Community Forums

davidf1 · 09-08-2013, 01:56 PM

I just had my RV checked out by my local shop. They said the fridge was working. I tried running it on elec, but the freezer barely got cool after about five hours. I then tried LP and it was cooling nicely. I switched back to elec. and it then quit working all together. Back to LP, with a flame running and no "NO gas" warnings, and now NO COOLING whatsoever! Checks the two small glass fuses and they looked fine. I assume you can tell by looking at them, or do you need to replace them to know for sure? Also, would you need these fuses to be working if running on LP. Very confused here! The indicator lights are lit telling me I am on LP and I can hear the gas running. Stove works fine also.

jesilvas · 09-08-2013, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidf1

I just had my RV checked out by my local shop. They said the fridge was working. How did they test it?

I tried running it on elec, but the freezer barely got cool after about five hours. Not long enough at all.
I then tried LP and it was cooling nicely. After how long?
I switched back to elec. and it then quit working all together. What does this mean? No lights on the front at all? For how long?
Back to LP, with a flame running and no "NO gas" warnings, and now NO COOLING whatsoever! After how long?
Checks the two small glass fuses and they looked fine. I assume you can tell by looking at them, or do you need to replace them to know for sure? You can't just look. You need a multimeter to test them.
Also, would you need these fuses to be working if running on LPOne fuse will be 120V and the will be 12V, I think.Very confused here! Me too. You don't say what refr this is at all.The indicator lights are lit telling me I am on LP and I can hear the gas running. Can you physically see the flame back there? Stove works fine also.

I think you need to learn about an RV refr.
It uses 12V to run a circuit board and sense what heat source to use. It uses heat to boil a cooling mixture and then using physics, it cools your refr.
If 120V is present at the board, it will use that and run a 120V heating element.
If no 120V, it uses LP for heat.
If you see any yellow power/crystals/liquid or ammonia smell, your cooling unit is leaking and needs replacing.

davidf1 · 09-08-2013, 09:02 PM

It was left on elec power all night (9 hours) and not a bit cool.

The flame is blue. Thanks for the info about testing the fuses. I will do that. I now have had it on LP for about six or seven hours and the freezer is cool, but the fridge is totally warm. It is a side by side (not a huge one) Does the fridge not cool down at all until the freezer is at zero? I have had experience with a smaller RV refrigerator, and never seen it react like this one.

Thanks for you help

jesilvas · 09-08-2013, 09:04 PM

You need a while to cool down. 6-9 hrs is not enough.
What is "a bit" cool? You need a thermometer in the refr, don't worry about the freezer.

And are you sure it's actually running on 120V power also? I'd get a clamp on amp meter to verify. Only way to tell.
What model refr is this?

94-Newmar · 09-09-2013, 04:55 AM

Make sure you're RV is somewhat level.. usually within 3 degrees or so. The more level, the better.

(1) As Jesilvas mentions in an earlier post, down near the burner tray area look for any yellowish and or greenish residue around the bottom of the round stack or along the bottom of any of the tubing... also stick your head back in there and smell for any ammonia/bleach type odor. If either, then your cooling unit tubing has been compromised. I would think the RV shop you took it to would have checked this out but it doesn't hurt for you to look/smell around as well. Once they begin to leak somewhere it is still possible for the freezer to cool down but not the main compartment - at least until most of the coolant has been exhausted.

(2) If the system is not compromised and the freezer is at temp (say 20 degrees or lower) but the main compartment is above 50 or so after 6-8 hrs then your cooling unit needs replaced as it most likely has a blockage. These blockages occur in the tubing when they're run with the RV way out of level all the time -these type of reefers rely on gravity to move the fluid back to the boiler. There is a rust inhibitor and other chemicals within the coolant that, over time, and being way out of level, can pool, coagulate and actually reduce the normal flow back to the boiler. Thus the freezer will be ice cold, the lower portion will we almost room temp.

jesilvas · 09-09-2013, 05:44 AM

I would wait 24-48 hrs to check refr box, not 6-8 hrs. It should be down 32-40*F after that time. And like I said, freezer doesn't matter. If refr gets cold, the freezer will be too.

davidf1 · 09-09-2013, 06:45 AM

thanks folks! We had a truck camper before with the small refer. It never took nearly this long. Never guessed I might need 48 hours!

After leaving it in the gas mode over night (a total of 16 hours now) the refrigerator portion is now getting a little cool. I bumped it from "4" to "5" (highest) setting. No leaks or smells in the panel area. I will be getting a thermometer as soon as possible