Fridge at 50

[Mroe67]

Have a 2019 Keystone Montana 3120. Took it out first time. Left fridge chill several hours and was at 38. Put in food and took off camping. As the day progressed it slowly went to 50. After two days no colder. Door was closed and so was left flap. Freezer worked fine. Then the rear a/c froze up. Little to no air flow. Tried to take a picture of frozen compressor, but factory installed security screws, couldn’t take cover off unit. So was able to drop off at dealer. A few days later got a call. Heeeerrrrrre we go........ so dealer called and said they left the a/c on for two days and nights soild and it’s not freezing up, and the fridge is down to 37 degrees. In other words........ nothing is wrong. I told them to put a load of warm stuff in the fridge, so they are going to try that. I would hate to take it back and have it happen again. Not sure what to do about fridge. But I if the a/c freezes up again I could see it through the side of the unit on the roof. But couldn’t take the main cover off to take a picture to prove it due to them using some type of Phillips screw that seemed to be “tighten” only. Any suggestions how to get these out? Maybe special screwdriver? Thought for sure they were just going to replace both units. Plus now i’m dealing with a pissed off wife!!!!!

[ctbruce]

Where were you and what were the temps? If you restrict airflow or run on low, they tend to freeze up more.

[Wyldfire]

Pretty much all the screws in the trailer are #2 Robertson. Must have for a trailer owners.

[LHaven]

It's not something simple, like the fridge stays cold on shore power, but runs too warm on propane?

The A/C thing can be environmentally related. If you try to bring the RV down too many degrees at once in a humid environment, you can get freezeup. If you can get the unit thawed before the coach regains much heat, the A/C often copes better on its second and subsequent cycles. I used to carry a hair dryer in my old rig just to solve this problem.

[jdixon980]

Did fridge loose cooling on AC or Propane? Had mine at dealer twice for a total of 7 weeks, missed 3 trips. Fridge would not cool while traveling. Dealer installed new board but still didn’t fix it. A member on here suggested checking gas line when slide is closed. Well what do you know, gas line was pinched off when closed. Might check for that if having trouble on propane.

[Mroe67]

Maybe #2 Robertson for Keystone Montana screws, but the Fridge was was a different manufacture.

Complained to the GM at the dealership. They are having the service manager call me. Still waiting.....................:lol:

[Mroe67]

Dealer all say their service is the best, what a crock. They still can’t find anything wrong with the fridge. They said they can’t put a load in it as they don’t have anything. Yah right. What about all the cases of water you give out to people!!!!??? Day before yesterday I called to try and pick it up, and they said they have to send paperwork to billing and will call me. BILLING!!! WHAT???? It’s under warranty you idiot!!!! But said there’s still paperwork. Waited two days and just called today, said the same thing and would call me. I said NO!!! I need to pick it up today. I have a trip I need it for on Monday. Lonnnng pause by him....... said he should be able to have it ready by 3pm.
I am done with going to dealerships for warranty work. Someone suggested going to a RV center where they JUST service RV’s, and are authorized but do not sell them. I guess I learned my lesson. Going to get it home and see if it indeed does work fine. I know this though, if we go on our trip Monday and the fridge warms up, i’ll turn my totally pissed off wife o them.

[LHaven]

Waited two days and just called today, said the same thing and would call me. I said NO!!! I need to pick it up today. I have a trip I need it for on Monday. Lonnnng pause by him....... said he should be able to have it ready by 3pm.

Just a tip: don't bank on your rig having gotten the complimentary wash. :hide:

[Mroe67]

Got it home, you’re right no curtesy wash. �� When I arrived home, I plugged it into to power at about 4pm, it is now 7:30 am freezer is working fine, but fridge is only at 52. I know they say it may take up to 24 hours for it to reach set temperature. But I choose this unit vs one that had a domestic (compressor type) vs an RV type with a inverter. Hopefully in the full 24 hour timeframe it will pull down, as we are scheduled for to couple day trip on Monday. If it don’t i’m Not sure I want to take it back to the dealership. They ended up charging me $180.00 for a diagnostic fee since they couldn’t find anything wrong with the fridge. Maybe i’ll try calling the factory. Any suggestions?

[chuckster57]

Late to the tread, what brand and model

[Mroe67]

Norcold mod 2118

Noticed a condenser cooling fan at the bottom access door and two inside the upperaccess door. NONE of them are running. I understand they may be on a stat. But condenser is warm to hot, shouldn’t they be on

[chuckster57]

The fans on the top will only start when the top cooling fins reach temp. There is a thermal switch that is mounted on the left end. If you can jump the wires, it should start the fans. Let it run for a couple hours and check fridge temp.

[Mroe67]

I can’t get to the Therm switch to jumper it, and am not sure what wires they are at the board. The sun is shinning on this side of the unit and live in Arizona, so i’m Thinking if they are going to come on, they should shortly

[JRTJH]

I can’t get to the Therm switch to jumper it, and am not sure what wires they are at the board. The sun is shinning on this side of the unit and live in Arizona, so i’m Thinking if they are going to come on, they should shortly

You can't "bypass" or "jumper" the thermal switch at the control board. It's a device that's electrically located "in the line" near the fan, so you have to bypass it by "jumpering around the thermal switch" on the wires "at the switch".

[Mroe67]

Oh okay, guess i’ll see if the wife will let me use her hair dryer.

But i’ll try again to get to the switch, am wondering if I should bypass it altogether? I suppose that would be quite a draw on the batteries

[Mroe67]

The hair dryer brought the switch to close and fans are running. Will see what happens now

Fans ran for about 15 minutes and the inside temp dropped two degrees, i’m wondering if I should bypass the themo-switch so they run all the time. But worried this would by quite a draw on the 12 volt system. I do have two solar cells on the roof to assist when i’m not plugged into power or have the truck electric connected. Any thoughts? Or should I not be at all worried and just give it 24 plus hours?

[JRTJH]

Rather than "permanently bypassing" the thermal switch, which would cause them to run 24/7, increase the battery drain with no way to control it and cause excessive wear on the fans, why not try relocating the thermal switch an inch or two from its current location?

It's probably something simple with a simple solution, but the "trial and error" of finding that "simple solution" may be daunting......

[Mroe67]

Thought of that too, but it seems to be located in the hottest part of the condenser, on the far left side top of the unit. Not sure where else to try

[Frank G]

Are you opening the door to check the internal temperature? It will take a couple of hours to recuperate from the open doors. The Norcold 2118 is a slow responder, it does not do well cooling down a 30 pack.

Lets start over. We winter in Florida and have lived with the Norcold 2118 for 2 + years or over 400 days. It is on the south side in a slide. It needs some considerations, it is NOT a residential compressor based refrigerator and it does not act like one, but it will keep your food cold.

1) Purchase a remote thermometer for the freezer and refrigerator. (Amazon)
2) keep the top shelf under the fan empty.
3) leave room around things for air to circulate. There are aftermarket fans available to assist air circulation.
4) The 2118 has a built in defrost function.
5) In the Morning with the unit set on 5 you should see the refer at 36 and the freezer about 10 to 15, these temps will rise a bit during the day.
6) All refrigerators perform better when moderately loaded (More stuff=More Heat Sink)
7) Make sure the drain tube is not plugged and the internal tray is not filling with condensate(water)
8) Check door alignment and seal

When we repackage 10 or so pounds of meat and place in the freezer it takes 2 or 3 days for it to recuperate.

There have been issues with this model and Norcold has replaced a few. Your best option is to get the thermometers, about $30.00 and record the results, keep a log.

[Mroe67]

Yah I totally get it about they not cooling like a compressor type fridge, and no, I am not opening the door, I have a wire sensor probe inside attached to a digital meter on the outside to monitor temp

[Frank G]

Sorry I tried to help, trying to deleat my previous post. :)

[chuckster57]

If that thermostat switch isn’t tight against that last fin, then your losing heat transfer and the switch won’t “close”. I’m starting to think the fans not running is the main issue.

[LHaven]

They ended up charging me $180.00 for a diagnostic fee since they couldn’t find anything wrong with the fridge.

There's a chasm of difference between "We couldn't find anything wrong with the fridge because it always reached the correct temperatures for us," and "we couldn't get the fridge down to temperature but couldn't find what was causing it."

You don't get paid for failing to do the job you were tasked to do.

Yes, I would call the fridge manufacturer, stat.

[Mroe67]

Switched it over to propane within 5 minutes the condenser fans came on and the inside temp dropped to 48. I think i’m getting somewhere. Still hasn’t been a full 24 hours. I’m thinking it will eventually pull down but am afraid it won’t catch up once we load it and have the doors open while we do. Will let you know tomorrow.

[Mroe67]

So it’s been over 24 hours and it’s at 40. Granted that’s better than 50. In my last RV if set at maximum it would come down to 33, but it was a Dometic brand. It’s level, evap and condenser fans are all working. Why would they say it “worked” for them? We are taking a cooler with us on Monday for our couple day camping trip. If it continues to be an issue not sure who to call. Norcold, or Keystone.

[chuckster57]

It sounds like your getting it figured out. Depending on date of purchase will determine who you should contact. in the first year of ownership the trailer manufacturer will "administer" the warranty process, after that the component maker needs to be dealt with directly.

Just a thought, if the refer is in a DARK EXTERIOR colored slide its going to have a hard time in the hot Arizona sun doing much better than 40 I think. Hope I'm wrong :confused:

[Mroe67]

Thanks for the chain of who to call.....

The outside is off white so was the previous RV and it pulled down to 33

[JimMach1]

Mine did that too the thermostat was set too high have you checked that

[Mroe67]

The higher the number, the colder it should get according to the manual, but yes i’ve Tried it in both directions

[chuckster57]

With what you've said I would be looking at the door seal now for the last 10 degrees.

[Mroe67]

Door seals fine, as well as the center flap, did the "dollar bill test".

[Mroe67]

Got to the campground all set up fridge nice and cold. All of s sudden it’s working after starting it last Friday, now Monday. Can’t believe it takes that many days for an empty fridge to start cooling. Maybe should have bought the 3121 with the standard compressor type fridge and an inverter.

[LHaven]

Clearly your unit is still problematic. My 2019, with stock nothing-special Dometic, cools down in a matter of a few hours.

[Mroe67]

Maybe, but some people are saying their big 4 door Norcolds take 24-36 hours

[Mroe67]

Another day and still at temp. Maybe this big babies do take a couple days to cool down. Probably why dealer said it’s working fine. Guess i’ll wait and see.

[chuckster57]

Good deal!! How often and for how long the doors are open will have a profound effect of temp recovery.

[Mroe67]

Only open long enough when stocking or taking an item out, but it’s keeping up. Just can’t figure out what it took so long to finally cool down

[Kathy Corraro]

Got it home, you’re right no curtesy wash. �� When I arrived home, I plugged it into to power at about 4pm, it is now 7:30 am freezer is working fine, but fridge is only at 52. I know they say it may take up to 24 hours for it to reach set temperature. But I choose this unit vs one that had a domestic (compressor type) vs an RV type with a inverter. Hopefully in the full 24 hour timeframe it will pull down, as we are scheduled for to couple day trip on Monday. If it don’t i’m Not sure I want to take it back to the dealership. They ended up charging me $180.00 for a diagnostic fee since they couldn’t find anything wrong with the fridge. Maybe i’ll try calling the factory. Any suggestions?

I heard its important for the camper to be level.

[Mroe67]

Absolute first thing we do before start up

[mikz86ta]

I've seen where RV fridge have harder time cooling than a domestic home residential type. We have the latter and no issues. In fact when we evacuated for the hurricane a year and half ago, I put ice in the freezer and drove a 7.5hr trip which took more like 12/13. Ice in freezer was still 95% ice when we arrived. And I don't run the generator while we were driving.

I seen a video on YouTube in which a guy had a RV fridge issue similar to yours. The one he had, was the larger type with two removable vents on the side of the RV where the fridge resides. There was a airflow issue that was basically a factory defect. Remove those side covers and inspect. There should be maybe a fan back there and those vents need to allow airflow. Maybe someone else can be more detail on this.



Our front AC will freeze up if it's hot and humid outside (South Florida) and we are in and out of the RV alot. The rear AC which is in the garage never freezes up...no matter big we leave the garage/living mid-door open or not. Kinda odd

[JRTJH]

...
Our front AC will freeze up if it's hot and humid outside (South Florida) and we are in and out of the RV alot. The rear AC which is in the garage never freezes up...no matter big we leave the garage/living mid-door open or not. Kinda odd

Check the location of the freeze plug in your front A/C. It may be too high in the evaporator or it may not be fully inserted between the evaporator fins.

[Shrlyjo]

Got it home, you’re right no curtesy wash. �� When I arrived home, I plugged it into to power at about 4pm, it is now 7:30 am freezer is working fine, but fridge is only at 52. I know they say it may take up to 24 hours for it to reach set temperature. But I choose this unit vs one that had a domestic (compressor type) vs an RV type with a inverter. Hopefully in the full 24 hour timeframe it will pull down, as we are scheduled for to couple day trip on Monday. If it don’t i’m Not sure I want to take it back to the dealership. They ended up charging me $180.00 for a diagnostic fee since they couldn’t find anything wrong with the fridge. Maybe i’ll try calling the factory. Any suggestions?
Question...Do you have a Samsung fridge? If so and freezer is working the fridge is froze up. If you take the panel off in back of fridge(inside) it will have a block of ice in the back. You have to turn it off and let it melt for a few days and then plug it back in. Set the freezer at about 8 degrees and fridge at 34. Fixed ours and Samsung knows it's a problem.

[skmct]

I am going to just throw this out there for your future consideration. I don't bother with the dealers anymore. I call a mobile rv service tech. Even if its a warrantee issue. As long as they are service rep for the product in question it will be covered the dealer bills the manufacturer for the repair anyway. The only draw back is you will have to pay his travel cost in most cases its less than a hundred dollars. Believe me you will be so much happier with the service.

[JRTJH]

I am going to just throw this out there for your future consideration. I don't bother with the dealers anymore. I call a mobile rv service tech. Even if its a warrantee issue. As long as they are service rep for the product in question it will be covered the dealer bills the manufacturer for the repair anyway. The only draw back is you will have to pay his travel cost in most cases its less than a hundred dollars. Believe me you will be so much happier with the service.

When you consider that taking it to the dealer usually means time off from work, hitching, towing it XXX miles, unhitching, then doing the same thing when they call you that it's ready to be picked up. (hopefully they fixed what was wrong or you'll be doing all the time off/towing again)...

When you add the cost of your time, inconvenience, operating expenses for the tow vehicle to make two trips to the dealer, usually a mobile repair service "trip charge" isn't any more and often is cheaper than taking it to the dealer..... Of course, if you live next door to the dealer, that may be different for you, but if you live 50-100 miles away, well, do the math.....

[vmyoung61]

We went thru this for 3 1/2 years with our Big Sky. Every time a tech would check it, it would work fine. I even went thru weeks at a time where I kept a log of the fridge temps. It didn't matter. Since it would work when they tested it, I couldn't get it fixed. Everybody kept telling me that it was probably trash in the cooling unit. We ended up trading for a motorhome and got a residential refrigerator. I'll never go back to the ridiculously expensive RV refrigerator. We could just replace the whole residential cheaper than having an RV fridge repaired.

[24vctd]

Log in to the better business and tell your story on a complaint form it is posted on line and dealers don’t like the bad pr.

[Mroe67]

Back from trip and unit in storage, but left fridge on, set at 7. Checked it this morning and it was at 37. I am concerned of the exact location that the thermister is supposed to be in the 2118. It is on the second fin from the right, but factory had it 1/2 down from the top. In a picture on the web site ARPRV.com shows it on the same fin, but more towards the center of the fin. Which is correct? and do you think it would make that big of a difference?

[ctbruce]

The placement on the fin up or down is how the temp is set. Yes, it will make a difference.

[Mroe67]

Ok make sense........... where should it be placed

[NH_Bulldog]

Ok make sense........... where should it be placed


From the factory, mine was on the last fin to the right, about halfway up the fin. There is a sticker on the side of the fridge that points up for colder and down for warmer. I moved it to the second fin in because it was too cold, but that was without load. It is packed now for a weekend boondocking excursion, so I will see what it does over the weekend running off gas.

[chuckster57]

From the factory, mine was on the last fin to the right, about halfway up the fin. There is a sticker on the side of the fridge that points up for colder and down for warmer. I moved it to the second fin in because it was too cold, but that was without load. It is packed now for a weekend boondocking excursion, so I will see what it does over the weekend running off gas.


Dometic and Norcold have different placements for the thermistor.

Norcold doesn’t have a sticker.

I’ll post a pic as soon. As I get a chance.

[chuckster57]

Here is the email we got 12/15/2016
21849

Clearly states thermistor should be on the 2nd fin from right 1/4 inch from top.

[Mroe67]

1/4 okay mine was a little below 1/2. I tried it in the center, and the temp went up to 50 and I was set on 7. Good to know thanks.

[Frank G]

Here is the email we got 12/15/2016
21849

Clearly states thermistor should be on the 2nd fin from right 1/4 inch from top.

The 2118 has a Thermistor and a electronic temperature control (1-9). Changing the number makes a difference. What is the purpose of the thermistor?

I normally run on 5, 6 tends to freeze things up in the refrigerator. Our unit is 1018 miles south, so I can't tell you the position of the thermistor.

[poelma]

The thermister is the measuring device for temperature. It provides the feedback to the control board to activate either the gas flame or the electric heating element to boil the gas and cool the fridge.

[Frank G]

The thermister is the measuring device for temperature. It provides the feedback to the control board to activate either the gas flame or the electric heating element to boil the gas and cool the fridge.

So the electronic temperature control is a variable resister in series with the thermistor to influence the input signal to the control board, thus adjusting the temperature up or down.

[Mroe67]

With themister on second fin 1/2 from top and unit set at 7. Found it to be at 45 this morning. Per info i moved it to 1/4” from top and see what it does. Day before yesterday, I tried it in the center of the fin, it rose to 50. I still think something is wrong with it. As it should not take 36 plus hours to cool an empty fridge to 36. Don’t trust dealer to check or repair, may call a mobile repair company as someone suggested. But would rather do it myself if I could find a Norcold service manual.

[chuckster57]

If the thermistor is unplugged from the control board, I believe it "forces" the cooling unit into full cool. I know it works on Dometic and we use it sometimes to quick check them. Don't remember if you can do it on a Norcold without getting a fault code.

[Mroe67]

I did find a resistance temp chart and checked the thermistor per the chart and it seems within specs

[Mroe67]

Seemed to keep temp on last trip. But after this trip we're not going anywhere until August so I shut fridge off. Will see how long it takes to get cold from the time I turn it on. Thinking about starting it two days before trip. What do the rest of you all do as far as when do you turn your fridges on before a trip? I think manual says, about 8 hours.

[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]

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

[Northofu1]

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/showthread.php?t=39042&highlight=315rls&page=3

[jsb5717]

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]

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.:D

[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.

[chuckster57]

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.

My work load hasn’t slowed down yet.

JRTH brings up a good point, we are only paid .5 hr to diagnose the problem, fill out a work sheet and submit pictures. There are times that the refer needs to run for a few hours. If the dealership doesn’t have the room to keep a unit “in the Bay” then I can see why customers think dealership techs don’t know diddly....and then there are those that don’t!!

[Mroe67]

So I sent away for a new thermister and main power board. I’m thinking if that doesn’t fix it, it has to be the cooling unit itself. If so, I guess it’s dealer time.

[Roscommon48]

mroe67
i read your first thread and it was confusing....one paragraph for multi issues is rough for us old people.


as for you a/c i assume it is fixed. just keep it always on auto.


as for the refrig I'd be talking to norcold support...i assume it is norcold.


good luck

[Mroe67]

The a/c seems to be working fine now (from first post) guess outside temp was to low at the time causing it to freeze up.
Checked ohms on fridge thermister at around 80 degrees it’s showing .865 supposed to be 8.1 range so I think it’s bad waiting for new one

[Mroe67]

Unbelievable!!! On this site someone showed an article from Norcold stating it is critical that the thermister be placed on the second fin from the right, 1/4 to 1/2 down from the top, just got an Email from Norcold saying it’s the third fin and it doesn’t matter where it’s placed. WHO THE HECK IS CORRECT??!!!

[mcomeaux]

Does your issue change at all when towing trailer? Mine would seem to improve after a days driving and after sitting for a couple of days we would lose the temp again and it would rise to 45-50 degrees. Very frustrating. The dealer suggested removing the unit and tilting 45 degrees both directions and reinstall. I chose to replace with the Amish unit and what a difference. Good luck...

[Dusty]

I have the same 2118 fridge. The Norcold Manual says second fin from the right, 1/4 to 1/2 down from the top. That is where mine is. with the fridge set on #6 freezer fluctuates between 2 and 9 degrees and the fridge air temp on the lowest shelf is 32-37 degrees air temp. The upper shelf is 28-34 degrees air temp. outside temp was 40-90 degrees. I took temps over a four day period running on propane. Air temps do not tell the whole story. I also tested water temp. Probe in glass of water. temp was 35-37 degrees on the lowest shelf. 50 degree air temp would mean a higher water temp. Not good! Keep in mind loading the fridge with warm liquids and solids will cause a increased cooling time. I pre- chill my initial load and add liquid items as they are used. IE one soda for one soda.

[Mroe67]

Per the different tech at Norcold, I moved the thermister to the middle of the 3rd fin, fridge started freezing food at 20, and freezer is at zero. So I changed the setting from 9 to 5, this is just crazy, but of course I’m in 60 degrees ambient weather. Still going to change the thermister and see what happens especially when I get back to hotter weather

Update..... now i’m down to a setting of 3.

[chuckster57]

Unbelievable!!! On this site someone showed an article from Norcold stating it is critical that the thermister be placed on the second fin from the right, 1/4 to 1/2 down from the top, just got an Email from Norcold saying it’s the third fin and it doesn’t matter where it’s placed. WHO THE HECK IS CORRECT??!!!



That was me. Not an article, but an email sent to us at the dealership I work at. There may have been an update from the original dated email, but I (we) haven’t received anything.

[Mroe67]

Got the new thermister, and put a meter on it.It was reading 10 plus ohms, at least it’s reading ohms , that’s more I can say for the old one. I put it in and will see if it’s all running better in the morning. I have a circuit board too if needed.

[Mroe67]

Woke this morning to the fridge being 30 and it was set on 4. So I see it to 3. Will have to wait and see if it stays that way. But I’m thinking the new thermister did the trick

[chuckster57]

Where is it placed?

[Mroe67]

I went by what the letter from Norcold said. Second fin from the right, 1/4 - 1/2” down from the top. Not sure why the other Norcold person said it doesn’t matter wherein the “third” fin. It’s been almost 24 hours and it’s 30 plus degrees and it’s set on 2

[chuckster57]

As long as it’s working good, that’s what matters.

[Mroe67]

Amen to that. I’m just a little concerned that now I have it on “1” to keep it around 37, you’d think it would be at 37 around a setting of 3 or 4

[ctbruce]

May want to slide the thermistor a little to adjust? Just a thought.

[Mroe67]

That is a thought, but the last Norcold tech said, sliding the thermister to a different position makes no difference on a Norcold, only on a Domitech (spelling). But hey, i’ll Try it and see

[Mroe67]

Not sure what to try next, fridge is at 30 degrees hen set at 1 the lowest setting. The last tech guy from Norcold says the thermister should be in the middle of the third fin from the right. The paper some provided says second fin 1/4” from top. I’m going to try it in the middleman see if it makes a difference. The original one when received the unit was 1/4 from top. All so confusing when you get different instructions from the same company.

[LHaven]

Not sure what to try next, fridge is at 30 degrees hen set at 1 the lowest setting. The last tech guy from Norcold says the thermister should be in the middle of the third fin from the right. The paper some provided says second fin 1/4” from top. I’m going to try it in the middleman see if it makes a difference. The original one when received the unit was 1/4 from top. All so confusing when you get different instructions from the same company.

The common physics of the situation is that if you slide the thermistor up, the refrigerator gets colder because you're putting the sensor into a warmer region of the compartment; and if you slide it down, the refrigerator gets warmer because you're moving a sensor into a colder portion of the compartment. So try sliding it downward -- in your case probably quite a bit, since you can make up any overshoot with the manual temperature knob.

[Dusty]

During a cooling cycle mine would show similar temps when set on the lower settings 1-3. The air temp will show different readings depending on the following factors. thermometer placement, cooling cycle on or off or just completed. Thermometer placement in relation to the fan. take a glass or bottle of water and take a liquid temperature from the lower middle area of the refrigerator. check it every 8 hours after adjusting the refrigerator temp level.

[Mroe67]

So the next day temp starts to get in the 50’s again. I changed out the main board and it’s working again. So it must have been the thermister AND the board. Glad I ordered both. Glad it’s nothing else like having to replace the whole thing. Now to see if Norcold will reimburse me.

[Mroe67]

Nope they won’t install of parts has to be done by an “authorized” company. So much for do it your self

[chuckster57]

Nope they won’t install of parts has to be done by an “authorized” company. So much for do it your self

I suspect it’s because there is a “check sheet” that they require be filled out COMPLETELY or they won’t pay..even us techs at the dealership.

[Mroe67]

Just venting...... So I broke down and bought the "Fridge Defender" that's supposed to prevent overheating and plus has additional condenser fans especially since I live in Arizona. Yesterday morning we pickup to RV from storage and started the fridge and have it in our driveway as we leave Tuesday for a 5 day trip. We'll be in a lot cooler climate when camping. So I'm hoping it will be fine. I am a retired refrigeration/air conditioner repair guy so I get with these units, and I understand it takes some time for these type fridges to cool down, but at 7 pm the freezer was just starting to feel cool. When I woke this morning, the freezer was frozen, but the fridge was only down to 70 degrees. I'm sure by tomorrow morning it will be down to temp. But, we'll be putting pre-chilled product in it this after noon so we can leave early Tuesday, I'm probably going to take a cooler with Ice just in case. I just don't trust these fridges. Kind of wish I would have bought the one with the domestic fridge in it and the converter. We have two solar cells to charge the batteries. I don't trust the repair center we bought it from, as we had it there under warrantee to have the fridge checked out. They said it worked fine. Have talked to a lot of other campers and their fridge works fine, yet some have problems. MAN I HATE THESE UNITS. Thanks for reading my venting.

[JRTJH]

Just venting...... So I broke down and bought the "Fridge Defender" that's supposed to prevent overheating and plus has additional condenser fans especially since I live in Arizona. Yesterday morning we pickup to RV from storage and started the fridge and have it in our driveway as we leave Tuesday for a 5 day trip. We'll be in a lot cooler climate when camping. So I'm hoping it will be fine. I am a retired refrigeration/air conditioner repair guy so I get with these units, and I understand it takes some time for these type fridges to cool down, but at 7 pm the freezer was just starting to feel cool. When I woke this morning, the freezer was frozen, but the fridge was only down to 70 degrees. I'm sure by tomorrow morning it will be down to temp. But, we'll be putting pre-chilled product in it this after noon so we can leave early Tuesday, I'm probably going to take a cooler with Ice just in case. I just don't trust these fridges. Kind of wish I would have bought the one with the domestic fridge in it and the converter. We have two solar cells to charge the batteries. I don't trust the repair center we bought it from, as we had it there under warrantee to have the fridge checked out. They said it worked fine. Have talked to a lot of other campers and their fridge works fine, yet some have problems. MAN I HATE THESE UNITS. Thanks for reading my venting.

Time to cool to operating temperatures is normally a 24-48 hour process. It's been that way since I first started camping back in the '60's. The only thing that's changed with absorption refrigerators from the old Instamatic 6 to todays Dometic/Norcold is the interior arrangement and the electronic control/ignition rather than the old "flint sparker, press the pilot button for 2 minutes after you see the flame.... All that was done OUTSIDE, through a 12"x2" access panel behind the refrigerator. If it was windy or raining, without an umbrella and a wet suit, you'd best have been a duck or you'd have warm beer.... So, as "bad as it might seem" it's still much better "than the old days"....

As for "residential refrigerators", the "significant limiting factor" for most is the caution in the owner's manual that stipulates the cabin temperature must be "conditioned air" rather than ambient air to prevent damage to the refrigerator cooling system. Yes, even the "latest and greatest" has limitations that make them "not well suited for every situation"....

[Mroe67]

Now it's hot out in the afternoon in AZ, and the fridge is back up to 78. Freezer is still working though. It was suggested I change out the unit to the Amish one, that may be true, I just hate spending the $1200 plus to do it. So for this trip, I guess wer're going with a cooler. Yippie! Knowing this unit, we'll get up there (in Greer) and it will cool fine. Can't believe with the added condenser fans the darn thing won't cool down. Can't believe every RV fridge in AZ is not working well in this heat. But..... I hear some are. Go figure.

[sourdough]

Sorry to hear about your troubles, but have fun in Greer. Pretty place and I've caught a lot of fish up there so might take a fishing pole...:)

[Mroe67]

Meeting some other fishing buddies up there, just hope the allege isn’t to bad. Have a feeling once we’re out of the valley heat the fridge will work fine

[Mroe67]

So we get up north where the temps are in the 70's and the next day the fridge gets to 26, with it set at 7 and it stayed that way. Talked to another camper up there from Phoenix and their fridge doesn't work well when they are in Phoenix either. Looks like my only choice is to look into an Amish replacement. I guess they use Helium and work better in higher ambient temperatures. But not sure I want to attempt the job myself.

[LHaven]

So we get up north where the temps are in the 70's and the next day the fridge gets to 26, with it set at 7 and it stayed that way. Talked to another camper up there from Phoenix and their fridge doesn't work well when they are in Phoenix either. Looks like my only choice is to look into an Amish replacement. I guess they use Helium and work better in higher ambient temperatures. But not sure I want to attempt the job myself.

I had to do some research, because I'd never heard of a helium refrigerator. What I found is that they were created to reduce the flammability hazard, but I don't see any of them making claims to superior cooling effectiveness... other than perhaps in non-level conditions.

Typical of the verbiage I found:

it is charged with Helium versus Hydrogen thus making it a safety feature (non-explosive). It operates the same and has the same cooling capacity. Being a more labor intensive unit to build, it cost $200 more

A 2016 posting over at our sister forum, IRV2, contains bad news:

I called Atwood an found out they were purchased by Dometic about 2 years ago and the helium fridge was discontinued and Atwood is already out of some parts.

You can read the whole thread here (https://www.irv2.com/forums/f65/atwood-helium-fridge-any-good-304939.html). (The thread also contains a link to a report showing "no difference in cooling abilities" between the H and He units.)

[Mroe67]

It seems after reading other posts, that people are having better luck with going to a domestic fridge. I have a 2000 watt inverter laying around that I could use to power it, and a solar panel(s) on the roof of the RV. Not sure what size I have though. My question is, has anyone done this change out themselves? If so what brand of fridge did you use? and how can I tell if my solar system will keep up. I have two 12 volt batteries in my RV. Any help or advise welcome.

[rbrdriver]

We changed out our Norcold rv fridge for a Whirlpool residential ourselves about 4 months ago. Of course I had a couple of young boys to help out with the lifting part of it. We had to take the doors off of both units to get them through the door but we got 'er done. Best thing we ever done for our rig. We are on hookups 90% of the time anyways, but I do have 4 6-volt golf cart batteries and a 2000 watt inverter for traveling, etc. Also got an ice maker too. Was even able to sell the Norcold on craigslist for $600. It is doable if you want to go that route.

[Mroe67]

So you think 4 - 6 volt batteries wired in series is the way to go? I already have 2 12's was thinking about adding 2 more 12 volt ones. What model and type of condensing unit did the fridge have, was it static or fan cooled? Did you have to put cooling fans in the back to get rid of the heat back there

[flybouy]

So you think 4 - 6 volt batteries wired in series is the way to go? I already have 2 12's was thinking about adding 2 more 12 volt ones. What model and type of condensing unit did the fridge have, was it static or fan cooled? Did you have to put cooling fans in the back to get rid of the heat back there

4 6v batteries wired in series will give you 24v. You would have to connect 2 batteries in series creating bank "A", then connect the other 2 batteries in series creating bank "B", then connect bank "A: to bank "B" in parallel.

[Mroe67]

I guess what I'm asking is multiple 6 volt batteries better than multiple 12 volt ones?

[purebred]

We just moved from Yuma back to Texas and our Samsung fridge worked good in the hot Yuma temps except the ice maker. Constantly had problems with it making ice. I tried everything imaginable but to no avail. After moving back to cooler temps it's a different ice maker now. It makes plenty of ice .:)

[JRTJH]

I guess what I'm asking is multiple 6 volt batteries better than multiple 12 volt ones?

It's more about "battery type" than about number of batteries in the system...

Marine/RV "hybrid batteries" can be discharged to 70% repeatedly. That means a 30% power availability.... For this reason alone, most people avoid the marine/RV batteries because they don't provide the same reliability with discharges below 30% without damage to the battery.

TRUE deep cycle batteries can be discharged to 50% repeatedly. That means a 50% power availability.

12 volt "TRUE" deep cycle batteries are significantly more expensive than 6 volt "TRUE" deep cycle batteries, but are available.

The reason most people buy 6 volt TRUE deep cycle batteries is because they can obtain that 50% power availability for less money than a comparable 12 volt TRUE deep cycle battery.

For most, when converting from "marine/RV hybrid" batteries to "TRUE deep cycle" batteries, it's about $100 cheaper to use 6 volt rather than 12 volt types.

The performance of a 100 amp 12 volt TRUE deep cycle battery is a power availability of 50 amps for around $275-300. You can get the same power availability of 50 amps for around $180-200 using 6 volt golf cart batteries.

Then there is the "physical size of the batteries"... A 12 volt 200 amp capacity battery is around 100 pounds. Hard to lift in and out of the front compartment of most fifth wheels... A "pair of 6 volt batteries" that produce the same 200 amp capacity weigh about 50 pounds each... Much easier (although still heavy) to get in and out of the trailer battery compartment....

[Mroe67]

Then there is the solar cell mine is 39” x 64” how can I tell it’s output?

[JJaxon]

Maybe, but some people are saying their big 4 door Norcolds take 24-36 hours

I'm on that list. It takes at least 24-36 hours empty to get to 35-40*. Once its full, depending on outside climate, it may stay in the low 50's. Norcold has an issue, we just need to find the solution.

[rbrdriver]

So you think 4 - 6 volt batteries wired in series is the way to go? I already have 2 12's was thinking about adding 2 more 12 volt ones. What model and type of condensing unit did the fridge have, was it static or fan cooled? Did you have to put cooling fans in the back to get rid of the heat back there

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, been busy. The batteries are wired in a series/parallel setup as to give me one big 12 volt setup. I have 420 amp hours available with the setup with a Trimetric meter to monitor it when we are off the grid, but we rarely are now. The residential fridge is a basic side by side setup with its on cooling fan setup, where it is able to be in a cabinet so to speak where it cools towards the bottom front I believe. We didn't have to add any extra fans anyway, and we just went through a brutal summer here (central california) and yet it worked just fine, ice maker and all.The outside is about the same size as the Norcold, but the inside gives us about twice the space as before. Love it!

[rbrdriver]

Maybe I need to change my model number on my fiver from 3700FL to 3701FL because that's the one that does come with a residential fridge from the factory, hmmmm.........

[NMRandy]

I have a 2020 Fifth wheel with a Norcold 2118 Polar Max. From the beginning the freezer would get to 0 deg F and the fridge would get over 40 deg F during the day, when it got over 90 deg. It would get down to 33 deg by 8:00 A.M., on setting 7. It worked an little better on AC power, than propane.

I read the posts here and checked the basics, (door seal, fan operation, level Ect.)

My unit is gray with black graphics, the fridge covers are black, the fridge is in the slide, and the sun is on that side in the afternoon. All not great for the fridge cooling well.

I seriously considered replacing the unit with an Amish unit, but decided to try to add some ventilation to the outer fridge cabinet prior to spending $1200+.

I bought a 12 volt fan with an all-weather grille, off E-bay for less than $30, and installed it in the upper fridge vent cover, blowing outwards. I wired it to run constant with the fridge on.

Now the fridge does not get over 40 deg, (unless we open the door a lot), and the freezer is at -5, and will keep ice cream. It does better with food in it, as far as the temp being stable.

[rbrdriver]

Is your fridge in a slide? Our was and that was part of the problem. With both vents in the side instead of one on the roof it is difficult to get proper circulation. We tried all the methods I heard of such as putting in extra fans, etc., but just was never all that great. After putting up with it for quite a while we finally said screw it and swapped it out for a residential.

[Mroe67]

I added the Fridge Defender as I was concerned about overheating. I got the kit that had the two extra fans for the condenser (heat output side) it made little difference. I have no blockages airflow and my door seals are fine. It' just when it hits over 90 the fridge won't cool lower than 50. When I get to a destination that is cooler it works fine. BUt still slow to recover after having it open. I want to go to a domestic fridge, but hate the headaches for the figuring out what unit to get and the install.

[rbrdriver]

By domestic do you mean residential? Anyways the hardest part of course is getting the original unit out of the rig and putting the new one in. We had to take the doors off of both fridges so as to get it through the coach door. I also had some able-bodied boys to do a lot of the lifting phase, thank God! I already have a 2000 pure sine-wave inverter in the rig, with 3 outlets on it we just rigged a decent extension cord to the original receptacle there by the fridge, and set it up so one outlet is tied into the inverter, and the other is for when we are on shore power (which we are 90% of the time anyways), so when we do travel we just move the fridge plug from one to the other and flip on the inverter. Also capped off the propane line, no biggie there, and left the outside part of the vents in place for looks, but internally we blocked them off, as the new residential unit cools from the bottom front anyways. Also tied into the water system for the ice maker, etc., and it works great. The exterior of the fridge is about the same size as the original unit, but internally quite a bit bigger. Love that part too! Also you could just about buy 3 of the residential units for the price of a new Norcold, so don't mind that part either. I also like the part about being able to travel with the propane off and still have a fridge! I was never crazy about traveling with it on anyways.

[Mroe67]

Yes I meant residential fridge. What fridge did you use. I have a 3021 if I remember correctly anyway the RV fridge was standard so how do I figure out which one to use, just measure I guess

[Ribtip]

Although we haven't had any problems with are 2017 327res it just seems like are old 1998 winni motorhome always had a cold fridge and we could make it snow in there with the ac units. Never had a prob with that thing and it was 25 when we got rid of it. We owned it for 16yrs of its life. New High efficiency stuff just isn't as good.

[LHaven]

It' just when it hits over 90 the fridge won't cool lower than 50. When I get to a destination that is cooler it works fine. BUt still slow to recover after having it open. I want to go to a domestic fridge, but hate the headaches for the figuring out what unit to get and the install.

The more of these types of complaints I read, the more convinced I become that poor refrigerator performance is more a factor of the individual unit than the model line. It's as if out of ten owners with identical rigs, nine of them have no refrigerator performance problems and one has chronic problems.

I'm wondering how likely it would be to solve your problem if you just got your fridge replaced with an identical fridge.

[Javi]

The more of these types of complaints I read, the more convinced I become that poor refrigerator performance is more a factor of the individual unit than the model line. It's as if out of ten owners with identical rigs, nine of them have no refrigerator performance problems and one has chronic problems.

I'm wondering how likely it would be to solve your problem if you just got your fridge replaced with an identical fridge.
Very likely... we were very happy with the Dometic in our Cougar and it was in the slide. We're in Texas and temps above 90 are the norm , our fridge would freeze lettuce and vegetables in the crisper if we weren't careful. And still would when we sold it after 6 years.

[rbrdriver]

Yes I meant residential fridge. What fridge did you use. I have a 3021 if I remember correctly anyway the RV fridge was standard so how do I figure out which one to use, just measure I guess
We bought a Whirlpool side by side with ice maker. We just measured the space we had for the refrigerator and then went to Lowe's with a tape to make sure we could get the biggest one that we could by with.

[LHaven]

We bought a Whirlpool side by side with ice maker. We just measured the space we had for the refrigerator and then went to Lowe's with a tape to make sure we could get the biggest one that we could by with.

I'm a bit taken aback by this approach. People who do this don't create weight or balance issues? These things must be much heavier than an RV fridge.

[rbrdriver]

I wondered the same thing. I was able to pull up the specs on the original fridge as far as weight, but have never been able to find the weight on the Whirlpool. I did compare the specs on the 3701FL Alpine and compared that to my 3700FL and it shows the dry weight to be about 200 pounds less than what I have. The only difference between the 2 models is the 3701 comes with a residential fridge where ours (3700) has the rv fridge. So going by that it sounds like the residential must be lighter. I haven't run the rig over any scales yet since we switched, although I did previously after we bought it and loaded up, etc. When I do I'll see what we got for sure.

[LHaven]

That would be quite a trick, as a refrigerator compressor (which your old fridge doesn't have) weighs around 25 lbs. all by itself...

[Javi]

Google is your friend.. 18cuft French door Samsung is 231 pounds. :D

[rbrdriver]

Google is your friend.. 18cuft French door Samsung is 231 pounds. :D
There you go then. The specs on the Norcold 2118 is supposed to be around 330 pounds.

[Mroe67]

A new year and still not fixed. The people from Fridge Defender were surprised that their unit didn't fix my problem. I sent them the data I retrieved from their unit to see if "maybe" I have a setting wrong. But I still don't see how this unit can do nothing more that protect my boiler from overheating and turn on my exterior fans, (which have not helped in the AZ heat) So will see. I put dry ice in my fridge to bring it down till we can get up to Greer where it's cooler and the unit will then work fine. Wish I would have gotten a domestic version fridge. Oh well, will see what they say when I get back next week.

[sourdough]

A new year and still not fixed. The people from Fridge Defender were surprised that their unit didn't fix my problem. I sent them the data I retrieved from their unit to see if "maybe" I have a setting wrong. But I still don't see how this unit can do nothing more that protect my boiler from overheating and turn on my exterior fans, (which have not helped in the AZ heat) So will see. I put dry ice in my fridge to bring it down till we can get up to Greer where it's cooler and the unit will then work fine. Wish I would have gotten a domestic version fridge. Oh well, will see what they say when I get back next week.


Headed up to Greer hopefully you have a spot close by. IIRC they have like 3? lakes there? Don't remember the names of the little lakes but man oh man, I've caught a lot of trout there.

[mcomeaux]

On our Norcold we did the Amish upgrade and going on 2 years no problems whatsoever! Best part wife is happy and no more stressing out.

[Mroe67]

Waiting to see what Fridge Defender has to say. Then if all else fails. Fridge swap out to either Amish unit our regular fridge as I have added a 2000 watt inverter already to run it. Where did you get your Amish unit

[mcomeaux]

I purchased direct from the guy that mfg them.
Units side by side definitely big difference in build and weight. When you get closer to deciding your path of remedy I'll provide you the info. I have it in my trailer and it's stored. I never run mine above #1 on cooling setting and my freezer is at 0 and lower maintains 33-37 consistent

[Mroe67]

Ok thanks for the info, I’ll let you know

[mcomeaux]

JC Refridgeration

[Mroe67]

I'm going to give it one more chance. Upon recommendation from the fridge defender people, I've bought two additional fans for the condenser (back section) of the fridge to expel the heat. We'll see what that does. Will let you know after I receive and install the fans.

[LHaven]

It would have been worthwhile to hang a thermometer or two inside the stack first to see if additional airflow is likely to make any difference. If it's 82° out and the temp in the stack is already 84° with the fans you have, it's not going to matter how many fans you add.

[Mroe67]

It defiantly is a lot hotter in the stack, granted I didn't do a temp check yet, But sticking my arm up in there, it's quite hot. We are camping again this week, I will do a temp check to see. Thanks for the tip. I really believe the fans are going to help.

[Mroe67]

Installed the two additional blowers. Now it have two at the bottom sucking in and blowing up and two at the top blowing out. My fridge is finally pulling down to temp in the Az heat. Waiting to see if it still works when we hit the triple digits. But, so far it’s doing A lot better than it has before the additional blowers.

[LHaven]

Good news. Hope it comes through for you. Last year we had a record number of 110°+ days.

[Mroe67]

Just took a trip from home (Arizona) across the USA to Ohio, Maine, then DC then back home. Put dry in the fridge in AZ to start out with as fridge won't pull down in AZ in the triple digits temperatures. Once we got out of the valley and the dry ice was gone, the fridge held temperature through out the trip, except after holding the door open for some time restocking. Then it pulled down fine. Got back home it was 104. fridge raised to 43. We just unloaded everything at that point. Since we don't use the RV in Arizona during the hot weather much. I think I'm going to just live with the issue rather than spending the money on a Amish unit.

[Stircrazy]

Just took a trip from home (Arizona) across the USA to Ohio, Maine, then DC then back home. Put dry in the fridge in AZ to start out with as fridge won't pull down in AZ in the triple digits temperatures. Once we got out of the valley and the dry ice was gone, the fridge held temperature through out the trip, except after holding the door open for some time restocking. Then it pulled down fine. Got back home it was 104. fridge raised to 43. We just unloaded everything at that point. Since we don't use the RV in Arizona during the hot weather much. I think I'm going to just live with the issue rather than spending the money on a Amish unit.

so a couple times people asked if the fridge was in a slide and what kind of space there was between the baffels andthe walls. sorry if you answered this and I didn't see it. if it is in a slide this is usaly the worst set up for air flow and they need fans and a propperly set up air baffel between the wall behind and beside the fridge and the fins on the back top of the fridge. there should be idealy about 1/4 of an inch and the fans should be drawing the air through. if there is to much of a gap you wont get proper heat transfer as the air will take the path of least resistance and not take as much heat away from the fins as it should. this can be fixed with new baffels more fans and such.

just somthing to check..

[RickV]

Just took a trip from home (Arizona) across the USA to Ohio, Maine, then DC then back home. Put dry in the fridge in AZ to start out with as fridge won't pull down in AZ in the triple digits temperatures. Once we got out of the valley and the dry ice was gone, the fridge held temperature through out the trip, except after holding the door open for some time restocking. Then it pulled down fine. Got back home it was 104. fridge raised to 43. We just unloaded everything at that point. Since we don't use the RV in Arizona during the hot weather much. I think I'm going to just live with the issue rather than spending the money on a Amish unit.

so a couple times people asked if the fridge was in a slide and what kind of space there was between the baffels andthe walls. sorry if you answered this and I didn't see it. if it is in a slide this is usaly the worst set up for air flow and they need fans and a propperly set up air baffel between the wall behind and beside the fridge and the fins on the back top of the fridge. there should be idealy about 1/4 of an inch and the fans should be drawing the air through. if there is to much of a gap you wont get proper heat transfer as the air will take the path of least resistance and not take as much heat away from the fins as it should. this can be fixed with new baffels more fans and such.

just somthing to check..If this is the case my previous 5er had the Dometic RM1350 (If I remember correctly) 4 door and it was in the slide. Had same problem when the temps got above around 90. I did this mod https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D0wVTP89-Btg&ved=2ahUKEwjvlYbK7eLzAhVsmWoFHVxhAv0QwqsBegQINxAB&usg=AOvVaw1xuya81rEYif66lylX2Nce and that did the trick we also put one of these inside to keep the fins from icing up https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0829DTFB8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1