Fridge not cooling

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   Fortunately this came at the end of our getaway to the U.P this morning.  Our fridge is out of our 2011 177 which we have owned since March 2011.  This morning it was very warm inside, 72 degrees which was even warmer than the outside temp of 60.  It was on the 4th of 5 dots, nearly the coldest it can go.  Checked the stack, it was very warm (normal) also the combustion chamber - nice blue flame (normal) and heard the bi-metal switch kick on the muffin fans last night when it was 82 outside (normal).  So I see no obvious leak on the back side of the refrigerator.  Is there any way to recharge this or since it is approaching 10 years of age, am I looking at replacing?  Just used it a couple weeks ago at the Traverse City R-Pod Rally and it performed flawlessly and was very cold inside.   Thank you all for your advice. 

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jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3219	Topic: Fridge not cooling Posted: 01 Jul 2020 at 6:43pm
	Fortunately this came at the end of our getaway to the U.P this morning. Our fridge is out of our 2011 177 which we have owned since March 2011. This morning it was very warm inside, 72 degrees which was even warmer than the outside temp of 60. It was on the 4th of 5 dots, nearly the coldest it can go. Checked the stack, it was very warm (normal) also the combustion chamber - nice blue flame (normal) and heard the bi-metal switch kick on the muffin fans last night when it was 82 outside (normal). So I see no obvious leak on the back side of the refrigerator. Is there any way to recharge this or since it is approaching 10 years of age, am I looking at replacing? Just used it a couple weeks ago at the Traverse City R-Pod Rally and it performed flawlessly and was very cold inside. Thank you all for your advice.
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

mcarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Posted: 01 Jul 2020 at 6:47pm
	Not cooling in any mode?
	Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3219	Posted: 01 Jul 2020 at 6:52pm
	No, just returned home and turned it all the way to 5 dots (coldest) it now reads 73 inside, flame is still running a nice blue, stack is hot, and muffin fans are humming away. What I will do now, thanks for the thought, is turn off the propane and try the 110. Will report back in a few hours.
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

mcarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Posted: 01 Jul 2020 at 7:19pm
	Have you tried not on propane?
	Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 01 Jul 2020 at 7:23pm
	Any residue around the coils or burner? The sodium chromite they put in with the ammonia to reduce corrosion leaves a yellowish/green residue. Ammonia smell? Around 10 years is about the typical life of a RV fridge so you're about the right age for a replacement cycle. I guess the way to look at it if it needs to be replaced is that it doesn't owe you anything at this point.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3219	Posted: 01 Jul 2020 at 7:59pm
	Thanks OG. Checked for yellowish/green residue. None seen, still looks nearly new except for some road dust. No ammonia smell, been sniffin' around the back of fridge for the past 20 minutes, neighbors think I must be crazy, sniffin' around like that!
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3219	Posted: 02 Jul 2020 at 5:38am
	Update at 6:30 this morning. Running fridge on shore power since 7 pm last night. Inside temp - middle shelf reads 36 degrees, freezer made ice as well. So it comes to how to properly clean orifice, combustion area and flue stack. Compressed air and wire brush to clean? What diameter wire brush?
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288	Posted: 02 Jul 2020 at 9:48am
	Do not use a wire brush to clean the orifice. Use 93% isopropyl alcohol or denatured alcohol to clean the orifice. Compressed air works for the burner slots, but a soft brush with some alcohol wouldn't hurt there either. For the flue, remove the top angled cap of the stack. You can then pull the spiral insert out and clean it. If you can get a bore brush down into the stack, you could brush that out. Otherwise, compressed air. Once things are clean (use a light and mirror to check), One more step may be needed given the age of the trailer. Disconnect the propane line at the refrigerator and at the regulator. Place a container under the end of the hose at the regulator end. Use compressed air to blow the oily residue out of the propane line. I've done this a couple of times when my refrigerator was not working well. Reconnect, leak test, and purge the lines. It may take several cycles for the refrigerator burner to light as that branch of the line will need to purge the air also. If all goes well, your refrigerator should be back to working well on propane again.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3219	Posted: 02 Jul 2020 at 8:40pm
	So the report is in! Fridge running on shore power with battery running the 2 muffin fans. Temp dropped just under 3.5 degrees/hour. Fridge running on shore power with battery running the same fans. Temp has dropped degrees/hour. Started running at 3 pm with interior temp in fridge 92 while outside temp was 94. At 9 pm temp has dropped to 67 degrees in refer or 4.16 degrees/hour with outside temp at 78. HOPEFULLY by morning things will all be well. Took angled cap off stack and removed spiral inset out - no need to clean - appeared nearly brand new. Tapped on chimney stack - nothing came out. Removed the combustion chamber with a 7/16 and 1/2 inch wrench. Tried to tap the orifice out - no luck so i used a product called "Citrol" by Schaeffer's and soaked it for a couple minutes and blew out with compressed air. Blew out combustion area as well as orifice both directions and also the area where the flame comes out of combustion area - appears like a 1/8" diameter bullseye surrounded by several much smaller holes. Blew out some crud but not much. Will see in the morning if I have a similar temp as the electric gave. If not, I will remove the propane hose and blow out with compressed air to see if any oil comes out. Thank you mcarter, offgrid, and Stephen H. This is what makes this forum so great, having a bunch of well learned individuals who willingly help those like me who haven't arrived there yet.
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3219	Posted: 03 Jul 2020 at 9:37am
	Here we sit with fridge running on propane for 19 hours. Setting is on 4 of 5 dots, 5 being the coldest. Temp has stabilized at 41 degrees, not near as cold as when I was on electric where it went down to 36. However the fridge side is sitting in the sun and current ambient temp outside is 92 and I also checked inside the freezer and it was able to make ice overnight during the past 14 hours. So what temps do you all have when running propane? Is 41 acceptable or do you think this is on its way out because it is nearly a 10 year old unit? The only thing I have left to do is to take off the supply line from the regulator to the fridge and see if there is any oil or residue to blow out.
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."