303RLS Fridge constanly running while boondocking?

[MikenKerri]

OK, so we spent a week in a national forest in WY for a week. My 2 parallel LA batteries that are a year old seemed to need to be charged by the generator every day. While the batteries were neveof not r used for the 1st year and sat on the wood workbench until I installed for this trip. They were charged to 12.62V before connecting to the rig. We were always mindfull of only using minimal light usage and only when we needed to, never using anything we didn't need - lights of, pump off, etc. Most of the time we would wake up and 3 of the 3 control panel lights (for Batts) would illuminate. but once it was 2 and another it was 1. With the fridge set at 5 and usually displaying 32 or33F, it seemed to run every ten minutes and who knows while we were sleeping. I'm wondering if there is low refridgerant, a bad thermostadt, a dirty unit, some, or all.

I welcome your feedback.

Cheers,
Mike

[Conner58]

I only had they original battery and it would be dead every morning boondocking. It would be dead in 3 days in the driveway with nothing on even . I know you have heard it but lithium is night and day . I started my generator this spring to make sure it still runs . I have never used it boondocking after lithium.

[trailrydr]

OK, so we spent a week in a national forest in WY for a week. My 2 parallel LA batteries that are a year old seemed to need to be charged by the generator every day. While the batteries were neveof not r used for the 1st year and sat on the wood workbench until I installed for this trip. They were charged to 12.62V before connecting to the rig. We were always mindfull of only using minimal light usage and only when we needed to, never using anything we didn't need - lights of, pump off, etc. Most of the time we would wake up and 3 of the 3 control panel lights (for Batts) would illuminate. but once it was 2 and another it was 1. With the fridge set at 5 and usually displaying 32 or33F, it seemed to run every ten minutes and who knows while we were sleeping. I'm wondering if there is low refridgerant, a bad thermostadt, a dirty unit, some, or all.

I welcome your feedback.

Cheers,
Mike

You might look at installing one of these and some extra (slideout upper vent) fridge cabinet fans to remove excess heat:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072BPYXS8...ogi&th=1&psc=1


Here's a good article to read about how others have solved their coooling issues:
https://www.mortonsonthemove.com/the...igerator-fans/

P.S. We installed both a cooling fin (inside fridge) triple fan like the one on Amazon. We also installed two 120mm computer fans in the exterior slide fridge cabinet vent. To turn them on I also purchased a programmable electronic 12v thermostat and a power shutoff switch that runs all the 12v electric for these fans. That way I can kill its operation when temps are in the low 70's.

After installing this setup, my inside fridge temps stay at 34F all day long (unless someone opens the fridge door) even 100F days with the Dometic fridge set to 4 out of 5. If I place it on 5 it will start to freeze the contents of the fridge! Sometimes we have even been able to set the Dometic fridge to 3 and keep it under 35F!

Here is my parts list:

12v Temp Controller - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Cabinet PC Fans - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

Inside fridge cooling fin fans - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072BPYXS8...ogi&th=1&psc=1

Master 12v power switch to turn off all extra installed fans - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Note: on the cooling fin fan make sure you get the largest one for your fridge. Some fin fans only fit certain models due to size. RV Cooling Unit Warehouse website can help you find the right one. BTW, all of these use less than 2amps to operate, and initial fridge cool down time also decreased to under 3 hours.

[huntr70]

OK, so we spent a week in a national forest in WY for a week. My 2 parallel LA batteries that are a year old seemed to need to be charged by the generator every day. While the batteries were neveof not r used for the 1st year and sat on the wood workbench until I installed for this trip. They were charged to 12.62V before connecting to the rig. We were always mindfull of only using minimal light usage and only when we needed to, never using anything we didn't need - lights of, pump off, etc. Most of the time we would wake up and 3 of the 3 control panel lights (for Batts) would illuminate. but once it was 2 and another it was 1. With the fridge set at 5 and usually displaying 32 or33F, it seemed to run every ten minutes and who knows while we were sleeping. I'm wondering if there is low refridgerant, a bad thermostadt, a dirty unit, some, or all.

I welcome your feedback.

Cheers,
Mike

It is an RV fridge, so it has to suck the heat out of the box, it doesn't make cold.

Not very efficient, but it's the way they've been for years....

[rootusrootus]

It is an RV fridge, so it has to suck the heat out of the box, it doesn't make cold.

Not very efficient, but it's the way they've been for years....

I don't understand what you mean. Is it not just a regular fridge that uses a small heat pump to cool the interior? I can't imagine how they would do it differently just for RVs.

[Big Blue]

As you know the 303rls has the fridge in the slideout.... so no vent on the roof that naturally lets hot air rise out of the fridge compartment... Cabinet PC Fans as suggested will help.... I also, using some sheet metal made a baffle from the top of the fridge directly to the side vent so no hot air could linger above the fridge.Really helped ...Blocking off the sides and top of the fridge helped also..... A couple of lithium Batteries and some solar, and I only use the generator on really overcast days..... I know Lithiums are expensive, but we now look for shade when picking a campsite...As they charge really fast....

[WhittleBurner]

If you made it through a whole week on 2 lead acid batteries that is actuall pretty darned good! If you plan on dry camping more a good set of batteries are a must have and solar would make it better. If you are not power hogs you could maybe get by with 2 or 300 W

Also as others suggested ffans on the fins and in the back help improve the performance. We run 3 computer fans (quiet style) in the back and 2 small fans on the interior

[Big Blue]

I don't understand what you mean. Is it not just a regular fridge that uses a small heat pump to cool the interior? I can't imagine how they would do it differently just for RVs.

It's an ammonia absorption cooling unit... heating liquid ammonia (with either propane or electric) turning it in to a gas that cools down as it returns to liquid..... A google search would explain it a lot better....

[huntr70]

I don't understand what you mean. Is it not just a regular fridge that uses a small heat pump to cool the interior? I can't imagine how they would do it differently just for RVs.

The OP has a 2019 Reflection, which uses a standard rv refer. It is an ammonia absorption fridge, which "sucks" the heat out of the box.

A standard household fridge creates cold air using a compressor.

Your 2021 Transcend could possibly have a 12 volt compressor driven fridge, which they all have now. If it is a Furrion, it is a 12 volt fridge.

[MikenKerri]

You might look at installing one of these and some extra (slideout upper vent) fridge cabinet fans to remove excess heat:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072BPYXS8...ogi&th=1&psc=1


Here's a good article to read about how others have solved their coooling issues:
https://www.mortonsonthemove.com/the...igerator-fans/

P.S. We installed both a cooling fin (inside fridge) triple fan like the one on Amazon. We also installed two 120mm computer fans in the exterior slide fridge cabinet vent. To turn them on I also purchased a programmable electronic 12v thermostat and a power shutoff switch that runs all the 12v electric for these fans. That way I can kill its operation when temps are in the low 70's.

After installing this setup, my inside fridge temps stay at 34F all day long (unless someone opens the fridge door) even 100F days with the Dometic fridge set to 4 out of 5. If I place it on 5 it will start to freeze the contents of the fridge! Sometimes we have even been able to set the Dometic fridge to 3 and keep it under 35F!

Here is my parts list:

12v Temp Controller - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Cabinet PC Fans - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

Inside fridge cooling fin fans - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072BPYXS8...ogi&th=1&psc=1

Master 12v power switch to turn off all extra installed fans - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Note: on the cooling fin fan make sure you get the largest one for your fridge. Some fin fans only fit certain models due to size. RV Cooling Unit Warehouse website can help you find the right one. BTW, all of these use less than 2amps to operate, and initial fridge cool down time also decreased to under 3 hours.

Jim, Thank you for this, it all helps alot and I can't wait to give it a try. Do you have a schematic of how you tied it together?

Also, Thank you for your service