Frustrating RV refrigerator

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   We've had our trailer now for about 5 years and NEVER has the refer been reliable on propane. It works fine on electricity but on propane perhaps 1/5 of the time it works ok on a trip, but only after after fiddling at the beginning after doing simple things like taking the hot chimney off and then putting it back on after a blast of compressed air. Yes, from this forum I know there are various things to do to baby it along and make it work right, but I'm not a good 'babyer', having little electrical/mechanical knowledge or ability. 
It has gotten so that I have just given up on the propane option. If there is shore power where we're going, we precool on electricity and pack the ice box, transferring at our destination to the refer. I'm sure it is the technology at fault, the design of rv refers seems to be quite standard and our rv repair place assures me the refer works fine when I ask them to look at it.

So, my question is - Is this performance the usual? (I doubt it, if it were, there'd be no point in having a propane option). ?So therefore maybe I should just replace the refer? (But not if the new one will just do the same thing).

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Happy Tripping Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 May 2014 Online Status: Offline Posts: 473	Topic: Frustrating RV refrigerator Posted: 08 Jul 2019 at 7:14am
	We've had our trailer now for about 5 years and NEVER has the refer been reliable on propane. It works fine on electricity but on propane perhaps 1/5 of the time it works ok on a trip, but only after after fiddling at the beginning after doing simple things like taking the hot chimney off and then putting it back on after a blast of compressed air. Yes, from this forum I know there are various things to do to baby it along and make it work right, but I'm not a good 'babyer', having little electrical/mechanical knowledge or ability. It has gotten so that I have just given up on the propane option. If there is shore power where we're going, we precool on electricity and pack the ice box, transferring at our destination to the refer. I'm sure it is the technology at fault, the design of rv refers seems to be quite standard and our rv repair place assures me the refer works fine when I ask them to look at it. So, my question is - Is this performance the usual? (I doubt it, if it were, there'd be no point in having a propane option). ?So therefore maybe I should just replace the refer? (But not if the new one will just do the same thing).

furpod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group - pHp Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128	Posted: 08 Jul 2019 at 8:22am
	Literally millions and millions of gas powered fridges out there.. The technology is fine, works well and is "accepted".. Yours has an issue. Around a very large part of the world, gas powered fridges are the ONLY option. Hundreds of them in the county I live in and the neighboring county. Maybe you need a different RV place, or maybe you need to be available to "see" what the shop is doing to run it "just fine"...

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2587	Posted: 08 Jul 2019 at 8:54am
	Happy, why don't you get a new refrigerator, if your current one doesn't work. It is easy to install yourself and the cost is generally about the same as any complicated repair of the old one. The RV appliance world, like airplane and boat parts, takes advantage of its customers in pricing replacement parts. By the time you add in the labor, you've paid the money that a new one costs. FR sells the drop in unit for the rPod at a pretty reasonable price. When I installed mine, they were very helpful with some small wiring changes I had to do to update to the newer refrigerator requirements. The total installation took about 4 hours [I did some extra work that was for my own preference] and now the new refrigerator works great on gas, ac, and dc [though I never use dc because of the heavy battery drain].
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Richand Cindy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 16 Apr 2016 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 328	Posted: 08 Jul 2019 at 12:51pm
	Refrigerators are quite good on propane and we never used the 12V option and also when running the A/C and microwave keep the refrigerator on propane to save amps. I put on filters to block spiders from getting into the vents and have not had any problems. Very reliable would definitely replace the refrigerator (but no need for a 3 way just propane/120v option will do)
	OLD 2017.5 RPOD 180 + 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk NEW: 2018 Passport Elite 23RB + 2017 Ram 1500 Diesel

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2587	Posted: 08 Jul 2019 at 2:51pm
	We have our fridge vents covered with 1/8th" ss wire mesh. Seems to keep the bugs out and lets plenty of air flow through.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

crankster78 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 08 May 2018 Location: Minn Online Status: Offline Posts: 163	Posted: 08 Jul 2019 at 6:58pm
	Greetings: I blow out the burner area with compressed air at least once a season. Sometimes I will have to hit the "reset button" 2 or 3 times, but it always works. Crankster78
	Crankster 78 R-179 2015