Dometic Fridge

Ajohnson · 07-13-2021, 02:06 PM

So I have noticed my fridge fins freeze every time I use the fridge. This time around the fins are defrosting leaving water inside the fridge. The temperature outside only got to around 85 today. I have also installed and exhaust fan on the roof vent to help get the heat out of the back of the fridge. Is the fins freezing and now defrosting normal? The fridge seems to still be cool.

**chuckster57** · 07-13-2021, 05:46 PM

How many times you open the door, how long you leave it open and the relative humidity will affect those fins freezing and defrosting.

But yeah it’s normal as far as I know.

LHaven · 07-13-2021, 06:41 PM

Icing generally indicates a door gasket leak, admitting humidity. If you have a tight door, and don't open it constantly, you shouldn't see that. The defrosting is worrisome.

Javi · 07-13-2021, 07:10 PM

Quit opening the door to check if the fins are icing and they won't be...

**sourdough** · 07-13-2021, 07:56 PM

Before my res fridge I never had a problem with icing except if I had kids/grandkids long ago going in/out of the fridge OR if we stayed in a humid location for long periods (3mos. plus) after it was just "us". Even then we only defrosted the fridge once in several years when staying 5 mos. so like Javi said....keep the door closed??

**flybouy** · 07-14-2021, 02:38 AM

The "keep the door closed" has been covered. So I'll just add a "little food for thought". Remember this is a camper and nothing in the environment is the same as your home.

Your home typically maintains a fairly constant temperature and humidity. Your camper, when traveling can get VERY HOT or VERY COLD inside. Humidity inside will typically match the exterior when traveling. So you set up, reach in for a cold beverage and the fridge takes in a big gulp of hot moist air. When the fidge cools that intrusion it condenses on the fins and if they are cold enough turns to ice.

At home you typically know where things are in the fridge. Typically in the RV things are where they fit so it can take longer to find and retrieve items. In a S&B home you come in from the outside and when you open the door it's open for a short time to step in and shut it. A volume of that outside air gets "sucked in" behind the moving door. That air mixes with the volume of air in the house. So say you have 2,500 sq ft house with 8' ceilings. That's 20,000 cubic feet of air to incorporate what comes in. Then you walk a distance to the fridge and when you open the door the surrounding air hasnt changed much.

In an RV, let's say you have a large trailer. Give it 400 sq ft with 6.5' ceilings? That's 2,600 cubic ft. Quite the difference. Then you figure most people open the door either standing on the ground or maybe 2 steps below the door. Without a platform and opening out instead of in the foor remains open longer. Less air to mix, door open longer, few steps to fridge, then open fridge and figure out where the item is. Add kids (and some adults) that "graze" with the door open while they take inventory of the conents, weigh their options then decide well you get the picture.

**sourdough** · 07-14-2021, 04:13 AM

I will add one other thing;

Don't know the environment where you camp but we spend quite a bit of time in areas where the outside humidity can get quite high. Something that seemed to help that I forgot to mention was running a dehumidifier inside the trailer 24/7. Not a little desiccant container or desiccant type unit but a compressor dehumidifier that removes lots of water. For us it makes it much nicer and seemed to help the fridge as well.

turbojimmy · 07-14-2021, 10:02 AM

I installed a fan like this inside my motorhome fridge (not my pic). The fridge stays cooler and icing is reduced dramatically because of the improved air flow. In my case it's hooked up to the fridge light circuit.

Ajohnson · 07-15-2021, 05:19 PM

Thank you everyone for the helpful information. I don't leave the door open for long periods. I make sure the wife and kids open and close it quickly. I do have plans to add the the fan on the inside once the fan I want comes back in stock.

**chuckster57** · 07-15-2021, 05:47 PM

I use a fan that runs on 2 D cell batteries and sits in the condensation tray blowing up over the fins.

Getn off · 07-15-2021, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

I use a fan that runs on 2 D cell batteries and sits in the condensation tray blowing up over the fins.

Happen to have a link for this fan? I would like to add one myself.
Thanks,
Troy

**JRTJH** · 07-15-2021, 08:29 PM

There are several brands and models on the market. Most cost about $10 several years ago. Now they range from $25 to over $50.

Here's one link to a 4+ star rated fan on Amazon. Cost is about $27.
https://www.amazon.com/Beech-Lane-Mu...dDbGljaz10cnVl

A "word of caution" about any of these fans: Be sure to REMOVE the batteries if the fan is going to be turned off for more than a few days. The refrigerator is a "high humidity environment" and that sets up a perfect situation for battery corrosion. The easiest way to prevent the corrosion from destroying your fan is to just remove the batteries, even though there's a switch to turn the fan off.

Getn off · 07-15-2021, 09:01 PM

Thanks John.
Troy

Canadan99 · 07-22-2021, 07:26 AM

We had a similar issue one summer in our old trailer. We had packed too much food in the fridge and had blocked the front of the grill at the top of the fridge. After removing everything and putting it into coolers we noticed the fridge got colder again over a short period of time.

We no longer put food on the very top rack in the fridge (in front of the grill).

Mikelff · 07-22-2021, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ajohnson

So I have noticed my fridge fins freeze every time I use the fridge. This time around the fins are defrosting leaving water inside the fridge. The temperature outside only got to around 85 today. I have also installed and exhaust fan on the roof vent to help get the heat out of the back of the fridge. Is the fins freezing and now defrosting normal? The fridge seems to still be cool.

Add a set of fans on the cooling fins. This keeps air circulating across the fins and through your fridge. Hook the power to your inside light and you don’t have to mess with batteries, and their issues. This should keep ice from forming. Secondly, you should have a drip tray just below your fins with a drain hose to the outside. If you do not have one you need one, and probably have a drain hole on the back side of your fridge. Make sure you have a bend in your hose forming a p trap where the hose drains outside, keeping warm air from going up the drain hose and into your fridge. You would be surprised at how much warm air will go up that drain hose. Hopefully that takes care of your problem.

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