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Old 01-07-2014, 10:23 PM   #1
stixNstaples
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atwood fridge quit working

So I go to get some food out the freezer and realize it not complete frozen anymore. After looking more I see it's not working and all is melting and fridge .nt working either. I check outside and everything seemed look ok nothing froze up. I unplugged it and gas pilot kicked on plugged back in and it shut back off. Went in put on gas on pannel thinking maybe might help to switch but no luck. Don't know if last 2 night's cold killed it or what. I tried do search but it wouldn't work with this phone. Any help greatly appreciated hoping just a reset somewhere.
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Old 01-07-2014, 11:25 PM   #2
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Ok .ao after watching some YouTube vids learning how .it works I am wondering if it has gotten cold enough to freeze or if the heating element burnt up trying to overwork itself. But from the manual .it should be throwing a code and it thinks it's working fine. Just hope no animals get into my food out side.
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Old 01-08-2014, 04:11 AM   #3
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Shut it off, go outside, open the lower panel and inside it you'll find a "black box" Unplug the refrigerator from its socket, remove the cover and check the two fuses there. Chances are one of them is bad.... Many here use their refrigerators in below zero weather without any issues. They are designed to operate in extreme temperatures without an issue. And as for "burning up the heating element from trying too hard" it only has one temperature, it's either on or off. Besides, the propane should work if the electric isn't working.

If both the fuses are good, you may have snow blocking the upper vent which would stop the flow of "cool air" through the evaporation coils and decrease the ability to cool.

Don't worry, you most likely haven't done any damage to the refrigerator, it is probably something simple like a fuse or blocked air vent. Check it out and keep us posted on how it is going.

How is the rest of your RV "surviving" in the bitter cold?
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Old 01-08-2014, 07:24 AM   #4
stixNstaples
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Ok, first off thanks for the reply. I went out checked it and got cover off, all 3 fuses good. Bottom of drain was froze and I went de thawed it don't know that effect anything. The upper vent is clear also. The flu is warm at bottom so I imagine it is working. I didn't have any problems till It got down around -40 other night. I can't tell if it's getting cold or not I put water in freezer and will see. As far as camping now, it's def raw. Not hardcore like in a tent but does take work. I have no polar pkg but what I have done guess now proven as I still have water running I have to bucket and pour in. If fridge don't start working guess give dealer a call and have them fix it if they can. I've had .tt for 3 months now so still in my 1 year.
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Old 01-08-2014, 05:32 PM   #5
stixNstaples
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UPDATE
The fridge now working. Not sure what deal was unthawed the drain only last 5 inches froze . I honestly believe it just got to cold outside. Either way glad it is working again.
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Old 01-09-2014, 04:26 AM   #6
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Good to hear. In my old trailer, I had a 6.0 Dometic, the old single door with the flip down freezer door. During The Storm several years ago (80mph winds/-20 degrees/3-4 foot drifts), right at the end of it, it quit cooling. I got to reading around and one old timer suggested tapping the heating cools outside. His reasoning was when the temp outside drops below the fridge interior temp, the ammonia based coolant tends to migrate to the outside cools or even form a plug at the orifice leading to the cooling fins inside, or even bubbles in the ammonia based coolant.

Figuring I had nothing to lose, I was already pricing out a replacement, I unplugged it, let it sit for an hour, then I took a 2X4 and holding one end firmly against the cools, tapped the other end firmly, not hard, but sharp firm raps about 3 or 4 times. You know what? It started working. This happened again during identical conditions a year later, sustained cold outside and the remedy was the same thing. Sooo, I figured if the extreme cold was causing this, then I would try taking a garbage bag and covered the outer ventilation for it during the worst of the storm, leaving the rooftop open. We had one more major storm after I started doing that and until I got rid of it, I never had an issue again.

Do this at you're own risk, but it worked for me.

Right after that first instance, we bought one of these for a backup. We love it. We caught a sale and got it for like $169 plus shipping.
EdgeStar 1.1 Cu. Ft. Medical Freezer
http://www.amazon.com/EdgeStar-Medic.../dp/B000RI0J42
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Old 01-11-2014, 04:05 PM   #7
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Thanks for reply Fulltimer. I emailed the nice people at Fords rv repair after watching some there YouTube vids and they said it had pretty much got to cold for it to change the way sapposed to and couldn't keep up with the heating it. They recommend covering 3/4 the side cover when thAt cold. I just hope that cold is over. Now that it's warmed some and snow melting I get lay out in drive and replace the broke timing belt that broke the same morn fridge quit working. For me when it rains it pours. But thanks for reply.
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Old 01-11-2014, 04:53 PM   #8
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When it was in the -0 here I was gone for a few days and the oil heater tripped so it was freezing in here.
The stuff in the freezer was half frozen but the fridge was perfect.
After the furnace ran for the day the freezer work fine again.
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Old 01-16-2014, 08:44 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stixNstaples View Post
Thanks for reply Fulltimer. I emailed the nice people at Fords rv repair after watching some there YouTube vids and they said it had pretty much got to cold for it to change the way sapposed to and couldn't keep up with the heating it. They recommend covering 3/4 the side cover when thAt cold. I just hope that cold is over. Now that it's warmed some and snow melting I get lay out in drive and replace the broke timing belt that broke the same morn fridge quit working. For me when it rains it pours. But thanks for reply.
Your most welcome, hope the timing belt went right on and it started right up. That happening to the fridge was one thing I was watching for, when it was like windchill -15 here a month or so ago. The new trailer fridge is on the wind side of the trailer, where the old one was on the downwind side, opposite side. But it motored right along.
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Old 01-16-2014, 09:21 AM   #10
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I'm thinking out loud (no comment, Barney) about this problem with the refrigerators not working when it's "super cold". Apparently, I think, what happens is the refrigerator chimney stack is not able to get hot enough to perk the refrigerant (ammonia or helium) when the outside temps are significantly below zero. That said, I wonder if the new helium refrigerators from Atwood are even more prone to not "perking" than the ammonia refrigerators? Helium has been used for a couple of years now and it does eliminate some of the problems that we have with ammonia like corrosive refrigerant, blockage/conversion to ammonia crystals when operated off level, and problems with life span in some situations. I wonder if maybe Atwood has traded the problems with ammonia for a new set we'll find with helium the longer it's in use?????
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Old 01-16-2014, 09:33 AM   #11
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Hmm good question John. I wasn't aware they had a new type out lol. Helium huh? Good question, I wonder how well those are working or will work out.
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Old 01-16-2014, 09:44 AM   #12
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Yes, Atwood came out with the helium based refrigerant for its refrigerator a couple of years ago. Keystone is using them in some models, but not all. We've had a couple of members who had problems with them and the issue was something on the control board. That seems to have been resolved, at least nobody is complaining about the refrigerator not switching from gas to electric and back automatically when shore power is plugged in and then removed. As I recall, the refrigerators would sense a "fault" and stop working when the shore power was unplugged which caused them to defrost and warm up.

It's a relatively "new technology" and with that, I wonder if we'll see "age related" problems crop up the longer they are in service???? Who knows, they may last longer than the ammonia based models, but until we "get there" age wise, we'll probably not have any way to know......
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Old 01-16-2014, 11:53 AM   #13
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SORRY HAVE TO DO IT Hey John when your thinking put your head next to the coils so the fluid will perk from the extra heat!
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Old 01-16-2014, 12:01 PM   #14
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barney, Barney BARNEY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Smoke coming from my ears does not necessarily mean there's any additional heat being produced.....

Hope you're having a great one
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Old 01-16-2014, 12:33 PM   #15
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Actualy the day is going great have all the right parts and the cars are getting done! Now I have gone and cursed myself only one more day to go!! then
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Old 01-16-2014, 02:41 PM   #16
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What??? One more day until???

When you retire, Barney, every day is

At least until the hangover hits or the money runs out LOL
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