fridge issues

[macbouch]

I have recently purchased an older Ford motor home, a 1989 to be exact and when I have it plugged in at home I cant get the fridge to work so I was going to tear it out and just replace it with a Wal-Mart bar fridge but I was driving it the other day with passengers for the first time and they noticed while the motorhome is running the fridge is working and getting cold. My question is why will it work off the battery when driving and not off the house power when plugged in?

[bikendan]

Without a make and model number for the fridge, nor make and model of RV, not sure anyone can help.

Could be a 3-way fridge or a 2-way fridge. Even pics would be helpful.

[Bama Rambler]

One thing it could be is the electric element in the fridge is bad or the fuse is blown. In that case, when you're plugged into shore power the fridge would switch to electric and switch gas off. If the element is bad, or the fuse is blown the fridge doesn't know that so the fridge quits cooling.