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  1. #1
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    fridge was unlevel

    Wanted to reach out to this knowledge bank on refrigerators.

    I cooled down the fridge on my 2019 315 RLTS for 3 days before a camping trip. We had a 1 day stay at a friends home and I plugged the trailer into 110 in order to keep the items in my fridge cool and frozen. The problem, it was on a slope and when we looked at the fridge after 19 hrs, it was not working and showed 60 degrees. Googling this issue, it appears the unlevel ground caused the problem with the cooling system. I turned off the system and leveled the trailer for 1 day and it still does not appear to be cooling.

    So what's my options? I've read everything from letting it sit 3 days, drive it around on hilly roads to break loose the material, turn the fridge upside down, change the cooling until, or replace the entire fridge. Currently living out of coolers but I want my fridge to work. I have a Dometic 4 door (2 freezer and 2 fridge) unit. Any thoughts are appreciated before I take it to a dealer and open the checkbook.

    The fridge controls work (power, auto, and cold setting). I can also here the unit running when operating on propane.
    Gary and Nita
    2019 Reflection 315RLTS
    2019 Ram 2500 Laramie, 6.7L Turbo Diesel
    Auto Level Suspension,

  2. #2
    Seasoned Camper J Maguire's Avatar
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    Is the freezer cold at all?
    2021 GD Reflection (150) 5th Wheel 268BH
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  3. #3
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    I just turned it on after sitting to 3 days (RV dealer mentioned to turn it on and give it 1 day to see if it cools).
    Gary and Nita
    2019 Reflection 315RLTS
    2019 Ram 2500 Laramie, 6.7L Turbo Diesel
    Auto Level Suspension,

  4. #4
    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
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    Our absorption fridge quit cooling last winter (had been in one site without moving for a couple of months). I called our trusted RV tech for advice... I posted the following after that experience:

    RV techs call it a "frig reboot."

    When your absorption fridge quits cooling (cooling unit less than two years old) and an experienced RV technician tells you to do a "fridge reboot," listen to him/her. Late last week and over the weekend our Norcold 1210 fridge started not maintaining proper temperatures. I tracked it with a fridge/freezer thermometer and my infrared thermometer and got an ever-tightening knot in my gut. First thing Monday morning I contacted our favorite technician here in Las Cruces, NM, Richard's RV Service, fearing the worst. He asked the following questions:
    Is it the same on AC and propane? Answer: Yes.
    Did the problem come on suddenly - like flipping a switch? Answer: No.
    Did you smell ammonia? Answer: No.
    Do you see any yellow residue around the boiler, coils, or any of the other tubing on the cooling unit? Answer: No.
    Do you hear the cooling fans in the back cycling on and off? Answer: I haven't noticed them like I usually do - but the weather has been cooler.

    Richard's instructions: Turn the fridge off for at least five hours and let everything get down to ambient temperature in the back. Using a rubber mallet, periodically tap on all the pipes, tubes, and other refrigerant conduits I can reach, both while it's cooling down and after it's completely cooled. This process took until about 2:00 Monday afternoon. I then turned the fridge back on and continued to do the "rubber mallet frappage" periodically while the fridge was warming up/cooling down. I turned the fridge back on mid-afternoon and by the time we went to bed Monday evening, both the fridge and the freezer were getting back down in normal ranges and the infrared readings on the fridge fins and the back walls of the freezer compartments were very good.

    I kept a log and updated Richard a couple of times on Tuesday and he dropped by yesterday (Wednesday) to check. His diagnosis... an air bubble or chemical membrane in the refrigerant system. He said, "Congratulations!" and pronounced the fridge healthy. We both think the issue occurred because our RV hasn't been moved since we pulled onto this site on 10 November and the jostling an absorption refrigerator gets bouncing down the road helps keep the refrigerant stirred up and moving.


    Rob
    Last edited by Second Chance; 09-10-2020 at 05:21 PM.
    U.S. Army Retired
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  5. #5
    Seasoned Camper J Maguire's Avatar
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    Well we need about 4 hours to see if the freezer is gaining momentum or not. Most of these fridges recommend the refrigerator is within 3° off level side-to-side and 6° off level front-to-back on average. Any idea how much angle there was in the RV in that 19 hour period?
    2021 GD Reflection (150) 5th Wheel 268BH
    2019 F250 Gas 6.2L V8 FX4 Crew Cab
    PullRite 2100 20K Hitch w/ LOCKED OUT Turning Point
    2x Honda EU2200i Generators & 1UP Bike Rack & Roll-N-Lock Bed Cover
    Previous Setup:
    2017 Outdoors RV 23BHS
    2017 F150 Sport 3.5L V6 EcoBoost

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    Rolling Along Tigger1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Second Chance View Post
    Our absorption fridge quit cooling last winter (had been in one site without moving for a couple of months). I called our trusted RV tech for advice... I posted the following after that experience:
    Just bookmarked this one, thanks.

    Saw someone’s signature somewhere say “If you can’t fix it with a hammer, it must be electrical.”
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  7. #7
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    an update... tried the fridge on both electric and propane an neither worked. Next post will be the diagnostics and cost to fix.

    So I wonder why the fridge manual does not mention the unlevel issue or a warning sign is not posted inside the fridge say "WARNING - DO NOT RUN THE FRIDGE WHEN TRAILER IS UNLEVEL. I'm sure not every new RV owner is aware of this and for the cost of some ink, it would prevent a lot of headaches.
    Gary and Nita
    2019 Reflection 315RLTS
    2019 Ram 2500 Laramie, 6.7L Turbo Diesel
    Auto Level Suspension,

  8. #8
    Seasoned Camper J Maguire's Avatar
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    Sorry to hear that friend, unfortunate. As with all things, may be common knowledge to some but uncommonly new to others. Lesson learned. Hope you get it fixed up soon and at a reasonable rate. Update on the fix and rate would be appreciated.
    2021 GD Reflection (150) 5th Wheel 268BH
    2019 F250 Gas 6.2L V8 FX4 Crew Cab
    PullRite 2100 20K Hitch w/ LOCKED OUT Turning Point
    2x Honda EU2200i Generators & 1UP Bike Rack & Roll-N-Lock Bed Cover
    Previous Setup:
    2017 Outdoors RV 23BHS
    2017 F150 Sport 3.5L V6 EcoBoost

  9. #9
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    Update on operating Dometic Fridge Model (model rml1350) unlevel...

    So after camping for 3 wks and living out of 2 coolers, we returned home and took the trailer into a RV dealer. As suspected the Dometic refrigerator was dead. Solution - $4500 for a new fridge or install an Amish cooling unit inside the original fridge for $$2700 (with a 3yr warranty). After doing the research it was a no brainer to go with a Amish "insert" for cost and warranty but the literature indicated the material used in the Amish cooling unit was better than the original Dometic unit.

    So the lesson - never run a fridge on AC or gas out of level and install a bubble level above fridge to remind me .
    A suggestion for all RV manufactures - install a level above every fridge ($5).
    Gary and Nita
    2019 Reflection 315RLTS
    2019 Ram 2500 Laramie, 6.7L Turbo Diesel
    Auto Level Suspension,

  10. #10
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    So quick question, if the refrigerator is attempted to be run off level, is there a way to reset it or do you just level the trailer and all is good in the world?

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