Fridge installation issue

[B-O-B'03]

While looking into making the fridge more resilient to blowing out, while running on gas driving down the road, I discovered this



It looks like they drilled the hole, for the romex that is connected to the outlet for the fridge, in the wrong spot and then the installer just shoved the fridge over the romex. I also found they had to move the outlet an inch or so outward from the original position. After that, they just covered up the whole area with that gray expanding foam.

I have no idea why they did not just run the romex through the big plastic ring that the gas line uses?

Anyway, I figure it is only a matter of time before the sheet-metal of the fridge frame wears through the insulation of the wire and causes issues, so I am trying to decide the best way to fix it.

Anyone have any ideas?

As for the blowing out, driving down the road issue, I was thinking to extend the existing sheet metal to the left of the black box and bending it toward the back of the fridge to make more of a box shroud, think that would help?



Thanks,

-Brian

[chuckster57]

If you remove that sheet metal plate, can you see another formed metal shield that goes around the burner? The burner should have two separate "wind shields".

As to the holes, fill them. The refer compartment is required to be sealed off from the living quarters to prevent the introduction of carbon monoxide. I have seen expanding foam and or silicone cover mistakes more often than I wanted to.

[ctbruce]

Some where on a forum, probably Forest River, I read that there is a kit to fix this problem. You might want to call the fridge manufacturer and ask. Just a thought. Good luck.

Chip Bruce, RPh
Kansas City, MO
2016 Fuzion Impact 312
2015 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ
WELL....THAT WAS FUN!

[B-O-B'03]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

If you remove that sheet metal plate, can you see another formed metal shield that goes around the burner? The burner should have two separate "wind shields".

As to the holes, fill them. The refer compartment is required to be sealed off from the living quarters to prevent the introduction of carbon monoxide. I have seen expanding foam and or silicone cover mistakes more often than I wanted to.

Thanks for the reply, I could not remove the screw in the corner since the romex was covering it, but I removed all the others and bent the plate back a little and found the inner shield... it was open a little due to the igniter wire not being in the little notch, I fixed that and closed that gap, but there is still plenty of other open space that will allow gusts in (I think).

The issue I have is that the fridge is sitting on the romex, since the hole it passes through is under the frame and I fear the frame will eventually wear through the insulation.

I might pull the fridge forward and move the wire from the existing hole to a safer location... possibly the large hole, with the plastic grommet, that that gas line uses?

I understand the point of sealing the compartment, since the furnace return plenum is underneath it

Originally Posted by ctbruce

Some where on a forum, probably Forest River, I read that there is a kit to fix this problem. You might want to call the fridge manufacturer and ask. Just a thought. Good luck.
...

Thanks Chip, I'll give Atwood a call and see what they say.

I think I will go ahead and cut a piece of metal I have and see if it helps.

-Brian

[B-O-B'03]

I sent an email to Atwood and they replied they do not have a kit for this, so I decided to make something.

A friend suggested making one out of cardboard, to see it it helps, so I made this:



If it works I will use the cardboard as a template to cut out some plated sheet-metal.

We are headed for 12 - 1500 mile trip next Saturday, I'll post up the results, when we get back.

-Brian

[JRTJH]

I would be EXTREMELY cautious about anything that is flammable that close to the gas flame. Granted, it's supposed to be "inside a metal box" but the heat generated by that flame can potentially be hot enough to catch that cardboard on fire. If it were me, I'd go ahead and bend the metal (since you know the cardboard fits) and install it rather than even "test" the cardboard.

Being in a campground, away from emergency responders, is not the environment you'd want to be in should something "get too hot" in the middle of the night.....

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I would be EXTREMELY cautious about anything that is flammable that close to the gas flame. Granted, it's supposed to be "inside a metal box" but the heat generated by that flame can potentially be hot enough to catch that cardboard on fire. If it were me, I'd go ahead and bend the metal (since you know the cardboard fits) and install it rather than even "test" the cardboard.



Being in a campground, away from emergency responders, is not the environment you'd want to be in should something "get too hot" in the middle of the night.....

I agree 100%. Not worth the risk.

[14george]

I agree with jrtjh and chuckster57

[B-O-B'03]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I would be EXTREMELY cautious about anything that is flammable that close to the gas flame. Granted, it's supposed to be "inside a metal box" but the heat generated by that flame can potentially be hot enough to catch that cardboard on fire. If it were me, I'd go ahead and bend the metal (since you know the cardboard fits) and install it rather than even "test" the cardboard.

Being in a campground, away from emergency responders, is not the environment you'd want to be in should something "get too hot" in the middle of the night.....

I placed the thermistor, from my DVM, in the corrugation of the cardboard and ran the fridge on gas for a few days at the house... it never got above 99* F, so I left it on for the trip.

We had the fridge blow out a couple of times, between Dallas and Odessa, but that was it, for the whole 1700 mile trip. Before the mod, it would blow out a lot more.
The biggest problem I had was keeping the freezer door closed, it was open almost every time we stopped and I ended up using a couple of bungees to hold it.

My next task, after cutting a new shield out of metal, is figuring out how to fix the crappy latches that Atwood uses.

-Brian

[hankpage]

I don't know about Attwood, but in over 25 years of travel with dometic fridge we have never had one blow out. The newer ones are electronic ignition and should relight if the flame goes out. I think you have different problem than "blowing out". JM2¢, Hank

[B-O-B'03]

Originally Posted by hankpage

I don't know about Attwood, but in over 25 years of travel with dometic fridge we have never had one blow out. The newer ones are electronic ignition and should relight if the flame goes out. I think you have different problem than "blowing out". JM2¢, Hank

Hi Hank,

I am presuming it blew out, when we stopped for fuel I checked the fridge, as always and it was in check mode, flashing the "gas" and "check" lights.

Power cycling the fridge makes it happy again.

I know the restart feature has a limit to the number of times it will try, before it goes into check mode, not sure what that limit is.

The issue only happened twice, on the whole 1700 mile trip, which is much better than the last outing.

Perhaps there is something wrong with it, maybe I should contact Atwood, before it reaches 2 years old.

Thanks,

-Brian