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Old 07-11-2015, 02:47 PM   #221
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Don't blame ETI, they're buying and installing currently available frigs. I've got a 1988 Scamp, it has a frig (3-way) that gets and stays cold.. as long as I pay attention to were the SUN is... the Dometic frig in the Scamp is no longer available
There are really two issues at play. The substandard err subnormal refer and ETI failure to follow the dometic installation instructions during the installation. Failure to insulate around the frig and building a baffle to obtain a one inch space behind the frig to create a good thermal chimney.
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Old 07-11-2015, 03:49 PM   #222
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There are really two issues at play. The substandard err subnormal refer and ETI failure to follow the dometic installation instructions during the installation. Failure to insulate around the frig and building a baffle to obtain a one inch space behind the frig to create a good thermal chimney.
Bob,
Well said .
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Old 07-12-2015, 12:59 PM   #223
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Well for what's it worth they will work some effort. Just returned from 4 days of 95+ degree miserably hot camping. Fridge side of camper was in direct sun in the afternoon. Freezer was removed and only the Dometic fan running outside and a 12 volt fan running inside. All food was cooled down before putting it in the fridge. When we opened the fridge I would think about what we needed and get it all out in one opening and put anything that needed to go back in back before it had a chance to warm up. I would shut the 12 volt inside fan off before opening the door so as not to blow the cold air out.

Set on 4 bars we had a high of 36 degrees and a low of 32 degrees

I did get to work on a fridge but it was on a Casita and not mine for a change.
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Old 07-12-2015, 01:03 PM   #224
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Dometic RM8551 insuffucent cooling

Tom, I think your post as well as many others proves one thing: there's nothing wrong with the cooling units on these fridges. The problem lies with a lack of insulation within the fridge cabinet itself (necessitating the addition of exterior added insulation), and inadequate airflow over the back. Really good to know it can be made to work. It's just a shame that it takes such mods to accomplish that.

C'mon Dometic. Sell a properly insulated T-rated fridge in North America.
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Old 07-12-2015, 01:08 PM   #225
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Tom, I think your post as well as many others proves one thing: there's nothing wrong with the cooling units on these fridges. The problem lies with a lack of insulation within the fridge cabinet itself (necessitating the addition of exterior added insulation), and inadequate airflow over the back. Really good to know it can be made to work. It's just a shame that it takes such mods to accomplish that.

C'mon Dometic. Sell a properly insulated T-rated fridge in North America.
Yelp, basically I have made a T rated fridge.
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Old 07-12-2015, 01:10 PM   #226
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Well for what's it worth they will work some effort. Just returned from 4 days of 95+ degree miserably hot camping. Fridge side of camper was in direct sun in the afternoon. Freezer was removed and only the Dometic fan running outside and a 12 volt fan running inside. All food was cooled down before putting it in the fridge. When we opened the fridge I would think about what we needed and get it all out in one opening and put anything that needed to go back in back before it had a chance to warm up. I would shut the 12 volt fan off before opening the door so as not to blo the cold air out.

Set on 4 bars we had a high of 36 degrees and a low of 32 degrees

I did get to work on a fridge but it was on a Casita and not my for a change.
Hi Tom . ? Your outside fan - how long did you run it . Remember I am in complete control of the fan . Should I watch temp back there until it reaches a temp ? Or turn it on and keep it going until it cools down outside at night . Any more idea's ? Pat
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Old 07-12-2015, 01:13 PM   #227
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Originally Posted by Kountrykamper View Post
Well for what's it worth they will work some effort. Just returned from 4 days of 95+ degree miserably hot camping. Fridge side of camper was in direct sun in the afternoon. Freezer was removed and only the Dometic fan running outside and a 12 volt fan running inside. All food was cooled down before putting it in the fridge. When we opened the fridge I would think about what we needed and get it all out in one opening and put anything that needed to go back in back before it had a chance to warm up. I would shut the 12 volt inside fan off before opening the door so as not to blow the cold air out.

Set on 4 bars we had a high of 36 degrees and a low of 32 degrees

I did get to work on a fridge but it was on a Casita and not mine for a change.
Also Tom did you install the snip the tip ? Pat
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Old 07-12-2015, 01:17 PM   #228
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Originally Posted by rbryan4 View Post
Tom, I think your post as well as many others proves one thing: there's nothing wrong with the cooling units on these fridges. The problem lies with a lack of insulation within the fridge cabinet itself (necessitating the addition of exterior added insulation), and inadequate airflow over the back. Really good to know it can be made to work. It's just a shame that it takes such mods to accomplish that.

C'mon Dometic. Sell a properly insulated T-rated fridge in North America.
While all of the data to date is antedotal, I'm coming to the same conclusion, Robert. The logic of better insulation and more effective and efficient airflow at the back of the unit is kinda hard to argue with.
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Old 07-12-2015, 01:45 PM   #229
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Also Tom did you install the snip the tip ? Pat
I have not installed the snip the tip. I have just pulled the sensor out of the bracket and have it hanging in the air. When it was taped to the wall I think the wall affected it. Seems to work better just out in the air. (This one is for you Parker )

I would run the fans all day and shut them off when I went to bed and turn them back on in the morning.
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Old 07-12-2015, 01:47 PM   #230
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Oh no. I hope Alf doesn't read your post.
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Old 07-12-2015, 02:20 PM   #231
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Oh no. I hope Alf doesn't read your post.
OH NO== You could be labeled as a unwanted costumer also!
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Old 07-12-2015, 02:35 PM   #232
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double posted
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Old 07-12-2015, 03:21 PM   #233
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OH NO== You could be labeled as a unwanted costumer also!
Nah, it is a ongoing joke between Alf, Parker and myself.
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Old 07-12-2015, 04:43 PM   #234
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I have not installed the snip the tip. I have just pulled the sensor out of the bracket and have it hanging in the air. When it was taped to the wall I think the wall affected it. Seems to work better just out in the air. (This one is for you Parker )

I would run the fans all day and shut them off when I went to bed and turn them back on in the morning.
Thanks Tom . I haven't installed the snip the tip yet either . Reace told me to try frig out first . Ok will run fans like you say . So far I haven't done anything to void my warranty with Dometic just in case .I had also found taping sensor to side it didn't work any better in fact I thought maybe worst . Will try out your suggestion .Did you have your AC running on your trip ? Pat
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Old 07-12-2015, 05:16 PM   #235
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Oh yeah, we were with several friends at a Georgia State park with electric hook ups and had the A/C set on 76 most of the day. I think both me and the fridge may have had a melt down without it. We took car rides instead of walks just to cool down. The high humidity was part of the problem too. I still think it has more to do the moving the heat out of the condenser area and added insulation around the fridge. Nothing I have done would void the warranty on the fridge or could not be reversed if necessary but ours goes out of warranty next month anyway not that Dometic would do anything anyway. When we contacted them they acted like they had never heard of any problems so I figured I was on my own.

Some friends with Casitas that never had fridge problems were having cooling problems and we took the vents off and set fans blowing in the lower vent and it helped them get theirs cooling. Each morning they would then take their lower vent off and set a fan to move the air through and had no more problems.
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Old 07-12-2015, 05:50 PM   #236
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Oh yeah, we were with several friends at a Georgia State park with electric hook ups and had the A/C set on 76 most of the day. I think both me and the fridge may have had a melt down without it. We took car rides instead of walks just to cool down. The high humidity was part of the problem too. I still think it has more to do the moving the heat out of the condenser area and added insulation around the fridge. Nothing I have done would void the warranty on the fridge or could not be reversed if necessary but ours goes out of warranty next month anyway not that Dometic would do anything anyway. When we contacted them they acted like they had never heard of any problems so I figured I was on my own.

Some friends with Casitas that never had fridge problems were having cooling problems and we took the vents off and set fans blowing in the lower vent and it helped them get theirs cooling. Each morning they would then take their lower vent off and set a fan to move the air through and had no more problems.
Good to know . I have another fan I could very easy hook up if needed . Thanks again . Pat
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Old 07-13-2015, 01:38 AM   #237
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Tom, I think your post as well as many others proves one thing: there's nothing wrong with the cooling units on these fridges. The problem lies with a lack of insulation within the fridge cabinet itself (necessitating the addition of exterior added insulation), and inadequate airflow over the back. Really good to know it can be made to work. It's just a shame that it takes such mods to accomplish that.
C'mon Dometic. Sell a properly insulated T-rated fridge in North America.
I am impressed with the mods members have made to improve the cooling capacity of the 4.3 refer. Hotfishtacos (Steve) made these mods before becoming frustrated enough to install the NovaCool compressor driven refer.
If the rough-in dimensions and the interior dimensions for the "T" rated RM8551 are the same the as the dimensions for the "SN" rated RM8551, how can insulation be the determining factor ? A better conclusion would be the difference in the physical cooling capacity.
Yes, I know, we now need to play with the hand we have been dealt.
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Old 07-13-2015, 11:27 AM   #238
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I am impressed with the mods members have made to improve the cooling capacity of the 4.3 refer. Hotfishtacos (Steve) made these mods before becoming frustrated enough to install the NovaCool compressor driven refer.
If the rough-in dimensions and the interior dimensions for the "T" rated RM8551 are the same the as the dimensions for the "SN" rated RM8551, how can insulation be the determining factor ? A better conclusion would be the difference in the physical cooling capacity.
Yes, I know, we now need to play with the hand we have been dealt.
Hi Bob . I can't stress enough my other 2 Dometics cavities were very insulated . Frig's were also in a straight side wall right at the back . Our trailers have a big space back there due to it's design . Also the walls of the frig's were thicker inside then these newer frig's . Maybe the T rated one -outside is the same as ours - however inside is narrower better insulated.I also suspect the cooling unit itself is undersized . They may have been being cautious because there have been fires etc. maybe that went too overboard and now coming back to the middle . Pat
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Old 07-13-2015, 02:04 PM   #239
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I have a 3 cu foot 3 way Norcold that works as well as a home refer but when I bought it new 11 years ago it didn't. There was too much resistance in the wiring harness from the therm couple so as soon as it reached temperature and the flame turned down the LP would shut down. After several services some lost food and a "Nobody else has this problem" response from the company a tech in Toronto admitted there was a replacement harness available under warranty. The dealers didn't even know about it but Norcold backed it up.

I broadcast the recall/part no. on a forum I belonged too and eventually everyone there got the fix.

Further down the road it began acting up again and I found the duct taped cardboard baffle had collapsed and the fridge basically wasn't installed according to Norcold's instruction sheet. I reinstalled to specs, insulated the cabinet and now clean the flue and burner annually. All is well now but it was an experience not unlike the one people are having with the Dometic.

I have a 17B on order and will go with the standard smaller fridge which as best I can ferret out here works well?
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Old 07-13-2015, 02:55 PM   #240
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I would start a new thread asking Escape 17 owners if they are satisfied with the 3.0 Cubic ft. 3-way Dometic Fridge. I would not recommend spending an additional $200 to purchase the 4.3 cu ft fridge.
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