We hate our RV refrigerator

[dieseldodge]

My two cents worth....I agree with Scott (NMWildcat), the 5500 foot thing seems primarily CYA on the manufacturers part. We've had power outages from time to time and it seems to function okay on the gas at our 8000 feet. I also agree with him that Dometic's 1350 seems to be poor choice when on a slide, especially in altitude.

When boondocking a two way refer is the obvious choice. But when plugged in all time (other than when going down the road), the two ways have too many liabilities. Besides warning about operating them on gas above 5500 feet....and filling them too full.....and leaving the door open too long....they should also mention that you may have to add additional fans....and not to let the sun hit them.....and to avoid high temps....and prefer soft ice cream.

[Jodiwer]

We don't have any issues with keeping it cold but only got this rig in October so we'll see how the summer goes. We just have issues keeping it running at altitude.We camped near the Superstitions in AZ in Feb and had no issues at all. But we were only at 2000 feet.

The Dometics in our previous (older) rigs had no problems. If this is an "upgrade" then Dometic got it terribly wrong. Here in the west there are LOTS of people like us who boondock at altitude. We have talked to the very nice service folks at our dealer and they have told us that many of their customers are calling and coming in with the same issue.

It appears we have a few choices: 1) live with it going off day or night then restarting it 2) void our warranty by trying the fixes suggested 3) replace with a frig that doesn't have altitude problems (pricey and do they exist?) 4) increase our solar power and run it on the inverter (also pricey) or . . . ? Please don't suggest a generator. That would be rude to all our fellow campers in the woods and irritating to us.

[Justired]

At the beginning we had a problem with frig not cooling properly. Found the flap between the doors was jammed and not seali properly. Adjusted the flap and everything works as it should.

[evalbert]

We bought one of the D cell powered fridge fans about 3 years ago for our 1996 camper fridge. Made a significant difference in cooling. The batteries lasted through a 2 month trip to Alaska from Texas in weather from 100 degrees to 30 degrees. Worth the price. They still sell at most RV parts stores.

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Sounds like you have the RM-1350.
That's what we have too and we really like it. (after some mods)

You are probably referring to the Automatic Cooling Cycling System that helps defrost the refrigerator. From the owners manual...

Automatic cooling unit cycling
system and Low ambient control

The refrigerator has been design with an automatic cooling
unit cycling system that helps reduce frost build up in the fresh
food compartment. The first automatic frost reduction cooling
unit cycle begins 60 hours after turning “on” the refrigerator
(for best operational results the refrigerator should be turned on
anytime between 4 and 10 PM), and will last for approximately
120 minutes. Thereafter, the cycle will automatically repeat
every 48 hours as long as the refrigerator continues to run.

The automatic Low Ambient Control (LAC) ensures troublefree
operation in low ambient temperatures (e.g below 50° F).

Same fridge.
Here is a snip-it from my sensor inside my fridge showing that cycle. Although it happens every 24 hours...

[Platokidd]

After replacing the cooling unit on this fridge I made some much needed mods.
This fridge in a slide out, bad idea and poor install from FR needed to be changed.



Directing the airflow up and out was huge!


Added 2 electric fans on a thermostat, sucking in below and blowing out at the top. Also a fan inside the fridge.

[dieseldodge]

Platokidd....looks like you had your 1350 set up to do its thing starting around 2AM and it ran until 4AM, getting things up to nearly 40 degrees before it was done. Ans it does this every morning?

[Pontoon Don]

I have the opposite problem, even on a setting of 1, it freezes everything

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Pontoon Don

I have the opposite problem, even on a setting of 1, it freezes everything

RM-1350?

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by dieseldodge

Platokidd....looks like you had your 1350 set up to do its thing starting around 2AM and it ran until 4AM, getting things up to nearly 40 degrees before it was done. Ans it does this every morning?

Well... guess its making a liar out of me now. It was every day for a few days in a row. Mostly hitting 38 deg's during cycle. I need to spend more time looking into the the data.

Loading the fridge up does spike the temps upward and above 40.


I'm not at the camper today. My fridge is on the highest setting. Attached is my inside the camper temp and beer temp. I'm pleased and would call this normal.
Temps inside my camper can run 10 to 15 degrees warmer than outside. My campsite is mostly shaded.

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by Pontoon Don

I have the opposite problem, even on a setting of 1, it freezes everything

Have you checked the thermistor?

[TitanMike]

With a very similar setup only with rooftop vent I started my fridge at 8AM this morning. By 10 AM freezer was at 0 and fridge at 40. Temp when starting in both compartments was 65.

Biggest issue is opening doors. Inside fans help cool back down in short order.

Originally Posted by Platokidd

After replacing the cooling unit on this fridge I made some much needed mods.
This fridge in a slide out, bad idea and poor install from FR needed to be changed.



Directing the airflow up and out was huge!


Added 2 electric fans on a thermostat, sucking in below and blowing out at the top. Also a fan inside the fridge.

[IDguy]

Originally Posted by Iowa Frogfarmer

Here is what Dometic says from the RM-1350 Operators Manual, page 11

My Source manual

REVISION C
Form No. 3313352.019 12/17
(French 3313353.017_C)
©2017 Dometic Corporation
LaGrange, IN 46761

This warning does not appear in a the prior release of the operators manual dated 2011. It does appear in the manual for my Dometic RM2351 revision D dated 2017.

That is a stupid statement. I’ve operated Dometic gas fridges above 5,000 ft for 50 years with no issues.

[dieseldodge]

Our Dometic RM-1350SL continues to deteriorate. Used our newly purchased fan for the interior (battery operated) with no improvement. So the wife called Dometic and after a two hour wait talked with someone that went by the name of 'Wayne'.

Of course his response was that there was absolutely nothing wrong the the RM-1350SL......it was not installed correctly by Flagstaff (Forest River). We (the wife & I) expected the call to Dometic to be a waste but just wanted to hear their excuse....I mean opinion. Wayne did say that installing this RM-1350SL on a slide was a terrible idea.....and yet the manufacturers continue to do so. Lucky us. Our three year old Dometic appears to be dying, leaving us with an RV we can't use and more than likely a huge repair bill.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by dieseldodge

Our Dometic RM-1350SL continues to deteriorate. Used our newly purchased fan for the interior (battery operated) with no improvement. So the wife called Dometic and after a two hour wait talked with someone that went by the name of 'Wayne'.

Of course his response was that there was absolutely nothing wrong the the RM-1350SL......it was not installed correctly by Flagstaff (Forest River). We (the wife & I) expected the call to Dometic to be a waste but just wanted to hear their excuse....I mean opinion. Wayne did say that installing this RM-1350SL on a slide was a terrible idea.....and yet the manufacturers continue to do so. Lucky us. Our three year old Dometic appears to be dying, leaving us with an RV we can't use and more than likely a huge repair bill.

He's right. Natural convection of the air over evaporator and condenser coils is impeded by the angle of the vent at the top.

The only solution is to install vent fans either at the top vent to suck air though this area, or install fans at the bottom air inlet to blow air into the vent "chimney". A battery fan inside the refrigerator only helps when the refrigerator absorption unit is working properly.

Take a look at the titan refrigerator fans here and the install pictures.

https://www.amazon.com/Ventilation-C.../dp/B077TJCL3F

They should solve the issue an absorption refrigerator installed in a slide.

BTW, when running at full speed they only draw .5 amp so they are easy on the batteries.

[KyDan]

Hey Dennis, you're a long way away but.... If you ever visit the Midwest, there is an Amish guy who specializes in RV refer repairs.
https://fixyourfridge.com
I had him replace mine 4 years ago.
There is a campground just north of him.
We spent the night at the CG and dropped my trailer off at his shop first thing in the morning. We drove into Shipshewana for some sightseeing and a great Amish hot breakfast.
My rebuilt fridge was ready at 1 pm. It was already getting cold when we picked it up.
I am a satisfied customer.
Maybe it's time to visit some Michigan state parks!

[llr]

Originally Posted by dieseldodge

Our three year old Dometic appears to be dying, leaving us with an RV we can't use and more than likely a huge repair bill.

As others have said fans on the back side are a good idea. My new GD came with a fan and it is not even in a slide.

If I had to replace a LP/120V fridge I would try to find a 12v compressor fridge to replace it with. A little less cost and much better cooling.

[dieseldodge]

Flagstaff installed four of the little computerlike fans at the top vent that make a horrible sound when running.....which is ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!!!!

But I intend to try some fans at the lower vent as TitanMike suggests before I take my 10 guage shotgun to it.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by dieseldodge

Flagstaff installed four of the little computerlike fans at the top vent that make a horrible sound when running.....which is ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!!!!

But I intend to try some fans at the lower vent as TitanMike suggests before I take my 10 guage shotgun to it.

The Titan fans are 120mm fans and when running full speed are really quiet. The kit comes with a controller that modulates fan speed according to temp in the vent stack. On mine the fans RARELY go faster than half speed and only hit max speed when the day is extremely hot.

I NEVER hear the fans running.

FWIW in my reading on this fan setup before I bought it appears they were designed specifically for absorption type refrigerators installed in situations where normal convection was severely restricted like in Vans and Slide installs.

[billgb]

I had the same fridge mounted in slide - poor heat rejection. I added the internal recirculating fan which helps a lot when the fridge is pretty full. But the big difference was adding more fans to the outside (behind the unit). Below is a diagram and web-link - see the Side Vent Cutaway Drawing - this greatlyh improved performance