PD Mini fridge-intermittent cooling

[mjmckool]

We have a 2017.5 Rockwood 8312SS and the electric only PD mini fridge in the outside kitchen has begun to cool intermittently. When it works, it works, but then occasionally, it will just makes a "tick, tick" sound with no additional hum of the condenser is running. We bought the TT new and haven't used it enough for mini-fridge to have gone out already. Any thoughts or ideas on how to fix this without having to buy a new mini-fridge?

~ Matthew

[Tdbrn]

We also have one of these units in our 5th wheel at the outside kitchen. While we've had no issues as you describe with our RV, we have had a similar brand small fridge fail. Nothing really "owner serviceable" unless you are handy and have the ability to partially take it apart and try to repair it yourself.

If yours is new, but just past the warranty, I'd say, contact the maker, it wouldn't hurt to try!
Should you not get anyplace with the manufacturer only options are buy a new similar or same model, pull and replace, or pull and take to an appliance repair shop and check into repair.
Were it me, these are not very expensive and I would just buy a comparable size and model from Walmart and install that.

[Bigruh36]

I am an HVACR service technician and it sounds like your compressor is tripping on the overload (thermal switch). It may be doing this for several different reasons,

Check your input voltage if it is less than 105v (+-10%) it will have difficulty starting.

The door is opened frequently. When this style of compressor shuts off it needs to be off for several (3-5) minutes to let the pressure equalize through the capillary tube metering device. If the door is opened right after it shuts off and then the thermostat calls for cooling instantly it will not be able to start against the pressure differential. You can adjust the thermostat differential, add a time delay or install a start capacitor with a relay to give it more starting torque.

A lot of these fridges installed in RV outdoor kitchen use a hot wall condenser ( uses the wall of the fridge for cooling instead of fins and a fan) and they are placed where the wall gets no air flow to dissipate the heat being removed from the cabinet. The compressor will be working harder and draw more amperage and overheat and trip in these conditions. As the ambient temperature rises this affect gets compounded (less temperature differential means more air flow is required to remove the same amount of heat).

The compressor bearings could also be failing but that should be a less likely reason based on age. (But it still can happen under warranty)