Domestic refrigerator

[8LVISE]

I have a question for anyone who has the Dometic 13cu ft 4 door fridge model. Does it takes five or more hours to cool every time you use it? Our smaller Dometic used to cool quite quickly. I know this is a larger unit. The manual does say it may take up to five hours the first time. But we find it gets to optimum temp very slowly. Wondering if this is the norm, or a pokey cooling element? Thanks for any help.

[mel07green]

I have the same refrigerator and it can take a good 12 hours to get it down to the mid 30s.

[Bigpuddie]

I have the same model. It will cool much faster if there is cold stuff in Fridge. I put a bag of ice in freezer, and it cooles in about 2 hours. Hope this helps.

[CarKath]

Useing propane mode instead of auto mode also will cool it off much faster.

[8LVISE]

Thanks to all who replied. Its nice to have the reassurance that the fridge does take a while to cool to optimum temp. We will definitely try the suggestions mentioned. I always learn soooo much from these forums."bouncey:

[chuckretnav]

Mine does the same. This summer was bad lots of heat every where. But if you have the chance to do this go to the trailer and start it the day before you leave. Then load it up just before you pull out with your cold food. At that time you could turn off the propane if you want and it will stay cold till you reach your next stop and you can get hooked to shore power. (so your not running down the road with your propane on.) Happy camping:bdance:

[8LVISE]

Thanks chuckretnav. I do have a question about your suggestion: it would be easy to go to the trailer and start the fridge the day before. May I verify how this is done: turn on the propane, turn on the fridge and set it to LP setting? Not auto, correct?
The reason I ask is I tried to do that when we were hooked to shore power & the fridge wasn't cooling. However, the display kept flipping between LP and the temp which the manual said was an "LP lockout". I made sure we had LP gas running to the stove. I just am not certain I am using the settings correctly. Would like to try cooling the fridge the day before.
Any tips are appreciated. Thanks:thumbsup:

[JRTJH]

The refrigerator LP monitoring system is set up to try to light 3 times. If it doesnt light the first time, it cycles (I think for 30 seconds) and then tries again. If it doesnt light the second time, another delay then the third attempt. If the monitoring circuit doesn't detect a flame on the third try, the refrigerator goes into LP Lockout and must be turned off and then back on before it will attempt another "relight" of the LP system.

The most likely cause of this is that when you store your RV you turn the propane off. It bleeds down and there is air (not propane) in the lines. You can light a stove burner, but that won't bleed air out of the refrigerator line (probably 4-6' of copper pipe. The refer tries to light, no propane, only air, after 3 times it locks out. Solution, stay with the refrigerator until you know the burner is operational, if it locks out, turn the refer off, wait 1 minute, turn it back on. Stand outside with the vent cover off so you can see the flame. Another solution, one probably most people take: Don't turn the propane off unless you're going to store your RV for an extended time. If it's only going to be a week and you'll be back in it, leave the propane on and the lines will stay charged.

As for why it didn't cool on shore power? I don't know, if it was hooked up to 115 VAC, once the LP lockout functioned the reefer should have kicked over to 115 and started cooling. That is, unless you had it in LP instead of automatic. That locks out the 115 operation and relies on LP only, if it couldnt light on LP, then it just shut down. Safety feature...

I'd leave it on automatic, unplug the shore power make sure the LP is working, then plug the trailer back in and let it run on AC power.