Refrigerator Repair that really helps your Maintenance Issues
Refrigerator Repair is a little bit of a mystery because it is different from a household type one. Their jobs are to keep things cool, but the methods are very different.
As we discussed in the previous pages, a RV Propane Refrigerator is different, but still can be "maintained" and cleaned by the average person.
Luckily, we learned that the easy (and economical) way! We noticed our temperature kept climbing in the refrig while driving in the propane mode. We would try to park it on the shady side of the refrig, but it seemed to be getting worse and worse.
Finally, when it was still at 54 degrees the next morning, after a cool night - we knew we had a problem.
As luck would have it, we were near a great Camping World store right off I-295 in Logan Township/Swedesboro, NJ. Since it was May, they were busy so we had to wait a few days.
We settled in with some ice chests and waited. About 20 minutes after our service tech had our coach, he came out to find us in the store. Naturally, at that point I am really nervous!!
The service tech (Gordon) was really nice and showed me the burner assembly he had taken out of the refrigerator "back door" and all the soot, rust and contaminants that were actually inside it!
 New Refrigerator Orifice |
 Propane Burn Area & Controls |
Looking at the pictures, you notice on the left one a narrow round cylinder with small openings in it. The right picture is the entire assembly with the small propane orifice within it. Just at the bottom of it is where your propane feeds through a very tiny orifice, mixes with air and is ignited to heat the flue and make the refrigerator cool - don't ask for any more of an explanation!
What really matters from a Refrigerator Repair or maintenance standpoint, is the flue, above the flame area gets all rusty over a period of time. As you hit bumps, the corrosion drops down the flue into the little propane burner and messes with the flame. As you can see in the left picture, the openings for the flame are small and only a few.
Now, your flame is not correct and it is downhill from there.
Gordon was exceptionally nice and showed me where it is, how it is attached and how to clean it. The point of all of this is, had I been paying attention, I should've done this myself every year or two at the least.
Most importantly, this flame is what causes refrigerators to catch on fire and put you on someone's "You Tube" for the world to see!!
Take my
word for it, I will clean this every year and do my part to be sure we
don't end up on "You Tube". This got our refrigerator repair and
refrigerator maintenance back to working - at minimal cost - Thanks
Gordon!!
Norcold Recall "Black Box"
If you happen to have this brand and it stops working and the code indicates a high temp sensor, odds are pretty strong your square Black Box device (outside trap door access) doesn't show a Red light.
Since this shuts off your refrigerator, you want to know how to repair this quickly. Take a strong magnet and hold it over the Red light area for about 10 seconds - you'll hear a "click". This will reset your safety device. Hopefully, long enough to get to an authorized Norcold Dealer and get another one ordered.
FYI - Norcold has an email address posted on their site - good idea to verify part is ordered. You'll need the refrigerator serial number.
Another "Must Have" Device is An Absorption Refrigerator Controller"
This device keeps it from overheating!! Too much heat slowly destroys the coils and plumbing that is part of your refrigerator. Better yet - this controller turns your frig off for 10 minutes so it doesn't cook itself or catch on fire!!!
Take a look at what we mean at their website ARPRV.com
For a very thorough explanation and "How To Service" your RV Propane Refrigerator, go to Gary Bunzer (RV Doctor) article.
Cleaning & Servicing the RV Absorption Refrigerator
