Fridge - Montana Owners Club

Montana Sky · 04-02-2006, 10:44 AM

After owning this coach for over 2 years I found something new today. Can anyone tell me what the "automatic climate control" switch does that is on the top inside frame of my freezer door? I have never seen it or used it in the last 2 years? Something I should be using??

bob n pam · 04-02-2006, 11:09 AM

It is to be used when you are in humid conditions. The owner's manual describes what it does and when to use it. I haven't seen much difference with it on or off.

CountryGuy · 04-02-2006, 11:28 AM

Pam is right, we, however, have seen a difference when using it. We turn it on when we find condensation on the unit. Open both doors at the same time, that 3 or 4 inch section where they both close. Well, that is where we find condensation, when we do, we turn the little button to ON and over a period of time the condensation disappears. We are not sure, but that button MAY be run off battery, so we try to turn it off when we don't feel it is necessary to use it.

Kathi · 04-02-2006, 12:33 PM

I had a stick house frig that had one of those switches in it. When the frig would start to sweat(condensation)you would just turn that switch on and it would heat up the door panels and the sweating would stop...I never found a reason to use it but yes it did operate on electrical. So it would be a good idea to turn it off when you don't need it. To bad we as people don't have those!!!LOL...The switch that is!!!

sreigle · 04-02-2006, 12:58 PM

It helps on humid days as mentioned above. Also, the manual says to turn it off when you are not hooked to shore power or the truck is not charging the battery while on the road. That control apparently draws a lot of current and will kill a battery fairly quickly, or so I'm told.

Montana Sky · 04-02-2006, 01:17 PM

Thanks to everyone for their input. I have never noticed any condensation on the fridge, but glad to know how to fix it when it happens.

Dano · 04-04-2006, 08:45 AM

After reading this post yesterday I thought we dont ever have any condensation on the fridge, Found that switch, It was on. So I turned it off and will see what happens. Never knew it was there.

sreigle · 04-04-2006, 09:15 PM

I've never seen condensation on ours, either, switch on or off. But I think it helps on condensation inside the freezer and fridge compartments and that helps keep the ice from building up so quickly and then requiring defrosting. I think that's what it does anyhow. It seems to help on that on ours. In case you are wondering about ice buildup in the lower compartment, ours will get ice on those fins at the top.

Montana Sky · 04-04-2006, 11:10 PM

Sounds like you have one of those "super cold" fridge/freezers Steve. =)

I have been very happy with the operation of my fridge over the past 2 years. Will have to try this switch out later on this summer. Just love learning new stuff from here.

adelmoll · 04-05-2006, 03:31 AM

Yup Dave, me too. I just hate having to defrost the freezer so often. We didn't know the switch was their either. Thanks to Vicki though, I now use my hair dryer to defrost quicker.

Helen

Dano · 04-05-2006, 07:55 AM

I don't think that switch has any thing to do with ice building up, I believe its for condensation. Its a heat strip that stops water droplits from forming (like a cold soda on a hot day) When I first felt it you could feel the warmth, And when I Shut it off, felt it again and it's cold. Just like the one in the stick house. I leave the stick house on because we do have the condesation problem. (If you feel between the two doors you can see what meen.)

CountryGuy · 04-05-2006, 11:03 AM

Agree with Dano, has nothing to do with defrosting. Only think I see it does is dry up that condensation on the piece between the freezer door and frig door.

sreigle · 04-05-2006, 11:04 AM

Dano, is the condensation on the outside or inside? I thought maybe it's on the inside and water droplets would turn to ice in the freezer. So it's on the outside? I don't recall ever seeing that on ours so maybe we've been fortunate.

Helen, just be sure not to allow too much heat to hit one spot for too long. You don't want to damage anything. I believe the manual says not to do that because of the potential for damage. Vicki keeps the hairdryer moving so it doesn't cause damage.

Parrothead · 04-05-2006, 03:43 PM

Also if your hair dryer has two settings you can use the lower one. It will still do the job but less chance of melting the freezer. I don't know what we are doing right but we still haven't had to defrost.
Happy trails........................

Sweetfire · 04-05-2006, 04:44 PM

It's your warm personalities Parrothead.

Montana_5598 · 04-05-2006, 07:16 PM

We just got our Mountaineer trailer and we were told all about that! But...during the excitement, i forgot some of it. The most important facts I remember clearly are:...if you leave the switch on , it will take up alot of your battery and that the switch is for condensation.

The other new thing I found out was that: inside the fridge, the white slider bar on the "fins" is for cold control in the fridge part only !!

Great Info here!! I really appreciate that someone on This forum will actually reply!

sreigle · 04-06-2006, 09:24 AM

Cactus Campin, that's correct about the slider on the fin. It's really a (thermistor?) acting like a thermostat. Since warmer air rises and colder air is down lower, moving the slider just moves it into warmer or colder air.

The following is what the manual says about the "climate control switch." It's still not real clear to me. I cannot see a metal frame between the compartments so surmise it is between the plastic panels. I have never seen these water droplets on the outside (viewing with doors closed)so I don't know if they are on the roof of the fridge compt or inside where they cannot be seen.

"During the summer months of high temperature and humidity, the metal frame between the freezer and fresh food compartments may have water droplets forming. The number of water droplets will increase if the vehicle isn't air conditioned during these months.

This refrigerator comdes standard with a 12 volt (DC) climate control that will evaporate the water droplets when they form.

To have th eclimate control on, you position the switch ("C" see figure 2) located beneath the top decoration panel that houses the control panel to ON. The climate control can be left on continuously or only used when temperatures require it.

NOTE: The climate control will draw 12 volt DC power continuously when in the ON position. It shoudl be turned OFF when a charging source is not available."

Montana Sky · 04-06-2006, 06:48 PM

Now awhile back there was someone with a Mountaineer that could not keep his batteries charged. I do not remember who it was, but maybe this could have been the source of his problems. Something to remember when parking the coach for a period of time.

sreigle · 04-07-2006, 07:06 AM

Good point, Dave. I wonder if it pulls power even when the fridge is turned off? It also would be a consideration when boondocking, running on batteries.

keham · 04-08-2006, 06:06 PM

I had constance frost in mine. what we found was to make sure the out side drip hose has a loop (j trap) in it. this keeps some of the water in it makeing it so the outside humid air doesn't go back up into the frige/freezer cuasing the ice built up. Hasn't frosted up since that fix.

ken

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