back on again. This was at 8:45 p.m. It's been fine ever since.

My research told me that this auto defrost cycle, which I thought earlier might be the culprit, was indeed the problem. I thought maybe it got stuck on this cycle. What was happening was that the defrost was happening during the day, not at night. By turning it off and on in the evening, I reset it to the regular time.

This is actually mentioned in the manual. It should perhaps be also mentioned in the troubleshooting part of the manual.

[lensnel]

My 2015 1350SL has an excellent freezer, but the fridge temps never get below 42 and often stay in the 50s. I have it on 5 with an internal battery operated fan running. I am very frustrated. Seals are tight on doors. Wondering why the coldness from the freezer doesn't get to the lower fridge area...

Any ideas?

[jsb5717]

Originally Posted by lensnel

My 2015 1350SL has an excellent freezer, but the fridge temps never get below 42 and often stay in the 50s. I have it on 5 with an internal battery operated fan running. I am very frustrated. Seals are tight on doors. Wondering why the coldness from the freezer doesn't get to the lower fridge area...

Any ideas?

read through this thread. There are solutions here.

[Vic B]

My dometic fridge was doing exactly what yours is doing The problem turned out to be the cooling unit that had to be replaced. Since then we have had no further problems.

[lensnel]

Originally Posted by Vic B

My dometic fridge was doing exactly what yours is doing The problem turned out to be the cooling unit that had to be replaced. Since then we have had no further problems.

What was the cost to repair yours?

[Vic B]

I had the same problem with temperature fluctuations between 36 and 50. The freezer stayed frozen but the fridge would not cool It would stay perfect for several days then rise for no apparent reason. I tried outside fans and fans inside the fridge that did not help. In Texas at the time and finally the service man stated our cooling unit was failing and fans would not help. It was his opinion that the fridge was faulty from the start as this problem started shortly after I bought the unit new in 2018 Installed a new cooling unit in January and have not had a problem since. His opinion you should not need fans if fridge cooling prioperly

[Vic B]

$2600 US Fortunately I had insurance