[A/S] Refrigerator - thermostat - ooops

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Gang, 

It's time for an update. Today was my day to do the deed.

After two weeks of homework, buying a new thermostat ($100) from Dometic's
obsolete supply parts house (All Season RV Appliances, Elkhart, Indiana
800.344.0673), reading and re-reading comments by list members Chas, Jim and
Gary (with pictures), plundering the Airstream archives courtesy of
Google.Com (www.tompatterson.com refrigerator), asking one of my mechanic
friends to help me (I needed four hands); it was time to set aside two hours
and actually do this project.

Out came the fridge, out came the old thermostat, in went the new
thermostat, and  back in went the fridge. Straight forward, matter of fact.

Tonight, the temperature in our refrigerator is still at 34 degrees and
holding (after 6 hours of running). Unless there's a unexpected downward
change overnight, I believe we will no longer have frozen lettuce and celery
in our fridge's main box. That would be good.

The "ooops" part of this little project occurred after the refrigerator was
back in and bolted to the floor, gas line connected, cabinets reinstalled,
etc., etc. and more finicky etc..

Just as the last wood panel (along the fridge's left beside the couch) was
being slipped in place, I noticed an open area directly behind the
refrigerator. The space behind the fridge was big enough for my hand and arm
to reach in and maneuver around freely.

The open space was exactly where the thermostat probe was connected to the
back wall of the refrigerator.

Lights went on, horns sounded and the obvious became overwhelmingly
transparent. If you haven't guessed what became suddenly evident, then -
mark this post and save it in your folder of "Repairs Anticipated."

It might save you a ton of effort, detailed cabinet disassembly, horsing the
fridge out to replace the thermostat, and then muscling the fridge back in,
followed by painstaking reassembly of the cabinetry (and a lot of other
little details).   

If I had known yesterday what I know today, I could have done this job
without removing the refrigerator. The only reason I removed the
refrigerator was to have enough space for my hands to insert the new
thermostat's probe, wedge it in with a wine bottle's cork, seal the outside
portion with rope caulk and slip a cable tie over the excess tubing.

All the other work of replacing the thermostat was easily within reach while
the refrigerator still bolted to the floor.  I could have done it all
without moving the refrigerator - just by laying on the floor.

I'm dumbfounded by my lack of simple foresight.

Nevertheless, I'm pleased the thermostat is functioning correctly.

Terry