Dometic refrigerator drain hose falling apart

[Old-Biscuit]

Actually that drip plug stops warm air and bugs

Another source for an air leaks could be the drain hose.
When units are installed, there is a check valve at the end of the drain. At install the hose might be shortened and the check valve must be moved to the end of drain hose.
Any time lack of performance or excessive frost is experienced, look for the check valve at the end of hose.

IF a simple loop was the answer, Dometic and Norcold would not have designed/produced the 'check valve' for end of drip tray drain hose

$3.39
https://pdxrvwholesale.com/products/...lug-2932115013

[donr103]

Oh.. if like me.. it's been leaking for a while.. I used eternal bond tape.. and taped up as best as I could the floor and sides of compartment.. then a lot of silicon caulk.. I also added a lot of insulation to sides.. use your cell phone with camera and flash and record the edges.. you will find large gaps.. and where factory did not seal and or insulation.. I used rock wool insulation.. near burner .. keep us posted.. send pictures of gaps.. if possible..

[donr103]

You will need step ladder or steps stool.. big gaps were they just slide in place and never sealed it up.. on mine.. shower is next to it.. and cold/hot air would just pour in.. seal as far up as possible and make as water tight as possible.. that took most Time..

[tap4154]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Actually that drip plug stops warm air and bugs

Another source for an air leaks could be the drain hose.
When units are installed, there is a check valve at the end of the drain. At install the hose might be shortened and the check valve must be moved to the end of drain hose.
Any time lack of performance or excessive frost is experienced, look for the check valve at the end of hose.

IF a simple loop was the answer, Dometic and Norcold would not have designed/produced the 'check valve' for end of drip tray drain hose

With all due respect to you, and to Norcold and Dometic engineers, they didn't always get everything right

If they consider that a check valve, it's unlike any check valve I've ever seen. It could be that a little bit of water will stay there held behind the cap by water surface tension, and only dribble out a little bit of water at a time, but I don't consider that an effective solution.

By the way, during some periods the drain line consisted of a hose going straight down to an evaporation container. So there's many ways to skin this cat, and I'm going to stick with my P-trap.

I also suspect the cap that mounted to the frame was a dumbed-down solution, because they knew the "techs" that install these would never position a P-trap correctly.

[Old-Biscuit]

Dometic has always used the check valve and stick it out the lower access panel

Norcold uses a check valve also but drain hose goes straight down into a drip cup next to burner area so water is evaporated vs draining out side of RV

Strange how those check valves have been effective for 10's thousands of units produced


You should seek employment at Dometic or Norcold and show them how it should be done

[tap4154]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Dometic has always used the check valve and stick it out the lower access panel

Norcold uses a check valve also but drain hose goes straight down into a drip cup next to burner area so water is evaporated vs draining out side of RV

Strange how those check valves have been effective for 10's thousands of units produced


You should seek employment at Dometic or Norcold and show them how it should be done

Strange how suddenly my refrigerator is getting colder than it ever has

I'm sticking by my assertion that the little cap is a dumbed-down solution.

In fact I'm also thinking of putting some insulation around the drain hose from the portion that goes from the refrigerator to where the water begins in the p-trap.

I have a portable air conditioner in my home, and I put insulation around the exhaust pipe. It really helped it cool down. The thin flexible pipe was expelling heat right behind the air conditioner, so it was pulling hot air and to trying to cool it back down.

[tap4154]

Originally Posted by donr103

Oh.. if like me.. it's been leaking for a while.. I used eternal bond tape.. and taped up as best as I could the floor and sides of compartment.. then a lot of silicon caulk.. I also added a lot of insulation to sides.. use your cell phone with camera and flash and record the edges.. you will find large gaps.. and where factory did not seal and or insulation.. I used rock wool insulation.. near burner .. keep us posted.. send pictures of gaps.. if possible..

I don't think mine's too bad. It's right up against the right wall, with a small gap on the left side. When I look up to the roof vent, there is a baffle up there directing the air toward the fins, and the opening is clear.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by tap4154

Strange how suddenly my refrigerator is getting colder than it ever has

I'm sticking by my assertion that the little cap is a dumbed-down solution.

In fact I'm also thinking of putting some insulation around the drain hose from the portion that goes from the refrigerator to where the water begins in the p-trap.

I have a portable air conditioner in my home, and I put insulation around the exhaust pipe. It really helped it cool down. The thin flexible pipe was expelling heat right behind the air conditioner, so it was pulling hot air and to trying to cool it back down.

Cooled down better cause old drain line was busted/cracked/falling apart and drawing HOT air in from the cooling unit absorber tube bundle
Not because of 'P' trap

New hose and check valve would have ended up with same results

[tap4154]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Cooled down better cause old drain line was busted/cracked/falling apart and drawing HOT air in from the cooling unit absorber tube bundle
Not because of 'P' trap

New hose and check valve would have ended up with same results

That's possible, however when this motorhome was brand new the fridge never got down to 34 or 35 degrees. The lowest I remember is 37. I am kicking myself for not noticing that crumbling drain line earlier though.

[tap4154]

Here's something that's kind of interesting. In residential Whirlpool refrigerators they had a duckbill fitting at the end of condensation/defrost drain line. This acted like a check valve, to keep heat from rising up the drain line into the refrigerator. However after the duckbill gets slimy, it sticks together, then the water backs up into the refrigerator.

This video shows a solution they came up with, a P-trap. You take the duckbill fitting off, and put the P-trap in, and you're all set.

Just more confirmation that you really should have a P-trap in your Dometic refrigerator condensation drain line. As it is, there is no check valve, just an insect cap.

It also shows that originally the Whirlpool engineers got it wrong when they decided to put a duckbill fitting on. But they are able to admit they made a mistake, and came up with a better solution.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qxjAEgOwCks

[J Birder]

Originally Posted by akeagle

A heat gun or hair drier might be able to take the kinks or sharp curves out of clear vinyl tubing.

I'm not sure I'd want to risk using a heat gun on it, and a hair drier probably won't produce enough heat. I would try very hot water.


Joel

[tap4154]

Just to put a button on this, I got an insect cap and put that on the end of the hose, so I can secure to the frame like it was.

I poured some water through the defrost tray and it drains out fine, but it really doesn't act like a check valve. Once the water drains out the little holes are dry, and air can enter and exit, if you don't have a P-trap. By the way, not only could warm air rise up through the tube, but cold air could sink down through the tube from the refrigerator as well. So it would almost be like having a bad door seal if you don't have a P-trap to close that off, with water in the bottom of the loop.