Help With Refrigerator

Discussion in 'General Community Discussions' started by chappy58, Jan 20, 2010.

  1. chappy58

    chappy58
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    I would like some help if someone out there can help. My refrigerator has gone out and this is the second one that I have had go out. Is there a company that I can buy an electric 6.3 cu ft. refrigerator that someone would recommend to replace the 3 way I currently have. I do not go anywhere that I can't hook up to electricity.
    Thanks
    David
     
  2. Robie

    Robie
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    Can you give some expanded information on your RV type. Also make and model of the refrigerators that went bad and how long they worked prior to failing. Also you stated that you do not have AC power were you stay. Did you run your 3 way refrigerator on 12 volt or LP Gas only.
    Need some detailed information in order to make an informed comment.
     
  3. chappy58

    chappy58
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    I sorry Rob on my last statement. We always go were we can hook up to electricity. My wife would not go with me if we did not have electricity. The make of both refrigerators were Dometic and this one is a Dometic Classic mod RM2620. It has been in the camper for 7 yrs. We use our camper about 3-4 times a year for vacation or fishing trips to the coast. Any help would be appreciated.
     
  4. dog bone

    dog bone
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    I don't know of one off hand. What a few of my friends did was just measure the opening and go shopping. Walmart, Sears, anywhere that sells refrigerators. Find one that fits. They made a shelf over the top, just to make it look nice. The reefer was smaller than the original. You probably won't find one that fits perfect.
    Just a question. Does it work on gas or 12 volt? If it does just leave it that way. How about getting in touch with dometic. They might be able to help you fix it.
     
  5. Robie

    Robie
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    David

    Thanks! This gives me some good information on your refrigerator problem. I am going to do a little RV refrigerator 101 and hope that this might help you and provide some insight as too why your refrigerators are failing. I understand your plight as I have had a Dometic refrigerator fail, in a fifth wheel, I had several years back. It was about 5 to 7 years old at the time it failed. I am not a Dometic fan and always get a Norcold refrigerator in a new fifth wheel, as we just did this year. Norcold is made in the USA. First RV refrigerators use liquid ammonia as a refrigerant. The lower part of the system has a tank with liquid ammonia and a heating element that is 110/115 volt AC operated. Also there is an LP Gas heater that is used to heat the liquid ammonia during travel or if AC power is not present. In a 3 way unit there is also a 12 Volt DC heating element that can be used if there is no AC power or LP gas. Heating the liquid ammonia turns it into a gas and the gas is circulated up into the upper cooling coils where it condenses back into a liquid thus transferring heat from inside the refrigerator into the liquid. The liquid ammonia then returns back to the lower unit and is heated and turned back into a gas. This is the process that makes the refrigerator get cold. The bad part of this system is that liquid ammonia is highly corrosive and will eat through the tubing which makes up the cooling coils of the upper part of the system. This will happen faster if the refrigerator is not dead level during operation or in long term storage. During long storage the refrigerator should be run, now and then, to prevent problems. If the refrigerator is not level, liquid ammonia becomes trapped in the turns of the cooing coils when it should have run back to the lower part of the system and the refrigerant tank. The trapped liquid will eat through the tubing. This will cause a pin hole in the tubing and you will know this has happening if you are smelling ammonia around the area of the refrigerator. This is dangerous so do not use the refrigerator, it is not repairable, the unit must be replaced. Some of the things that can be repaired are the following. The AC heating element can be replaced if it is bad. The 12 Volt DC heating element can be replaced if it is bad. The LP Gas heater can be repaired or replaced if it is the problem. The electronic control boards can be replaced if bad. If the tubing of the cooling unit has pin holes and the refrigerant has been lost the entire cooling unit could be replaced but it would cost as much or more then a new unit so this is not a good option. If you can not troubleshoot the problem on your own get help from your local RV repair shop. Your unit is 7 years old so one of the problems I have listed above could be the cause. The unit may be repairable but would it be cost effective. The member that made the previous post gave good advice on replacing with a non RV refrigerator, but these are AC Power only, and would not work on the move during travel. If this is not a problem for you it is a good option. However: a non RV refrigerator will reduce the trade or selling value of your RV should you decide to get a new unit. Hope this helps and good luck.
     
  6. Florida Native

    Florida Native
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    Leman's in Amish country in Ohio, hasmany types of fridges of various sizes that are gas or gas electric. The appear cheaper than Camping World. I was there recently and looked carefully at them in case I need another one. They ship and it could be installed by anyone certified for gas applications. I have nevr seen the need for a 3 way. Seems like one way being 110 V and either or on the 12 V or propane for the other is fine. Having all three seems to be just something else to go wrong.

    http://www.lehmans.com/cgi-bin/lehmans/dyn...H?page_number=1
     
  7. dalsgal

    dalsgal
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    Ford, the post your spammed was made in 2010.
     
  8. Texasrvers

    Texasrvers
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    QUOTE(dalsgal @ May 15 2014, 05:46 PM) [snapback]36617[/snapback]

    Ford, the post your spammed was made in 2010.




    Thanks dalsgal. This was not the only place he spammed. He got caught with the others but slipped this one by--for a little while.
     

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