bufbooth Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Hello All, I have had my Toyota for two years and have not yet used the Dometic Refrigerator yet. I have one of the full size refrigerators (like three feet tall with the seperate freeze that is about one foot tall, making the entire unit about four feet tall). I tend not to stay in one spot for more than a day, so I have been just using a cooler. I decided to try the Refrigerator. My driveway has a slight hill to it, so the RV was not level forward to back, but was level left to right. I plugged the RV into electric and put it on electric. After 24 hours, my freezer was cold, but not freezing yet, and the refrigerator part seem to see be room temperature. I let it go another 24 hours and my freezer is now freezing (about 30 degree), and the refrigerator is now at 60 degrees (room temperature is about 75). I decided to try to get it level, I only had enough bricks to get the front end up by 4 inches, which almosts gets me level, I probaby need another inch to be perfectly level. Does it sound like my refrigerator is working correct, did it take too long to get it to 30/60? I did have a gallon of water in both the freezer and arefrigerator to give it something to cool. Does the RV have to be perfectly level for the refrigerator to work best? If so, how well does it work while driving? Also, before using electric, I tried to use the propane. I have the frig unit with the light that informs you if all is well. I tried the propane procedure: 1. To start the refrigerator turn the knob A to position gas Lamp E comes on. 2. Turn the gas thermostat knob B to setting 4. 3. Press the button C to stop and keep it depressed. When lamp E goes out wait 15 sec. and release button C. If the lamp comes on again, repeat the procedure. If flame blowout reignition will take place automatically. To shut off the refrigerator turn the knob A to off position. The problem I was getting was that the light did not go out. I did put a new propane tank in, maybe I have some air in the lines, if so, do I just keep on trying until the air passes? Also, when using propane for the frig, how does one know if the propane is lit? Sorry for being so long, Dennis... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoprat Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I know this is propbably a silly question, but is the thermostat in the fridge turned cold enough. My fridge will get cold enough to freeze meat in 24 hours. A slight tilt( non-levelness?) doesn't seem to effect it that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtle Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Last time I took the sunrader out I plugged in the RV to AC and turned the fridge on the night before. I put in a couple 1/2 gallons of water into the fridge compartment. The next morning the water was frozen solid and the fridge compartment was at 28 degrees (8 hours running time maybe). This was with the thermostat set to max. My driveway has minimum fall front to back so it is probably more level than most RV park pads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bufbooth Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 The setting was set on Max. Also, regarding using it on propane, is there any fast way to know that it is working, that is, is there any pilot light that I can see lit? Thanks, Dennis... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smity Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Your fridge working in elec is great. Means the gas side prob is minor. There is a indicator that lets you know the pilot light is going. You have to open the fridge door and to the far left of the knobs there is a small shiny metal looking piece in a small cut out. When you hit the stricker you will see the metal thing shine for a second that lets you know the pilot is going. If there is air in the gas line I turn on the stove top to purge out any trapped air to expedite the process. Im not sure what the % it has to be within level. You might want to take the vent cover off to get to the pilot and look at the flame, There will be a screw around a small metal box cover to take off. The pilot flame should be blue not orange, if its working right you can barely see it. I just bought my rv and there was a lot of road dirt on the coil to wash off. If it is real hot outside it will take the fridge a lot longer to cool down. Another thing you can do is get a fan like the kind used on a computer and wire it in to push either cool air to the lower coil or hot air out thru the roof vent. The rv store sells a small battery operated rv fan to work on the inside to circulate air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtle Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I have heard some very good reports on this cooling "helper" setup http://www.snydersrvrefrigeration.com/2301.html I was considering getting one until I found out how well my fridge was working. I may still get one as the price on everything is always going up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markg Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 My Dometic will not work on a slope (not sure at what point it shuts off). Last week I was on the Northern Cal Pacific Coast at at sloped camp spot and my frig shut off for the 16 hours I was there and started right up again after I vacated the camp site... I was on propane the whole time and the flame never went out. You should see a faint blue/gold flame through the site tube if you cup your hands and make it dark enough. mark '87 Dolphin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picklebill Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Hello All, I have had my Toyota for two years and have not yet used the Dometic Refrigerator yet. I have one of the full size refrigerators (like three feet tall with the seperate freeze that is about one foot tall, making the entire unit about four feet tall). I tend not to stay in one spot for more than a day, so I have been just using a cooler. I decided to try the Refrigerator. My driveway has a slight hill to it, so the RV was not level forward to back, but was level left to right. I plugged the RV into electric and put it on electric. After 24 hours, my freezer was cold, but not freezing yet, and the refrigerator part seem to see be room temperature. I let it go another 24 hours and my freezer is now freezing (about 30 degree), and the refrigerator is now at 60 degrees (room temperature is about 75). I decided to try to get it level, I only had enough bricks to get the front end up by 4 inches, which almosts gets me level, I probaby need another inch to be perfectly level. Does it sound like my refrigerator is working correct, did it take too long to get it to 30/60? I did have a gallon of water in both the freezer and arefrigerator to give it something to cool. Does the RV have to be perfectly level for the refrigerator to work best? If so, how well does it work while driving? Also, before using electric, I tried to use the propane. I have the frig unit with the light that informs you if all is well. I tried the propane procedure: 1. To start the refrigerator turn the knob A to position gas Lamp E comes on. 2. Turn the gas thermostat knob B to setting 4. 3. Press the button C to stop and keep it depressed. When lamp E goes out wait 15 sec. and release button C. If the lamp comes on again, repeat the procedure. If flame blowout reignition will take place automatically. To shut off the refrigerator turn the knob A to off position. The problem I was getting was that the light did not go out. I did put a new propane tank in, maybe I have some air in the lines, if so, do I just keep on trying until the air passes? Also, when using propane for the frig, how does one know if the propane is lit? Sorry for being so long, Dennis... Dennis - The fridge must be close to level to work most efficiently. The figures from the manufacturer are when you are facing the fridge, 3 degrees from side-to-side and 6 degrees from front to back. Running it very far off level will eventually damage it. On our unit (Instamatic) if the outside temp is at 80 degrees or below, it will take about 6 hours from startup to get to 0 degrees in the freezing compartment and 38 degrees in the food compartment. If you freeze a half gallon milk container in your home freezer and put it in the freezer compartment of your RV fridge it will speed up the cooling by about an hour. Good luck! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanAatTheCape Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Hello All, I have had my Toyota for two years and have not yet used the Dometic Refrigerator yet. I have one of the full size refrigerators (like three feet tall with the seperate freeze that is about one foot tall, making the entire unit about four feet tall). I tend not to stay in one spot for more than a day, so I have been just using a cooler. I decided to try the Refrigerator. My driveway has a slight hill to it, so the RV was not level forward to back, but was level left to right. I plugged the RV into electric and put it on electric. After 24 hours, my freezer was cold, but not freezing yet, and the refrigerator part seem to see be room temperature. I let it go another 24 hours and my freezer is now freezing (about 30 degree), and the refrigerator is now at 60 degrees (room temperature is about 75). I decided to try to get it level, I only had enough bricks to get the front end up by 4 inches, which almosts gets me level, I probaby need another inch to be perfectly level. Does it sound like my refrigerator is working correct, did it take too long to get it to 30/60? I did have a gallon of water in both the freezer and arefrigerator to give it something to cool. Does the RV have to be perfectly level for the refrigerator to work best? If so, how well does it work while driving? Also, before using electric, I tried to use the propane. I have the frig unit with the light that informs you if all is well. I tried the propane procedure: 1. To start the refrigerator turn the knob A to position gas Lamp E comes on. 2. Turn the gas thermostat knob B to setting 4. 3. Press the button C to stop and keep it depressed. When lamp E goes out wait 15 sec. and release button C. If the lamp comes on again, repeat the procedure. If flame blowout reignition will take place automatically. To shut off the refrigerator turn the knob A to off position. The problem I was getting was that the light did not go out. I did put a new propane tank in, maybe I have some air in the lines, if so, do I just keep on trying until the air passes? Also, when using propane for the frig, how does one know if the propane is lit? Sorry for being so long, Dennis... will add that you do need to get air out of the line if the frig has not run in a while. Run the stove burners until they are stable then start trying to light the frig. you can take a the cover off the birner from the outside to see the flame if you are nto satisfied looking thru the little pilot viewer window (btw, it is a lot easier to see when there is no bright light outside). while you are accessing the burner clean off any soot or buildup at the burner - it makes a big difference on frig efficiency. yes you do want to be level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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