Fridge at 50

[Logan X]

My trailer is parked at my house so I keep the fridge running all of the time.

[Mroe67]

Started fridge at home Phoenix, set on max 9. seems to still be some kind of issue. Took three days to get to 50, no colder. Freezer is fine. Now I’m in Colorado and it’s at 30. So I guess they don’t like hot weather. Bottom and top two condenser cooling fans work fine.. maybe if I want it to work in hotter weather, I just need to add more cooling air to the condenser area. So much for an “all weather camper.”

[LHaven]

After reading all of these fridge complaints, I'm counting my blessings that we haven't had a lick of an issue with ours. It's not in a slideout, it cools down from a standing start in a matter of a half day or so, and it keeps the drinks frosty and the ice frozen. Maybe it's just luck of the draw, or maybe it's where the designers place it in the trailer. I know from now on I won't even consider designs where the fridge is in a slide.

[skmct]

We have the same [U]NO COLD[U] 4 door was told by dealer it take s24 hrs to cool down.
So first time out I started it 36 or so hrs before leaving. When we picked it up it was warm. It had killed the battery and was not running. What we do now is fill the cooler with cold drinks and ice. Hook up and start the fridge. By the time we reach the first night stop the fridge has started to cool. We setup drink a couple of the cold ones from the cooler put the rest in the fridge. Head to the closest restaurant eat then get groceries by then the fridge is cold enough to put the food in it.

[chuckster57]

The biggest drawback to the Norcold 2118 refer IMO is the interior fans that you can’t shut off. Here at the shop we know from experience that a fully charged gp 27 battery wont make it through the night.

[jsb5717]

The larger RV fridges (12-18 CF) in the slide need additional fans to help move enough air through the fins to keep them cool. Kits are available and easy to install. Solved it for me.

[Northofu1]

my 8 cu ft is in a slide and does an awesome job. Lucky?

[ctbruce]

Originally Posted by Northofu1

my 8 cu ft is in a slide and does an awesome job. Lucky?

Count your blessings.

[Northofu1]

Originally Posted by ctbruce

Count your blessings.

I can't see me owning this trailer past next summer.

[Mroe67]

So your saying add more fans in addition to the two on top and one mid way? What fan kit are you referring to?

[Mroe67]

Mine had factory installed one fan at the bottom and two at the top. Are you saying you added even more than that? If so where did you get the fan kit?

[7Iron]

Check out this thread, similar issue with the 315RLS, there were a handful of folks who posted 5 different issues and what they did to solve.

http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums...=315rls&page=3

[jsb5717]

Originally Posted by Mroe67

Mine had factory installed one fan at the bottom and two at the top. Are you saying you added even more than that? If so where did you get the fan kit?

Yes, if your fridge isn't staying cool when it's warm out then the fans you have aren't getting it done. Mine is a 12cuft. double wide fridge and has 3 OEM fans midway between the lower and upper vents. It's supposed to be pulling air up through the fins and out the upper vent. But it just doesn't keep up. I added 2 more fans and a thermostat that blows air out the top vent. Now with 5 fans, the top 2 actually evacuating the air back out of the box, it seems to keep up much better.

I don't know if the OEM design for the larger fridges is deficient in the amount of air flow, the overall size of the fins to catch enough air, or the design of the box it gets installed in. Maybe it's a bit of all of those. My guess is that someday the manufacturers will figure it out.

[Mroe67]

Yes but now i’m In a cooler climate and it’s not to temp. Switched to LP to see if it would be better. We went away for the day, so will see if it’s better when we get back. If not, i’m Not sure adding more fans will help, now am wondering if system itself is bad, or MyBlue bad board. Have to nurse it through this month till we get back home to Arizona.

[jsb5717]

I have noticed that the fridge itself can put a lot of heat in the space behind it. I've also had my fans kick on when it's not that warm out, although it is worse when it's hot out. It still might be possible that the hot air just isn't getting moved out which compounds the heat build up. If your fans are kicking on then you still might just need more fans

[Mroe67]

Came back from our mini trip at it was at 42. I am thinking it really may be the cooling system itself. Or possibly the circuit board. Going with a mobile service company when we get home as my dealer does not seem to know crap about them

[JRTJH]

There's an old thread in which a member comments about his refrigerator problems. His dealer tried several times and could never get the refrigerator to work. He located a Dometic service center (that was not an RV dealer) and they resolved his problems. Sometimes, dealer service centers are "repair and replace only" type of technology while an actual "manufacturer trained service technician" deals only with that product and not the other 15,000 components in a travel trailer. Sometimes relying on a specialist who actually knows the inner workings of the specific appliance is needed. Maybe your refrigerator problem is one for the specialist, not the dealership's R&R methodology......

[kksfish]

Geez! I had been giving some thought to looking at new-er RV this winter but......now I am having second thoughts! My Dometic refrigerator works great in all outside temps, my furnace keeps me warm with a little help from a couple of small electric heaters, my A/C keeps me reasonably cool with the help of a small fan, no roof leaks, my slide-outs function reasonably well (need to powder the bottom, all my lights both 120 and 12 work, my floor is solid......
So I don’t think I would trade even on a new on with all these issues ��

[Harleydodge]

Originally Posted by kksfish

Geez! I had been giving some thought to looking at new-er RV this winter but......now I am having second thoughts! My Dometic refrigerator works great in all outside temps, my furnace keeps me warm with a little help from a couple of small electric heaters, my A/C keeps me reasonably cool with the help of a small fan, no roof leaks, my slide-outs function reasonably well (need to powder the bottom, all my lights both 120 and 12 work, my floor is solid......
So I don’t think I would trade even on a new on with all these issues ��

Ditto! and Amen!! Older and comfortable is way better than new and useless.

[Frank G]

Not to fear, most units work fine, only the ones with problems get attention. I have A Norcold 2118, wok up this morning and it was 11 deg freezer and 33 in the refrigerator. We had to turn it down a number to keep the eggs from freezing. Presently residing in full sun in central Florida. I have not added any fans or other modifications.

Yes, I understand there are units with issues and I wish the solutions were simple. This thread would not stop me from purchasing another unit if it was in our future.