defrosting refrigerator

[ChuckandKathy]

Can anyone tell me how often you defrost your refrigerator? We are living in our fifth wheel and I notice the ice is building up on the side of the freezer that I put the ice cube trays in.

Does it really make a big mess?

[cmawendy]

Ours didn't make a mess at all. I put a pan with very hot water into the freezer and shut the door for a few minutes. Then I used a hair dryer to get most of the ice off of the walls. You need to check the back of your refrigerator also as the metal back there gets ice on it also. That water drips into a pan and goes out the tube on the side of the 5th wheel. So does the water from he freezer. Our 5th wheel is a 2008. Have fun

[HughM]

No ice picks or screw drivers!!!! The hair dryer is the best, just don't let water drip on dryer. As chunks fall off throw them in the sink instead of letting them melt in the freezer. 10-15 minutes and I'm finished.

[Imp]

There is no set timing on when to defrost the freezer and frig. I usually do the frig 2 times a month by just shutting it off overnight. Any build up on the fins is gone in the morning and the temperature inside is still cool. You could then just put the stuff from the freezer into the frig to keep things cold. Open the door wide and by the time you have eaten your breakfast you can take a plastic spatula or scraper and lift the ice off the sides. I usually have a pan to put it in and throw the ice in the sink. Dry it out, put things back in the freezer and turn it on. I find when there is higher humidity that it needs defrosting more often.

[MikeM]

For our Norcold 1210 (and I would assume all gas absorption units), here is their specific statement:

Can I defrost my refrigerator using a hair dryer, a heat gun, or boiling water?

Never use these items to defrost your unit. The use of any of these items may permanently damage the liner of the refrigerator. Please refer to owner's manual for model specific defrosting instructions.

We recently had to have the complete gas cooling unit (it's a one piece assembly) replaced in our

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

I have used the hair dryer trick, only I don't use the HOT setting on the dryer, but the warm one, stand back a ways, moderation.

ditto on the hot water in the freezer section in a bowl, yes, have done it, but, not hot hot hot water, just seriously warm water, in a bowl, shut the door. Again, MODERATION.

Imp has a great method, I know she has been using for quite a while with very good results!

[Parrothead]

We use the hair dryer set on low to defrost the freezer. We have never had to defrost the frig. Don't ask me why, I don't want to question it. We must have a lucky setting because we always had to defrost frig on our other units. Be careful throwing big chunks of ice in the sink, you could crack it.
Happy trails.....................

[stiles watson]

Three or four times a year. With the unit turned off, warm, not hot, air movement through the chamber is helpful to speed up the process. The Norcold we have now is much more efficient than the Dometic we had in the former unit.

[bigmurf]

Will the water from the freezer really drain outside on a Dometic? I don't see any holes in the bottom of the freezer.

[dsprik]

Cheryl uses a pan of boiling hot water on a hot pad. Defrosts very fast.

[deerrahn]

We put in a pan of hot water on a towel for about 15 min and then go to the hair dryer. What water does not drain out is cleaned up with the towel. The water comes out the hose where the propane igniter is behind the vent on the side of the unit. If you don't have this drain, I would check with the dealer I'm not knowledgeable about all the units to know is some do, and some do not. Have a Good Day

[clutch]

We thaw our frig about once a month. Usually when the freezer is empty and before we go to the store. WE shut it off and use the hair dryer. Just be careful to not get anything to warm.

[ChuckandKathy]

Thank you for all of the comments. I came home from the store one day and Chuck had defrosted the freezer! He said it was easy and not messy. I was so surprised that he defrosted it!
Maybe that will be his job now?