dometic rml 8555 6.7 liter fridge

[robertg]

Our Escape 19 recently arrived.
The owners manual for the above fridge refers to a gas valve and
winter cover for the exterior opening. The unit does not come with a winter cover, ( to be used below 10 degrees C., 50 degrees F. ), and where is the gas valve located ?

[cpaharley2008]

The manual is for both US and European installs. I call Dometic, there is not winter cover for US installs. As far as gas valve, there is none, you turn on the stove to bleed the air out and then turn the refer on propane, it will light.

[burrab2002]

Jim, reace gave the same response. Cover not available in north america. I guess maybe in south america where the weather is colder.

[robertg]

Surprised there is no cover for the Canadian winters !
I assumed there was no valve as I checked. I bled the lines by running all 3 burners on the stove and the fridge pilot would still not light. I will try running the stove longer tomorrow
and see. Thanks for your help.

[burrab2002]

robertg, i just filled my tanks tonight and will try tomorrow to check on the stove and fridge operation. good luck

[jamman]

on the 19 try the water heater - it is beyond the fridge on the gas line.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by robertg

I bled the lines by running all 3 burners on the stove and the fridge pilot would still not light.

One minor detail that can be easily overlooked (especially after just taking the trailer out of storage) is that the battery disconnect switch must be in the on position for the refer to work--even on propane. (Or you must have shore power.)

As others have stated...don't ask me how I know that.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by robertg

Surprised there is no cover for the Canadian winters !

I've never noticed any significant amount of snow drifted into the refrigerator compartment of my RVs while they're parked in the winter. If the RV is use, with the refrigerator operating, the vent can't be blocked.

[cpaharley2008]

Brian,
The purpose of the cover is to keep the combustion area warmer, not to prevent snow intrusion. The absorption refer needs some contrast in temperature to operate, something that is hard to do in real cold regions.

[azjack]

I tried every thing I could think of with our refrig when the temp was over 100 F. and still needed some blue ice when going down the road. I have fanS, extra insulation inside and outside to help control flow up the back side. It worked ok as long as the night temps dropped down to the 50 or 60 area and then we could handle the 90 degree day for the few hours. I guess we'll live with this and just use blue ice or dry ice to supplement the desert type heat of 70+ at night and 100 during the day.
Right now I see 6 and 34 readings but we are at 6000' at 5:30 a.m. and the outside temp is about 50. My fans are on and 5 bars selected. In a few hours we'll be at 100 and it will be there until tomorrow morning at 2:00 when it will cool to 70 but we will be home.
Jack

[cpaharley2008]

The absorption refer needs some contrast in temperature to operate, something that is hard to do in real cold regions. or hot regions!!

[jamman]

They need SOME difference - but we had absorption in Africa and it worked fine at 90+ degrees and 100% humidity.

I believe that the RML8555 (large, and maybe the small one, too) fridge have much less cooling capacity than older Dometic fridges. The one we had in the Casita did fine in the full summer heat and sun here in Phoenix. The new one is at best marginal (I would say inadequate) even with fans, improved ducting, etc.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Brian,
The purpose of the cover is to keep the combustion area warmer, not to prevent snow intrusion. The absorption refer needs some contrast in temperature to operate, something that is hard to do in real cold regions.

If the cover were only over the burner housing that would make more sense, to allow the burner to get the working fluid high enough for the cycle to work. Airflow through the coils on the back of the refrigerator is required because that part needs to be cooler (that difference in temperature), and at the very least air intake and exhaust is needed for the burner if running on propane. All of the images that come up in a Google search for "Dometic winter cover" show covers that block the vents.

A Dometic catalog confirms that they cover the vents, says that they are for low-temperature operation... and provides no indication of how the exhaust is handled. It appears that they have small openings lined up with the burner intake and exhaust which are just sufficient.

Winter sets for single- and double-door models:
WA 120 / 130 are available as replacement covers. EWS 300
enhances your fridge’s insulation values and ensures
maximum performance even at ambient temperatures
reaching –30°C.

I have found in low temperatures (-10 C and lower) - with a larger and different-brand trailer - that the refrigerator section stays at the desired temperature but the freezer isn't cold enough. The cooling action required to keep the refrigerator at 4 C (40 F) isn't enough to keep the freezer well below freezing.

Thousands of people in North America use their RVs with this type of refrigerator in sub-freezing temperatures every year. If the covers work, and are not offered here, it suggests to me that Dometic has had difficulty with some sort of regulatory approval.

This has been educational!

[robertg]

So what kind of performance have people had using the large fridge at freezing temperatures ?
BTW, after running the furnace and hot water tank, I still could not get the pilot to light.
Finally traced the problem to an unconnected wire at the propane valve control. duh.

[cpaharley2008]

Seems to me if the freezer does not cool adequately at temperatures below freezing, just store the item outside. As long as the beer is cold enough, I'm a happy camper!!
Seriously though, I had no issue last winter the few times I managed to shovel out the camper. Hoping this winter is a cold but dry season. I'm a winter camper by choice, dislike the hot sun and a/c crowds, like the brisk and fire season with deserted campgrounds.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Seems to me if the freezer does not cool adequately at temperatures below freezing, just store the item outside. As long as the beer is cold enough, I'm a happy camper!!

Funny guy. Unfortunately, a freezer should be at about -18 C, so if the outside temperature gets higher than that the great outdoors is not an alternative.

I'm currently not all that concerned about keeping an RV properly functioning well below freezing, but the problem illustrates the problems with typical absorption-type RV refrigerators. It is very good that they can run on propane (the only reason they are the RV standard), and they're quiet, but everything else about them is undesirable.

[cpaharley2008]

Yes, I understand. Perhaps the 12v compressor models maybe a better choice. I had dual 12v units in my T@da, I think they were 1.7c/f each. They would hum while operating.

[BCnomad]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P;

great outdoors is not an alternative.

.

Nvm. Edit