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Old 10-10-2017, 11:48 AM   #1
Steve/
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Refrigerator Operation at High Altitudes

I stand corrected. I just went out and measured the current draw on my RB195 trailer. This is the second time I have been surprise by the Dometic DM2652 refrigerator. The first is it was not design to work above 5500 ft on gas, they tell you to run on 120VAC above that.
The second is the current draw with the unit not running is it draws 1.2 Amp when it is running on gas it is 1.4 amp.
I am just going to say Keystone made a bad chose using this Dometic refrigerator in a trailer that they sell in Denver when we have so many camp site with no power.

To the OP that ask if 2 battery will run a refrigerator for a week, it will not if it a Dometic like mine.
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Old 10-10-2017, 04:09 PM   #2
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...I am just going to say Keystone made a bad chose using this Dometic refrigerator in a trailer that they sell in Denver when we have so many camp site with no power...
Do you have any recommendations on an alternative to Dometic?
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Old 10-10-2017, 04:26 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
Do you have any recommendations on an alternative to Dometic?
I have run my Atwood He above 9,000 feet, on gas, no problems... too bad they don't make them or repair parts anymore

I guess the trailer will become trade in fodder, if/when the fridge quits.

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Old 10-10-2017, 04:55 PM   #4
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No. I do not, (I have not looked) but if I had a company buying thousands a year, I would think I could find one better then the Dometic, if not it seem a place for a start up company. Lets get real, not guarantee to work over 5500 ft on gas and draws over 1 amp from 12V when not running/cooling on gas.
Does it make sense to make a trailer and put in a refrigerator that can not be run on gas for a week on two battery or not guarantee to work on gas over 5500 ft. I guess so Keystone make them, so what do I know.
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Old 10-10-2017, 05:44 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Steve/ View Post
I stand corrected. I just went out and measured the current draw on my RB195 trailer. This is the second time I have been surprise by the Dometic DM2652 refrigerator. The first is it was not design to work above 5500 ft on gas, they tell you to run on 120VAC above that.>
The second is the current draw with the unit not running is it draws 1.2 Amp when it is running on gas it is 1.4 amp.
I am just going to say Keystone made a bad chose using this Dometic refrigerator in a trailer that they sell in Denver when we have so many camp site with no power.

To the OP that ask if 2 battery will run a refrigerator for a week, it will not if it a Dometic like mine.
Can you provide the link that states that. I just read the entire owners manual and couldn’t find it.
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Old 10-10-2017, 06:57 PM   #6
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https://www.manualslib.com/manual/80...?page=3#manual

OPERATING REFRIGERATOR AT HIGH ALTITUDES ll gas appliances experience lowered efficiency (or rating) at high altitude This is a direct result of lower atmospheric pressure and oxygen levels, and is not a defect of the refrigerator.Reduced cooling performance and burner outage may occur at altitudes higher than 5500 feet above sea level(while operating on LP gas). Always operate refrigerator on electric power at altitudes higher than 5500 feet.

The red color is my addtion.

When I call Dometic to see if there was a kit, so I could use at higher altitudes on gas. I was told they did not have one. He also said if I changed the jet it would void the warranty. He also said I could take it to a shop here in Denver and they most likely would know which jet would make it work better at high altitudes, but it would be a pain to change back when going lower altitudes.
As a side note I read some where that the gas mix for propane to air is like 2% to 10% or it will not ignite.
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Old 10-10-2017, 07:08 PM   #7
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And here is the link I got my information from:

http://kitchen.manualsonline.com/man...rigerator.html

So who’s right?

Not here to argue... guess I’ll look in my manual in my trailer and see what it says.
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Old 10-10-2017, 07:39 PM   #8
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Refrigerator Operation at High Altitudes

Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
And here is the link I got my information from:

http://kitchen.manualsonline.com/man...rigerator.html

So who’s right?

Not here to argue... guess I’ll look in my manual in my trailer and see what it says.
I am surprise you had to ask, Of course I am

I got the same information from Dometic when I called.
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Old 10-10-2017, 07:46 PM   #9
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I just reviewed the manual for my Dometic fridge. I can find no mention of any altitude restriction and I have boondocked at 7,000’ with no cooling problems.

Don’t know what else to say...
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Old 10-10-2017, 07:52 PM   #10
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We have strayed away from the original topic, but I am curious now. Gonna have to invest some more time on this....stay tuned
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Old 10-11-2017, 04:26 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by B-O-B'03 View Post
I have run my Atwood He above 9,000 feet, on gas, no problems... too bad they don't make them or repair parts anymore

I guess the trailer will become trade in fodder, if/when the fridge quits.

-Brian
I've done the same with our Dometic. We camped at Steamboat Springs (8100), Teal Lake Campground (9000), and Grant Village Campground in Yellowstone (7700) and never had a problem with out refrigerator. In fact, at Teal Lake we couldn't get the stove burners to light and stay lit, but the refrigerator kept working. I'd say that some have problems, many don't. From what I understand about the propane system is that there's not enough oxygen in the air to burn with the propane. When we lived in Colorado in the 70's, most RV's had adjustable propane regulators and we would adjust the pressure up a bit when we left Denver for mountain camping above 9000. Normal propane pressure is 11" WC and we'd adjust it up to about 13 or 14" WC. If we didn't increase the pressure, none of the propane appliances would function. That's not a "Dometic problem" but a "Propane appliance problem" since everything from the gas lights, furnace, water heater and refrigerator would "spark and die".

If you do a "Google search" for "operating Norcold refrigerator at high altitude" and "operating Atwood helium refrigerator at high altitude" you'll get the same type of comments about those brands. It's not a "Dometic issue" but rather it's a "propane mixture issue".

As I understand the problem, the older models (those with manual controls) had a two stage burner that was always on. In those models, as long as the refrigerator was in "cooling mode" it would work, but once the thermistor reached the cold temperature, the burner would go into "pilot mode" (smaller flame) and would go out. Those models did not have a spark ignition, so once the pilot was out, the refrigerator stopped cooling. The new refrigerators (with DSI) don't have a "dual level flame" and they are either on or off, so it was my understanding that the "old problem of high elevation operation" was no longer a problem. The old manuals (for the old style refrigerator) did have that 5500' elevation statement, but I don't (at least I didn't) think it was in the newer manuals for refrigerators that have DSI (automatic) ignition systems.

We dry camped at several locations on our trip to the Rockies that were well above 7000' and never had any problems with the refrigerator. I can't say the same for the stove burners, we couldn't keep any of the burners functional except on high. As soon as we tried to adjust them to a lower temperature, they would "sputter and go out".....

I'm interested in learning more about this, since I thought the problem went away when the electronic control systems were introduced in the 90's.

Maybe we should "carve out" the refrigerator comments (off topic) and create a new thread to continue the discussion??????
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Old 10-11-2017, 04:55 AM   #12
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I've done the same with our Dometic. We camped at Steamboat Springs (8100), Teal Lake Campground (9000), and Grant Village Campground in Yellowstone (7700) and never had a problem with out refrigerator. In fact, at Teal Lake we couldn't get the stove burners to light and stay lit, but the refrigerator kept working. I'd say that some have problems, many don't. From what I understand about the propane system is that there's not enough oxygen in the air to burn with the propane. When we lived in Colorado in the 70's, most RV's had adjustable propane regulators and we would adjust the pressure up a bit when we left Denver for mountain camping above 9000. Normal propane pressure is 11" WC and we'd adjust it up to about 13 or 14" WC. If we didn't increase the pressure, none of the propane appliances would function. That's not a "Dometic problem" but a "Propane appliance problem" since everything from the gas lights, furnace, water heater and refrigerator would "spark and die".

If you do a "Google search" for "operating Norcold refrigerator at high altitude" and "operating Atwood helium refrigerator at high altitude" you'll get the same type of comments about those brands. It's not a "Dometic issue" but rather it's a "propane mixture issue".

As I understand the problem, the older models (those with manual controls) had a two stage burner that was always on. In those models, as long as the refrigerator was in "cooling mode" it would work, but once the thermistor reached the cold temperature, the burner would go into "pilot mode" (smaller flame) and would go out. Those models did not have a spark ignition, so once the pilot was out, the refrigerator stopped cooling. The new refrigerators (with DSI) don't have a "dual level flame" and they are either on or off, so it was my understanding that the "old problem of high elevation operation" was no longer a problem. The old manuals (for the old style refrigerator) did have that 5500' elevation statement, but I don't (at least I didn't) think it was in the newer manuals for refrigerators that have DSI (automatic) ignition systems.

We dry camped at several locations on our trip to the Rockies that were well above 7000' and never had any problems with the refrigerator. I can't say the same for the stove burners, we couldn't keep any of the burners functional except on high. As soon as we tried to adjust them to a lower temperature, they would "sputter and go out".....

I'm interested in learning more about this, since I thought the problem went away when the electronic control systems were introduced in the 90's.

Maybe we should "carve out" the refrigerator comments (off topic) and create a new thread to continue the discussion??????
Here ya' go John... http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/jre...n5p619_A2b.pdf
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Old 10-11-2017, 04:58 AM   #13
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Maybe we should "carve out" the refrigerator comments (off topic) and create a new thread to continue the discussion??????
It may be a good idea. Your explanation makes sense and I have seen the posts on the WWW about Norcolds and turning up the pressure. My Dometic refer in current and last RV operated just fine at altitudes above 5500'.
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Old 10-11-2017, 05:48 AM   #14
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Refrigerator Operation at High Altitudes

Starting a new thread to move other posts to an appropriate area.
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Old 10-11-2017, 09:19 AM   #15
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I had no problems at Teal Campground (8300ft) last month. We camped at Moraine park (8160ft) a few years ago and I don't remember any issues.
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Old 10-11-2017, 02:09 PM   #16
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We have camped at Junction Creek (7,300+), outside of Durango and at Collegiate Peaks (9,800), outside of Buena Vista no fridge or other problems.

Stove, WH, furnace (much needed), Weber Q... all worked fine as I recall.

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Old 10-11-2017, 02:51 PM   #17
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Working on a 2017 Forest River Sunseeker. Dometic refer and the Manual is Revision A, no mention of high altitude changes or advisories
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Old 10-11-2017, 03:16 PM   #18
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While I never say never..... I truly believed that the absorption refrigerator altitude problems "went away" with the introduction of DSI and the elimination of the dual height burner flame (standing pilot).... That said, operation of any absorption refrigerator in cold temperatures will cause the flame not to heat the "refrigerant" and if the flame can't evaporate it (temp too cold for the flame to get it hot) then the absorption refrigerator won't cool. That's the problem many people have "wintering in cold areas"....

I haven't heard of any "altitude problems" in several years (10+) until this thread. And, I haven't seen that statement (use electric heater at altitudes greater than 5500') in any owner's manual since about 2005. I was surprised to see that it was in a manual from a 2017 Passport.....
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Old 10-11-2017, 03:40 PM   #19
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http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums...1&d=1507764827

I do not know what to say, My operating Instructions are revision A also and Page 5 "C." has Operating Refrigerator at High Altitude
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Old 10-11-2017, 03:47 PM   #20
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http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums...1&d=1507764827

I do not know what to say, My operating Instructions are revision A also and Page 5 "C." has Operating Refrigerator at High Altitude
If you normally operate above 5500 then a permanent solution is to reduce the orifice 2 sizes ..
Example... if currently 58 drop to 55 and adjust air flow to correct flame.


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