Fridge NOT making any noise

[Captain Skippy]

New camper and turned on the Dometic fridge for the first time today. Lights work but can't hear anything running. I realize it takes some time to cool down but shouldn't I hear it running? It is switched to auto but is plugged into a 30amp receptacle. I had an electrician wire it specifically for the camper. AC was on and it ran fine but I cut it off since it really wasn't hot enough outside.

[BarryD0706]

Nope. There's no compressor. It will be silent.

Put your hand on the freezer wall. It should be cold soon.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Captain Skippy

New camper and turned on the Dometic fridge for the first time today. Lights work but can't hear anything running. I realize it takes some time to cool down but shouldn't I hear it running? It is switched to auto but is plugged into a 30amp receptacle. I had an electrician wire it specifically for the camper. AC was on and it ran fine but I cut it off since it really wasn't hot enough outside.

Most likely you won't hear a thing unless it has air flow fans.
There not like a normal fridge with a compresser.
Fridge should be quiet as a mouse when running.

12 hours minimum cool down period.


Turbs

[Captain Skippy]

Well I feel like a dummy. It's been on about two hours and I think I notice a difference. I slid the control to the coldest setting. I'll check it in the AM. I remember the dealer saying to turn it on the day before you want to use it.
Thanks guys.

[Oakman]

Most RV refrigerators cool down faster when using propane instead of electricity.

[Captain Skippy]

That's good to know. Thanks.

[Brother Les]

Hello Captain, my friend, I have been a 'camper' for over 45 years. For you (any newby) there are many 'small' things to learn that those who have been doing this for a while really never think about and completely forget to think about. I had to stop and think if my fridge made any noise? No noise...but it works...

when you said.

I had an electrician wire it specifically for the camper

what do you mean by this? I thought that you had a new camper and it would seem that it would have came with a duel fuel (propane/electric) fridge. Did you add a second fridge that is only electric?

These small camper fridges do take 4-6 hours to cool down. Why does it take so long? Because most of the time it is empty when 'we' turn them on to cool them down. The cooling system is small, but works really well for what it is asked to do. A 'full' fridge (just like at home) will stay cold easier and faster if it is full. A day before we 'stock' the camper I will connect the batts (I disconnect them so that will not run them down from parasite usage from the safety monitors) plug the camper in and then turn the fridge on. I like to have the fridge 'on' when I am running down the road, so when we are ready to roll. I will unplug it and open the primary propane tank. The gas will take a while to force its' way to the fridge, so I turn on a stove burning to get the gas back to the fridge faster. Air will come out of the burner and I hit it with a lighter every few seconds to see if it will start. All of this time I am hearing the fridge lighter clicking away trying to ignite the propane that is not there. After several trys the fridge will default off and ask me to 'check' it. I will reset the fridge button after I get propane to the stove. Once the propane is lit on the fridge (you should hear it ignite) it will be fine as you go down the road on your trip.

Happy trails and enjoy your new camper. It may seem like a lot of work sometimes and it is, but the rewards are worth it all.

Blessings

[aiscpl6]

Our fridge doesn't make a sound and takes a few hours to cool down but works great...beer stays cold...:-)

[Captain Skippy]

I really didn't make that clear. The dealer I bought the camper from said I could plug it into a regular household plug with a 30amp to 110v dog bone but not to run the AC on 110. I had an electrician run a separate 30 amp line from my meter base to plug the camper in. Now I can run everything while getting ready to head out and I can camp out in the yard with the grand kids.

[Captain Skippy]

By the way, I do have the outside kitchen option with a second fridge. But it only runs off 110 electricity. It was plugged into a receptacle behind it and the on/off control was on the back of the fridge, which was bolted down. Really dumb. You couldn't reach the control. So I unbolted everything and plugged a power strip with an on/off switch. Now I can keep it off until I'm actually ready to use it and have a few extra receptacles to boot.

[aiscpl6]

Your AC runs on 110 but typically requires a 30 amp circuit, household plugs are normally 15 amps unless they are for a stove or dryer...the voltage is still 110. When plugged into a 15 amp circuit you can not run AC. Your fridge can run on 110 or on propane but requires 12 VDC from battery to operate the controls. The adapters that you can use allows the 30 amp plug from your trailer to physically plug into a 15 amp plug...

[Captain Skippy]

That's what I thought, but I didn't know you need the battery to run the controls. Thanks.

[Brother Les]

Originally Posted by Captain Skippy

By the way, I do have the outside kitchen option with a second fridge. But it only runs off 110 electricity. It was plugged into a receptacle behind it and the on/off control was on the back of the fridge, which was bolted down. Really dumb. You couldn't reach the control. So I unbolted everything and plugged a power strip with an on/off switch. Now I can keep it off until I'm actually ready to use it and have a few extra receptacles to boot.

I want to run a 30/50 amp wire to my breaker box also with a camper plug receptical. Not hard to do, but must also have the higher fuse in the box than the 15amp. Just don't seem to that the time.

Did you get a small adapter that you can use on your camper cord to go from the 30 amp prongs to the 110 prongs? Get a couple of these, only a couple of bucks each. There will be a day when you will not be able to get 30/50 amps and will have to plug into a 110. This let you run everything but the AC.

I also have the outdoor Kit. Love it. On my fridge there is a cold/colder knob at the top inside of the fridge. by turning it all the way to the 'hotest' side mine shuts off the fridge.

The buttons at the top of the fridge are 12v. this way the fridge can work fine going down the road when you are running it on propane.

It you want, google how a propane/electric fridge works. Very interest and simple design that has changed very little in who knows how many years.

Be safe.

[Captain Skippy]

I do have a dog bone drop down. I use it way in the back yard where I park the camper. As far as the outdoor kitchen fridge, it's controls are on the outside back if it. And it's bolted down. I wonder what they were thinking when they picked this fridge.