Almot
out there
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Joined: 03/02/2010
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Doug, my freezer will not get to 0F when the outside coils can't cool well, i.e. hot sun on this wall. It will struggle keeping it at 4, cycling almost nonstop. Fridge would fare better, cooling down to 40, but to keep it cycling almost nonstop - in order to achieve near-zero in freezer - I have to set thermostat to Max, and then fridge goes to 32 and below, causing icing of the fins and freezing water in the tray. If I set it to 1 or 2, it will stop cycling when fridge is 44 -46 and freezer 5-6. This is my reality. In the morning I set it to 3-4, as it gets freezer to 0, in the afternoon I set it to Max to get somewhere from 0 to 4.
Yes, better ventilation at the back of the fridge is needed, and possibly fan inside the fridge - to spread the cold air from those 22F fins around so that it would not freeze the food near fins.
About check valve. It's just a plug on the tube, with a small hole so that something (insects?) wouldn't get in. It's tiny, don't see any one-way mechanism. I removed, anyway. It's not the culprit here.
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dougrainer
Carrolton, Texas
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Joined: 06/11/2007
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The Checkvalve/plug is designed to NOT allow warm air migration back up to the refer. So, the plug is necessary to help keep temps colder. Norcold refers are designed to self defrost the evap fans when icing happens. ICE on evap fins is BAD. Ice is a insulator and will not allow convection air inside the refer to flow over the fins and remove the heat. The Defrost cycle is built in. ONLY for Norcold refers left ON continuously. If left ON, every 48 to 54 hours the refer shuts OFF, for 2 to 3 hours. This allows any ice build up to thaw and drain out the drain pan and tube. Ice build up inside the refer is a product of humidity in the air. So, opening and closing the refer too often will increase the instance of ice build up.
1. Has the refer Cooling unit been replaced?
2. Did it drain before and just stopped?
3. 0 to 10 degrees is the normal operating range of the freezer. 0 is best. But, as you have found, ANY heat source to the RV on the outside will degrade the cooling performance. So, yes, in hotter climates you may have to go to 5 for max coldness. When it gets cooler, you go to 3 or 4.
4. Regardless, you have a drain tube problem. FIX the problem and you will not have frozen ice build up on the drain tray giving you problems
5. The reason I ask about the cooling unit is simple. The USUAL reason a drain tube fails to drain is because the person replacing the cooling unit was not a professional and kinked the drain tube when installing the new cooling unit. VERY COMMON. Dometic refers have a different drain tube design thru the insulation of the cooling unit. Doug
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Almot
out there
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Joined: 03/02/2010
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RLS7201 wrote:... try pouring some hot water in the tray. Might melt the blockage.
Richard
Bingo. Boiled some water, poured in - very inconvenient, can't get to it with a cup, had to feed it with a table spoon, melted ice in the tray, removed icy cold water, poured more hot water. Blockage opened, next day closed again - slightly - but now I know how to deal with it.
Could've been ice and dust too.
Doug - cooling unit has not been replaced. I'm just pushing the limits of this machine. Hot and dusty. But at least it's sunny. I'm missing and a normal compressor fridge of huge capacity, not measly 6 cu.ft, and a separate chest freezer.
* This post was
edited 12/17/22 04:00pm by Almot *
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wa8yxm
Davison Michigan (East of Flint)
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Joined: 07/04/2006
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Re the compressed air suggestion NOT GOOD IDEA IF ICE BLOCKED.
BUT YOU CAN GET A TUBE LONG ENOUGH AND THE NEEDED ADAPTER TO FEED IT A GOOD FLOW OF HOT WATER (TAKE THE OUTSIDE END OUT OF THE CUP THATS THERE AND ADD HOSE TO IT AS WELL LARGER HOSE SO IT RUNS ON THE GROUND) THIS WILL HELP CLEAR ANY OTHER BLOCKAGE.
Sorry about hitting caps lock.
I have found when the drain tube starts freezing... (This was on a residential not an RV unit) it tends to keep doing it
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times
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