Left my fridge on... OPEN

[gbjeff]

Hi all. I have a Flagstaff 228 BHSE popup with a Dometic Three-way fridge.

Through a series of mistakes I left the 120V switch on, the camper plugged in inside my garage, and the door of the fridge slightly ajar. Now it appears it will not cool. There was a puddle of water in front of the fridge when we discovered it.

Did I burn out a compressor or something along those lines? Or does it have some sort of breaker in place for idiots like me that I just have to switch back?

Any help would be appreciated.

[rockfordroo]

Can't help with what you may have done, but the puddle is most likely the moisture that was condensing on the inside of the cold fridge when it was working.

You might want to post the model of your fridge.

[gbjeff]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

Can't help with what you may have done, but the puddle is most likely the moisture that was condensing on the inside of the cold fridge when it was working.

You might want to post the model of your fridge.

Thanks brother. Will do.

[gbjeff]

Disregard. It works! Didn’t think it was working but I put a thermometer in there and it’s down to 33 degrees!!!!!

[Bama Rambler]

Glad it worked for you.

Funny that you're the second person who has reported leaving the fridge open and running. The other was a motorhome if I remember correctly, but funny non the less.

[gbjeff]

It's funny. I always leave it open a crack so that it does not get moldy inside. I also always leave the camper plugged in so that the battery stays trickle-charging and topped off. The only dumb part was leaving the 120v switch on. That was my bonehead move. Glad I got lucky.

[jimmoore13]

Glad it worked out.
FYI, your fridge does not have a compressor. 3-way fridges function differently. https://rv-roadtrips.thefuntimesguid...erator-repair/

As for leaving your camper plugged in to "trickle charge," be sure you have a "smart" (multi-level) converter, or you could overcharge your battery.

[gbjeff]

Thank you Jim. That is very helpful. My manual had said to keep my camper plugged in whenever it's parked at home to keep the battery topped-off, but I am going to double-check with the dealership. Thanks again for your help and the links.

[rsdata]

My manual had said to keep my camper plugged in whenever it's parked at home to keep the battery topped-off, but I am going to double-check with the dealership.

I am going to double-check with the dealership.

I seriously doubt the dealer will know what converter you have... look for a model number on it and do an internet search...

high end charger or not, pop the tops (use a flat blade screwdriver and pry them off) off the battery and look at the liquid level with a flashlight... there are 6 holes, three per side on the top under the covers... if below the bottom of the split ring inside the battery add distilled water ONLY to each of the cells to get to the bottom of the ring... overcharging a battery usually only means that the liquid tends to evaporate at a higher rate... checking once every month or two will give you an idea how to handle your camper... and how often to check the battery for "overcharging"

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by rsdata

I seriously doubt the dealer will know what converter you have... <<SNIP>>

high end charger or not, pop the tops (use a flat blade screwdriver and pry them off) off the battery and look at the liquid level with a flashlight... <<SNIP>>

To the OP: This is good advice.
Perhaps you have an owner's manual? It might only be a two-sided sheet included in the package supplied by the manufacturer/dealer.

RUMOR HAS IT that the common WFCO brand converters installed by the manufacturer are not as good as other brands. Search threads on charge controllers if you'd like to investigate opinions on this subject.

As for the battery needing distilled water, this is VERY important. Individual experiences vary, with the more savvy folks using disconnect switches and other tactics to manage the battery with less charging.
With my solar kit, I keep a close eye on the electrolyte level in the battery, and I find that I need to top it off about every 4 to 6 weeks during the summer. I suspect that, between the routine weekly use of the converter to prep for a trip and chill the fridge, occasional use on the generator, and the relentless supply from the solar system managed pretty well by the charge controller, this accounts for the need to top off with distilled water on a regular basis. Measured in "turkey basters", I regularly need to add about .75 turkey baster to each cell. That's several ounces - quite a bit.