Use of non working fridge

[Debbit]

Everything is working in my dolphin except the fridge. I don't want to spend the money right now to fix or replace it, so I'm thinking ways to use it as an ice box. If we are only going on a short trip, water frozen in 1/2 gallon milk jugs fit perfectly and work well. But for longer trips, I think we will need to buy ice every few days. I've found that 2 of those plastic shoeboxes fit nicely on the bottom shelf, and we can fill them with ice. I'm sure others have come up with great solutions for this...

I think dry ice disappears faster, but is colder, maybe a combo of the two.

[WME]

Buy block ice and keep it in the freezer section. It will last as long as anything else and is easy to find.

Ice needs to be up top and dry ice on the bottom, unless you want a big freezer.

Also keep the door closed as much as possible, a small cooler for drinks is a good idea.

[Debbit]

Yeah, the freezer compartment is a good unused spot, but not very big. We used to have a pop up with an ice box. It had a bin with a tight fitting lid, and a little spout. It slid in like one of the racks and you could dispense ice water as the ice melted. It stood up on end like a little fridge. It was pretty cool (hehe)

Like to duplicate that idea, I guess.

[Debbit]

As a experiment, I put two frozen solid milk jugs of water in the fridge last night. Thawed by mid day. So much for the insulating properties if the fridge.

[WME]

Do it 2x in a row, your using a lot of cold cooling a warm icebox

[zero]

As a experiment, I put two frozen solid milk jugs of water in the fridge last night. Thawed by mid day. So much for the insulating properties if the fridge.

The older Dometic 3-ways only have 3/4" to 1" of insulation.

We pack ice in a ventilated ice house in January -, all packed in saw-dust. Usually lasts until mid-August. Not very feasible in a small RV though.

[Debbit]

Well, I'll be saving up for a new fridge, I think

[bufbooth]

My frig was working when I purchased my Toyota 5 years ago, but my driveway is not level and we only take

short trips so we just purchased two coolers that are barely smaller than the inside of the frig, one is used to

hold extra ice, the other the food.

On a long trip once, we used the frig as a closet to hold more clothes and just had a large cooler on the floor in the

bathroom.

Dennis...

[WME]

Well, I'll be saving up for a new fridge, I think

Best answer yet is a new one.

Till then on a trip fill it with cold stuff from home and then add your jug ice and see how it works then

[zero]

Well, I'll be saving up for a new fridge, I think

What's wrong with buying a working used refrigerator for $100-$200? Plenty around (usually). Main problem is finding one that's close enough to pick up to avoid shipping.

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Newell 28126, NC, United States - 1 week ago on reachoo.com

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[Bob C]

I looked for a used one within 300 miles for over a year. I ended up buying a 4 cu ft 12 compressor unit and installed it. I will not go back to using coolers and ice if I can avoid it. I like having food that is not wet and soggy.

[Debbit]

Wow, I've been looking on craigslist everyday for a used fridge. Nothing wrong with used, it is what I prefer. Thanks for those ads.

I've found some non working ones, and some larger ones close by. I will keep looking, and keep saving.

[MontanaChinook]

I don't find anything used either, at least not a 3-way that will fit my little Chinook. I did find a slightly smaller than stock brand new fridge that would be plenty big for me brand new online for just under $500. Not a bad option...

[xanthogar]

You could always try to fix your. One thing that I've seen work is remove it and place it upside down for 48 hours re invert let sit another 8 and it may work again. Also check the burners it could be a simple repair/fix and save yourself alot of money.

[MontanaChinook]

Yep, there are lots of things you can do to get the old ones working. If the problem turns out to be th ammonia cooling unit...might make more sense to upgrade to something modern with insulation rather than paying $400+ for new coils. In my case, for little fridges like Chinooks have, I figure $500 for a modern fridge makes more sense than $400 to replace the coil. But if you're looking for a bigger fridge, which cost more like $900+, repairing the old one makes more sense.

But if all your problem is just a clogged burner or corroded switch, fixing it makes sense.

[Debbit]

Both gas burner and electric element are working. I've debated taking it out and turning it upside down. I've heard mixed things about that, but I'm sure it is worth a try. The fridge seems to be in such nice condition back there, no signs of leaks, no rust,nand it lights so easily. I just can't believe it won't work!

[linda s]

The 400 it will cost for a new cooling unit is almost as cheap as a used one. I have heard of the turning it upside down thing before and I don't know anyone it worked for.

Linda S

[bufbooth]

A number of companies offer fully rebuilt (all new tubing) cooling units.

[zero]

I've been messing around with RV and marine refrigerators in the NE for over 40 years - including a few stints at a few RV dealerships. I think I've seen one bad three-way frige in my life (that I recall). All the rest were repairable with a minimum - or no new parts. From all the gloom and doom I'm hearing here - I've got to assume that absorbtion units last a lot longer around my area since they rarely get used. I also wonder how many get diagnosed incorrectly and replaced when it's not needed. I've got over a dozen here and all work fine. Problems usually relate to bad British switches, plugged burners, are faulty thermostats. I've dragged a few home that lay outdoors in farm-junkpiles that also worked fine once worked on a little.

Must be that in other areas of the USA, RVs get used a lot more along with the coolers and thus the major issues?

I know that in my area - most RVs get used a few weeks a year and sit and rot most winters. I just stripped a 1981 and 1979 Coachmen truck campers with big Dometics and they work perfectly. I also have a 1972 Jayco parked out back and it too has the original Dometic frige and it too works great. The last junker RV I bought was a 1977 Toyota Chinook with the small Dometic frige and all that needed was the electric switch pulled apart and contacts cleaned - along with the mud wasp nests taken out of the burner. Previous to that I bought a complete 1986 Winnebago Phasar for $200 and drove it home. Great working Norcold DC frige, electronic-igniton gas furnace, good water pump, good water heater, good Winegard TV antenna/amp, half-full 30 lb. transverse propane tank, etc. So the frige was almost "free." Acutally - once completely stripped it will bring $400 at the scrapyard just for the rusty steel.

I guess if someone wants a good used refrigerator fairly cheap - look in a place where RVs don't get used much -and/or die early. Two years ago we had massive flooding in my area and there were many newer RVs ruined. For quite a while after, the local want ads were flooded with RV appliances for sale cheap - along with complete RVs offered free for the taking.

By the way - I've had a few dometics that were "stubborn" and rolled them around a bit, banged on them - and then worked fine. I assume they had become partially crystalized inside. Hey - it's a cheap attempt to fix with nothing to lose. And yes, on occasion it certainly does work.

In regard to getting a new cooling unit for $400? Does not sound promising to me. If a frige has been used so much it needs a new cooling unit - and you pay to have one put it - I assume all the other controls are still old and original? If a thermostat and/or gas-control-valve goes bad - you just threw your money away. If it was me - I'd buy new - or buy a $100 used working complete refrigerator.

[Debbit]

Thanks everyone for the ideas and input. The fridge lights very easily on gas, and on both gas and electric the vent get hot. I can see the gas flame, and feel that the vent stack gets hot. I don't hear gurgling, the back area and inside of the fridge is clean and stain and rust free. I've taken both access panels off and checked for nests and such. Cleaned off all the dust. I've leveled it to perfection and let it run overnight. I've turned it on on gas, and driven all around and reparked it level and let it run again, overnight. I've gently banged on the cooling unit while fridge has been running. I haven't taken it out to turn it upside down, but I will try that eventually, I guess. I figured that if im going to replace it, it has to come out anyway. I just want to take it on some longer trips before we put "big" money into it. Any advice of what else to check or what to do is welcomed.

Our westfalia has a much smaller dometic that we have taken out and worked on. it is often hard to light and sometimes won't stay lit, but it cools. Same year vehicle, but the toy's fridge is so much easier, bigger and better......BUT IT DOSENT GET COLD!! So frustrating!

[MontanaChinook]

Most of us aren't rv mechanics.

What I read, which is only what I read, not what I know from experience, is that the less the fridge is used, the more likely the cooling unit is to crystallize and not work.

I'd love to have a well insulated fridge...but I'm definitley going to take the time to see if I can get my old one working first. Just so much else to get back together right now that the fridge hasn't been a priority yet...

[zero]

Most of us aren't rv mechanics.

What I read, which is only what I read, not what I know from experience, is that the less the fridge is used, the more likely the cooling unit is to crystallize and not work.

I'd love to have a well insulated fridge...but I'm definitley going to take the time to see if I can get my old one working first. Just so much else to get back together right now that the fridge hasn't been a priority yet...

Like I said - I've only seen one bad cooling unit in my life and that one had rusted out from road-salt getting into it. From what I've read - excessive use on cock-eye ground is what makes the refrigerant crystallize inside and plug up the works. I'm sure lack of use is not the problem since I've seen so many sit for so many years and work just fine as long as the burner or heating element is working.

[Maineah]

Thanks everyone for the ideas and input. The fridge lights very easily on gas, and on both gas and electric the vent get hot. I can see the gas flame, and feel that the vent stack gets hot. I don't hear gurgling, the back area and inside of the fridge is clean and stain and rust free. I've taken both access panels off and checked for nests and such. Cleaned off all the dust. I've leveled it to perfection and let it run overnight. I've turned it on on gas, and driven all around and reparked it level and let it run again, overnight. I've gently banged on the cooling unit while fridge has been running. I haven't taken it out to turn it upside down, but I will try that eventually, I guess. I figured that if im going to replace it, it has to come out anyway. I just want to take it on some longer trips before we put "big" money into it. Any advice of what else to check or what to do is welcomed.

Our westfalia has a much smaller dometic that we have taken out and worked on. it is often hard to light and sometimes won't stay lit, but it cools. Same year vehicle, but the toy's fridge is so much easier, bigger and better......BUT IT DOSENT GET COLD!! So frustrating!

If the boiler gets hot and it does not cool then the cooling unit is toes up. If there is the slightest hint of ammonia it is toes up also. Excessive off level can do it in extended use. I have never been lucky enough to find one that was not the cooling unit.

[linda s]

Yes It's almost always the cooing unit. Out of 4 motorhomes I have ever bought 2 of them had non working fridges. Cooling units on both were replaced and both work fine now. In 9 years on toyota motorhomes sites I have heard of dozens and dozens of cooling unit replacements and almost never anything else that had gone bad outside of a broken knob from time to time.

Linda S

[zero]

Yes It's almost always the cooing unit. Out of 4 motorhomes I have ever bought 2 of them had non working fridges.

No offense intended - but your statement/claim is anecdotal - just as mine is.

Out of the four you had - two had friges that did not work and since you did not repair them yourself - I don't see how you can truly know what the specific malady was with them. New cooling unit installed or not.

In my case - I worked at several RV places over the years (all in NJ or NY). I've also fixed many RV refrigerators over the years. I also own 6 RVs at present and have a dozen old three-way refrigerators that work fine that I've taken from stripped RVs. None needed new cooling units. All had issues with burners, switches and/or thermostats when not working.

Your report and mine both prove nothing on the broad scope of things except some RV refrigerators get failed cooling units and some do not.

Also (correct me if I'm wrong) . . it seems you are basing your judgement on reports you've heard from other RV users who ALSO are not repairing their own refrigerators and taking some repair-persons word for things. Again -highly anecdotal.

I can say with 100% surety - many three-way refrigerators develop malfunctions over time with the mechanical thermostats, the burners, and/or the electrical switches in the smaller British-built Dometics. If anyone tries to dispute - I will post more photos of the internals of the devices and exactly what happens to them over time. To claim it doesn't happen is just plain silly.

[zero]

Most of us aren't rv mechanics.

A comment about that. I am not a specifically trained RV mechanic. In fact, I've never met one. At every RV place I worked at - nobody had specific training for the RVs they were selling. Just a bunch of people with some general smarts, mechanical and electrical skills. There is little to nothing on an RV that a generalized mechanic should not be able to figure out. The last RV place I worked at was in Middletown, NY near Goshen. They started out as an International Harvester truck dealer and a Delaval dairy-farm repair place specializing in farm refrigeration and milking vacuum pumps. They also sold equipment trailers and Apache pop-up campers. IH went pretty much belly-up and dairy farming was near dead so they shifted to selling/servicing any RVs and selling new Winnebagos -along with Satoh and Bolens tractors. I got hired since I had a background in auto/diesel mechanics, auto air condioning repair, John Deere tractor experience, and had worked as an electrician.

The only two RV dealers near me right now - in Oneonta NY and Walton NY have nobody specifically trained for RV repair. Just people with heavy backgrounds in fixing near anything. The one in Oneonta is owned by a guy who owned a Chevrolet dealership unit GM went bankrupt and shut him down. The other is an ex chicken and dairy farmer (so I'm told). The only special training I've ever witnessed for RVs is from reading service bulletin and/or attending a few meetings every year which amount to very light-duty and boring service seminars.

[linda s]

Your insistance that you are right does not coincide with my experience on these groups. Yes I was there when both cooling units were installed on my fridges and nothing else was done. Once at a cooling unit rebuilder near me where they walked me through their rebuilding process and I saw everything they did and once by my son-in-law. For all the other members who have done the same repair I have no reason to assume they were lying about their experiences. I'm sure most people would rather brag about fixing a 20 dollar switch than having to repalce a 400 dollar cooling unit. I must assume that you are just increadibly lucky with the ones you find

Linda S

[zero]

Your insistance that you are right does not coincide with my experience on these groups. Yes I was there when both cooling units were installed on my fridges and nothing else was done. Once at a cooling unit rebuilder near me where they walked me through their rebuilding process and I saw everything they did and once by my son-in-law. For all the other members who have done the same repair I have no reason to assume they were lying about their experiences. I'm sure most people would rather brag about fixing a 20 dollar switch than having to repalce a 400 dollar cooling unit. I must assume that you are just increadibly lucky with the ones you find

Linda S

Do you have a reading-comprehension problem? I made no such claim about being "right" in regard to all RV refrigerators and all common problems. I am correct about what I have seen myself. You - on the other hand - seem to rely primarily on the reports of others - many of whom had problems and their stuff fixed by yet another party. Somehow you have decided that my observations and your's must be mutually exclusive. That is just plain wierd.

Your statement - and I quote you for accuracy . . . " I have heard of dozens and dozens of cooling unit replacements and almost never anything else that had gone bad outside of a broken knob from time to time . ."

I have no control over what you "heard", or whatever your personal memories or experiences are composed of - anymore then I can control how you interpret what you see or read.

It may well be true that you've never personally witnessed a bad switch or thermostat or thermocoupler or burner or heating element in an RV frige. Many others have - especially those that have taken the time to diagnose problems in a logical fashion and fixed them - instead of sending out the appliance to an outside party. Linda - it has very little to do with "luck" as you put it. If anythihg that insipid claim by you is insulting. These RV refrigerators are not all that complex. Most come with full service info including schematics. I'll add that unlike household refrigerators - RV refrigerators are often subject to extreme weather, moisture, temps, etc. - especially 3-ways with the open vented areas behind the units. That is also where many Dometics have the electrical switches and the thermostats and they often go bad due to moisture intrusion.

[linda s]

We're talking about Debbit's fridge here and both her electric and propane heaters seem to be working fine. Only thing left to fix is the cooling unit. Your anecdotal evidence has nothing to do with her fridge.

Linda S

[zero]

We're talking about Debbit's fridge here and both her electric and propane heaters seem to be working fine. Only thing left to fix is the cooling unit. Your anecdotal evidence has nothing to do with her fridge.

Linda S

Seems I'm seeing something you're not. Debbit posted about her refrigerator not working and how to use it as an ice-box. She also mentioned saving her money to buy a new one. I see nothing in her posts where she has diagnosed the specific problem with her refrigerator and ruled out the possibility of it being electric and/or burner related.

And you say discussing possible problems do not relate? Geez - and you're a moderator??? I think YOU need some moderation.

By the way Linda - it does not require "luck" as you claim, to fix a mechanical applicance. It takes knowledge as to how it works and a few tools. In the case of an RV three-way refrigerator - it takes very few tools to diagnose. The most high-tech instrument is a $5 VOM anyone can order from Harbor Freight.

[Debbit]

I'll call and see if they are willing to ship, thanks

[zero]

Here's another for $100 near me (central NY). Seller says works good on propane but not on electric. May be just a switch or internal fuse.

http://binghamton.craigslist.org/rvs/4024517058.html

[Debbit]

I've found some taller ones like that near me, but not sure i want to retrofit a much taller one.

I did find a used igloo 12 volt cooler, quite cheap, to use for now.

[zero]

I've found some taller ones like that near me, but not sure i want to retrofit a much taller one.

I did find a used igloo 12 volt cooler, quite cheap, to use for now.

Most (but not all) coolers are compressorless and inefficient.

A few questions about your regrigerator. You say it doesn't work, It is making any heat in back? Does the burner light?

[Debbit]

Yes, the vent stack gets quite hot, and the gas lights easily and stays lit. The flame looks just right. I've leveled it to perfection, driven with it lit, tried it on both gas and electric overnight.

It is sitting upside down in the camper right now, and I hope that works