New 4.3 & 6.7 fridge info - Page 7

hotfishtacos · 08-02-2014, 10:28 PM

SN (Subnormal) from +10°C to +32°C

N (Normal) from + 16° C to + 32° C

ST (Subtropical) from + 18° C to + 38° C

T (Tropical) from + 18° C to + 43° C

I've read that Dometic gets a lot of complaints on SN rated units. Would someone look at your 5.0 plate at the Climate Rating and let us know what it says. Apparently the 5.0 units aren't as much of a problem. THX!

I found some published info that states the 5.0 is Climate Class N.

A good link to read about this topic..

Tropical Rates Fridge - Caravan and Motorhome Books

jamman · 08-02-2014, 10:56 PM

Anyone have a picture of a 6.7 cu ft label?

hotfishtacos · 08-02-2014, 11:05 PM

I found this website that states that the 8555 (6.7) is equivalent to Climate Class SN.
Look in the fine print...

Dometic RM8555 Caravan Fridge

Steve

hotfishtacos · 08-02-2014, 11:10 PM

This is a very good guide on cooling technologies in refrigerators published by Dometic.

https://www.dometic.com/b7342c38-3e4...8ae83680.fodoc

The more I read the more I am becoming convinced that the Dometic 8551 (4.3cuft) and 8555 (6.7cuft) units were developed for the European market where the average climate is milder than the US and that the Climate Ratings for these units being SN will be fine there...but probably not here.

Steve

jamman · 08-02-2014, 11:12 PM

RM8551/RM8555 is the small (4.3) fridge. RML8555/RML8551 is the large (6.7) one. The "L" makes it the big one.

jamman · 08-02-2014, 11:14 PM

RML8555 (6.7) is only rated to 32C. See Steve's Dometic link or Dometic RML8555 motorhome fridge by OBriens camping RML 8555

Parker · 08-03-2014, 05:55 AM

Well, that pretty well decides it for me. I don't see going to the trouble to pull the fridge to install a baffle for another degree or two. I do think it's worth trying to insulate the fiberglass wall behind the fridge so the sun beating on it doesn't push it past the 32C environment prematurely.

Kountrykamper · 08-03-2014, 07:27 AM

So SN class will never cool in the summer.

RM8551 Refrigerator cooling capacity: +7°C at ambient temperatures up to 32°C

Open the door once and you are at 50 degrees and it will not recover until the ambient temp drops.

After pulling the fridge several times to try different things like building baffles, insulating around the entire fridge, insulating the exterior wall, installing fans high and low, installing fans inside nothing seems to make a difference. I guess we are out of luck in the summer.

I would buy a ST model or T model if I could find one but can't seem to find any of these 8551/8555 in the US. Also none of the US models appear that they will fit without tearing the camper apart.

Would someone that has a fridge that is working good at above 90 degree ambient check the class and post it.

**Donna D.** · 08-03-2014, 07:47 AM

I know ETI is installing the 6.7 according to Dometic specs, but does anyone know what's in the "ventilation kit," as seen on the label above?

escape artist · 08-03-2014, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I know ETI is installing the 6.7 according to Dometic specs, but does anyone know what's in the "ventilation kit," as seen on the label above?

Hi: Donna D... I believe the ventilation kit is the plastic lower vent and the roof vent. Our vents are working as the trailer sits. Evidenced by the dry fiberglass area between both vents. We seem to have gotten your weather here in S. Wet Ontario. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

**Donna D.** · 08-03-2014, 08:07 AM

Thanks Alf. Y'all are giving me a headache with all this refrigerator talk.

Has anyone installed computer fans in the top vent drawing air out? That should bring air in from the bottom.

I'll haul a cooler before I start drilling holes or some of the other things I've seen in these topics..... I know it's a big issue for some, but I'd rather go camping!

Kountrykamper · 08-03-2014, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I know ETI is installing the 6.7 according to Dometic specs, but does anyone know what's in the "ventilation kit," as seen on the label above?

Ventilation kits are the side and roof vents.

We have installed the Valterra fans up at the top near the roof exhaust louver and have the Dometic fan down low. It don't matter if the fridge is maxed out by what it can do by outside ambient air.

escape artist · 08-03-2014, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Thanks Alf. Y'all are giving me a headache with all this refrigerator talk.

Has anyone installed computer fans in the top vent drawing air out? That should bring air in from the bottom.

I'll haul a cooler before I start drilling holes or some of the other things I've seen in these topics..... I know it's a big issue for some, but I'd rather go camping!

Hi: Donna D... I think some have... and I think there's enough hot air to go around. These poor fridges rely on natural convection to both absorb the heat out and carry it up the flue to the vent. Not the best in all situations but I'm with you..."I'd rather go camping". Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

**rbryan4** · 08-03-2014, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

So SN class will never cool in the summer.

I think its more accurate to say a subnormal climate rated fridge will never cool as well as a tropical rated fridge in hot climates.

The climate ratings stem from EU regulations. As soon as you make a fridge that runs colder, energy consumption increases. In order to sell these in Europe, they have to meet strict energy consumption requirements. Dometic and others apparently meet those standards by making fridges that use less energy-- but at a cost of reduced cooling capacity.

I would like to see ETI offer a T-rated fridge, especially for customers like me in south Texas.

cpaharley2008 · 08-03-2014, 08:55 AM

I'm happy with the 10-32C which to me means 50-90 F. If it is cooler than 50 then the refer should have to work less plus your tastes shift from cold beverages to warmer beverages. The 90 high is certainly an issue, but the overall advantage of such a large space to hold majority of your food for probably 80% to 90% of the temperature range time seems acceptable. I think one can take steps like putting highly perishable items in very hot weather in other containers, such as ice in coolers. Eliminating opening the unit to take out a single beer at 90 outside vs a cooler would make sense, plus you can keep the ice frozen in the freezer, it seems to work okay in hot weather.

jamman · 08-03-2014, 09:05 AM

I am NOT happy with 89F. It is simply not safe in the Southwestern US in the summer. But I blame Dometic, not ETI. Reace has certainly performed above and beyond - he can only buy/install what is for sale.

I would love to go camping - but ignoring food safety issues is not acceptable. Anything we can do to eke out a bit more performance is worth it. I appreciate Reace's, Mike Bakker's, and the forum members' efforts.

I do think ETI should explore other fridge options (and I expect they will,) T rated absorbtion units or high efficiency 12V compressor units or ...

escape artist · 08-03-2014, 09:11 AM

Hi: All... We here in St. Thomas area are luck to have Gammons RV. I'm going out there Tue. to glean some info from him about the Dometic situation. Here's a link to his shop http://www.gammonsrv.com Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

tractors1 · 08-03-2014, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Thanks Alf. Y'all are giving me a headache with all this refrigerator talk.

Has anyone installed computer fans in the top vent drawing air out? That should bring air in from the bottom.

Donna, I'm going to prototype a kit to do exactly that once I have my 21. Hoping to make it a "drop in from above" that can be tied down to the vent screening, but to do that I actually have to have my trailer on site. My biggest design issue is flow rate and placing the fans in such a way as to not affect the burner operation when running on LP. Gotta experiment to figure that out. Plus finding extremely quiet fans..........

dbailey · 08-03-2014, 09:57 AM

I'm in the "not happy" camp, but it's not a huge concern for us since it's rare for us to be in hot climate too often or for too long. So my attitude is "wait and see". If the fridges aren't rated for >90F then all we can do is patch and work-around. I'll wait and see what sort of patches and work-arounds Reace comes up with.

Alf: I'm also curious to know what you learn from Gammon's. We're close enough to take advantage of anything you get from them, so if they're going to do some fridge optimization for you, let them know they might have another customer.

escape artist · 08-03-2014, 10:24 AM

Hi: dbailey... I'll keep you in the loop of info. Gammons did a fridge/cooling unit rebuild for a friend of mine with a rare square 1650 Boler. Also another friend had them put a new fridge in his 13' Boler, so at least I should get some correct info. Maybe I'll ask first, take the trailer later Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

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