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Old 10-11-2015, 03:48 PM   #1
Hideout17
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Fridge question...rookie

I have been doing alot of reading on our new TT and how things work. If i understand this right,i want to make sure i do. If i am,connected to,my house i can run fridge on electric power, when i go to leave i can turn gas on, making sure its lit, and while im going down the road the fridge,will run off gas. When i get to my destination i can turn off gas on fridge and run it,on,electric. Am i understanding this correctly?. Thanks for answering my rookie questions.
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Old 10-11-2015, 03:56 PM   #2
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We leave ours on automatic and it will change to propane when we are on the road.
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Old 10-11-2015, 04:22 PM   #3
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tom37 x2 leave mine in auto
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Old 10-11-2015, 05:32 PM   #4
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I usually leave it on auto when I travel. Shut it off when I fuel the truck. I will manually switch it to gas when I connect to the house so I don't get a spark. Then I swap it over. When you pick up the TT from storage it will usually cool down more quickly on gas.
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Old 10-11-2015, 07:15 PM   #5
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Another one that leaves it in auto. Since I use diesel fuel and use the OTR truck islands, I don't shut the fridge or my engine off.
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Old 10-12-2015, 10:54 AM   #6
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We use auto as well and then we don't need to go inside. Plugged in all the time in the yard and when we hook up and hit the road it runs on gas until we plug in at the site.
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Old 10-12-2015, 11:53 AM   #7
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Quote:
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We use auto as well and then we don't need to go inside. Plugged in all the time in the yard and when we hook up and hit the road it runs on gas until we plug in at the site.
I leave ours on auto as well... but, I check it at every gas and potty stop and most the time it is beeping, with the check light on, so just wondering how useful it is trying to run it on gas, while driving 60+ MPH down the highway?

Are there any mods to help keep it lit on the road, since it does not seem to have an "auto re-try, I am out" function?

Thanks,

-Brian
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Old 10-12-2015, 12:54 PM   #8
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Most owners do leave the refrigerator in AUTO and let the "brain" do the thinking. Dometic and Norcold are essentially "fool-proof" in changing from gas to electric and back.

The new Atwood refrigerators with Helium as the refrigerant were having some "issues" with the changeover. As I recall, they would change from gas to electric, but would not change over from electric to gas... I may have that wrong, it may be the "other way around", but changing from one to the other, the refrigerator would go into "fault mode" and would not restart. There are several threads on the forum about this issue. I'm not sure if Atwood has ever resolved the problem.

So, if you have a Dometic or a Norcold, you should have a "set it and forget it" refrigerator, but maybe not if you have an Atwood.....
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Old 10-12-2015, 02:32 PM   #9
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I have an Atwood in my 2014 238ML built in Feb 2014. Works great, never had a problem with auto cutover or blowout on the highway.
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Old 10-12-2015, 03:37 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
Most owners do leave the refrigerator in AUTO and let the "brain" do the thinking. Dometic and Norcold are essentially "fool-proof" in changing from gas to electric and back.

The new Atwood refrigerators with Helium as the refrigerant were having some "issues" with the changeover. As I recall, they would change from gas to electric, but would not change over from electric to gas... I may have that wrong, it may be the "other way around", but changing from one to the other, the refrigerator would go into "fault mode" and would not restart. There are several threads on the forum about this issue. I'm not sure if Atwood has ever resolved the problem.

So, if you have a Dometic or a Norcold, you should have a "set it and forget it" refrigerator, but maybe not if you have an Atwood.....
Hi John,

Mine is an Atwood and it works fine going back and forth, as long as there is no problem with whatever it is using, or switching to. if the power goes off and there is no gas... it will try and switch and then go into check mode, if the flame blows out, going down the road... it goes into check mode (guessing that it tries to switch to electric and fails, due to no 110).

Not sure why it does not try re-lighting, or maybe it does?

I'll check with Atwood and see what they say.

Thanks,

-Brian
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Old 10-12-2015, 04:14 PM   #11
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All makes when running on gas, will attempt to relight if the flame goes out. As a regular part of a PDI, I will let it light on propane and then blow out the flame twice.

The way the flame is protected these days, I don't see wind as an issue like the old days. Maybe the sight window is being left open, or blowing open, but if the flame goes out and it goes into check mode instead of trying to relight, I say there is an issue.
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Old 10-12-2015, 04:24 PM   #12
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We plug our refrigerator in the evening before we leave to an extension cord. Once we load the groceries into the cold fridge it will stay cold for at least 2-3 hours going down the road. If you are not going any further than that you really (in my opinion) you don't need to run off of the gas. We've been doing this for more than 7 years never had an issue with warm milk or spoiled food. Also with the Atwood in my 2015 the battery HAS to be charged and functioning the reason I mention it when we plug into the extension cord if the battery is not charged the fridge will not turn on. Sweet hubby removes the vent cover from the outside of the trailer, unplugs it from the trailer and plus directly into the extension cord. We do not feel comfortable leaving the 50amp cord out all night for the local hood rats to steal just for fun.


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Old 10-12-2015, 05:21 PM   #13
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My refrigerator is a Dometic, so I have no personal experience with the Atwood Helium refrigerator, but here are links to a number of threads identifying "issues" with the refrigerator changeover. Atwood may well have resolved the problems and they may not affect but a limited number of refrigerators and not be a significant issue. But since I posted the possibility, I wanted to post some of the links to what I remembered.

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/sho...ghlight=atwood

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/sho...ghlight=atwood

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/sho...ghlight=atwood

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/sho...ghlight=atwood

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/sho...ghlight=atwood

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/sho...ghlight=atwood

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/sho...ghlight=atwood
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