Everchill 12V Refrigerator Challenge

[kcgaz]

I installed an Everchill WD-282fwdc-6 12V Refrigerator. After the install, the fridge and freezer cooled down quickly and seemed to be working well. I happened to notice that the refrigerator goes through a defrost cycle each day for about three hours. During this cycle, the blower in the freezer stops and the temp drops from -10 to 30 degrees. The refrigerator maintains 32 to 35 degrees. The rest of the day the freezer maintains -10 degrees. Has anyone else experienced this? Should I be concerned? Thanks in advance for your input!

[Jay D.]

Originally Posted by kcgaz

I installed an Everchill WD-282fwdc-6 12V Refrigerator. After the install, the fridge and freezer cooled down quickly and seemed to be working well. I happened to notice that the refrigerator goes through a defrost cycle each day for about three hours. During this cycle, the blower in the freezer stops and the temp drops from -10 to 30 degrees. The refrigerator maintains 32 to 35 degrees. The rest of the day the freezer maintains -10 degrees. Has anyone else experienced this? Should I be concerned? Thanks in advance for your input!

-10 DEG. ARE you sure, thats real cold.
Jay D.

[dsrace]

Congrats on the 12v fridge.. we really like our dometic and don't plan on ever returning to a lp/elect rv fridge. We run the domestic dcm4101 10 cu ft 12v unit. I have no experience with everchill and you probably need to call the tech line and hope for someone that speaks English. It sounds like it is designed to go through that cycle. 30* is still frozen and if it returns to 10 below then sounds good. Ours has 3 power consumption settings to choose from and 4 temp setting. Eco, silent and performance and then 1 thru 4 on temps. Eco only pulls 3.5 amps when it cycles and is for traveling. Haven't tested power setting silent and performance draws up 15 amps on start up each cycle. On that setting and temp level 3 ( 1 warmest to 4 coldest) any cans of soda up against the back wall will begin to deform and freeze overnight. So temp level 2 or keep the soda in the door shelves lol I suppose power setting silent Nd temp 3 might be great as well.

[Capacitor]

From another forum. Sounds like maybe the same problem.

[gatorcq]

contact MFG

[kcgaz]

I spoke with the Everchill technical department which is now owned by Lippert and they said the defrost sensor is bad and they do not have replacements, so they will be forwarding me a new fridge. I'm hoping this will solve the problem!

[kcgaz]

Originally Posted by dsrace

Congrats on the 12v fridge.. we really like our dometic and don't plan on ever returning to a lp/elect rv fridge. We run the domestic dcm4101 10 cu ft 12v unit. I have no experience with everchill and you probably need to call the tech line and hope for someone that speaks English. It sounds like it is designed to go through that cycle. 30* is still frozen and if it returns to 10 below then sounds good. Ours has 3 power consumption settings to choose from and 4 temp setting. Eco, silent and performance and then 1 thru 4 on temps. Eco only pulls 3.5 amps when it cycles and is for traveling. Haven't tested power setting silent and performance draws up 15 amps on start up each cycle. On that setting and temp level 3 ( 1 warmest to 4 coldest) any cans of soda up against the back wall will begin to deform and freeze overnight. So temp level 2 or keep the soda in the door shelves lol I suppose power setting silent Nd temp 3 might be great as well.

I was wondering if this was normal, but I've never had a freezer drop that much in temp during a defrost cycle. I was concerned that my food would not stay safe. Once I found the right person, the service was great. The company is based in Indiana.

[rtaggio]

My EverChill (same model wd-282) also gets very cold 0 or so and refrigerates well. We full time so the fridge has been in continuous use. After about 6 months the defrost device or system quit and when it does the fridge warms to unsafe temps. Spoke to the distributer in IN and they offered to replace the fridge. Since the installation was a PITA I asked for an alternative. They sent a new board which was supposed to fix the issue. By the time I could get the new board installed my year was already up. So with that said, I just put up with the fact we have to defrost our self defrosting fridge from time to time.
Still beats the propane fridge it replaced in every category.

[kcgaz]

Originally Posted by rtaggio

After about 6 months the defrost device or system quit and when it does the fridge warms to unsafe temps.

Does your refrigerator/freezer maintain proper temperatures now that the defrost sensor has failed?

[Olyteddy]

Most compressor based fridges need the freezer to be about 65% full to prevent food from totally thawing during defrost. A jug of water works well to add content if there is little to no food in the freezer.

[rtaggio]

Originally Posted by kcgaz

Does your refrigerator/freezer maintain proper temperatures now that the defrost sensor has failed?

Yes, fridge maintains proper temps until it freezes solid. What occurs is the system slowly and completely ices up and when it does it the airflow to the fridge is blocked and fridge starts to warm.

If you let it go too long you will see the temp setting lights flash instead of being solid.

Remove 2 screws in top corners of freezer, pull the top of the panel out, unclip the fan wire, and pull the back panel out and defrost.
We use a large pot of boiling water in the closed fridge to speed the thaw. It takes 30-45 minutes before water starts to flow to the drain pan. after about an hour the water is coming down fast and furious and will easily overfill the pan so be ready to deal with that. We use a large syringe to suck the water from the pan. whole process can be done in 3 hours and freezer and fridge return to normal temps within 30 mins of powering back up.
While its clearly a pain in the ass, it still better then the dometic propane crap that was there and twice as large.

[kcgaz]

Originally Posted by rtaggio

Yes, fridge maintains proper temps until it freezes solid. What occurs is the system slowly and completely ices up and when it does it the airflow to the fridge is blocked and fridge starts to warm.

Thanks for that information, mine is dropping the temperature in the freezer at this point for about 2-3 hours. I'm starting to think maybe that is how the refrigerator defrosts?