My 2118

[huntindog]

I have read with interest all of the bad reports on the 2118 fridge. From before I even took delivery, I was thinking that I woiuld have to mod it to get acceptable performance.
As I now draw close to 2 years of ownership..... I am not concerned about performance any more. My temps are good. On #6 it maintains 35 fridge / 0-5F freezer.
I am in phoenix AZ, so the ambient temps are about as hot as they come. Perhaps there has been some changes in the newer models/installs. Regardless. I am happy with it. Since I always boondock in remote locations, I like the ability to manage my power sources to meet the demand and supply I have available. I can choose from solar/batteries, Generator/batteries (gasoline), or propane.

There have been some reliabiity problems though. What I thought was a cheap fuse issue turned out to be fan failures. It is now fixed with upgraded fans, IP67 waterproof with a 50,000 hour life rating for about 20.00 each. While i was at it I rewired them so the conections are now accessible by just removing the bottom outside access panel.
So in the unlikely event another fan failure, I can take the failed fan out of service and run on the remaining fan until It can be fixed.

The remaining issue is an occasional alarm no flow when running on propane. Turning the power off and on clears the alarm for a week or so.I believe that is either a faulty propane valve or a circuit board. CBs have been problematic in the absorbtion fridges for so long that an aftermarket company, "Dinosaur Boards" has been making a good living producing higher quality replacements. They do not yet make one for the 2118, so I will likely replace the valve on the chance that will fix it. another possible issue would be the gas regulator, which has already been replaced once... These have also been problematic for me. In over 30 years of Rving I have had quite a few fail. Usually they stop all flow. These have been suce a problem that I have taken to having a new spare on hand. Regardless, I do not think this is the problem now as if it was rebooting the fridge should not fix it.

So overall, I am pretty happy with it. It would have been nice if quality fans had been installed from the factory, but like many RV things, it wasn't too hard or expensive to fix it. I am looking at a 40.00 valve or/and a 200.00 circuit board to make it reliable.
Not much in the big picture, so I won't dwell on it, and just go camping.

Just thought I would share my experiences with my 2118 fridge.

[xrated]

I have read with interest all of the bad reports on the 2118 fridge. From before I even took delivery, I was thinking that I woiuld have to mod it to get acceptable performance.
As I now draw close to 2 years of ownership..... I am not concerned about performance any more. My temps are good. On #6 it maintains 35 fridge / 0-5F freezer.
I am in phoenix AZ, so the ambient temps are about as hot as they come. Perhaps there has been some changes in the newer models/installs. Regardless. I am happy with it. Since I always boondock in remote locations, I like the ability to manage my power sources to meet the demand and supply I have available. I can choose from solar/batteries, Generator/batteries (gasoline), or propane.

There have been some reliabiity problems though. What I thought was a cheap fuse issue turned out to be fan failures. It is now fixed with upgraded fans, IP67 waterproof with a 50,000 hour life rating for about 20.00 each. While i was at it I rewired them so the conections are now accessible by just removing the bottom outside access panel.
So in the unlikely event another fan failure, I can take the failed fan out of service and run on the remaining fan until It can be fixed.

The remaining issue is an occasional alarm no flow when running on propane. Turning the power off and on clears the alarm for a week or so.I believe that is either a faulty propane valve or a circuit board. CBs have been problematic in the absorbtion fridges for so long that an aftermarket company, "Dinosaur Boards" has been making a good living producing higher quality replacements. They do not yet make one for the 2118, so I will likely replace the valve on the chance that will fix it. another possible issue would be the gas regulator, which has already been replaced once... These have also been problematic for me. In over 30 years of Rving I have had quite a few fail. Usually they stop all flow. These have been suce a problem that I have taken to having a new spare on hand. Regardless, I do not think this is the problem now as if it was rebooting the fridge should not fix it.

So overall, I am pretty happy with it. It would have been nice if quality fans had been installed from the factory, but like many RV things, it wasn't too hard or expensive to fix it. I am looking at a 40.00 valve or/and a 200.00 circuit board to make it reliable.
Not much in the big picture, so I won't dwell on it, and just go camping.

Just thought I would share my experiences with my 2118 fridge.

I'm happy for you that you seemed to have gotten a good one.....many of us didn't. I've heard of folks like yourself that have a 2118 and they have had very few issues and the fridge performs well....but then there are those of us that just the opposite has happened. Issues from pretty much day one of ownership, almost zero reliability, and temperature extremes that make you crazy with worry that the entire fridge full of food is going to have to be thrown out because of warmer temperatures. For those of us, that have experienced those issues, it can only be described as TOTAL FRUSTRATION. In my case, as well as many others, the JC Refrigeration compressor mod brings resolution and hopefully, in the long term, reliability and peace of mind knowing that the fridge can be considered.....dependable, reliable, and functional. Within two and a half hours after the install, my fridge was reporting numbers that I could only have dreamed of with the OEM fridge. After 4 hours of operation, 32 degrees in the fresh food section and -2 in the freezer. I ended up having to turn the fresh food thermostat setting down from 4...to 3. The other thermostat, the new one for the freezer only, will likely be left where it is at. Temps there are floating between -2 and plus 3 degrees.

So if you got a good one....enjoy your success/good luck and know that while even though you got a good one, many of us didn't....but there is hope of making the bad ones into good ones.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

So far ours has been good as well. I thought we had a lemon when at a remote resort for a couple weeks. Temps fluctuating wildly. Then I put a meter on the incoming power...it was fluctuating between 105 and 123. Went on propane and temps stayed solid. Usually 1*C fridge and -14*C freezer. This will only be our second full season coming up hopefully it keeps performing