Unbelievable

[jdixon980]

Venting a little bit. Hard to believe that what we pay for these fifth wheels that you can’t get a fridge to cool. Had it to dealer, nothing wrong. I added top fridge vent fan but still no good. So now I have added two portable fans in the bottom vent trying to help. Camping in Sevierville TN for the next 8 nights and the best my fridge can do is 60 degrees. Guess I need to add one or two more fans in top vent. Don’t know if that would help or not. May have to put food in coolers.17257 There has to be a way to get circulation up the back of fridge.

[ctbruce]

Are you on electric or propane? How long has it been running? What kind of fridge is it? Norcold or Dometic? Has it worked in the past the way it should? Is the check light on on the control panel?

This info will help get you some help.

[MarkS]

Something is not right, my DW complains that ours gets too cold.

[jdixon980]

Are you on electric or propane? How long has it been running? What kind of fridge is it? Norcold or Dometic? Has it worked in the past the way it should? Is the check light on on the control panel?

This info will help get you some help.



It’s on electric, but it really don’t matter. Fridge is in slide and I just seem to not be able to get enough air circulation I guess. It is Dometic. This just our 3rd trip out in our fifth wheel. It hasn’t cooled good at all until night time. Then it will get down to 37-45. As the heat builds in the day it just gets worse from there.

[gearhead]

Been there.
Forget the dealer. Find a repair shop that is a Dometic authorized warranty center. Best would be a shop that only repairs, not one that sells RV's.

The Dometic should have a 2 year warranty. Get the serial number of the fridge, call Dometic and be sure it has been registered. Dometic should send you a letter before the 2 years is over offering more warranty. Take it.

Same thing with your A/C if it's Dometic.

[ctbruce]

It’s on electric, but it really don’t matter. Fridge is in slide and I just seem to not be able to get enough air circulation I guess. It is Dometic. This just our 3rd trip out in our fifth wheel. It hasn’t cooled good at all until night time. Then it will get down to 37-45. As the heat builds in the day it just gets worse from there.Where are you camping and do you have any shade over the slideout? You didn't say how long it had been running.

[gearhead]

It it's been working hard for this long it may have crystallized the cooling system. What mine did. My cooling system was replaced under warranty. But it still has a mind of its own. One morning it's 34F, next morning 44F.
Another reason people are buying residential fridges.

[jdixon980]

It is in shade. When I pulled out this morning, it was 37 degrees. After traveling 3.5 hours it went to 45 degrees. Right now it is sitting at 60. Fridge has been running since Thursday night.

[lesleyinky]

On our last two trips to that area we had some repair needs arise and we used this place - they were great!! Reasonably priced and I believe they will come to you.

https://www.rickysrv.com

[ledunn]

I had the same problem with my frig. After 4 trips to dealer they finally put a new cooling unit in it on the 24 month. It has worked great since. Temps stay between 32-37 even with sun on it. It took some doing but Dometic came through with the help of one of the service reps at dealer. Good luck and hope you get it resolved.

[Tbos]

I’m not to far from there in another CG. I saw a mobile repair guy in here today. I think it was Reece RV repair. Hope you can get it fixed.

[jsmith948]

Adding fans to increase the air-flow over the coils will only help if the unit is working correctly. You have a cooling unit problem. Have you been operating the unit while it was way out of level? (this will cause the refrigerant to crystallize and clog up the unit) Are you adding hot/warm items to the fridge? Does anyone have the habit of leaving the dooropen too long (as in meal preparation and not closing the door between trips to the fridge)? Is the thermister properly placed on the cooling fins? We have had two Dometic absorption refrigerators and if the thermister is not correctly positioned, the milk will freeze.
There are folks on here that have many negative views of these refrigerators. IMHO, with proper operation and care, they work really well. As already suggested, I would find someone who services Dometic and have them check it out.

[jdixon980]

Adding fans to increase the air-flow over the coils will only help if the unit is working correctly. You have a cooling unit problem. Have you been operating the unit while it was way out of level? (this will cause the refrigerant to crystallize and clog up the unit) Are you adding hot/warm items to the fridge? Does anyone have the habit of leaving the dooropen too long (as in meal preparation and not closing the door between trips to the fridge)? Is the thermister properly placed on the cooling fins? We have had two Dometic absorption refrigerators and if the thermister is not correctly positioned, the milk will freeze.

There are folks on here that have many negative views of these refrigerators. IMHO, with proper operation and care, they work really well. As already suggested, I would find someone who services Dometic and have them check it out.



Fridge has never been operated out of level. This is a brand new unit. This is only the 3rd used.

[ctbruce]

Jeff, could you supply your trailer type/model number and if your fridge is a single or double door? The model number if known will help too.

WAG: If it's a double door, make sure the piece between the doors is swinging shut to seal it.

[jdixon980]

Jeff, could you supply your trailer type/model number and if your fridge is a single or double door? The model number if known will help too.

WAG: If it's a double door, make sure the piece between the doors is swinging shut to seal it.



2018 Cougar 367FLS
Dometic 4 door fridge

Fridge is currently 48 degrees. It did cool from 60 to 48 over night, but it is suppose to be in low 90s here today. Sure it will climb. Got food in coolers since yesterday.1726717268

[ctbruce]

2018 Cougar 367FLS
Dometic 4 door fridge

Fridge is currently 48 degrees. It did cool from 60 to 48 over night, but it is suppose to be in low 90s here today. Sure it will climb. Got food in coolers since yesterday.1726717268That's very helpful. There have been several reports recently about the panel that seals the space between the doors not closing leaving a gap, and making temps climb.

This strip is about 2 inches wide and attached to the edge of the left hand door. It is supposed to swing out and cause a seal with the right hand door when closed.

This wood be worth checking to see if it is a problem. There may be a sticker on the bottom of the door that causes the flap to hang up and not seal.

[JRS514]

I had liquids freezing in mine last year, discovered that there is a probe called a thermister (?) which sticks on the cooling fins. The positioning of that propbe-up or down- will determine how cold it gets. Unfortunately, I had had to replace mine. Somewhat difficult, but I did it myself.

[jdixon980]

I have checked flap multiple times. It seems good. I don’t have a thermistor on fin. Mine attaches in back of fridge and is fastened to top of fridge.

[ctbruce]

Jeff, did you get any resolution to your fridge issue? I hope that you did and we haven't heard back from you because you're busy enjoying your camping trip.

[jdixon980]

Jeff, did you get any resolution to your fridge issue? I hope that you did and we haven't back from you because you're busy enjoying your camping trip.



It has gotten some better. Ranging from 36-45 degrees. I beginning to think fridge is not working on gas when traveling. When I drove 3 plus hours to destination it was in 50s. Plug in to shore power it climbed to 60. So it took about 24-36 hours to get back to normal. Debating getting someone here to look at it or wait until I get back home and take back to Camping World. Heading to beach for a week in August so i don’t want to have this issue again there.

[sourdough]

You need to get that thing in....what's happening isn't right for a new trailer. I hope you can enjoy your trip but I couldn't/wouldn't deal with a 60 degree fridge temp - motels aren't that expensive and living out of coolers with a new RV is......not right.

[PbMax1972]

I have the exact same fridge. Bought our trailer new in July of 2016. August, September and October of '16, April and May of '17 it worked fantastic. June and heat rolled around and it started doing almost exactly the same as yours. Got an appointment to have it looked at and dropped it off at dealer's first part of July. After 8 weeks of dealer doing troubleshooting and going back and forth with manufacturer they finally replaced the cooling unit. Worked fine August, September and October and we but it to bed for the winter. Come April this year and we get it ready. The fridge is working fine through April and May, temp holding between 34 and 36 degrees. Comes around the last of May , first part of June and notice fins are icing up and temps starting to go up and stay higher. It might get to 36 at a low but will swing back up to 40's then back down. The last two days its been between 36 and 39. We are at home because we decided to do a complete defrost on it and after drying it out start over. Have had a heck of a time keeping it in proper range. Freezer works fine all the time. I haven't checked it yet today. One other thing I read from this model's manual is that it is suppose to have an automatic defrost cycle. 60 hours after it is turned on it is suppose to do a defrost, then again every 48 hours. Turning the unit off for a few minutes is suppose to start the defrost cycle timing over.


It's been a bitch not being able to be able to be out in it.

[Dorrie]

I have the exact same fridge. Bought our trailer new in July of 2016. August, September and October of '16, April and May of '17 it worked fantastic. June and heat rolled around and it started doing almost exactly the same as yours. Got an appointment to have it looked at and dropped it off at dealer's first part of July. After 8 weeks of dealer doing troubleshooting and going back and forth with manufacturer they finally replaced the cooling unit. Worked fine August, September and October and we but it to bed for the winter. Come April this year and we get it ready. The fridge is working fine through April and May, temp holding between 34 and 36 degrees. Comes around the last of May , first part of June and notice fins are icing up and temps starting to go up and stay higher. It might get to 36 at a low but will swing back up to 40's then back down. The last two days its been between 36 and 39. We are at home because we decided to do a complete defrost on it and after drying it out start over. Have had a heck of a time keeping it in proper range. Freezer works fine all the time. I haven't checked it yet today. One other thing I read from this model's manual is that it is suppose to have an automatic defrost cycle. 60 hours after it is turned on it is suppose to do a defrost, then again every 48 hours. Turning the unit off for a few minutes is suppose to start the defrost cycle timing over.


It's been a bitch not being able to be able to be out in it.Sounds just like ours! Montana HC 2016 though. Worked fine through the winter all the way till we hit the high 80s into 100 temps now. We are on 30 ampsand no shade, everyone tells us that is the problem. Plus only can run one a/c and that struggles mid day.

What we did is buy a fridge fan and put a Tupperware full of ice on the shelf above the fan. It helps but I am not happy. I defrosted the freezer twice thinking that was/is the problem.

Frustrating

[JRTJH]

This is just a suggestion as a possible work around until the dealership can get things working properly (if they can)....

If the refrigerators are operating properly in winter/spring and not able to cool properly in summer, it doesn't sound like a problem with the cooling system but a problem with venting the heat from the rear of the refrigerator. I'm guessing that all of these refrigerators are contained in a slide? Possibly, if you remove the top vent access cover you could see any buildup of insulation or some other material that is partially blocking the vent openings? Putting a 10" "block fan" in the bottom, blowing up toward the upper vent might help push the hot air away from the refrigerator fins and help cool the interior?

Maybe even leaving the upper vent cover off the side of the RV (temporarily) to help increase the airflow?

Again, these are not ways to solve the problem, that's up to the dealer and Dometic, but possibly ways to work around the problem until they solve it.....

[Dorrie]

Our fridge is not in a slide. Hubby did open the back part making sure no insects made any type of nest inside. Also checked vent on top of roof, all clear.
We are hoping it is because we are on 30 amps. Well get it checked out when we leave.

[JRTJH]

Dorrie,

If you think it is because you're on a 30 amp power source, just switch the refrigerator to LPG. That way there's no power being taken from the AC (shore power) system. If it still doesn't cool on LPG, then it's not a power source issue, but either venting or cooling unit/control board problem.

[Andymil]

I don’t know how accurate this is but I read that these refrigerators cool better on gas than electric.

[labman]

mine works great on gas but I have a hard time getting it cool on electric. 2017 vintage....

[jonnyaiks]

I am experiencing the same problem right now with a 2017 HC with the double door Dometic that worked fine last year but we were never out in this kind of heat (we were normally Aug-Oct campers). Now we have no afternoon shade on the vent and in a heatwave, fridge in a slide, neither gas nor electric can get the temp below 60 in the day, but freezer keeping below freezing (barely). The unit could be very slightly off level, but not so's you'd notice standing in it. My last option is to check that vent. The heat is supposed to break tomorrow so I guess we'll see what's what then. Looking for a good video on checking the slide vents. [emoji846]

[Frank G]

We are over in Shipshewana, IN, again. There is a RV Repair shop over this way that repairs RV Refrigerators, Dometic and Norcold.

National RV Refrigeration
5335 N State Road 5
260.768.7059

I know this is a warrentee issue but some times you have to suck it up so you can enjoy the rest of your life.

You could give them a call and explore their knowledge and see if they can help. I think Dometic is just down the road if you want to make a deposit in there front yard. :angel: