dead refrigerator

[4570]

Opened my freezer on my camp trailer to stock it for a weekend trip and about passed out from the smell of ammonia . I called around and found replacement would be about 1100 to 1200 dollars, OUCH . Got on the Internet and found a place in Arkansas that makes cooling units for 430 dollars so i went for that . Was there any other choices out there ?

 

[navyjoe]

Those units are really expensive. Sounds like you did ok to me. as far a alternatives about the only one is a small "household unit" like the ones in dorms or small aparments depending on the size of your unit. Of course you can go primitive that way since they all use 120 VAC

 

[bombero]

Time out! What kind of refer is it. What is wrong with it?? Dont trow money at it. That you 2cents

 

[4570]

Bombero , it is Dometic refer runs on propane or 110 volt. The ammonia smell is from the cooling unit leaking out its cooling fluid which is ammonia .

 

[Mtngoat]

Call Cherokee RV Salvage located around Denver. INCREDIBILE amount of stuff, from almost new to old! Great prices and esay to work with.



Robin

 

[bombero]

You seem to want to throw money at it so; I have heard about "burping" a LPG refer. Take it out and turn it up side down for 24hrs. This is not a snipe hunt!. I know it works on LPG refers. I dont know if it will yours. Good luck

 

[Casey Balvert]

Turning a fridge can work if there is a vapor lock in the system but if ammonia is leaking out, it usually means that the system has corroded to the point where the cooling unit is toast. You can't really fix them.

 

[4570]

Hi Casey ,thats what is wrong with it . The cooling tubes rust out from the inside out . You can have it welded but 6 months from now it will find a new place to leak . Arnie

 

[Paul Somers]

4570

When you smell ammonia it is time to throw money at these refirs IMO.

Question for you 4570. How old was your refir. Do you leave it on all the time? Even when parked at home and not using it. Reason I ask is I am in camping club and this topic has been discussed many times. Half turn theirs off when at home and other half plugs in to keep refir on all the time. We're looking for info on which is best approach to lengthen like of cooling unit.

 

[4570]

Paul ,the refer is 11 years old and i only use it about twice a year so its off the rest of the time . The guy i bought the cooling unit from says it doesnt seem to matter weather you use them allot or not. Arnie

 

[Mtngoat]

Some of them are hard to get out. Had to remove a window in mine because the refridge would'nt fit thru the door! I do most of my own work but on this one we let the professionals do it.



Robin

 

[mberry]

http://www.cherokeervparts.com

 

[mberry]

http://www.cherokeervparts.com

 

[JMorrow]

Re: 4570

Originally posted by Paul Somers

When you smell ammonia it is time to throw money at these refirs IMO.

Question for you 4570. How old was your refir. Do you leave it on all the time? Even when parked at home and not using it. Reason I ask is I am in camping club and this topic has been discussed many times. Half turn theirs off when at home and other half plugs in to keep refir on all the time. We're looking for info on which is best approach to lengthen like of cooling unit.

Hi



I leave mine on 24 hrs. a day 365 days a year. We have had several R. V. s and never shut the refer down except to defrost and clean.



John

 

[jldhelms]

First things first. There is absolutely no reason to ever smell ammonia around an RV refrigerator. When you do, whereever it is, you can know the failure of the absorption type refrigerator is when and not if, period. Second, if Nucold, in Morrilton, Arkansas rebuilt your unit, it was done right, including many capacity and durability improvements. Third, if they rebuilt your core or if they sold you a rebuilt core from stock for around $400, you got a good deal. No I get nothing from these people, but I have spent a career in commercial refrigeration, know these people and have done business with them numerous times. I live only 25 miles from them and they have an outstanding reputation, in this region. The burping is a different story, but has nothing to do with your problem if you really smelled ammonia. Leaving the unit running has nothing to do with your problem if you really smelled ammonia. If you want info on the burping/continuous run questions, send me an email so I won't bore the rest of the readers.

Jim

 

[4570]

Jdlhelms ,please tell us all about keeping a refer going all the time and if burping helps . The problem with mine was definitely an ammonia leak as the cooling unit did have a rusted spot in it that leaked all the ammonia out through the freezer section . Yes Nucold is where i purchased the cooling unit and i was lucky ,i guess ,that they were running a special till the end of April . Arnie

 

[Mtngoat]

jdlhelms-



You won't bore me! If you have some tips on keeping my fridge working longer, I'd like to hear them. Mine only runs maybe 5-6 weeks COMBINED over a years time. It is impossible to keep it plugged in where I store it. We always clean it out and leave the door ajar when its stored. What else can we do to keep it in shape?



Robin

 

[jldhelms]

RV refrigerator

Without going into great detail, the burping of an ammonia (absorption) refrigerator relates to older systems manufactured years ago. The burping cure hangs around because there are still many RV refrigerators that are older than 10-15 years old. In those old refers, it was possible to cause the components of the absorption system to separate and get into the wrong place in the refrigeration loop by running the system unlevel. Burping a system was to turn the refrig system upside down, often in the front yard and let it set for a week or so. It is pretty hard, if not impossible to get a modern unit to separate, they just loose capacity and you complain of poor cooling but the next time you use it (level) it works OK. Hope this answers your question.



Jim

 

[jldhelms]

RV Refrigerator

Long life of an RV refrigerator really relates to chance more than how much you use it, the chance that you didn't get a lemon. Since it doesn't have any moving parts, long life is related directly to how well you maintain your entire unit. There is some validity to the argument that keeeping heat on the system helps reduce the possibility of rust, the biggest enemy of an absorption system since all the piping is steel. There is little to maintain if you run it on AC, just replacing the heater element every few years. But if you run it on propane most of the time or often, the burner asembly should be inspected and cleaned annually. Life of the absorption assembly itself is not substantially affected by how much you run it on either energy source. Non use of your refrigerator is no more or less damaging than any other system in your RV. All systems suffer to some extent for long periods of inactivity. I do not leave my RV Refrigerator cooling except when I expect to use it again in a week or two and then I leave it on AC. I don't like to defrost it anyway.

Jim

 

[Barry]

By the time you smell the ammonia, the horse has left the barn and has run down the road. You are DONE.

Choices: Whole new unit or new or rebuilt cooling coil.



The average life of an RV refer is 10 years. If yours is past that then you are under grace and not under the law... ... .....



$400 is an excellant price for a rebuilt unit. I am having one done as we speak and it will run $650 installed.