Community Forums

arboldt · 09-29-2021, 03:13 PM

Rfg: RM2862 Product # 921 14 61-50
MH: 2004 Newmar Mountain Aire. We’ve been FT now for 5 years.

It seemed to be working when we left our summer location, and when we stopped at a campground a couple days later. While visiting my brother for a week, we had shore power to the MH. We *think* it kept cold on AC. After a few days at our next stop with no shore power available, was not keeping cold on gas.
Power indicator (12 V) was on, but the light for AC / Gas not lit. Turned off the power for a few minutes, then back on. Pressed the button to toggle between Auto / AC / Gas – with no AC connection, of course that didn’t light, and neither did the Gas indicator.
Tested LP system by turning on range burners. All had good flame.
Took the outside refrigerator cover off and checked the gas burner and removed the flat sheet metal cover. Could not see the burner easily, but it did seem a good blue from what I could glimpse – could not see enough to determine size of the flame. When I tried to put a small mirror (like a dentist would use), it must have blocked something – the flame turned yellow. Removed the mirror and it was blue. The flue was getting warm, so I think that was working.
Started the generator and ran it for an hour. Control panel AC indicator was lit. After ½ hour or so, the back wall of the freezer section was getting cold to the touch. After a couple hours, frost started to form on the back wall of the freezer. After 4 or 5 hours, nothing in the refrigerator section felt cold yet, even sliding some fingers between the fins.
Turned off the generator, and the control panel indicator switched from AC to gas (it wasn’t lit before).
The next morning, the freezer was still frosty and now the refrigerator section was cold, and has remained so.
Over the summer – all on shore power - there were a couple times the fridge wasn’t as cold as it normally was and a few things in the freezer weren’t solid like normal. But then it regained its cool.

So … can I trust the refrigerator / freezer? Why did it cease functioning, then resume?

SJ-Chris · 09-30-2021, 12:03 AM

I have the same refrigerator (cooling unit) in a couple RVs.

Reminder: The RV needs to be mostly level to work properly. I've noticed that when I'm not level (even a couple of times just parked on the side of a residential street with some curvature to it) sometimes the freezer section gets cold but the refrigerator section doesn't get as cold as it should.

Also, testing a refrigerator really takes many many hours. Things associated with this type of refrigerator don't change (cooling) instantly.

I suggest doing a couple of tests...
While level, put it on propane only and leave it for at least 12 hours. Put a thermometer in both the middle of the freezer and one in the refrigerator and then leave it alone except for very quick checks along the way. You'd like your freezer to be around 0 degrees F, and the refrigerator to be less than 40 degrees F.

Then, turn off the gas and leave your refrigerator open for an hour so it can drift back to room temperature. Then turn off the gas and plug in to shore power and run the same test for 12 hours.

I'd be curious to hear the results.

I had that same cooling unit go out on me about a year or so ago. Here is a great thread with lots of testing, advice, info on cooling unit replacement, and a happy ending.

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/f...g/1/page/1.cfm

(hope it's okay to post that link here...just trying to be helpful)

Good luck!
Chris

arboldt · 09-30-2021, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SJ-Chris

I have the same refrigerator (cooling unit) in a couple RVs.

Reminder: The RV needs to be mostly level to work properly. I've noticed that when I'm not level (even a couple of times just parked on the side of a residential street with some curvature to it) sometimes the freezer section gets cold but the refrigerator section doesn't get as cold as it should.

Also, testing a refrigerator really takes many many hours. Things associated with this type of refrigerator don't change (cooling) instantly.

I suggest doing a couple of tests...
While level, put it on propane only and leave it for at least 12 hours. Put a thermometer in both the middle of the freezer and one in the refrigerator and then leave it alone except for very quick checks along the way. You'd like your freezer to be around 0 degrees F, and the refrigerator to be less than 40 degrees F.

Then, turn off the gas and leave your refrigerator open for an hour so it can drift back to room temperature. Then turn off the gas and plug in to shore power and run the same test for 12 hours.

I'd be curious to hear the results.

I had that same cooling unit go out on me about a year or so ago. Here is a great thread with lots of testing, advice, info on cooling unit replacement, and a happy ending.

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/f...g/1/page/1.cfm

(hope it's okay to post that link here...just trying to be helpful)

Good luck!
Chris

Thanks! We'll keep our eyes on it. For the last few days the fridge / freezer seem to be maintaining temps while we're at my sister's. Since we're full-time, we'll be reloading the fridge in a few days and heading out.
What cooling unit did you end up getting? From...? What was the video for taking the unit out?
Thanks again!