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Old 08-14-2015, 01:10 PM   #141
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no one will be surprised when you 'complain' it's the worst frig you ever had.
Irma said its the best looking ... And worst performing .. Frig of our lives.

Wow, I feel your pain...
Maybe someday we can share a drink out of our plastic boxes with ice.
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Old 08-16-2015, 09:30 PM   #142
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My conclusions two day fridge testing, on propane: When it's really hot this is not a robust cooler. Well, I think we all knew that.

I dropped the power to 4 dots for this test because that's the level I would like to use most of the time. Propane power seems marginally adequate if unexceptional at 4 Dots. The fridge was kept empty, the door was never opened.

I manually turned fans on during hottest time of day hoping to keep interior temps from doing a dramatic rise. Stats seem to indicate little help there. The fans never came on by themselves, far as I could tell. I never got a sense that the fridge was even running. It's not the worst fridge I've ever had. Just the first.
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Old 08-16-2015, 10:10 PM   #143
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My conclusions two day fridge testing, on propane: When it's really hot this is not a robust cooler. Well, I think we all knew that.

I dropped the power to 4 dots for this test because that's the level I would like to use most of the time. Propane power seems marginally adequate if unexceptional at 4 Dots. The fridge was kept empty, the door was never opened.

I manually turned fans on during hottest time of day hoping to keep interior temps from doing a dramatic rise. Stats seem to indicate little help there. The fans never came on by themselves, far as I could tell. I never got a sense that the fridge was even running. It's not the worst fridge I've ever had. Just the first.
Myron I finally in a couple days will be testing mine out too. Why is not Ok to put at 5 and just leave it there unless temp , don't laugh would drop real low ? Just wondering . Reace told me to when I spoke with him . Do you have a fan inside frig? Also some of your numbers weren't bad a difference in 55 I thought I saw . Would it be better to have something in Frig? Pat
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Old 08-16-2015, 10:30 PM   #144
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I'm reluctant to get anywhere near this topic, but I think an empty fridge isn't going to perform to optimum.
I think a fridge in your home would also struggle if the interior of the house was 98 degrees.
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Old 08-17-2015, 12:02 AM   #145
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[SIZE=3
Propane power seems marginally adequate if unexceptional at 4 Dots. [/SIZE]
Myron, you do have a way with words.

I was also wondering about testing with the fridge empty.

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Old 08-17-2015, 12:29 AM   #146
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I think it is time for ETI to start molding a rooftop vent into the top of the area above the back of the fridge. The side vents don't create the chimney effect.
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Old 08-17-2015, 07:14 AM   #147
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I think it is time for ETI to start molding a rooftop vent into the top of the area above the back of the fridge. The side vents don't create the chimney effect.
I believe the newer models of the 19 and 21 and 5.0 all have roof vents, the 17, not sure of.
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Old 08-17-2015, 07:16 AM   #148
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Myron,
My fans came on automatically while on propane when I switched over from 120v and my manual switch was off. That said I had a complete failure yesterday coming home. It must had blown out as I heard it trying to light once stopped.
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Old 08-17-2015, 10:19 AM   #149
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No fan inside fridge, Pat. Adjustable “Snip-the-clip” thermostat inside was set a few hairs to the colder side of default, on wall about an inch from the fins. Agreed, fridge will certainly perform better when filled, when in partial shade, at 5 dots, and with a cooler trailer interior. Of course, that’s what we want and what we can reasonably expect. Ron, my testing goals aimed at merely establishing a base line for desired 4 Dot level. Only rationale for 4 Dots is prayerful wish to not use up propane too fast.

My 19’s got the roof top vent, etc., like Jim said. No ceiling vent fans running, two side windows half open. Still, I was a little amazed that it got so hot after 2PM in there, and, that interior fridge temps were so slow to drop at late afternoon. Trailer has been sitting out there in total full sun. Picture here is early morning light.

Remain puzzled my two backside (“Texas”) fans never came on during hottest time, however, I never spent the afternoon inside there waiting for them. When I turned fans on the fridge temp actually increased a degree, but maybe it would have been higher without them. I also agree, Jim, we must not take it for granted that when we fire up on propane fridge will automatically kick on.
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Old 08-17-2015, 10:50 AM   #150
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No fan inside fridge, Pat. Adjustable “Snip-the-clip” thermostat inside was set a few hairs to the colder side of default, on wall about an inch from the fins. Agreed, fridge will certainly perform better when filled, when in partial shade, at 5 dots, and with a cooler trailer interior. Of course, that’s what we want and what we can reasonably expect. Ron, my testing goals aimed at merely establishing a base line for desired 4 Dot level. Only rationale for 4 Dots is prayerful wish to not use up propane too fast.

My 19’s got the roof top vent, etc., like Jim said. No ceiling vent fans running, two side windows half open. Still, I was a little amazed that it got so hot after 2PM in there, and, that interior fridge temps were so slow to drop at late afternoon. Trailer has been sitting out there in total full sun. Picture here is early morning light.

Remain puzzled my two backside (“Texas”) fans never came on during hottest time, however, I never spent the afternoon inside there waiting for them. When I turned fans on the fridge temp actually increased a degree, but maybe it would have been higher without them. I also agree, Jim, we must not take it for granted that when we fire up on propane fridge will automatically kick on.
Hi Myron . So this may sound stupid but if I keep frig at 5 all the time instead of 4 I am using a lot more gas ? Reace told me to set at 5 and leave there but I always really didn't know Why I wanted to be at 4 . If the gas use is a lot more , something more to think about . I still have not installed snip the tip , but have moved thermistor out of holder . I am getting antsy to check my frig . A few more days then will see . Pat
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Old 08-17-2015, 11:37 AM   #151
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I 'feel' that ours works better on 4 dots.
And if you turn the fridge on and never open the door it will stay cold.
It seems to not recover from a 'door open' event, even if the door was only open for just seconds.
I only get to visit with the trailer on the weekend and I just bought a digital thermometer to check the analog one this last weekend so I don't have the quality of data other people have.
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Old 08-17-2015, 11:51 AM   #152
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I just obtained one of those "walk in cooler flap kits" made for the refer, will install and test it later this week, may help with the recovery times.
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Old 08-17-2015, 12:28 PM   #153
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Pat, I do not wish to condescend, but, well, the fridge has 5 levels of cool, 5 being its max. I'm no refrigeration expert but I'm guessing the colder you want it, the more power the fridge will call for to get you there. Otherwise, what's the point of having the four other dots? Perhaps Reace figures you will eventually settle on your comfort zone of cool by working from the top down.
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Old 08-17-2015, 12:35 PM   #154
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I agree, one might as well as an "off/on" switch if you have to keep it on #5.....
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Old 08-17-2015, 12:42 PM   #155
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I 'feel' that ours works better on 4 dots.
And if you turn the fridge on and never open the door it will stay cold.
It seems to not recover from a 'door open' event, even if the door was only open for just seconds.
I only get to visit with the trailer on the weekend and I just bought a digital thermometer to check the analog one this last weekend so I don't have the quality of data other people have.
Hi: jxoco... Weekend visitation $#*)$.
In my simple brain the fridge controls...(Dots) really mean... 1 dot more off than on, 5 dots more on than off!!!
We use a remote sensor indoor/outdoor thermometer. When in the trailer and someone opens the fridge I get cold feet. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 08-17-2015, 01:01 PM   #156
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Hi: jxoco... Weekend visitation $#*)$.
We use a remote sensor indoor/outdoor thermometer.

Alf escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Yes. We downsized from a house to a townhouse a while back and I can't park it in the townhouse complex. Sucks to be me.

Anyways, yes the remote sensor thing is what I bought.

And everytime I see N.S. I think of Nova Scotia. I guess you mean, non smoker? or non sequitur? or North-South? or ?
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Old 08-17-2015, 01:22 PM   #157
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Here is the way I think of it, 5 is like 'pedal to the metal' in a car, you are telling it to drop the temp as far as that setting is, low 30s F in my testing.

When the bars are on 5 the boiler will run and run (some shutdowns/cycling to limit temp if needed). Whatever the lowest temp you can achieve are with the gas pedal to the floor in a car. (top speed)

A frig rebuilder told me that where it works against you is the propane exhaust is like running a heater (instead of a fan) behind the frig. Which reduces the efficiency of the unit.

I know my unit should be at 41 F on 3 bars. The frig rebuilder said just leave it at the temp you want (bars lit) and if it doesn't get down there you need to lower the temp, especially on the condenser, with fan(s), or additional venting.

For you math wiz folks, look at the install instructions and you will see how many cubic inches of top and bottom vent you are required. In my rough calculation the installed vent is too small so I added the cold air pickup under the trailer. There are pictures in my Tinkerer thread. 6.7 Frig Tinkering ideas? #28 and #32

Do I think the cool pickup helped? When we were in high temps in Utah it seemed to but that was the RML single door running on AC (propane was broke after the second day and I was too frustrated to work on it). We should be finding some high temps in September so it will be interesting to see how the RMD double door works.
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Old 08-17-2015, 01:36 PM   #158
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Hi: jxoco... We live on the North Side of Lake Erie, 4 minutes from Pt. Stanley!!! It's as close to Florida as we can afford. No HOA's here... We have a large lot according to the "Taxman" so room for "Escape Hatch II" to park and plug in. Lots of shade to work on it in the front yard... but it's still to hot out there now!!! Yesterday it was 90* in the trailer and 34* in the fridge but I didn't have to open the door to find out. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 08-17-2015, 08:29 PM   #159
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I think it is time for ETI to start molding a rooftop vent into the top of the area above the back of the fridge. The side vents don't create the chimney effect.
The side vents do provide for natural convective airflow (act as a chimney), but a taller chimney would be better.
In a 17 Foot, there is a cabinet above the refrigerator. A roof vent would eliminate some or all of that storage space.

(from The 17 Foot Escape - Plan B pictures)
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Old 08-17-2015, 09:09 PM   #160
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Pat, I do not wish to condescend, but, well, the fridge has 5 levels of cool, 5 being its max. I'm no refrigeration expert but I'm guessing the colder you want it, the more power the fridge will call for to get you there. Otherwise, what's the point of having the four other dots? Perhaps Reace figures you will eventually settle on your comfort zone of cool by working from the top down.
Thanks Myron I guess I am getting ahead of myself . I just need to be patient and go from there . I hope the trouble I went through will pay off. There still is some more things to do if needed . Couple more days then my testing begins . Pat
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