refrigerator runs when turned off
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=6739
Printed Date: 03 May 2024 at 11:07pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: refrigerator runs when turned off
Posted By: Sarah
Subject: refrigerator runs when turned off
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2015 at 5:32pm
|
I just bought a 179 and the refrigerator runs even when it's turned off. Any one else experiance this? Am I doing something wrong? Control panel on frig has no lights on, but motor still runs and it cools.
|
Replies:
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2015 at 8:05pm
|
It has no motor. It is an absorption cycle fridge.what ever you are hearing, is not the fridge running. ------------- |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2015 at 8:18pm
|
Have never had that happen. ------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2015 at 10:09pm
|
I agree there is no sound. How long are you waiting to check the inside temp? Leave it off 24 hours and check inside again. After that make sure you leave the latch on the inside wall in the extended position so the door stays open a crack to prevent mold. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
|
Posted By: Sarah
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2015 at 10:24pm
| Hmmm. Well when I stand outside the trailer there are two black vents right behind the refrigerator. The top vent is warm and you can easily hear something running. It runs my battery dead when I'm not plugged into house. I will call my dealer tomorrow. |
Posted By: podrunner
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2015 at 11:35pm
|
The refrigerator does have 2 cooling fans that are behind the panel you are describing. I do not know why it is running if is turned off...Sounds like a dealer issue. ------------- 2010 R Pod 151 2017 4runner 2006 Honda Metropolitan |
Posted By: ronahue
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2015 at 4:25pm
|
Yes we are having this problem right now our dealer found the refrigerator control had the 12v on continuously regardless of switch position. He has disconnected the 12 volt heater until the new control board arrives. ------------- Ron & Sharon 2015 R-Pod 179 2022 Nissan Frontier No trees were harmed in the sending of this message but a billion electrons were really agitated |
Posted By: Sarah
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2015 at 9:29pm
|
Yes. Afrter some trouble shooting my dealer is ordering a new control panel for mine too. Thanks for the reply.
Happy camping :-). |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 31 Aug 2015 at 8:07pm
|
Interesting, on my pod the fans were controlled by a simple thermostatic switch, not the control board. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: Sarah
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2015 at 1:52pm
| Hi ronahue. My dealer is now trying to tell me that his tech says that it is suposed to work this way. I am not happy nor do I believe this sillyness. It is completely illogical to have an 'ON/OFF' switch if the off button routes the power to the battery instead of turning it off. Especially given that there is also an option to run the refrigerator on 'Battery'. I purchased my Pod in St. Joseph MO. Where did you purchase yours if you don't mind telling? Perhaps I can have my dealer speak with yours. |
Posted By: ronahue
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2015 at 3:17pm
|
Hi Sarah, It depends on what he is referring to: Their is a fan that runs to cool some parts of the unit I have been told by my dealer that the fan connects to 12 volt regardless of switch position. The control provides 12 volt to a heater when in 12 volt operation which has the same effect as the flame when on Propane. This is the explanation I got from my dealer you should "Ripley it". Incidentally it has been 3 weeks and my controller has not arrived. Thankfully their is a work around. I hope this helps. Ronahue ------------- Ron & Sharon 2015 R-Pod 179 2022 Nissan Frontier No trees were harmed in the sending of this message but a billion electrons were really agitated |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2015 at 7:39pm
|
Usually on RV fridges the fans are not controlled by the control board, so the dealer is right. With a heater that is always on no matter what, it is a defective control board and not "by design". ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: Shelpod
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2015 at 6:57pm
|
I am new to my rpod and i noticed similarly that even with the control panel off, I was still getting cooling in the frig. I turned of the breaker but that also turned of the inverter so my batteries no longer stayed charged even though I was on 120. I then unplugged the frig (inside the lower black grill on the back) but the frig still stayed cool. I live in Arizona and the ambient temp has been over 100 during the day. Could that still cause the coolant to circulate and "cool" the frig at least a little. Seems to be the case for me, or I am at a loss as to what is going on. The fans did not come on until I turned on the frig. We took our maiden voyage last weekend and the batteries (2 6 volt) went dead after one day which didn't seem right either since the frig was on propane. Ended up having to jump the trailer to get the slide back in. Any thoughts anyone? This is a used unit so I am thinking I may need to take it to the dealer and get things checked out. 2013 R178
|
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2015 at 7:52pm
|
Sounds like the DC side is staying on, which would explain the cool fridge and dead battery. Try pulling the fuse on the converter to see if the fridge warms up. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: Sarah
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2015 at 8:33pm
| Well my dealer did come out and replace a circuit board in the back of my frig. Dometic support said there was a problem with some of those circuit boards. It fixed nothing. It does concern me because faulty wireing causes fires but I still use mine. It works as long as I keep it plugged into power. Still looking for a solution. Please let me know if you get it figured out and I will do the same. |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2015 at 8:48pm
|
I would try pulling the FUSE for the 12v side of the fridge and see if it warms up.. ------------- |
Posted By: Shelpod
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2015 at 10:18pm
| Just checked again this evening. The unit has been plugged into house current since we got home last night with the frig turned off. The inside was at about 50 degrees with a little ice still in the freezer section. There was a lot of heat coming out the top vent on the outside like something is still actively heating. I unplugged the frig in the lower vent. I don't know if that is 12v or 110. I will check in the morning and see if there is any difference. If that doesn't change anything I will figure out which fuse is for the frig. A bit frustrating. |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 29 Sep 2015 at 8:28pm
|
The plug behind the fridge powers the 120 volt heater. Assuming the 12 volt heater is the problem you'll need to pull the fuse on the converter. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: Shelpod
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2015 at 12:16pm
| Confirmed that last night as well. Since I had the plug pulled and it was still on shore power, I am sure that it is not the 110 side. I don't have a fuse that is clearly marked as for the frig, so I will have to start pulling fuses until I find the right one. Just didn't have time last night. |
Posted By: Shelpod
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2015 at 6:43pm
|
Ended up pulling fuse 7 and that turned off the fridge entirely including the heating element. This circuit has more than just the fridge on it including the inside lights. I have another circuit that is unwired. Has anyone moved the fridge to that circuit? Is there anything I should be saving it for? Also when I pulled the fuse, the converter (fan?) immediately went off. Not sure if this is somehow wired into that same circuit or if it is separate. Could be just that there was no longer a draw on the battery. Anyone know about this or how I can test it? |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2015 at 10:14pm
|
I would have it on a separate circuit. I would expect the converter fan to turn off with the fridge's heater no longer as a load. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: Shelpod
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2015 at 1:48pm
Found out that at least part of my problem is that my converter was not putting out enough to keep the batteries charged. My 2 6 v batteries were damaged. Not sure which came first. That still doesn't explain why my Fridge heating element stays on even when everything is turned off unless something got damaged through the battery/converter problem. Will have to get the service center to look at it again.
|
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2015 at 6:54pm
|
Have you done both tests to confirm the battery condition? First charge it overnight with a known good charger, then let it rest (completely disconnected) for 3 hours, then hopefully measure around 12.7 volts. Second, hook it back up to the pod. Assuming yours has incandescent lights inside, run 8 bulbs (many of the fixtures have 2) for one hour, taking a voltage measurement when you start, end, and again after it rests for 3 hours after disconnecting it. If your lights are LED you can use the DC mode on the fridge (ironically) with the door open, again for one hour, to apply the same load. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: Shelpod
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2015 at 11:00am
| The board on the fridge had a burned relay that was stuck on. The DC heater was running even in propane mode so it is little wonder that my batteries went dead. The tech disconnected the DC line to the heating element at the board so no more power when off but the board still works to control what mode the fridge is in. They are checking into the cost of a new control board but if what I am reading in this forum is correct I will probably opt to not get it because the price is so exorbitant and DC mode really is not very useful. Mystery solved and now I am safe to go out without worrying about damaging my new batteries. I thought maybe I was crazy but persistence proved me correct. Thanks for listening and for the pointers. |
Posted By: SNO4ME
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2015 at 12:05am
R-Pod Owners Forum It's a wonderful thing! Congrats on solving another mystery! ------------- Bruce & Donna in the Sno Pod (and Brewer too) 2011 RP 177 |
Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2015 at 7:29am
|
Glad the fridge issue is solved. It sounds like some RV techs need to consult this forum. ------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |