Hi all; Just a quick one, we have a dometic 3 way fridge and are heading off free camping in a couple of days. the wife turned on the fridge yesterday and run the fridge on mains power. The fridge has been "running" for 24 hours now and the inside temp is around 20 degrees and nor cold by any stretch of your imagination. Checked the mains plug, power is getting to the van as the microwave clock is on. The freezer is at the same temp as the fridge.
I went around to the side of the caravan and removed the top vent and the chimney for the fridge is hot, so the 240 Volt heating element is OK. Yes the caravan is level ( just checked with a spirit level and had not bought the front of the caravan down level after unhitching the caravan. I have now leveled the caravan and will see how we go. Is there anything else i need to check.
-- Edited by valiant81 on Monday 7th of June 2021 04:55:24 PM
laurieoz said
05:10 PM Jun 7, 2021
My daughters fridge had to have the cooling system replaced last week - ammonia had leaked out - lucky it was just inside the three year warranty period
-- Edited by laurieoz on Monday 7th of June 2021 05:11:29 PM
Warren-Pat_01 said
09:59 PM Jun 8, 2021
Does it work on gas?
We had one of these in our Jayco camper & it failed to get cold in Cairns after a trip further north. A repairer told me to remove it & drop it into him. I did - what a drama! You find out what holds them attached to the van!!
In doing so, we had to tip it up to get it out - & I believe that fixed it as I paid for it to be run on the repairer's work bench without missing a beat!
AFB said
09:11 PM Jun 9, 2021
I had a 3 way same issue, removed it, tipped it upside down several times, apparently the gas lubricant firms crystals, appeared to work for a day then the same, I then replaced the Threeway with an upright 90 litre Engel, best move I ever made. Compressor type refrigerator, works at any angle, up north or down south, just perfect
markmack said
10:44 AM Jun 11, 2021
If the van has been sitting for a while I find that by starting the fridge on gas works fine.. I too have turned the fridge on by using 240 volt and found that the fridge did not cool.. Believing the trip may have to be delayed until the repairs were made I tried the gas,( thinking plan B )and the result was the fridge worked as usual.. from then on before any trip the fridge gets fired up on gas for a day ..
Warren-Pat_01 said
05:55 PM Jun 13, 2021
Hi AFB,
Yes you are correct in that the ammonia crystallizes & causes blockages. I learnt with an earlier Finch Fridge.
The fact that valiant81 has a RM2350 3way fridge may mean he has a small caravan or camper & may not have the battery capacity or weight allowance to take on the purchase of a 12v compressor fridge. Up until the time we bought our current pop-top, we ran a 60L Trailblazer in the car, wound up the thermostat later in the afternoon & then turned it off at night. The contents remained cold or frozen until we set off again the next day.
Cupie said
07:39 PM Jun 14, 2021
During the week before leaving on a trip, I check my van on both gas first & then on 240V.
When on gas I take off the top vent to make sure that the flue is still on correctly & directing the hot air out of the vent. It used to occasionally come off & the air couldn't escape properly. A small PK screw fixed that.
Once it gets cold, I switch to 240 v to ensure that it stays cold.
On the 12v side I connect the tug and make sure that it delivers 12v or close to it to the fridge.
Just to help you understand Absorption fridges, I have attached a paper on the subject.
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 14th of June 2021 07:40:11 PM
Hi all; Just a quick one, we have a dometic 3 way fridge and are heading off free camping in a couple of days. the wife turned on the fridge yesterday and run the fridge on mains power. The fridge has been "running" for 24 hours now and the inside temp is around 20 degrees and nor cold by any stretch of your imagination. Checked the mains plug, power is getting to the van as the microwave clock is on. The freezer is at the same temp as the fridge.
I went around to the side of the caravan and removed the top vent and the chimney for the fridge is hot, so the 240 Volt heating element is OK. Yes the caravan is level ( just checked with a spirit level and had not bought the front of the caravan down level after unhitching the caravan. I have now leveled the caravan and will see how we go. Is there anything else i need to check.
-- Edited by valiant81 on Monday 7th of June 2021 04:55:24 PM
My daughters fridge had to have the cooling system replaced last week - ammonia had leaked out - lucky it was just inside the three year warranty period
-- Edited by laurieoz on Monday 7th of June 2021 05:11:29 PM
We had one of these in our Jayco camper & it failed to get cold in Cairns after a trip further north. A repairer told me to remove it & drop it into him. I did - what a drama! You find out what holds them attached to the van!!
In doing so, we had to tip it up to get it out - & I believe that fixed it as I paid for it to be run on the repairer's work bench without missing a beat!
Yes you are correct in that the ammonia crystallizes & causes blockages. I learnt with an earlier Finch Fridge.
The fact that valiant81 has a RM2350 3way fridge may mean he has a small caravan or camper & may not have the battery capacity or weight allowance to take on the purchase of a 12v compressor fridge. Up until the time we bought our current pop-top, we ran a 60L Trailblazer in the car, wound up the thermostat later in the afternoon & then turned it off at night. The contents remained cold or frozen until we set off again the next day.
During the week before leaving on a trip, I check my van on both gas first & then on 240V.
When on gas I take off the top vent to make sure that the flue is still on correctly & directing the hot air out of the vent. It used to occasionally come off & the air couldn't escape properly. A small PK screw fixed that.
Once it gets cold, I switch to 240 v to ensure that it stays cold.
On the 12v side I connect the tug and make sure that it delivers 12v or close to it to the fridge.
Just to help you understand Absorption fridges, I have attached a paper on the subject.
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 14th of June 2021 07:40:11 PM