Potential Fire From 3-way frig Exhaust

[Semievolved]

I wasn't sure where it was best to post this but I think the word needs to get out there.
I just removed dometic 8333 frig (working fine but wanted to replace with dual compressor) and was alarmed to find charred plywood where the exhaust stack terminated. Seems like a fire waiting to happen. This is not just soot, the top ply layer or more had burned away. This is a 2016 21c.

[Eggscape]

Thanks for taking the time to post here as well as on Facebook.

I hope I can get my cellphone or some type of camera up in that area to check on my 2018 19.

[Ron in BC]

I'm surprised that they're still using bare 1/8" lauan plywood there. It's really not the best thing to do and it caused massive problems for me and that's where I'll leave that.

I replaced mine with sheet aluminum. A much better material for that location.

Always wished that they would use the Australian vent that dumps the heat out through the side wall.

Ron

[Eggscape]

So I just felt the area as far as my arm could reach up in our 2018 19 and everything on the wall feels fine. My hand was able to make it just above the heat chamber and on top where I could tinkle something…possibly an inner flue. My hand came out clean and not black.

I estimate the wall is appropriately 2 inches away from the top of the chamber. On the wall is the type of silver insulation pictured below. This is not the exact product but something I had in stock. I pointed my heat gun to half of it as a test and the second photo shows the results. The top and middle layers melted but know flames. The rear remained for the 2 min test.

If there was any fridge heat problem with our trailer, I am confident that the silver material would melt in such a way that I could feel it deformed.

[Semievolved]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

So I just felt the area as far as my arm could reach up in our 2018 19 and everything on the wall feels fine. My hand was able to make it just above the heat chamber and on top where I could tinkle something…possibly an inner flue. My hand came out clean and not black.

I estimate the wall is appropriately 2 inches away from the top of the chamber. On the wall is the type of silver insulation pictured below. This is not the exact product but something I had in stock. I pointed my heat gun to half of it as a test and the second photo shows the results. The top and middle layers melted but know flames. The rear remained for the 2 min test.

If there was any fridge heat problem with our trailer, I am confident that the silver material would melt in such a way that I could feel it deformed. (There…that is about as positive of a concussion I can make).

I'm glad you were able to check it. Mine had nothing but that wood laminate behind and above the frig. I couldn't really figure out what function the wood served either. I had my hands full (literally) pulling the frig out so I didn't notice the burn til later. Unfortunately, I didn't measure to see how close the exhaust tip was from the wall. But, it can be turned and I wonder if maybe it was supposed to be parallel to the wall but was installed pointing at it instead?

[Rossue]

After my RML8555 was changed to the RMD8555 locally in 2016 I went to Escape a few months later to have some warranty work done and Reace pulled my fridge as I didn't like how they sealed the front. He found a similar burn mark. Others found similar burn marks when pulling their RML8555 that Escape had installed originally. So ETI was doing some faulty installs there as well.

When I pulled the RMD8555 last month to replace it with the new RMD10.5XT I found that Reace had completely pulled out the old Luan and did not replace it. Just put some Reflectix on the inside of the fiberglass and called it a day. You can see the heat still had an effect on the Reflectix even though it was further away with no baffle anymore.

[Rossue]

Escape back then didn't use the correct size side vent; that is a Norcold. With the Gen2 trailers they went to the Dometic and that is why they are so much larger.

They're not the only OEM that didn't follow Dometic installation instruction to a T.

I know someone with an Airstream that came with an RMD8555. Airstream did not use a top vent as per Dometic and instead uses an upper side vent that is below the top of the refrigerator's flue. The customer has had to install evacuation fans to get the heat out of that area. He switched also to the new RMD10.5XT over a year ago.

[Semievolved]

Originally Posted by Rossue

After my RML8555 was changed to the RMD8555 locally in 2016 I went to Escape a few months later to have some warranty work done and Reace pulled my fridge as I didn't like how they sealed the front. He found a similar burn mark. Others found similar burn marks when pulling their RML8555 that Escape had installed originally. So ETI was doing some faulty installs there as well.

When I pulled the RMD8555 last month to replace it with the new RMD10.5XT I found that Reace had completely pulled out the old Luan and did not replace it. Just put some Reflectix on the inside of the fiberglass and called it a day. You can see the heat still had an effect on the Reflectix even though it was further away with no baffle anymore.

ooops, mine is an 8555 too, I got the number wrong. I'm glad yours is taken care of. Gives me the creeps thinking about how many of these might be out there smoldering. it makes sense that he ended up removing that luann as I could not see what purpose it served.

[Rossue]

The purpose of the baffle is to create a proper chimney for the exhaust gases to rise and exit the top vent I believe. Dometic has this spec in their installation manual and now it appears there is too much space behind my fridge. However this situation has existed without my knowledge since May 2016 and our fridge has performed well during that time.

The spec is .59-.98" from back of the flue to the front of the baffle. They specifically indicate more than .98" is not correct.

[lonewolfjb]

Originally Posted by Semievolved

I wasn't sure where it was best to post this but I think the word needs to get out there.
I just removed dometic 8333 frig (working fine but wanted to replace with dual compressor) and was alarmed to find charred plywood where the exhaust stack terminated. Seems like a fire waiting to happen. This is not just soot, the top ply layer or more had burned away. This is a 2016 21c.

Double wall Amer vent exhaust should be 1"away from any flammable surface and single wall should be 2" away from any flammable surface per building code in US not sure about Canada law but should be similar.