Fridge now at 38F - Quick Fix

[Dawgfever]

This past trip started off per usual…Norcold fridge at 48F. We had left home with outside temps in upper 90s with matching humidity (Louisiana) headed to Austin TX area (110F-it’s a dry heat ). We packed our food in ice chests to keep cold which is a typical move with the RV fridge. I tried dry ice in the fridge to help things for the trip down but as soon as it evaporated the temps climbed again. Since we are staying for a week in the New Brunsfield area (Sun Valley RV park, which I recommend) this daily buying ice for the ice chests with a warm fridge in a $40K RV ain’t gonna cut it. The fridge is on the rear of our 307MKS and is facing due west. Out of desperation and in an attempt to save my marriage, I went to Wally World and bought a 10” oscillating fan. The table top type. Took the fan off of the stand and zip tied it to the outside of the top fridge vent and ran extension cords. It looked like hell, but the next morning fridge temp was 38 and stayed this way the whole week, morning, noon, and night. Cancelled appointment with divorce attorney and promised myself that I will do the permanent fan mods necessary.

[xrated]

Adding fans to the upper vent is a very common method to help the fridge....sometimes it works, many times it doesn't. With my Norcold 2118, it helped just ever so slightly, but still not enough. After three years of fighting it, I finally gave up and had the JC Refrigeration mod done. Twin 12VDC compressor mod and the fridge will NOW maintain temperature like it should....below zero in the freezer and 34-35° in the fresh food compartment. I hope your fan mod continues to work for you, but keep an eye on it....most people find that it is not the end all for the fridge.

[WhittleBurner]

After three years of fighting it, I finally gave up and had the JC Refrigeration mod done. Twin 12VDC compressor mod and the fridge will not maintain temperature like it should....below zero in the freezer and 34-35° in the fresh food compartment.

So it looks like you are not happy with the results of the compressors ?

[jkwilson]

So it looks like you are not happy with the results of the compressors ?

I’m betting @xrated meant to type “now” vs. “not”

[xrated]

I’m betting @xrated meant to type “now” vs. “not”

HOLY COW........Yes, I meant to type NOW......back to correct it....and thanks for catching it y'all.

I guess I should have gone for the third cup of coffee instead of just two.....live and learn!

[Maximus216]

Adding fans to the upper vent is a very common method to help the fridge....sometimes it works, many times it doesn't. With my Norcold 2118, it helped just ever so slightly, but still not enough. After three years of fighting it, I finally gave up and had the JC Refrigeration mod done. Twin 12VDC compressor mod and the fridge will NOW maintain temperature like it should....below zero in the freezer and 34-35° in the fresh food compartment. I hope your fan mod continues to work for you, but keep an eye on it....most people find that it is not the end all for the fridge.

I changed out the thermostat for the factory fans. They run almost all the time but my fridge doesn't go over 34, unless I forget to calculate the defrost mode (after 60 hours after turn on) and its 100 outside. This is something that dealers don't tell their customers. I will get the JC Refrigeration mod done eventually.

[WhittleBurner]

HOLY COW........Yes, I meant to type NOW......back to correct it....and thanks for catching it y'all.

I guess I should have gone for the third cup of coffee instead of just two.....live and learn!

I figured it was a typo, was also hoping it was a typo because It's definately a mod we would consider if our fridge fails. Glad it's all good

[xrated]

Yes, it is good, really good. I have done lots and lots of mods to my Momentum (my wife thinks I bought it as a project instead of for camping) and every single mod that I've done has added value. Not necessarily monetary value, but value as far as making the camper more reliable or comfortable or useful. The fridge conversion is certainly up there in the top two or three mods. Let's face it, when you go out on a camping trip, if the refrigerator fails or causes you to have to throw away food because of unstable temperatures inside, that is going to impact the "fun factor" for that trip. And if you never know what you're going to get from the fridge....temperature wise...it starts becoming a thorn in your side vs. a valuable asset for the trailer. I've said this before, but I'll add it in again. Our entire one month on the road last year when we went out west to visit the National Parks in AZ and Utah, was overshadowed with fear about losing a one month supply of food that we had stocked in both the freezer and fresh food sections of the Norcold. We didn't lose anything, but that constant fear/wonderment of....OK, what's the temperature going to be in the freezer/fresh food section today? Those days are now over and I'm pretty confident, barring a major failure (under a three year warranty and an additional 3 years of extended warranty) of either the compressor systems or my DIY battery, the fridge will work as it should and I now do not have the fear of failure that I once had with it.

[grumpypapa]

We must be so lucky with our norcold fridge,the food freezer even keeps ice cream hard and the fridge stays around +34 f to 36 f. On some cooler days in spring and fall ,I have had to turn the fridge for a few hours some days because it would go down to 29 f and 30 f and freeze some produce.I just had the recall done on the fridge ,worried that it might change the fridge temps,but,lady luck held true and the temps are the same,oh yeah,my camping buddies get annoyed because our fridge keeps the beer cold.

[xrated]

We must be so lucky with our norcold fridge,the food freezer even keeps ice cream hard and the fridge stays around +34 f to 36 f. On some cooler days in spring and fall ,I have had to turn the fridge for a few hours some days because it would go down to 29 f and 30 f and freeze some produce.I just had the recall done on the fridge ,worried that it might change the fridge temps,but,lady luck held true and the temps are the same,oh yeah,my camping buddies get annoyed because our fridge keeps the beer cold.

Enjoy being one of the lucky ones. Many of us haven't been that lucky!