cannesdo
Presently in So. Cal.
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Joined: 04/27/2007
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I'm in San Diego, a few blocks from the beach. It's not that humid but moreso than most places I've been. The center half of the blades are covered with ice. I have the climate control switch on. It seems like it's gotten worse since the weather cooled a little in the last few weeks. Should I have the low ambient on? It's only down to the low 50's at most at night some nights. Do I have to defrost my fridge?? Turn the setting down to 3 out of 5 and it's keeping at about 36 degrees but still I've got the ice.
Thx...
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old guy
Oregon (pronounced Or e gun)
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Joined: 03/15/2006
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I read somewhere that a lot of ice build up is not good in RV fridges. I would do a defrost if it were me.
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Dave H M
IL
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Joined: 08/11/2006
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if the bsaldes sare just iced up, I don't see a problem.
If it is a solid pack of ice, then I would defrost.
JMHO
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2yung2rtire
N. California
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Joined: 12/14/2008
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Go to Ebay and search RV refrigerator fans. I installed one this year and in four months have not had any ice buildup. Keeps the fridge cooler too
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suchristo01
San Diego, CA
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We don't use the climate control switch. Wired a computer fan, using an aligator clip to connect to the fin for ground, the other wire goes to the always hot side of of the interior light. I mounted the fan to the middle of the the bottom side of the top shelf. Never have a buildup of ice and never have defrosted other than to shut down for storage. Recovers faster and keeps the entire box at a more contant temperature. We also use a small dehumidifier to help through May Gray and June Gloom. Comes in handy around Houston when we visit relatives.
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dougrainer
Carrolton, Texas
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The Climate Control is for when the you have condensation between the OUTSIDE metal between the doors and this heat strip evaporates the water
The AMBIENT Control is for when the outside temps are lower and the items in the lower fridge (lettuce and such) get frost or freeze regardless of the temp setting or if you have a Auto temp refer, but other items stay cold. This switch leaves the interior light ON all the time and that small bulb heat keeps those items from freezing or frosting
MOST Dometic refers have NO WAY to remove the Ice build up on the evaporator fins, so you must do a manual defrost.
ANY ice build up will lessen the efficiency of the refer to cool adequately. Doug
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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Since you've already turn on the climate switch (supposed to remove excess moisture) then I'd guess you have a bad door seal gasket on the fridge that is allowing in more moisture than the heaters can remove. Ice is pretty NORMAL when it forms over a period of time (like a month or use) but if it's forming quickly there is probably a reason that can be corrected.
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randallb
On the road
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Cann,
You do not say what fridge you have, so here is my .02. My Norcold iced up the blades when the thermister went bad. Since the thermister sent a warm signal to the control board the fridge ran all the time. The temps also dropped in to the 20's inside the fridge.
Hope this helps,
Randy
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dougrainer
Carrolton, Texas
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skipnchar wrote:Since you've already turn on the climate switch (supposed to remove excess moisture) then I'd guess you have a bad door seal gasket on the fridge that is allowing in more moisture than the heaters can remove. Ice is pretty NORMAL when it forms over a period of time (like a month or use) but if it's forming quickly there is probably a reason that can be corrected.
That is not the function of the Ambient and Climate control systems. Read my post before yours. Doug
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
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Defrost the refer, they are not self defrosting.
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