Interesting refrigerator problem high altitude

lhetsler

Well-known member
We just spend about 2 1/2 weeks in the Rocky Mtns at 7 to 9 thousand feet. Our refrigerator worked fine. When we came down from the mountains, the refer would not cool below 60 degrees sometimes 54 at night. It did this for two days, prompting me to make an appointment to have it looked at. Then on the second day we were off the mountain traveling back it began working normally again. Has anyone seen this happen before and is there an explanation.
 

rockhound

Member
I have not had this happen but I am a refrigeration mechanic, everything works on a pressure/temperature relation, and going to and from higher elevations would cause the pressure changes, causing the temp. changes, even when we install brand new equipment there are different settings depending on which elevation you are installing at. Hope this helped a bit.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Les:
The cooling system of an RV evaporative refrigeration unit is a SEALED SYSTEM, just as is the compressor driven air conditioning system in your tow vehicle. Your vehicle AC is not affected by altitude, just as the sealed part of your RV refrigerator should not be affected by altitude.
The external energy that drives the RV evaporative refrigerator is a heat source - either propane flame or electric resistance heating. The propane flame air/fuel mixture is affected by altitude changes resulting in less heat to run the refrig. I would expect this to be less at high altitude versus a flame that was adjusted at low altitude. I would expect the RV refrig to work exactly the same at high and low altitude on electric heating power.

Here is a link to how RV evaporative refrigerators work:
http://www.rvmobile.com/tech/Trouble/cooldoc.htm
 

Rickhansen

Well-known member
Bill,
I'd have to side with your logic on this question. I can buy into the the difference in flame based on altitude. I'd be betting mostly on outside ambient temperature differences from the altitude changes. I've also heard where traveling can affect where the ammonia pools in the system, gas bubbles lodge, etc that could cause lack of cooling issues on startup of the system.
 

lhetsler

Well-known member
Thanks for your replies, hopefully it will keep working normally. Just thought I'd throw it out there for comments.
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
Your refrigerator is mounted in the kitchen slide, these models should have cooling fans mounted between the lower and upper outside air vents behind the refrig. Make sure the fans activate when temps reach the 90's. The fans are thermostat controlled. If the fans fail to turn on during hot days, most likely the inline fuse located between the lower outside vent and refrig is blown. I have a 3600RL with the same cooling fan system. The refrig venting system requires the cooling fans because these models do not have refrig roof vents because of the slide interference.
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
Photo of refrig fuses and cooling fans
 

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