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Topic ClosedBroken fridge in 179
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Carolavan View Drop Down
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Posts: 39 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Broken fridge in 179
    Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 9:43am
The pod is less than 2 years old. There is definitely something fishy going on. Dometic tells me they have the part in stock???? There will be some questions asked today.
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densmorema View Drop Down
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Posts: 70 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 12:17pm
Look in your manual I think dometic warranties it for two years.
Mike and Cherie
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TheBum View Drop Down
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Posts: 1407 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 1:13pm
Originally posted by Carolavan

Thanks for your feedback Stephen. I think I will look at a compressor fridge. How does not being level affect an absorption fridge when on the road?


Unless you're off-roading, the fridge is never very far from level. It might lean a few degrees due to the drainage slope of the road, or lean forward or backward for short stretches in the mountains, but it's not enough to negatively impact its cooling. I believe that the design of the fridge allows for more fore-aft lean than side-to-side lean.
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ronahue View Drop Down
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Posts: 316 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 1:43pm
The manual says 3 degrees side to side and 6 degrees front to back that's for the fridge if mounted side facing as in our 179 you would need to be 3 degrees front to back and 6 degrees side to side of the trailer.
 
Ron & Sharon
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
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Posts: 6288 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 4:11pm
Check this out for why absorption refrigerators need to be nearly level to operate. Also, when going down the road, the movement of the trailer helps fluids to flow so it isn't an issue while moving. It is only while sitting still that the refrigerator needs to be nearly level.
I'm looking at the possibility of installing an ARP Control to prevent damage in an off-level situation or other situation that might cause damage.
StephenH
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David and Danette View Drop Down
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Posts: 1214 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 4:34pm
Originally posted by densmorema

Look in your manual I think dometic warranties it for two years.
They do come with a 2 year warranty. We had ours replaced under warranty when it was about 20 months old. The problem with ours it was leaking Freon. The supplier had a new refrigerator in stock a new cooling unit would have taken a long time to order so they sent  the new refrigerator to Camping World who did the repair.
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
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Craneman View Drop Down
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Posts: 387 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 6:00pm
We went through all the bs with that refer on our 2010 174. Three weeks many part changes and still didn't work on gas.finaly they recommended junk it and buy a different one 1200.00 installed. Finding parts was was very hard.
             Moe
Jo and Gary, 2010-174,2011 F150

Jo and Gary
2010 174
2011 Ford 150



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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6288 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2017 at 8:11pm
Originally posted by David and Danette

They do come with a 2 year warranty. We had ours replaced under warranty when it was about 20 months old. The problem with ours it was leaking Freon. The supplier had a new refrigerator in stock a new cooling unit would have taken a long time to order so they sent  the new refrigerator to Camping World who did the repair.

These absorption refrigerators do not contain Freon. It would have been leaking hydrogen and ammonia. That could have caused a fire. It has happened before.
Atwood has a system that uses helium instead of hydrogen. Unfortunately, they do not make one that would be a drop-in replacement for the Dometic RM8501. Helium, being inert, would not have the fire danger of hydrogen if it were to leak. It would be nice if Atwood would make one of a size we could use. While we could enlarge the refrigerator opening. doing so would mean loss of the convection/microwave. That is something I am unwilling to do.
StephenH
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ouR escaPOD mods
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David and Danette View Drop Down
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Joined: 24 Nov 2009
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Posts: 1214 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 3:28am
Originally posted by StephenH

Originally posted by David and Danette

They do come with a 2 year warranty. We had ours replaced under warranty when it was about 20 months old. The problem with ours it was leaking Freon. The supplier had a new refrigerator in stock a new cooling unit would have taken a long time to order so they sent  the new refrigerator to Camping World who did the repair.

These absorption refrigerators do not contain Freon. It would have been leaking hydrogen and ammonia. That could have caused a fire. It has happened before.
Atwood has a system that uses helium instead of hydrogen. Unfortunately, they do not make one that would be a drop-in replacement for the Dometic RM8501. Helium, being inert, would not have the fire danger of hydrogen if it were to leak. It would be nice if Atwood would make one of a size we could use. While we could enlarge the refrigerator opening. doing so would mean loss of the convection/microwave. That is something I am unwilling to do.
Sorry about that, thank you for correcting my mistake. It was leaking ammonia. Wanted to add everything we have that is Dometic with our camper AC unit, refrigerator and awning came with a two year warranty. 
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
Middle Tn
2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab


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David and Danette View Drop Down
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Posts: 1214 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Feb 2017 at 3:35am
Originally posted by Carolavan

The pod is less than 2 years old. There is definitely something fishy going on. Dometic tells me they have the part in stock???? There will be some questions asked today.
I agree it does not sound right, I would get a second opinion. Is there a Camping World near you? If you would like a second opinion I would try them for warranty work.
2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018-              
2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019)
2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014)
Middle Tn
2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab


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