Automatic Refrigerator - Montana Owners Club

Sue · 07-05-2004, 11:34 AM

I know I should of posted this weeks ago, but in anticipation of going back to Chicago in 3 weeks for a 2 week horse show, I have to live off a generator at this show. Our refrigerator is one that the temperature can be adjusted by me, IT'S AUTOMATIC and I hate it. I had it on gas because I obviously cannot run the generator 24/7. The freezer kept up nice n cold no problem, but the refrigerator took days to get things cold. I made my famous tuna noodle caserole that everyone begs me to make, and I had to put it in a cooler on ice as I was afraid my family would get sick!!!

Anyone else have this frig??? What do you think of it????

Now that I think about it, I wasn't happy with the preformance on AC either.

Sue · 07-05-2004, 11:37 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Montana Sue
Our refrigerator is one that the temperature can be adjusted by me, IT'S AUTOMATIC and I hate it.

SORRY THAT SHOULD SAY cannot BE ADJUSTED!!!

(I can't edit my posts)

sreigle · 07-05-2004, 12:47 PM

Sue, I assume you have the standard refrigerator put in the Montanas? Ours is the Dometic Americana and sounds like yours - no temperature adjustment. It's been awhile since ours was turned off but back in those days where it was sometimes turned off it would cool enough to keep food safe in just a few hours. In summer weather sometimes I'd fire it up the night before. If the air temp inside the Montana is really hot, then I could see why it would take awhile to cool but would think the freezer would be the same.

By the way, the only thing a thermostat would do for you is let you control the resulting temperature. It would not help it cool down more quickly. If the air temp is reasonable then maybe something's not right with your fridge?

joe2speed · 07-05-2004, 01:08 PM

Yes I had that problem when if first got my monty. If the weather is extremly hot it could take the fridge a couple of days to get as cold as it can. I leave mine on all summer. When a come home from a trip i plug into the house. That way when I'm ready to take off the fridge is nice and cold. This way you can leave a lot of stuff in the fridge instead of carrying it back and forth to the house.

Joyce H · 07-05-2004, 01:20 PM

I sure wish I had my Montana here at the house so I could explain this post a little better, but will give it a stab and maybe someone can add to it to make it a little clearer. When we first got our 3295RK I too was concerned about the refrigerator not seeming cold enough. I mentioned this to our dealer. As you are stating there is no "official" way to adjust the temperature in the frig part of the unit...however. I do remember our dealer showing us a way to slightly bend or slide something in the upper part of the refrigerator part near the freezer. I believe it was on the right side (looking into the frig) There is a place where the coldness from the freezer blows into the frig section for cooling the lower section. Our dealer adjusted this very slightly and now or frig is nice and cold. The dealer even told me if things got too cold in the frig I could readjust. I do turn it on gas the night before we leave on a trip and of course the freezer section cools first. If someone can look inside their frig maybe they can be more specific about where this little adjustment can be made. Just feel around when the refrigerator is running and see where the cool air is coming into the refrigerator section from the freezer. Hope this helps. I won't be in my unit for a few weeks because of other obligations but will watch this post to see if someone can discover what I am talking about. Good Luck.

Sue · 07-05-2004, 01:43 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Joyce H

I sure wish I had my Montana here at the house so I could explain this post a little better

Ya, mine is kept at the barn when were not using it.

Come to think of it, I don't think it will fit in my driveway while attached to my truck.

Back to the discussion. I certainly will check this out when I see my unit again. Like you said, hopefully someone will come along and add/adjust what you said about the vent flow. Sure would be nice.

Thanks

NJ Hillbilly · 07-05-2004, 03:36 PM

There is a sensor that's in a plastic sleeve that is slipped on a fin on the right side. If You slide it up the fridge and freezer will get colder, slide it down for warmer. I keep mine slid all the way up and the fridge stays nice and cold. It sometimes freezes sensitive fruits and veggies on the top against the coils.

John

Joyce H · 07-05-2004, 03:52 PM

Thanks John. Maybe that will make my previous post a little clearer. Knew I could count on someone else knowing about this way of adjusting the temperature.

sreigle · 07-05-2004, 04:03 PM

Thanks, John and Joyce. Read all this then went and moved ours up about halfway between where it was and the top. So simple.

Sue · 07-05-2004, 04:05 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by NJ Hillbilly

There is a sensor that's in a plastic sleeve that is slipped on a fin on the right side. If You slide it up the fridge and freezer will get colder, slide it down for warmer. I keep mine slid all the way up and the fridge stays nice and cold. It sometimes freezes sensitive fruits and veggies on the top against the coils.

John

Does this work while using propane too?????

I guess when starting up it is gonna take a few days to get real cold. Thanks for all the input.

Sue · 07-05-2004, 04:07 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by NJ Hillbilly

There is a sensor that's in a plastic sleeve that is slipped on a fin on the right side. If You slide it up the fridge and freezer will get colder, slide it down for warmer. I keep mine slid all the way up and the fridge stays nice and cold. It sometimes freezes sensitive fruits and veggies on the top against the coils.

John

Where is the location for this sensor? Where is the plastic sleeve??
Dang, I wish my unit was here. Will I remember this in 3 weeks

sreigle · 07-05-2004, 04:08 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Montana Sue

Does this work while using propane too?????

Yes.

In the upper part of the back wall of the refrigerator section you'll see vertical aluminum fins. They're very obvious. Attached to the fin on the far right is the plastic sleeve John mentioned. It's also very obvious. Make note of where it is located in case you want to move it back. The fin slides up and down. John pointed out moving the sleeve upward will lower the temperature, downward raises it. I have no personal experience with this, just happened to see your post and just finished moving ours.

--edited 7/6/04--- after a day of testing, i found ours requires moving the probe down rather than up for colder temperatures.

Karl · 07-05-2004, 04:56 PM

We have the same fridge. Dinosaur Electronics makes a replacement control board for the Dometic fridge. It has a temperature control integrated into the board. Our fridge cooled too much when we first got our unit (to 18 degrees and froze everything) My dealer replaced the original board with the Dinosaur, and I am now able to control the temp. I do agree though, that being able to control the temperature will not speed up the cooling of it. Check to be sure that there is nothing blocking the air flow over the coils, and also check to see that there is nothting blocking the flow of the "chimmney". A link to check Dinosaur Electronics is just below.

http://www.marksrv.com/dinop711.htm

also the Dinosaur site itself

http://www.dinosaurelectronics.com/

Hope this helps!

Bowie · 07-06-2004, 04:45 AM

In our unit, the little finny thing is located on the right side about mid unit. Had no clue that it was adjustable! But for the moment the frig seems to work great. We have a frig thermometer in frig and one in freezer. They hold steady at 40 and 0 for the moment on either propane or electric. Had same unit in previous camper. We turn on propane the nite before needed and have discovered that if you put something in the unit it seems to cool quicker. And it holds temp better if it is full. So rather than trust a casserole or other sensitive foods to the cooling process, we stick in sodas or beers (!) and then remove whatever is needed so that we can fit in the other provisions. Only put WATER WITH EXPANDING SPACE IN CONTAINER IN FREEZER or you will have a heck of a mess. Remeber that the cold fluids will sweat like crazy so be sure to remove them to a cooler or other watrproof container when they have done their chilling duty. Hope this helps.

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