Refrigerator Not Cooling

olcoon · Apr 21, 2010

I'm sure I've seen it on here before, and I think possibly I'm not having enough patience, but...
We picked out Elk Ridge Monday afternoon. Had the fridge turned on, but it didn't appear to be cooling, the freezer was cooling off fine. Had to unplug it overnight, so I turned it off. Tue. morning I turned it on, and went out and bought a thermometer & put in there. This afternoon it was only down to around 55 degrees, the freezer was around 20. I assume I just need to wait a little longer? Sure seems to take a long time!

newbie · Apr 22, 2010

Mine normally takes about 24 hours (empty) to come down to temperature. If you have already put goods in there it takes even longer.

John

Larryheadhunter · Apr 22, 2010

I have not been able to get my fridge down below 42 degrees. Make sure the on/off black button is off between the fridge and the freezer as well as making sure the white coil with the thermostat is matched up to the blue arrow. I am still scratching my head why my freezer is ice cold and the fridge even at 5 isn't cooling to my satisfaction. Guess that's why I bought the extra years warranty from Dometic. Camping World in Tacoma last summer wanted over $100 just to diagnose the problem.

olcoon · Apr 22, 2010

Thanks for the responses! Checked it this morning @ 6:00 & it's finally gotten down to about 42 while the freezer is @ about 8 degrees! You'd think that with the technology today there would a better way to cool the fridge other than those fins! I was thinking that after spending all this money, we'd have to use an ice chest for the maiden voyage this weekend!

2010augusta · Apr 22, 2010

olcoon said:
Thanks for the responses! Checked it this morning @ 6:00 & it's finally gotten down to about 42 while the freezer is @ about 8 degrees! You'd think that with the technology today there would a better way to cool the fridge other than those fins! I was thinking that after spending all this money, we'd have to use an ice chest for the maiden voyage this weekend!

The best way to get the fridge cold faster is to load it up with COLD food, and add a small battery power fan to circulate the air inside.

mikeandconnie · Apr 22, 2010

Hello Larry, Our refg was like this for a month, However at the Northern Ca. ralley I was able to check out a different refg and noticed the center piece that seals the two door on our was not closing because the left door was adjusted down too low. I adjusted the door and the flapper closes now and seals. It works wonderful now, stays around 34 on setting of 3 if we open it alot durning the day it goes up to 40 but the next morning it aways back at 34. The leakage around the door was our problem.

Mike

2010augusta · Apr 22, 2010

Mike how did you adjust your door height? ours is beginning to do the same.

mikeandconnie · Apr 22, 2010

I used a flat adjustable wrench and bent the bottom left metal hinge bracket up about 1/8th of a inch, or until the flapper moved and closed smoothly. This is the only way i see to adjust it. Overtime with the weigth of the door on the bracket, I'm sure I will have to do it again. The right door was ok at this time.

2010augusta · Apr 22, 2010

Thanks, I didn't know if there was an adjustment, or if I had to bend the bracket. Guess I'll bend the bracket up a bit.

Cimriver · Apr 22, 2010

I believe you have the Elkridge ER34QSRL as I do. I find this post interesting in that I am also having issues with our refrigerator. See my post //heartlandowners.org/showthread.ph...gerator-Issues?p=119976&highlight=#post119976

Willym · Apr 22, 2010

I am not familiar with your exact model of fridge, however, sometimes the thermistor (which is used to sense fridge internal temp) becomes displaced. It is normally clipped to the cooling fins at the top of the refridgerator compartment (right hand side of fins). If it comes off, it will show a higher temp and the freezer compartment will go colder. You can, on most Dometic models, move the thermistor up and down on the fins. Going up (like going "north") will result in a cooler fridge, and going down will warm it up.

jmgratz · Apr 22, 2010

To make the fridge cooler move the thermister which is the white thing on the fins in the rear of the fridge.

olcoon · Apr 22, 2010

I've moved the thermostat as far up as it will go. Kind of wierd, it's gone down as low as the mid 30's, then the next time I check it several hrs. later it'll be higher. The highest I've seen today is 55 @ mid morning, right now it's 45, & I've got the thermometer laying on the bottom of the fridge. When it was in the mid 30's it was hanging from a shelf in the center of the fridge. Our Elkridge came with the Dometic 2852, I'm sure it's on the lower end of their products, but oh well.

Cimriver, we've got the 27RLSS, ain't got the big rig like you & Rainbowillie! This is our first RV so we decided to start out with that one, then possibly work up.

Cimriver · Apr 22, 2010

olcoon, I'm sure that's the same refrigerator as I have. Yup likely one of the lower end Demetic's. That doesn't mean it shouldn't cool though. In my case the freezer doesn't cool enough to freeze ice and the cooling the the refrigerator is non existent. Mine goes to the dealer tomorrow to figure it all out. I'm confident that whatever is wrong Heartland will stand behind it.

olcoon · Apr 26, 2010

None of these ideas has worked. I called Dometic today for some ideas, and the best one was to take it to a service center. One last ditch effort...I found there was some slack wire for the "thermostat" so I pulled it into the fridge, and raised the thermostat all the way to the top of the fin it's attached to. Got it running on LP gas right now to see how that works. If that's a bust, I guess I'll have to take it to the service center, and let them play with it! This is kind of the pits! Took our maiden voyage this weekend, and had to use an ice chest! Goes back to the old saying "If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all"! The ice chest (a new one) had a leak, & leaked all over the floor, plus our fridge in the house shot craps also!!! Poor, poor pitiful me!!!

Cimriver · Apr 26, 2010

Mine is at the service center. Hopefully will hear from them tomorrow on the frig. Seems to b a pattern here.

olcoon · Apr 26, 2010

Cimriver,
I've got an appointment with the dealer for Wed. Hopefully they will be able to figure it out before the weekend! Got our first big trip planned, and don't want to have to use the ice chest again! Good luck on yours, hope they get it taken care of!

BTW, got the fridge in the stick house fixed today...hope this is a good omen!

olcoon · Apr 29, 2010

Well, I took it to the dealer yesterday. Just got done talking to them. So far, they think that possibly the cooling unit has a malfunction, so who knows what the end result will be.

Cimriver · Apr 29, 2010

Just heard from my dealer. What they tell me is that they removed some insulation from the top of the refrigerator allowing the heat to dissipate better. They claim it is freezing/cooling now. Olcoon, you might want to pass this on to your dealer. That really kind of explains why mine was cooling while going down the road, but not when parked. More air circulation!

olcoon · May 3, 2010

Well, I picked up our 5er last Thur. morning. The dealer said that the cooling unit isn't working & they have a new fridge on the way from Dometic. Took it on our first "long distance", (at least our longest trip so far...second trip) over the weekend. Spent all that money, and still using an ice chest!!! At least, hopefully, the light is at the end of the tunnel!

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