Door Frame Seal - 2nd Generation

[ichrisdr]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I hope it was worth it, does the refer now work?

Huh? I'm missing something.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by ichrisdr

Huh? I'm missing something.

Didn't you start this thread saying that your door was removed due to the fridge being replaced under warranty? Jim is asking if the replacement fridge is working ok.

[cpaharley2008]

Exactly, ....

[ichrisdr]

Haha. I'm stupid. Yeah the new fridge works. I haven't had it out camping though since the repair. I picked it up from ETI last summer and spent 7 weeks on the road and literally the last night on the road before we got home is when the refridgerator just stopped working. I really wish Dometic would have worked with me to resolve the issue but they insisted I take it to a certified service center, which I get.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by ichrisdr

Haha. I'm stupid. Yeah the new fridge works. I haven't had it out camping though since the repair. I picked it up from ETI last summer and spent 7 weeks on the road and literally the last night on the road before we got home is when the refridgerator just stopped working. I really wish Dometic would have worked with me to resolve the issue but they insisted I take it to a certified service center, which I get.

No worries mate! Sometimes these threads go so far off course, you have to go back and reread the thread to see what started it.

[ichrisdr]

Response from ETI: "The door frame would have had to been removed to get the fridge out. We install the doors the same way we screw the frame to the trailer and then just do a perimeter seal.
There is no gasket between the frame and the fiberglass. I do not believe there is anything wrong with the way they installed the door. I have attached a picture of one of the trailers in our show room."

So it looks like I'll just redo the caulk job. FYI ETI uses Proflex RV for a sealant.

If an admin sees this can they please change the title to something more useful now to maybe "Front Door Frame Seal" or something better.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by ichrisdr

If an admin sees this can they please change the title to something more useful now to maybe "Front Door Frame Seal" or something better.

I'm not an admin, but I can do this... done.

[2Travelers]

ichrisdr, I feel your pain... 2X.

We picked up our 19' in early July 2018 and our Dometic RM2554 fridge (the standard size) has been replaced twice under warranty, both times by a Dometic-certified tech. (My thanks to Reace for helping me go about finding a good local service technician.) The first fridge failed as we were preparing for our first trip out after getting the trailer home (no problems during the long trip home, thankfully) and the second failed the first time we went to use it (though it worked fine when it came home from the shop). So far, the third has worked for us on the one weekend trip we could get in before our camping season was over and we are hopeful that it will continue to work come our first outing this spring and on into the new season. Let's say our confidence in Dometic is quite low at this point.

Knowing that the door would have to be removed, the tech tried getting just a new cooling unit from Dometic so that the repair could be done inside the trailer but none were to be had either time. Apparently the door frame is about 1/4" too narrow and the fridge won't fit through. I've attached a few photos showing the reinstalled door. (I tried to rotate them, but it didn't work. Help?) It seems that I, too, have a bit more caulk showing than tdf-texas has on his original install. At his point, and with my skill level, I am not inclined to mess with it but am interested to know how yours comes out if you re-do the caulk. Maybe I can learn how to do it right.

Next up, sorting out a gas valve that was stuck open on the new model Suburban cook top. But that's a topic for another thread. [And BTW, we are still thrilled with our new Escape trailer and the company that goes the extra mile to support us. Not to mention this invaluable forum. What a resource it has been!]

[ichrisdr]

Originally Posted by 2Travelers

ichrisdr, I feel your pain... 2X. ]

I'm sorry to hear you also had problems with the fridge and cook top. Twice for the fridge Uhg! I won't have a chance to really test the new fridge which was installed late last year until June. Fingers crossed here that it will still work. I don't think your caulk job looks bad at all. Mine is peeling off. That's the main reason I started this whole thread and decided I needed to look into the issue further. I'm going to pull the old caulk out and use the same product that ETI uses. I'll let you know how difficult it was but I don't think it is that hard. It is more of a question on how messy will it get.

I wish the market offered more options but I think there are only like 2 RV specific manufactures.

[2Travelers]

Then perhaps I'll leave my door alone until it needs re-caulking.

When the first one failed, I was quite surprised to get a call from Reace, who helped me work through the issues and determine the source of the problem (which turned out to be a bad cooling unit). During our conversation he mentioned that Escape sets up these units to run for several days (4-5, I can't remember now) to make sure they hold temp before being installed. He was surprised I was having trouble because he hadn't had problems with these units before mine.

I am a bit concerned on long-term reliability going forward as I take my trailer out of winter storage and get ready for our first full season (we only used the new fridge once last year, and in 40 degree F weather). I have a couple remote thermometers (one to monitor the freezer and one for the fridge) and will be getting a small fan to help circulate the air inside for more even cooling. Given what I have learned about adsorption refrigerators I can see that they really are simple machines. With luck I finally have a good one, and if I keep it level expect that it will give us many years of reliable service, even in the heat of Virginia's summers.