Refrigerator not working and photos of Camano

[Rossue]

Have always experienced difficulty changing fridge mode from one power source to another. Alarm goes off, then have to shut off for a few seconds then power on and select source.

Interesting to hear Carl's experience of better cooling with 12V under tow. Tried that twice during same trip last June. First time got a fast drain; second time worked great. Will try 12V again in future when sun more overhead.

[LeonW]

Ellen,

One other thing you might check is making sure the battery connections are tight. we had one loose connection when we picked up our 21, which resulted in some low readings and excess light flickering. Once I tightened the nut on the terminal, everything became much better.

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Are you saying I look better than you?

Let's just say the odds are probably in your favor, okay?

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by LeonW

Ellen,

One other thing you might check is making sure the battery connections are tight.

Excellent advice.
Tight and clean.

[Bill and Earline]

Ellen,
My suggestion is that if someone does not come with a generator, check to see if the camp host has 120v to get a charge.
If not, take the trailer to town and use a gas station or anywhere you can find to get an hour's worth of 120v. The 120v will use your onboard converter to charge you batteries ten times faster than any sunny day. It will be hard to try everyone's suggestions if your batteries are low.

A one hour charge at 120v should last you for days even without much help from solar. Only time I run fridge on 12v is while driving on a sunny day--and even then I switch back to propane in early afternoon to let the sun fully charge batteries by sunset.

Keep posting. There's nothing we all enjoy better than trying to help.

Bill

[Rossue]

Not sure why you think one hour's charge on the WFCO converter will be ten times faster than the solar charger would. My experience with dual 6'V running low after four days off grid with no solar was that it took about two days to get them charged back up.

We had our single Group 29 12V go to 50% recently(on systems display) and down to 11.4 on solar display yet when the sun came out it took about 2-3 hours to fully charge.

[Jubal]

What size refrigerator do you have in your 17B TT ? The 3 cu ft refer is reported to have adequate cooling ability. The 4.3 refer does not cool adequately even with extensive mods. Helpful suggestions related to the refer should be based on the refer size. Welcome to the world of absorption refer's some of which are rated SN (subnormal).ETI could substitute the Dometic Americana RM 2454 used by Oliver trailers during the build of 19 and 17 trailers. Basically the same size. It will fit through the door!!!!!

[AKCamper]

I think if you do not have 120 volt or a generator available I would see if I could hook up jumper cables from the TV to your batteries (May be difficult or impossible with a fifth wheel). You will get more amps into your batteries with that setup than plugging it in to the vehicle plug. Then let your TV run for several hours at 1500 RPM. This is a Handyman Bob tip. There is more voltage drop using the wires in the vehicle. Just a thought.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by AKCamper

This is a Handyman Bob tip.

Bob's your uncle?

[jxoco]

It would make sense that if the batteries are dead the fridge electronics won't work to turn the fridge on.
It should take about 5 hours of shore power to bring the batteries up to around 90%
Why are the batteries not charging is the question.
Is the 12volt connection from the tow vehicle working?

[jxoco]

Originally Posted by AKCamper

I think if you do not have 120 volt or a generator available I would see if I could hook up jumper cables from the TV to your batteries (May be difficult or impossible with a fifth wheel). You will get more amps into your batteries with that setup than plugging it in to the vehicle plug. Then let your TV run for several hours at 1500 RPM. This is a Handyman Bob tip. There is more voltage drop using the wires in the vehicle. Just a thought.

Exactly, that works best for me also.
And it is a 17footer that she has so it is easy, the batteries are on the back bumper.

[Jim Bennett]

Somehow getting plugged into 120V will help solve everything, at least tell you if there is a problem or not. Not only is it the fastest way to recharge batteries, but it would give adequate 12V power through the converter to power the fridge electronics. You should immediately be able to tell if the fridge is working....well, just as quick as the fins can cool down

Again, the idea that Ron shared of checking whether the burner is on and producing heat would help.

Having inadequate charging of the batteries from the solar, while still drawing from them for quite some time, is likely is what dropped the charge level down.

Not sure if Ellen mentioned, but has she been using the furnace, as it too won't run if the battery level is too low.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Having inadequate charging of the batteries from the solar, while still drawing from them for quite some time, is likely is what dropped the charge level down.

I would tend to agree with you on this, Jim. Ellen has apparently been camping "off grid" for several days.
I do think it would be a good idea to check that the battery connections are tight.
Camping without hook-ups may have its advantages, but in a cold and/or rainy environment an occasional overnight where shore power is available can alleviate battery charging.

[Greg A]

Just personally, we won't be going off-grid with the new 19 when we pick up in Nov. I've booked KOAs for the five nights going home because we need to learn the trailer. Even with our trailer experience, we've never had a trailer with all the systems this one has and we aren't going off-grid till Quartzsite gathering since Scamp Camp SW in Dec has full hookups. Hopefully by Feb we'll know how everything works.

As several of us have recommended, Ellen, should get to a utility campsite and get everything recovered and figured out. I'm sure she'll work through it and she certainly has tons of assistance. We've all been in similar situations and it's just part of the learning process with a new trailer. I have no doubts She'll be a seasoned veteran by the time she gets home..

[gbaglo]

And, can't stress this enough. Read the ETI manual and save the individual manuals for appliances. I have a binder with plastic sleeves for everything to do with the trailer.

[float5]

We do not know what the battery reading was in the first place but it should have been higher. Perhaps it was. 12.4 is down significantly. The charts are all different and I have seen that given as 50% down. Even if it is only 25% down, that was already becoming a problem. That is a solar reading. Our solar monitor reads one or two tenths above the reading we get from a battery tester.

So the batteries could have been significantly low early on. If there was no solar charging because of bad weather, late season, trees, and pine needles, that would do it. The solar has to be able to work and it seems it cannot.

And that is assuming that the refrigerator is set on propane and everything is working as it is supposed to. I am assuming a 4.3 here which cannot be compared to our 6.7.

[escape artist]

Hi: All... Personally I don't think it was a battery reading in the first place. It was probably her Solar Charge reading. Our Battery charge indicator only shows light levels. Red is Dead!!! As for the non cooling issue us experienced folks have spotted the syndrome of loads of warm food in a new fridge just turned on!!! It could be more serious than that but I'm hoping for the simple solution.
This year while winterizing "Escape Hatch II" I blew out a lot of black soot flakes from behind the fridge. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that it starts up when we need it again. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[cpaharley2008]

This thread shows the importance of using electric for the first couple of days until the new owner can figure out their 12v needs. Turning a new unit on propane without properly charged batteries can cause various related issues, some of which can be corrected until hooking up. One needs to hook up and test all the systems before getting too far from home or the factory.

[float5]

I would expect that this unit left the factory fully charged. It is plugged in for hours for orientation, isn't it, brand new batteries. Ours were over 13 as expected. The person giving orientation would have shown the monitor and seen that the batteries were fully charged when explaining it, even if not plugged in.

After that, there were a few days of boondocking with no charging apparently. No solar. Of course, the batteries are now way down. Site completely covered with trees (that alone is enough I think) needles, raining, late season. No sun on the panel. We had only a little sun on our panel at first but it was August and a little was enough. Then we got more. Need sun. Anyone needs to be plugged in if there is no sun on the panel which is the case apparently.

By the way, our refrigerator also did not work. We had to use the reset button. This refrigerator is not our model if it is the 4.3. Very different.

Hope there is sun coming that way soon. And being out of the trees will help a lot. Everyone messes up their parking situation at one time or another. I try not to aim the view at a bathroom! I might forget the trees, too.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by EDarby

And will call the doctor in the morning!

You must be desperate for a Starbucks latte by now.
And, so are we.
Are you ship-shape?