Residential Fridge Turns Off Periodically

[MeredithEden]

Hello, All!

I am going to try not to muddy the waters by giving too much unnecessary information but I might fail! Haha. The RV is a 2016 PrimeTime Sanibel 3601. For the third time since living in the RV (about 2 months) the fridge has seemingly shut off at random. The RV is connected to shore-power.

If there are multiple ways to power the fridge, I have not figured out how to switch it between battery, shore-power, propane, etc. I looked for panels and switches everywhere it was recommended online. The manual I requested from Forest River is pretty generic.

The first time it went off, the propane also ran out so I thought the fridge was running on Propane. I got it to come back on when I switched on the "remote switch" which I understand to be the inverter, correct? If so, does that mean at that time the power is running through the battery?

2nd time, there was a serious cold-snap, sub-zero temps. Fridge went out. Battery appeared dead. Bought new battery, nothing happened. Gave up, went to bed. Woke up and BAM working again.

3rd time, this moring. Got into the fridge once, fine. Second time, OFF. Absolutely maddening. No idea how to trouble shoot.

Does not seem to be a delay or loss in shore power, microwave stays on the right time and everything.

If it is sometimes running through propane or battery, is there a way to make it only run on the shore power?

Please tell me there is something very obvious and simple right under my nose and I have been overthinking the whole thing.

[bikendan]

Moved thread from the Forum Administration/News/Member Accounts section to the Appliances and Electronics sub-forum, in the Tech and Repair section since the OP's topic is specific to Appliances.

[bikendan]

It's always helpful if you posted what make and model number of fridge you're asking about. FR divisions install many different makes and model numbers of fridges.

[MeredithEden]

Good point. I will add when I get home.

[MeredithEden]

For what it's worth, it's a residential fridge Whirlpool, model # WRF540CWBM00

I'm worried I did gum up the story. I have now read that residential fridges do not run on propane so perhaps that was just a coincidence.

At a total loss with the whole thing.

Hoping it will randomly turn back on during the night again but even if it does, I will remain perplexed!

Wondering if any of this actually has to do with power supply or RV at all and maybe it is just a fridge thing.

[dalford]

Your fridge operates on 2 sources of AC power. 1 from the shore power and 1 from the inverter. It sounds like your fridge is running just off the inverter and not the shore power.

Check your breaker panel. There should be a breaker label fridge/inverter or something to that accord. Turn it completely off and back on again.

If that breaker is off the inverter thinks (Senses) no shore power and generates it own AC for the fridge.

I’m not sure where your inverter is but mine is close to the batteries. In the back of the unit there is an AC plug and an AC outlet that the inverter plugs into. Make sure it is plugged in

It just sounds like you are running off the inverter. If you can find the on/off switch turn the inverter off to see if the fridge turns off.

Here is a link to the inverter operation in my rv.. https://youtu.be/pf7NhvBu3U0

This will give you a general oversite of inverter operation.

[dalford]

Oh, and welcome to the forum from Florida…

[nvs4602]

You can download the pdf file for the manual here.
https://www.searspartsdirect.com/man...igerator-parts

We have a different refrigerator, but on our refrigerator if the door stays open to long it shuts off. We had an item stuffed in the fridge that didn't let the door close all the way, even though it looked closed. Had to flip the circuit breaker off then on to get it to work again.