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Old 08-27-2018, 12:37 PM   #1
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Easier fridge fixes?

Sorry to start yet another fridge thread but...

Many solutions have been suggested for improving fridge effectiveness but a lot of them seem very involved, require removal of the fridge, or other technical expertise.

We have an RMD 8555 which we always run on 5 bars, yet never hits 40 degrees cooling, and that is camping in cool weather. I keep the fridge maybe 80% full so maybe that is part of the problem. The freezer works great though. Are there any improvements we can make for those of us who are not handyman inclined?

Also if we must remove the fridge, is that a big deal to do? Part of my reluctance to attempt any improvements is the possibility of not doing it right and creating new problems
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Old 08-27-2018, 12:40 PM   #2
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Before messing about, I'd get the fridge serviced.
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Old 08-27-2018, 01:13 PM   #3
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For the not handy person. Carry a good cooler, just in case. When it gets real warm and the fridge is not satisfactory, we move the dairy products to the cooler with ice. As you noticed, the freezer is fine so no worry about those items.



Our biggest improvements were insulating the fridge cavity, which means removing the unit. Replacing the regulator, putting a wind shield between the burner and the lower vent, dangle the thermostat, run it on propane and close up the trailer when traveling.


Would be worth having a tech clean it and check the propane pressure.
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Old 08-27-2018, 07:48 PM   #4
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When the fridge is running is the front surface above the fridge warmer than other surfaces? Inside the cabinets at the top of the fridge are the walls next to the fridge warmer than other parts?

If that is the case heat from behind the fridge is escaping into the fridge cabinet area due to poor sealing.

If you have the monitor panel above the fridge, unscrew it from the wall and look inside. there may be a gap at the top of the fridge at the rear.

Through that hole I was able to place a seal at the rear and then stuff the void with fiberglass batt insulation.
After that the cabinets were all cooler and the fridge did work better.
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Old 08-27-2018, 10:08 PM   #5
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We bought one of the little battery operated fans (with an on/off switch). Easy, cheap, and actually helps quite a bit.
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Old 08-27-2018, 10:39 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jill View Post
Sorry to start yet another fridge thread but...

Many solutions have been suggested for improving fridge effectiveness but a lot of them seem very involved, require removal of the fridge, or other technical expertise.

We have an RMD 8555 which we always run on 5 bars, yet never hits 40 degrees cooling, and that is camping in cool weather. I keep the fridge maybe 80% full so maybe that is part of the problem. The freezer works great though. Are there any improvements we can make for those of us who are not handyman inclined?

Also if we must remove the fridge, is that a big deal to do? Part of my reluctance to attempt any improvements is the possibility of not doing it right and creating new problems
Jill, you probably already know this from reading the countless fridge threads over time, but the most effective way to get it working MUCH better would be to pull it and insert some insulating foam panels on the sides and top. It's not really that hard, but it can be intimidating to pull it the first time.

But before doing that, I'd follow the advice of others here and get the fridge checked out by a competent RV fridge tech.
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Old 08-27-2018, 11:01 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by TZBrown View Post
When the fridge is running is the front surface above the fridge warmer than other surfaces? Inside the cabinets at the top of the fridge are the walls next to the fridge warmer than other parts?

If that is the case heat from behind the fridge is escaping into the fridge cabinet area due to poor sealing.

If you have the monitor panel above the fridge, unscrew it from the wall and look inside. there may be a gap at the top of the fridge at the rear.

Through that hole I was able to place a seal at the rear and then stuff the void with fiberglass batt insulation.
After that the cabinets were all cooler and the fridge did work better.
I checked that and I didn't notice any warmth in the walls. However I think the suggestion to add insulation is a good one, as well as getting an RV tech to service the fridge. Hopefully I can get them to add the insulation for us.

And Mary, I think that fridge fan is great idea for now. Today I noticed that the beer in back of the fridge was way colder than those in front.

Thanks everyone!
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Old 08-28-2018, 10:26 AM   #8
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I am camped in the North Carolina heat, low 90’s every day. We have been talking what we would have to do to make our RMD 8555 work if we were in this climate regularly. First, it has been keeping things at 43.1 average for the past week. I know this because another benefit of the Sensor Push is it calculates an average temp. The temp for the past 24 hours has averaged that same 43.1 with a low of 39.6.

Back to your question, some cooling help has come from installing a switch on the Texas fans that are a part of the refrigerator, it is probably not worth much extra effort. Cleaning the flue, orafice is an excellent idea. Running the air conditioner is also a big help to cooling. We agreed that the best solution would be, by far, is pulling the refrigerator and super insulating the cavity. What a PITA to do that. Not sure we will ever do it.

If you have trouble with the RMD 8555 cooling while driving, after four years of trying, I think I have fixed that problem. Look into a thermometer to give you reliable data. I use multiple Sensor Push around the camp and at home.
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Old 08-28-2018, 03:01 PM   #9
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Jill: You may have low propane pressure. We had the same problem of a freezer that worked well and fridge that was a dog. My theory is this happens because the limited available liquid ammonia runs through the freezer circuit first and there is not enough left to cool the fridge. I tried many things. Propane pressure should be checked first at the fridge test port and regulator adjusted if needed. I also recommend an interior fan that is 12V and powered by the trailer batteries as they are no nonsense and work well. Others may disagree, but I have not found my DIY exterior condenser fans (equivalent or better than ETI "Texas" fan option) to make much difference. I did insulate around the fridge too. The worst was the 2" gap across the top that I believe was problematic as it filled with hot air. See the whole thread, but in particular this post below.

www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9/refrigerator-test-11296-5.html#post255245
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Old 08-28-2018, 09:35 PM   #10
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What we did to our RMD 8555

We made the following changes to our 21, which have made a dramatic improvement to our cooling performance. I am not sure which of them did the most good since I made a lot of them at the same time. But I have been pleased with the net result.

Since we made these changes, our only problem is that the fridge is sometimes too cold. If I had more time and energy I would probably pull the unit and put in some additional insulation and maybe a fan to pull air up through the back. but not going to do that until I have to.
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Old 08-28-2018, 09:47 PM   #11
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Hi Leon! Did two of your three already; just ordered the fan....thx!! We have had fairly good performance as long as we don't overstuff the fridge with bulky items and stay usually around 42 degrees. Hoping the fans make a difference and wont be surprised if they do
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Old 08-28-2018, 10:49 PM   #12
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Jill: You may have low propane pressure. We had the same problem of a freezer that worked well and fridge that was a dog. My theory is this happens because the limited available liquid ammonia runs through the freezer circuit first and there is not enough left to cool the fridge. I tried many things. Propane pressure should be checked first at the fridge test port and regulator adjusted if needed. I also recommend an interior fan that is 12V and powered by the trailer batteries as they are no nonsense and work well. Others may disagree, but I have not found my DIY exterior condenser fans (equivalent or better than ETI "Texas" fan option) to make much difference. I did insulate around the fridge too. The worst was the 2" gap across the top that I believe was problematic as it filled with hot air. See the whole thread, but in particular this post below.

www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9/refrigerator-test-11296-5.html#post255245


Very good suggestion. Our propane tank whistles a lot and we were thinking a new regulator might solve that. Would be great if it helps with the fridge problem too!
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Old 08-28-2018, 10:50 PM   #13
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We made the following changes to our 21, which have made a dramatic improvement to our cooling performance. I am not sure which of them did the most good since I made a lot of them at the same time. But I have been pleased with the net result.





Since we made these changes, our only problem is that the fridge is sometimes too cold. If I had more time and energy I would probably pull the unit and put in some additional insulation and maybe a fan to pull air up through the back. but not going to do that until I have to.


We are going to try the regulator and fan fixes. Thanks for the help!
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Old 10-12-2019, 05:12 PM   #14
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Refrigerator too Cold

We just had a problem related to your second solution.

The thermistor came loose from the clip on the cooling fins, and fell down near the produce drawers. We did not notice that, but we did notice when the lettuce froze.

After a couple of days of manually turning the refrigerator off to let it warm up, I got the bright idea of checking the owner's manual. It was right there in the troubleshooting guide: If the refrigerator is too cold, check the placement of the thermistor or clip.
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Old 10-12-2019, 06:42 PM   #15
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A word of warning, some changes made to earlier Dometic Escapes could be detrimental to later Dometic Escapes. The 2ndG mold change was the reason for Escape to get a wider door and a different Dometic refrigerator. The late 2016 and later do not have the same issues that 1stG models have had.
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Old 10-12-2019, 06:44 PM   #16
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What is a "Dometic Escape"?
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Old 10-12-2019, 07:01 PM   #17
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If Dometic buys out ETI I'm scraping the name off the trailer.
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Old 10-12-2019, 09:44 PM   #18
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A word of warning, some changes made to earlier Dometic Escapes could be detrimental to later Dometic Escapes. The 2ndG mold change was the reason for Escape to get a wider door and a different Dometic refrigerator. The late 2016 and later do not have the same issues that 1stG models have had.
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Old 10-12-2019, 11:35 PM   #19
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I think Jim is distinguishing between "earlier Dometic" (Gen 1) Escapes and "later Dometic" (Gen 2) Escapes - with flat sides and larger doors.

Maybe the new Escape ownership group should buy Dometic.
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