Refrigerator Temp

Netem

Well-known member
What kind of temps are you getting in the frig ? Have the temp adj. slid up and still having a hard time keeping it below 40. Have a 2900 MK with the frig in the slide and it has a fan above the coils that runs almost constantly.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
I am getting 32/33 in the frig section in my 9 cubic foot model.

If your fan runs nearly constantly, it is my guess that with your "refer in a slide", you are getting little in the way of a convection current behind the refer from the bottom exterior vent and out the top exterior vent.

I suggest you grab a ladder, remove both top and bottom exterior vents and see what you can see and feel.

Look above the top vent in the inside of that cavity. In some cases, it has helped if that is insulated, then blocked with a piece of luan, fixed in place. Otherwise, what may be happening is the fans are moving the hot air from the boiler to the top of the cavity where it hangs at the top, above the top vent.

This is just my theory but it's work checking. Be careful too, that boiler (or whatever it is called) gets very hot and AC power is present in the bottom section behind the bottom vent.

Jim
 

Netem

Well-known member
Thanks Jim, I was wondering about a shield of some sort above the top vent to force the air out that vent. Do you know what the minimum would be on the top end of the temp?
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Sorry, I have no ideas on the exterior temps and what is a decent range at a given ambient. Where is fivernine when we need him!

I too have though of using a piece of radius sheet metal but a service center did the method I described below.

My issue was not a lack of cooling though. My freezer was a snow cone maker! It made snow at an alarming rate. Turns out that the ice maker was not mounted far enough into the cabinet. Probably an 1/8" or so out too far. Door latched just fine but the seal was not being made perfectly. Works great now.

Best of luck and I am hoping others chime in with some IR temps taken at the top vents of their well performing refers. Anyone posting such figures, please also post the outside air temperature as well as the interior temperature of the refer as:

Refer in slide: Y/N
Outside air temp: xx*
Top vent exhaust air temp: xx*
Was(were) fan(s) on at time of measurements: Y/N
Interior temp of refer: xx*
Interior temp of trailer: xx*
Approximate alititude: xxx'
Refer setting: i.e. 3, 4, 5
Brand of refer: i.e. Dometic
Size of refer: i.e. 8, 9, 12, 14
 

flyfishing48

Active Member
Netem,
I have the same unit as you but a 2009. My slider is in the lower 1/3 of the adjustment range and my thermometer shows 38 deg most of the time. I think my refer is a 10 cu ft model. I am traveling now so I don't have a ladder. Not much help for you, but it sort of verifies yours has a problem. Is the fan you refer to outside near the boiler?
 

DennisZ

Well-known member
I thought I was having trouble with my frig, the electronic thermometer I have was showing readings as high as 53 degrees. I got out the handy IR thermo and low and behold, everything was at 40 degrees or less. When it would go down to 47 degrees, the inside temps were at 36 to 37 degrees... Looks like it's time to get a new thermometer.

My condenser fan ran the whole time we were out, but then again it was 108 to 110 outside!

Dennis
 

Netem

Well-known member
Tom the fan is between the two outside covers .If you take the top cover off outside and look down you should see it. I can hear mine running from outside the trailer or inside . I am checking the temp with a thermometer like the A/C guys use.
Jim, when I look at the top I only have an inch or so to the top of the slide so I don't know if the deflecter will help but maybe its worth a try. Thanks for the help,I'm trying to get things lined out before we pull out for Holland Mi. next Mon.
 

katkens

Founding Illinios Chapter Leader-retired
We had the same problem with our travel trailer 8 cubic feet it ran at 40 all the time and it bother me woking with food I knew the food in the fridg was not cold enough. We were at a rally and had dometic look at it they did get it down to 36 but we had gone to CW and got a small fan for the fridg and it helps alot we also use it in our Big Horn now moveing the air around seems to help alot.
 
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Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
We have the NDR1062 with ice maker. Originally we couldn't get the lower section below 42 to 44 and the freezer hovered around 16. It still froze stuff but ice cream was pretty soft. At the Goshen Rally a Heartland approved service company, installed a resistor that took care of the problem. We now have 33 to 35 down below and 10 in the freezer. Thermostat set on "1". I would like to see the freezer a bit colder but it's way better than it was. If I set the thermostat up, the fridge becomes a freezer. The owners manual tells you the longer you hold the door open the harder it is to keep cold. In addition, more frost build up. I would call either your dealer or Dometic to see if more can be done.
 

htneighbors

Unbelievably Blessed!
Ray, where did they install the resistor? You know what size?

Ken, did you just add a fan to the outside compartment? 12VDC, I assume? Tied in to an existing one to cycle ON & OFF together?

I'm not having problems with mine, just trying to gather info! :)

Oh, did I fail to mention...I LOVE MY CYCLONE!
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
HT. Sorry but I'm not sure. It was a kit supplied I think by Dometic and it was installed by Holmes on Wheels at last years Nat'l in Goshen. He has an e-mail address howrv@aol.com
 

katkens

Founding Illinios Chapter Leader-retired
Ray, where did they install the resistor? You know what size?

Ken, did you just add a fan to the outside compartment? 12VDC, I assume? Tied in to an existing one to cycle ON & OFF together?

I'm not having problems with mine, just trying to gather info! :)

Oh, did I fail to mention...I LOVE MY CYCLONE!

HT...That post was from the DW ,had to readed first so I could answer. The fan is a little box fan that runs on 2 D size batteries and is placed in the bottom of the frig. to circulate the air. It did help on our previous TT to gain a few degrees and we still use it now.....Kenny
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
Photos of Dometic double door side by side refrigerator with ice-maker.
The cooling fans were original factory equipment because refrig is located in slide. The lower in-line fuse protects the fan motors, the thermocouple on the upper cooling fins activates the fans. I stuffed insulation in the upper cavity above the refrig to prevent heat build up and redirect air flow out the upper exterior wall vent.
Three fuses are located in the rear of the refrig, two in-line fuses and one fuse inside cover of circuit board.
The fans run continually when outside air temp is 90 deg or higher, this would eventually drain your batteries when dry camping.

Forrest
 

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Netem

Well-known member
Thanks for the pictures Forrest. I bent some alum. yesterday and put it above the upper cooling fins to direct the heat out but after your pictures I think I'll take it out and put some insulation above the frig then put it back.
 

blackfin

Member
has anyone installed a aux fan in the cavity to help remove the hot air from the compartment. I see several advertised and was wondering if its worth the actually small investment in money and time to install.
 
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