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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / December 2006Question about Dometic Fridge
Hello to all. I just took my pop up out for the first time. I have a Dometic refrigerator that runs on AC or LP. I turned it on AC with all the power hooked up and started running the unit just as the instructions stated. After a little while, I noticed that the bottom of the freezer was getting cold so I thought everything was working. Then probably 6 hours later, it had not changed and if anything it felt warmer. I was curious how these things work and if I have a problem with mine. I suspect this is like the mini bar refrigerators at a hotel. They take forever to get cold and if there is nothing in them, they don't feel cold at all. Is this correct? The purpose of running this thing on this trip was just to make sure it worked. The only thing I had inside it was a can of coke. Anyway, any insight would be helpful. Thanks > Hello to all. > I just took my pop up out for the first time. I have a Dometic [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Anyway, any insight would be helpful. > Thanks Well, I may not be of any help, but I'll tell you my experience. I usually have some chili, breakfast gravy and so forth forzen before hand. This helps my unit get cold. I also turn it on the night before leaving...it takes at least twelve hours to warm up...er, cool down. If the unit is cold and you put in nine or ten cans of warm drink, well, you'll just overload that little sucker for at least twelve hours...it will actually warm up in side. The temp control (on mine anyway) is a high - medium - low type setting...it will take a while to get used to. If it is warm out...use high... I dont' think your experience is all that different. You will need another trip or backyard test of about 24 hours or so on the high setting before you can tell if you have a problem or not... john > Hello to all. > I just took my pop up out for the first time. I have a Dometic [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Anyway, any insight would be helpful. > Thanks I suggest that you might get a thermometer, and let the refrigerator run for a while. That's the only way you'll know for sure. You can even do that in your driveway or backyard. >> Hello to all. >> I just took my pop up out for the first time. I have a Dometic [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > a while. That's the only way you'll know for sure. You can even do that in > your driveway or backyard. And if you have a sloping driveway be certain that the trailer (Fridge) is level. I know someone who ruined a motorhome refrigerator by pre-cooling in their sloping driveway. It lasted through warranty. cost them about $1400 to replace it. I thought it was only when you run off LP that it was critical to be level. Can someone confirm? Thanks >>> Hello to all. >>> I just took my pop up out for the first time. I have a Dometic [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > in their sloping driveway. It lasted through warranty. cost them about > $1400 to replace it. >I thought it was only when you run off LP that it was critical to be level. > Can someone confirm? [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] >> pre-cooling in their sloping driveway. It lasted through warranty. cost >> them about $1400 to replace it. It matters not which heat source. It is the heat that causes the crystals to form. > I thought it was only when you run off LP that it was critical to be level. > Can someone confirm? > Thanks The problem is in the ammonia refrigerant. It must flow freely down the condensing tubes. If it puddles it can crystallize plugging the tubes. When you are moving the bouncing around takes care of any uneven situations. However, when parked for an extended time it is best to either turn it off or make certain it is close to level. Just comfortably level is good enough. If you were far off level that would affect the cooling too. http://www.rverscorner.com/articles/refer.html http://www.nh3tech.org/abs.html > I thought it was only when you run off LP that it was critical to be level. > Can someone confirm? When parked and operating an absorption (RV) refrigerator, it must be level. Period. As Rich said, comfortably level is sufficient, negating the need for a level, plumb bob or surveyor's transit.  Signature:) JR IF it's one of the "newer" models with a round boiler on it. The older ones with the square boiler need to be as level as possible. But...unlikely many folks here have one that old... Wesley > When parked and operating an absorption (RV) refrigerator, it must be level. > Period. As Rich said, comfortably level is sufficient, negating the need for > a level, plumb bob or surveyor's transit. > I thought it was only when you run off LP that it was critical to be > level. Can someone confirm? > Thanks It cools the same way regardless of the power source. It's an evaporative cooler, with electric you are just using a heating element to provide the heat that the propane flame would. Most RV fridges cool better with propane than electric, or so says the service manager where I take mine. (It has also been my experience) SignatureKarl & Angela `02 Durango `05 Fleetwood Allegiance >> I thought it was only when you run off LP that it was critical to be >> level. Can someone confirm? [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > propane than electric, or so says the service manager where I take mine. > (It has also been my experience) I have yet to use the Propane cooling method for the refrigerator, since I tend to camp with the trailer, where there is electricity. Even on a upper mid-range cooling setting, the refrigerator will freeze "things" on the bottom at the back of it. Since it gets that cold with electricity, I have not yet had a need to run it off of Proane. >>> I thought it was only when you run off LP that it was critical to be >>> level. Can someone confirm? [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > bottom at the back of it. Since it gets that cold with electricity, I have > not yet had a need to run it off of Proane. Many of us don't use campgrounds that have electric. Since my trailer doesn't have the 12 volt option, I use propane when pulling. > I have yet to use the Propane cooling method for the refrigerator, since I > tend to camp with the trailer, where there is electricity. Even on a > upper mid-range cooling setting, the refrigerator will freeze "things" on > the > bottom at the back of it. Since it gets that cold with electricity, I > have not yet had a need to run it off of Proane. Everyone is different, we almost NEVER camp where there is electric. Unlike other posters here, we have no trouble making a 20 lb bottle of propane last most of a season when camping in the Snowy Mountains, (elev ~7,500ft, August night temps ~30-40). We use the camper to get AWAY from everyone/everything, and even in our favorite areas, the camp grounds (IF we stay in them, not a even bet) rarely have electric available. Usually, they have a fire ring, maybe picnic table, and a outhouse, but some of the most beautiful country around, as well as excellent trout fishing. It is great to sit in utter silence, and watch the hummingbirds fight over the feeder that Angela often puts out for them - damn but I wish I could fly like that - but then again, so do the Blue Angels, or watch the Moose and the deer wander through the campsite! SignatureKarl & Angela `02 Durango `05 Fleetwood Allegiance >"Rich256" <nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message >> >> And if you have a sloping driveway be certain that the trailer (Fridge) is >> level. I know someone who ruined a motorhome refrigerator by pre-cooling >> in their sloping driveway. It lasted through warranty. cost them about >> $1400 to replace it. >I thought it was only when you run off LP that it was critical to be level. >Can someone confirm? >Thanks Either be moving, or level when stationary, no matter the source of power. Three and two way reefers work on the same "principle of ammonia refrigeration, it's just the method of how the heat is applied to the solution in the perc tube. Electric uses a resistive heater instead of a gas fuel flame. Visit this site for information: http://rvmobile.com/Tech/Trouble/cooldoc.htm Of course, this assumes a single type of refrigeration system of the ammonia/water/hydrogen type. If the unit has both the ammonia and a compressor type, one can usually operate the compressor worked refrigerator out of level and stationary. > Hello to all. > I just took my pop up out for the first time. I have a Dometic [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Anyway, any insight would be helpful. > Thanks I wanted to say that it is VERY important to make sure the trailer is level when running the fridge. Not only will it cool better, it will last longer (you can kill the fridge by not having it level when run). SignatureKarl & Angela `02 Durango `05 Fleetwood Allegiance Thanks Everyone. I know we were probably not level enough on our first campout. I tried and tried but never could find a spot where I could get level. >> Hello to all. >> I just took my pop up out for the first time. I have a Dometic [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > longer > (you can kill the fridge by not having it level when run). > Thanks Everyone. > I know we were probably not level enough on our first campout. I tried [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] >> longer >> (you can kill the fridge by not having it level when run). You need to throw in some leveling blocks. Best I ever had were some aluminum chocks that I unfortunately did not keep when I traded in a motor home. I use Trex blocks left over from my deck project and they are better than wood blocks as they ar 50% plastic and do not get soaked from setting on the wet ground. > Thanks Everyone. > I know we were probably not level enough on our first campout. I tried and > tried but never could find a spot where I could get level. Many of us just use pieces of 2x6 planks or even 2x4. Do you have a level? I think best to measure at the refrigerator or on the stove. External mounted levels make it a lot easier. http://www.newrver.com/rvlevelingtrailer.shtml >> Thanks Everyone. >> I know we were probably not level enough on our first campout. I tried [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > level? I think best to measure at the refrigerator or on the stove. > External mounted levels make it a lot easier. External mounted levels make all the difference in the world. I have them mounted on each side. 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