New 4.3 & 6.7 fridge info

[escape artist]

Hi: KountryKamper... We keep all delicate items like lettuce/cukes etc. in an insulated lunch bag. Seems to keep the salad maker happy.
We needed to defrost the fridge so I removed the freezer compartment and shut it off. Just about time to restart the fridge for the next trip though. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

 

[Parker-ESC]

Hi: We keep all delicate items like lettuce/cukes etc. in an insulated lunch bag.

Alf.....you missed the point! We former Casita owners have fond memories of when our refrigerators could freeze lettuce on a regular basis. I don't miss much else, but I really liked having a cold fridge!

 

[cpaharley2008]

Jim, if you haven't drilled your holes yet why don't you try taking the front door off the freezer first. This way you will preserve the barrier between the freezer and refrig and won't flow cold air onto the thermister in the fridge.

Excellent idea, 2 screws and the door is off, leaves about 1.5" in the front for air circulation, present temp 45/5 at 85F, fans are on, will check in 3 hours.

 

[float5]

Alf.....you missed the point! We former Casita owners have fond memories of when our refrigerators could freeze lettuce on a regular basis. I don't miss much else, but I really liked having a cold fridge!

This is not unusual with the Escape refrigerator as other owners complained to us about food freezing. We had frozen items many times which is why we bought a fan. We would not, however, have that problem if it is 95F.

For 95F, since the freezer works, we put several ice packs and then switch them to the crisper or elsewhere or to a cooler In the car.

I can only guess that the Casita refrigerator is just like ours.

 

[Jmn n]

NOPE. The older Casitas had Dometic fridges that worked well in high temperatures.

I spent all of June, 2011 in Phoenix, AZ in a 2005 Casita with a Dometic fridge running on 120V. I ran it on max and used a small 2D battery fan to keep the produce from freezing. The fridge interior was 34-36. I don't know the freezer temperature but it was cold enough to make ice cubes.

The highs were mostly in the low 100s and lows in the high 70s. See Historical Weather For 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA - WeatherSpark

 

[Klem]

I tested the refrigerator and found the lower fins simply are not cold enough, by themselves, to cool the refrigerator below 40c even in our cool climate. It was obvious by feeling them in relationship to the freezer fins.

So I'm trying to make a good refrigerator 1st by removing the freezer compartment, moved the thermistor, and have tested for a couple days.

My goal was to get it at a safe temperature on 3 bars so I had some reserve. Living in Port Angeles WA we are in a 'cool' marine environment so it should be a sweet spot for the refrig. 60s at night and 70's in the day.

Reace gave me the idea of moving the thermistor and I simply pushed a piece of coated wire clothes line under the plastic drain tray and taped the thermistor to it.

You can see I now have 1 big refrigerator (on 3 bars) and plan to take it out and park it in the sun.

 

[escape artist]

Alf.....you missed the point! We former Casita owners have fond memories of when our refrigerators could freeze lettuce on a regular basis. I don't miss much else, but I really liked having a cold fridge!

Hi: Parker... I love popsicle's but not celery flavoured ones!!!
I think I might try attaching the thermistor to the fridge shelf with a metal clip. See how it performs there. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

 

[jamie beers]

So I'm trying to make a good refrigerator 1st by removing the freezer compartment, moved the thermistor,

I did the same 2 things (moved thermistor downward, as far as cord would stretch, maybe 6-8"). Last week in 75 F partly cloudy weather, on propane, fridge temps maintained between 10 and 20 F. Yes, food froze, but I didn't care because I was happy to see some positive results. I am really looking forward to seeing what happens next week when camping in hot weather.

 

[cpaharley2008]

How does one move the thermistor? Just pry it off, unscrew or what and then how /where is it reattached? Any pictures?

 

[float5]

Ours freezes food at 75F also and we have not moved a thing. But it does not cool enough if it is in the 90s. So we use ice packs.

 

[cpaharley2008]

I'm also seeing one temperature on one thermometer that is 8 degrees lower than my digital model. Maybe I should install new batteries and recheck.

 

[cpaharley2008]

I went out and replaced my batteries in the digital sensors, I'm now at 15F in freezer bottom middle and 35F in refer, on the door. I have it on setting #3 and 120V. So now there is a 20 degree differential versus 41 degrees I had earlier this am. I'm a happy camper. The fans are on and the freezer door is off. I'll check in the am but not sure what temperature I want in freezer, at home I keep it set for 8F/38F and it works fine.

 

[tractors1]

Hmmmmm

Sounds like a well-ventilated freezer door may be in my future product offerings..............

 

[float5]

NOPE. The older Casitas had Dometic fridges that worked well in high temperatures.

I spent all of June, 2011 in Phoenix, AZ in a 2005 Casita with a Dometic fridge running on 120V. I ran it on max and used a small 2D battery fan to keep the produce from freezing. The fridge interior was 34-36. I don't know the freezer temperature but it was cold enough to make ice cubes.

The highs were mostly in the low 100s and lows in the high 70s. See Historical Weather For 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA - WeatherSpark

Well, if that is the case, then maybe some people can get that one especially since it is a Dometic. Casita's location may be the reason for a model that works in high temps. Is it no longer available?

 

[rbryan4]

Well, if that is the case, then maybe some people can get that one especially since it is a Dometic. Casita's location may be the reason for a model that works in high temps. Is it no longer available?

I think there are too many variables to answer that with a yes or no. Casita uses much smaller fridges than ETI does, and yes, many of them perform well in hotter climates because they are rated and designed to do so. The issue here is the RM8500 series fridges used by Escape. They are sub-normal rated, which means they are performing exactly as designed -- cooling well in mild or cool weather, but not in hot weather.

I think the final fix will eventually be that Escape uses another fridge besides the RM 8500 series with the SN rating. Everything else is makeshift, trying to boost the performance of a fridge designed for cool weather -- to work well in hot weather.

As for those who are already stuck with the SN rated fridges, I have no idea what the "fix" will be.

 

[azjack]

6.7 fridge

I added the 1/4' bubble insulation to the inside walls and door, maybe I gained a degree or two, hard to tell for sure. Then I added the fix fan and the fridge temp held at 55* instead of 35 to 40, I believe the strong fix fan was blowing on the thermister and fooling the temp. I pulled the thermister out of the holder on the fin and stuck it behind the insulation and I think that helped. I may plug in the trailer this week and check the temps again while empty since it will be 100*+/- this weekend.
Jack

 

[gbaglo]

Here's an entertaining read for you guys who are trying to re-engineer the fridge.

https://www.dometic.com/enus/Americas/USA/RV-News/RV-Product-Engineering/

 

[jamie beers]

How does one move the thermistor? Just pry it off, unscrew or what and then how /where is it reattached? Any pictures?

upper right section of fridge, a white wire plugged into a white box. Pull wire down to unplug, extend wire downwards and tuck into one of the vacant rails with no shelf in it.

 

[tractors1]

Here's an entertaining read for you guys who are trying to re-engineer the fridge.

https://www.dometic.com/enus/Americas/USA/RV-News/RV-Product-Engineering/

Reminds me of the newer "high efficiency" bulbs that replaced the old 40W fluorescent bulbs in the 4 ft shop lights. What it means is that you save 5 watts by using the new bulbs that burn out 3 times as fast so you have to buy more of them.

 

[7th Heaven]

Gerri,

As soon as the door is closed the fridg is a closed system so the pressure should be constant, the only way pressure could build is if additional air is pumped in

Is it possible that the Fridge Fix fan, which is supposed to circulate quite a bit of air, is actually putting pressure on the door seals and causing cold air to escape the fridge with the unintended result of being replaced by warm air from inside the trailer?