Re: [A/S] Dometic Refrigerator "Burping"

["Dean Sale" <deansale@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Some years ago, 1982, I had to replace the Dometic in my '69 31'
International.  I could smell ammonia so I knew it was kaput.  The '69
was my full time trailer on into 1992.  I stored that A/S until 1996 and
again used it until 1998.  The refrigerator still functions as when new.

In 1999 I purchased a '79 31' International.  I was not able to test
anything at the time of the buy.  The price was such that if I had to
replace the refrigerator I could still be near ahead.  Anyway, after about
three months and in the summer the fridge began to spoil milk.  I had the
A/S parked North to South with the curbside east.  In the afternoon the full
sun was on the street side of the trailer (the fridge side).  The
temperature in the box was in the low 40's.  I decided that before I bought
a new Dometic I should try to cool the coils behind the refrigerator by
shading the West side and passing air flow behind the box.

I took the Zip-Dee from the curbside of the '69 and installed it on the
street side of the '79.  I found two four inch square computer cooling fans
and installed them on the inside of the louvered door behind the fridge.
These fans draw .17 A @12VDC.  I placed a 10W solar panel above the roof
vent to supply power to the fans whenever the sun shines on that side of the
A/S.

Now the box will freeze lettuce.  Presently I am parked the reverse of the
above, that is curbside East.  I still leave the awning out and the fans run
near all day.  I have had no problems with the refrigerator since the fans
were installed. Two years now.

I fulltime in this '79 and run the fridge on propane about half the year,
whenever I can get an electrical hookup.

As an aside,  propane costs 16 bucks a month to run the fridge.  Electricity
costs the same, about fifty cents a day while connected.  But I have to tote
the propane bottles for the refill.  On propane I can get ice in the milk.
On electricity I freeze lettuce but there is not enough uumph for the iced
milk.  The gas thermostat is set on 5 and the electric thermostat on 7 for
about equal cooling, just above freezing in the box.

Dean