Furrion 12v Fridge dead again!

[JeffBussman]

Once again, we're facing issues with our Furrion 12V refrigerator(FCR20DCAFA)—our fourth one, to be exact. It worked good the last two times and for a few days while hooked up to 50 amp service at our house. However, when we were ready to leave in the morning, it was completely dead. I've reached out to Keystone, who already had the records of our previous refrigerator problems. I expressed my frustration about the current situation. It's been challenging not being able to use our RV and having to travel over two hours each way just to take it to the dealer for repairs. This inconvenience is compounded by the loss of food and the hassle of depending on ice chests.. This is with our 2024 3123RL Legacy model.

[firestation12]

Were you able to determine the cause of the previous failures? Did all the failures occur while plugged into your home’s electrical service? 4 failures strongly suggest something amiss which may a common denominator for example voltage either ac or DC.

[JeffBussman]

Happened multiple times plugged into service at home and at resorts. Also when on solar.

[RKassl]

We are really hearing this over and over from members about these 12 volt refrigerators. Way to many problems. This last summer we started to look at different RV's they all had the volt refrigerator, which I think is a disaster waiting to happen, anyway the salesman told me they have 12 volt units that have been on for months and months with no problems.......BS!!

[firestation12]

Originally Posted by JeffBussman

Happened multiple times plugged into service at home and at resorts. Also when on solar.

Were you able to get any feedback as to why each failure occurred?

[M Utz]

Bad battery or charger ?

[RMcNeal]

Originally Posted by RKassl

We are really hearing this over and over from members about these 12 volt refrigerators. Way to many problems. This last summer we started to look at different RV's they all had the volt refrigerator, which I think is a disaster waiting to happen, anyway the salesman told me they have 12 volt units that have been on for months and months with no problems.......BS!!

My daughter has a Coleman Lantern with the 12v Furrion fridge. No problems with it in the last 3 years. She's not full time and only uses it a few times a year though.

[Route66Rambler]

You need to check the wiring used that runs from the battery to the fridge. When we upgraded from the Dometic Lp/electric fridge to a Norcold 12 volt compressor fridge all the wiring had to be changed to a much larger size per the instruction manual. If this is not done it will kill the fridge. Also it have must open airflow at the top and bottom meaning there must be an air gap at the top and bottom. These manufacturers are putting them in flush to the walls around them with no gaps for cooling. The air must flow from the bottom, up the back out the top front of the unit. That could be a major factor with the fridge not working. It just overheats. Our Norcold has worked fine for two years. What is the cause of the Furrion fridge not working? Is it a control board, compressor or wiring? Don't keep changing them out without knowing the cause or you could just keep chasing problems. Maybe if it's a control board, only that could be changed. Have you looked at the installation manual to make sure it has been installed correctly? There also needs to be an inline fuse installed as well. Most shops don't even look at the manuals and just shove them in there. If you look at the installation manual, then look at how it's installed I bet you will find the problem.

[Clarky]

Just Spitballin here. Are there any other electrical issues noticed at the time of the fridge failure? 12vdc lighting, etc. Specifically on/in the slideout with the fridge. I had very similiar situation with my 2020 3120RL. Intermittent. It turned out to be a few corroded electrical wires at splice joint underneath back corner where the slide meets the structure. I was a Aircraft electrician for 30 years so after I figured it all out and fixed it I shared with my dealership who said there was is also a factory connector back there for all the slide items that had a recall some years back as well. All the wiring goes to the back wall through one major splice point and connector then up a channel to the roof which goes to the front panel area. if i can figure out this forum ill post pics for reference.

[allenclme]

Originally Posted by JeffBussman

Once again, we're facing issues with our Furrion 12V refrigerator(FCR20DCAFA)—our fourth one, to be exact. It worked good the last two times and for a few days while hooked up to 50 amp service at our house. However, when we were ready to leave in the morning, it was completely dead. I've reached out to Keystone, who already had the records of our previous refrigerator problems. I expressed my frustration about the current situation. It's been challenging not being able to use our RV and having to travel over two hours each way just to take it to the dealer for repairs. This inconvenience is compounded by the loss of food and the hassle of depending on ice chests.. This is with our 2024 3123RL Legacy model.

I have the same 3123RL with the same fridge (well I'm on number 4 too). When I had the first failure which was on our maiden voyage, there was no dealer nearby so I called Lippert directly to do some troubleshooting. The board on the top of the fridge had two bad capacitors which was easy to see. This is easy to get to if you want to look at it. Just pull the 4 bolts and brackets holding the fridge, and pull the fridge out. It is on rollers and didn't mess up the floor. On top, there is a panel. If you open it, check those fuses. If they are good, then call Lippert and they will ask you for some numbers on that board and tell you if you have one that is bad. They shipped me a new board and that solved that problem, for a few days. It died again, but I know that I had a compressor problem cause it was making a horrible grinding noise and I think I posted that in this forum. Fast forward to 3 replacement fridges. We only got the trailer back a few weeks ago and will be headed out for 3 months in March. I did read somewhere where some owners found that the AWG of the power supply to the fridge wasn't right for the distance to the power center but I'm not sure if it is this exact fridge.

You will also notice when you pull that panel on the top, that the fridge is protected by 40 Amp fuse. The fridge circuit that Keystone installed is protected by a 30 Amp fuse. I'm not electrically gifted so I don't understand why they did that but it seems odd. You can PM me if you want additional info but there are other owners who have experienced problems with this fridge.

[allenclme]

Originally Posted by Route66Rambler

You need to check the wiring used that runs from the battery to the fridge. When we upgraded from the Dometic Lp/electric fridge to a Norcold 12 volt compressor fridge all the wiring had to be changed to a much larger size per the instruction manual. If this is not done it will kill the fridge. Also it have must open airflow at the top and bottom meaning there must be an air gap at the top and bottom. These manufacturers are putting them in flush to the walls around them with no gaps for cooling. The air must flow from the bottom, up the back out the top front of the unit. That could be a major factor with the fridge not working. It just overheats. Our Norcold has worked fine for two years. What is the cause of the Furrion fridge not working? Is it a control board, compressor or wiring? Don't keep changing them out without knowing the cause or you could just keep chasing problems. Maybe if it's a control board, only that could be changed. Have you looked at the installation manual to make sure it has been installed correctly? There also needs to be an inline fuse installed as well. Most shops don't even look at the manuals and just shove them in there. If you look at the installation manual, then look at how it's installed I bet you will find the problem.

On this specific fridge, there is a 30 Amp fuse in the power center and two 40 Amp fuses on the control board on top of the fridge. There is an updated control board to correct a problem with undersized capacitors on the board (per Lippert). The question is with all the replacement fridges, how many you have to go through to get one with the updated board from Lippert. i.e. - how many of these are in the supply chain with bad boards (assuming that is the problem in this case).

[Mr Mom]

We had the same problem with our 2024..Montana problem is is furion has a bad circuit board that needs to be replaced we fought back and forth with our dealer to where they had to have it fail to have it replaced try talking to your dealer they should have a history on these refrigerators stating that they've been having problems with circuit board they need to be replaced

[MuddyPaws]

Not All 12v refers are junk. I installed a JC Refrigeration dual compressor cooling unit in our Norcold 1201 and it works very well.

The two control units are available on Amazon and eBay for about $12 each.

[KingRanchFan]

Maybe we are the lucky ones, our 12v survived all year boondocking and we have the old style control board. Mfg date 3/28/24 on a 3123RL We hardly ever were plugged in to shore power. I agree that if we are getting to 4 replacements that something else is causing it, wire connections is where I would head. Maybe driving through rain has compromised that crimped connection. I will be checking mine for sure and sealing it up better than they do. It doesn't take much voltage drop in that connection to get you in trouble. That is probably the Achilles heel to this design. I went through our trailer when we got it and tightened and re-crimped many horrible connections but that is one I didn't check. Thank you for pictures and location of that connection.