KenSikes
Arizona
New Member
Joined: 01/07/2012
View Profile
 Offline
|
Hello,
I have a 2005 Fleetwood popup with a Dometic 3 way refrigerator that does not stay lit while traveling. I don't know if this is normal or if the venting is incorrect. I ran it on 12 volts once and you can guess what happened--- a dead battery. Any help or sugestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
|
FreshAir
Utah / Salome AZ
Senior Member
Joined: 12/23/2004
View Profile
|
What I think of first is , 1. Pilot flame is not what it should be. Nice blue flame. Possible corroded or not aligned heat sensor directly in the flame. 2. Your wind deflector cover over the gas jet is missing or not aligned properly. Look at someone else's. It should stay lit.
These are what I would check to start with.
05 Pace Arrow, 36,B W24, SMI Braking, KVH R4 Satelite Dome,
Pressure Pro tire system.
2011 Silverado 4x4.
|
old guy
Oregon (pronounced Or e gun)
Senior Member
Joined: 03/15/2006
View Profile
|
I don't think it's a good idea to travel with the frig on. saw a gas station burn tho the ground because the Motor home owner gassed up with his frig on. I have come up with my own system, put small ice packs in the frig and they will keep the box cold enough to keep food from spoiling. then at night refreeze them for the next day of traveling. Nothing I hate more than some guy saying that's what I have insurance for. I wonder if his insurance is going to protect him from getting a lump up side his head for burning my TT down
|
RoyB
King George, VA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/13/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
I have my fridge ON 12VDC when traveling in my OFF-ROAD POPUP. Works great for us... Our usual camp site run is an hour or so away so fridge is ready to go by the time we get to the camp ground.
My setup has the truck charge engaged on PIN #2 (Black Wire) of the trailer connector plug. I had to install a relay and a fuse in the truck fuse panel that was in an envelope in my 2010 F150 glovebox. Perhaps your truck does not have a connection to the trailer battery as this would keep the trailer battery from running down.
At the camp site I run my POPUP fridge on 120VAC. If you are camping off the power grid then you should run the fridge off the propane. Running off 12VDC will most definately run down your battery as the fridge draws somewhere around 5-6 amps I think.
My fridge also has propane but I have never run that when camping. Its funny but I didnt realize I had the propane model until it was being discuused on here a month or so back. Made me go look at mine and sure enough I had the Propane/120VAC/12VDC model small trailer fridge. My unit is manual controlled not like the big trailers that do auto switching for power source.
I have read on here however that the pilot lights are easy to blow out going down the road and they all should be turned off as stated here in this thread for safety reasons when at a gas station.
I also have read some folks rig up a vent shield or maybe there is one you can purchase that will keep the air from blowing out the propane pilot light.
I think your best bet would make sure your truck battery is charging your trailer battery when connected to the trailer and use 12VDC on your trailer fridge when in travel mode. I have done this for several hours running down the road and have never had my trailer battery run down with the fridge on. I can tell my fridge is working by holding my hand up close to the top vent on the outside where the fridge is installed as it will be putting off some heat when the fridge is running.
My Posts are IMHO based on my experiences - PM/EMAIL me
Roy and Carolyn
RETIRED DOAF/DON/DOD/CONTR RADIO TECH (42yrs)
K9PHT (Since 1957) 146.52M
"We always have a PLAN B"
2010 F150, 5.4,3:73 Gears,SCab
2008 Starcraft 14RT EU2000i GEN
POPUP PHOTOs-Pg53
.JPG)
|
paullac
Cincinnati, OH
Full Member
Joined: 03/27/2004
View Profile
|
I have an '04 Fleetwood popup. My fridge does not stay lit while driving either. I figured that was just the way it is.
I run it off the car battery while driving. It honestly doesn't cool much though. And so far I've remembered to turn it off for longer stops - so the car can start!
I turn the fridge on electric very early in our campground setup. The fridge is generally in the safe temp zone after dinner & before bed so we transfer the cooler food at that time.
'04 Honda Odyssey EX-L NAVI
'04 Fleetwood Sedona
|
|
|
mike4947
N. Syracuse, NY
Moderator
Joined: 08/26/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
A couple of FYI's
The average 2.4 CF fridge draws apx 10 amps on 12 volt. It also only provides enough BTU's to hold the temp already in the fridge.
Average output:
propane 750 BTU's
120 volt 700 BTU's
12 volt 350 BTU's
While there are some, and I've owned a couple, that resist all attempts to keep the flame going most can be fixed by careful looking and blocking a path that the airsteam takes when under motion.
We've found that starting the fridge up 24 hours in advance on either propane or 120 volt it will keep it's temperature, if not opened, for 6-8 hours.
On electric there's no need to haul out the power cord. Open the bottom exterior fridge vent and there is a plug in you can easily use with an extension cord.
Just like with a cooler the colder thigs go in the longer it will "hold the cold". Don't expect to put in a case of warm beverage of your choice and have it ice cold in an hour or so like a residential fridge.
Another handy thing to get is one of the small battery operated fan cubes for inside the fridge. It keeps the fridge temp even though out and does help in cooling warm stuff a little faster.
You should also know that our small fridges only output a constant BTU. This means when it's hot outside the fridge temp will rise and when it cools off at night the fridge temp drops. Ask anyone who's pulled a head of fozen lettuce out in the morning.
Another valuable option is an indoor/outdoor thermometer. Since I know the temp inside the camper I use one probe for outside and the other inside the fridge. Lets you see the drop/rise inside without opening it and mine came with a freeze alarm so I could get up and readjust the setting.
That's all my slightly senile mind comes up with for now.
blog.rv.net Your daily guide to the Open Road
Subscribe to the daily digest
They say you learn by your mistakes, in that case I must be a genius.
|
popeyemth
owensboro ky
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2010
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
my owners manual says set the thermostat on MAX to keep it from blowing out.
"wine is a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy" ben franklin
|
PopUpTom
West Tennessee
Senior Member
Joined: 08/27/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
Keeping the fridge cool on 12V is quite a challenge.
Mike is right on about the little fridge fan cube - the cooling fins inside the fridge can be ice cold, but without air circulation, the rest of the fridge can be a lot warmer.
Cube Fan:
I also invested $10 in a remote temp sender/receiver to monitor camper fridge temps as we drove down the road in the car. In a 13 hour period, we rose from 32 to 42 deg F while powered by the 12v line. That was before I added the cube fan on the inside, and the PC fan on the outside. That inside fan may make a world of difference.
Acu-rite (Accurite?) thermometer:
Fridge baffles and PC fan (black, halfway down, mounted almost horizontal):
|
red31
Bryan
Senior Member
Joined: 08/04/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
mike4947 wrote:A couple of FYI's
Average output:
propane 750 BTU's
120 volt 700 BTU's
12 volt 350 BTU's
The smaller PU fridges have almost equal 12&120v wattage heaters
The parts list doc of a Dometic RM2193 differs from that above.
Both AC and DC are rated 115 watts (392 BTU), propane lo/hi 293/635 BTU.
http://www.gas-refrigerators.com/pdf/RM2193-parts.pdf
These small fridges don't have a thermostat on propane, Norcold uses a preset thermostat on electric.
Dream up some factor for energy efficiency of gas versus electric.
|
rehoppe
Denver
Senior Member
Joined: 01/30/2009
View Profile
|
Cheap and dirty?
Take some aluminum foil and build a 'windbreak'. Had to do that on an old one I had.
After a bit more headscratching, and experimenting, I found that for the most part the fridge didn't need to run while in route. Unless you are going more than a half day on the road.
If you are going a long way, just light it up when you stop for lunch for an hour or so, and you'll be fine.
Hoppe
2011 Dodge 1500 C'boy Caddy
2000 Jayco C 28' Ford chassis w V-10
|
|
|
