Dometic Fridge Cover
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1194
Printed Date: 12 May 2025 at 6:57pm
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Topic: Dometic Fridge Cover
Posted By: rpodcamper.com
Subject: Dometic Fridge Cover
Date Posted: 22 Apr 2010 at 11:47am
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While flipping through the Fridge manual today i spotted on page 23 section 4.11 winter operation about a winter cover. I did a little bit of searching and could not find a part to buy on the web for this so I called Dometic. I found out that this model Fridge is sold primarily in Europe. (explains whey the manual is printed on A4 paper). The cover is not sold in the states. I then went up on their site and found another Manual and on page 19 it talks about the winter cover and also a fan for higher temps. Back on the phone with them and guess what the fan is not available also in the states. Looks like I need to do more research. They are stating winter Cover us if below 8 degrees C (46 degrees F) and use the fan if above 32 degrees C (89.6 degrees F). other manual I found: http://www.dometic.com/FileOrganizer/1-international/Operation%20&%20Installation%20Manuals/Refrigerators%20-%20Caravan-Motorhomes-RV/English%20&%20Multilingual/RM8xxx-Operation-manual.pdf - http://www.dometic.com/FileOrganizer/1-international/Operation%20&%20Installation%20Manuals/Refrigerators%20-%20Caravan-Motorhomes-RV/English%20&%20Multilingual/RM8xxx-Operation-manual.pdf Am i reading this all wrong????? |
Replies:
Posted By: gmandual
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2010 at 1:30pm
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My manual is a bit different then the one you posted. Cold weather can actually make items warm in your RV fridge because ammonia absorption freezers only work after heating the ammonia to above a certain temp. While it won't cause damage to the fridge it can cause stuff in your fridge to thaw out. This is more likely to happen when running fridge on AC/DC vs propane in cold temps as the propane flame generates more waste heat in the fridge cavity then the electric heating element.
I have snow camped for a week or more in my R-Pod in temps down to 16F without problems with my fridge working and holding temp. I have a weather station in the pod, as it monitors indoor, outdoor and fridge temps and the fridge temps held steady. I have looked for the cover but wasn't able to find one. Making your own cover could be a bad idea, as exhaust gases also exit through the outside vents and you don't want that building up inside your rv.
As far as warm weather is concerned, the auxilary fans should already installed in the R-POD for the fridge by the factory. If you open up the access cover and look there should be two 12v fans already installed just above the coils to help keep them cool enough to allow the ammonia to condense.
The fan kit should be the "RM 8505 UL Forced Air Circulation Kit". Dometic Article # 210 6513 97
The manual with my trailer came with an additional sheet on fan maintanence that was stapled to the manual.
"The refrigerator is equipped with two fans (a) for better air circulation. The fans are controlled by a termostat, so that the fans switch on and off automatically." ------------- |
Posted By: gmandual
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2010 at 1:55pm
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As another side note. I don't think they make a cold weather vent that even fits the R-Pod. From what I can find the part number for the access vent that is on the R-POD is:
Dometic part # 3109350.011 TH025143 24" vent assembly
And I haven't been able to find a cold weather vent cover product by dometic that is designed to fid the vent assembly side. ------------- |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2010 at 9:21pm
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I agree, the fans are already there. You could just cover 2/3 of the vent holes top and bottom, on the inside, for winter use. The flame is very small, less flame than a match so it doesn't take much to vent the gases.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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