Dometic Fridge
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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=8384
Printed Date: 25 May 2025 at 8:54am
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Topic: Dometic Fridge
Posted By: Pilot
Subject: Dometic Fridge
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2016 at 9:45am
 Just got back from a 5000 mile trip to Colorado, Idaho and back to Michigan.Found on the way back that the Dometic Fridge is not cooling while on the road with either the battery or propane feeding it. The freezer seemed to be okay as the meat up there stayed frozen while the fridge was at 60 degrees. The manual recommends traveling in battery mode for safety standpoint at gas stations. Not good having open flame (propane) at fuel pumps. Does great on 110 while at a campground. Any thoughts? I have a call into General RV to get a look. ------------- Walt & Lynne 2015 r-pod 177 08 F150 or 2014 Explorer Pinckney,Mi |
Replies:
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2016 at 10:48am
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Does it cool properly using propane while not on the road?
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: Pilot
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2016 at 10:56am
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No ------------- Walt & Lynne 2015 r-pod 177 08 F150 or 2014 Explorer Pinckney,Mi |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2016 at 10:58am
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We had something similar happen when we were down in the Keys, it was 100 degrees and humid, and the fridge just couldn't maintain on battery will driving. Worked fine once we plugged in at a campground.
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: Pilot
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2016 at 10:58am
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Sorry, didn't read the whole question. Yes it cools on campsite on propane. Didn't take a temp reading but butter was firm and meat was cool to touch. ------------- Walt & Lynne 2015 r-pod 177 08 F150 or 2014 Explorer Pinckney,Mi |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2016 at 11:22am
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If it cools while on propane while stationary, it should also cool effectively while moving. Others have commented that propane works better than 12V for cooling. However, at 100 degrees, and with the interior of the R-Pod probably significantly higher (if vents and windows are shut while moving), the cooling capacity may not be sufficient to overcome the heat moving into the refrigerator from the hot R-Pod interior.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2016 at 11:49am
+1 And the reason that the manual states that it's safer to drive with the refrigerator on 12 volt is due to lawyers, plain and simple. The only documented case of a fire resulting from someone running their refrigerator on propane I have been able to find was five years ago, and the guy literally sprayed the refrigerator vent on the side of his camper with gasoline. But even the local fire marshal wasn't convinced that the running propane was the cause of ignition. So the odds of anything bad occurring are at least 100,000 to 1 and probably far less, given all the people with RVs on the road running their fridge on propane and the number of accidents.
------------- "Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien 2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
Posted By: Pilot
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2016 at 5:55pm
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It was mid ninties that day and the pod was sealed up. ------------- Walt & Lynne 2015 r-pod 177 08 F150 or 2014 Explorer Pinckney,Mi |
Posted By: Pilot
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2016 at 5:55pm
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It did keep it at 60!!! ------------- Walt & Lynne 2015 r-pod 177 08 F150 or 2014 Explorer Pinckney,Mi |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2016 at 9:31pm
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If it was mid-90s, it was probably well above 100 inside the pod. I also was noticing that the refrigerator was less effective on our last trip. On our first trip (winter), it worked great. This trip (summer), not so great. However, it still is better than an icebox, which also would have trouble keeping an even cold temperature and have everything end up soggy from melted ice.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: flat6s
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2016 at 9:17am
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Haven't done this yet, but here is what I want to try. You know those blue things you stick in the freezer and they become a solid block of frozen whatever it is ? Leave two of those in the freezer, then when you are ready to travel n the road, stick them in the fridge to help with the cooling. Does anyone think that will help, or not? Joe
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Posted By: johnmaci
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2016 at 9:34am
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I understand from some owners on other boards that this works well when temps are high: https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-A10-2618VP-FridgeCool-Volt-Exhaust/dp/B002N5YDG2 Install video: https://rv101.tv/2012/02/28/how-to-install-an-rv-refrigerator-vent-fan/ My fridge also does not get as cool when temps are high, but not so much that I need to do any mods.
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Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2016 at 2:00pm
Yes, those will help, but what would probably be even more useful is to freeze a lot of bottles of water, enough to at least half fill the refrigerator. They will help to bring the temperature down, and when they melt, you will then have cool water to drink! ------------- "Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien 2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
Posted By: Pilot
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2016 at 4:48pm
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The only problem is that the fridge does not hold that much to begin with. But I will have to try it. What about taking the freezer door off till you get where you're going? Would that help? As I said in my original post the meat in the freezer stayed frozen. ------------- Walt & Lynne 2015 r-pod 177 08 F150 or 2014 Explorer Pinckney,Mi |
Posted By: osage
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2016 at 6:31pm
| to get ours to cool in hot weather 90+ we had to move the thermal couple to the left end of the fins on the back of the fridge to get the cooling fans to come on. also we have put one of the small d-size battery fans in the fridge now it cools down to 40 or lower on a 90+ days |
Posted By: ronahue
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2016 at 8:34pm
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We removed the freezer since it's to small anyway and we have no problem keeping a full fridge down to 37 degrees even in ninety degree weather. It will also cool from 70-80 degrees to below 40 in about 6 hours. ------------- 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 |