Refrigerator vent blockage..

[jtelles3993]

I've been having fridge issues with all this hot weather. The freezer seems to do ok and the refrigerator cools down ok at night but then it steadily gets warmer as the day goes on until it's useless. So I check through the owners manual (Dometic RM 3762) and online for possible issues which eventually leads me to the roof vent - and low and behold 90% of the vent opening is obstructed by a big piece of insulation, which was obviously cut and placed there from the factory!!!

I had to cut through the protective screen to pull it all out. But it's free and clear now.

Running everything tonight to see if it makes any difference, but that vent was definitely NOT supposed to be blocked at all. In fact some folks install ventilation fans to pull as much air as possible up the vent.

Man o man!

[jtelles3993]

Woke up this morning and the the fridge was reading 37°f with the temp setting on 4. I don't recall it ever getting that low at that setting?

I pushed it up to 5 because it's going to be a hot one here today. Hoping to see it maintain an acceptable temp.

If so, I'm healed!

[drdave]

It sounds like you have it worked out now!    I have the 2 door model.   I noticed with mine that it only had 1 exterior cooling fan even though the fridge frame had mounting spots for 2.   I ordered a 5 pack of computer fans off of amazon for $20 and replaced the fan with 2 of these.    Now I have a lifetime supply of computer fans for replacements or other projects...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NTUKALW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[jerrybeaird]

[quote timestamp="1469323906" source="/post/23297/thread" author="@surfsup"]I've been having fridge issues with all this hot weather. The freezer seems to do ok and the refrigerator cools down ok at night but then it steadily gets warmer as the day goes on until it's useless. So I check through the owners manual (Dometic RM 3762) and online for possible issues which eventually leads me to the roof vent - and low and behold 90% of the vent opening is obstructed by a big piece of insulation, which was obviously cut and placed there from the factory!!!

I had to cut through the protective screen to pull it all out. But it's free and clear now.

Running everything tonight to see if it makes any difference, but that vent was definitely not supposed blocked at all. In fact some folks install ventilation fans to pull as much air as possible up the vent.

Man o man!



[/quote]Thanks surfsup!   I am going to check my vent also...enjoy your trip!

[jtelles3993]

Real feel temps of 101°f this afternoon, humidity 63% and the refrigerator was 33°f so I turned it down to setting 3.

It has never worked this good.

I think the problem is solved.

[jtelles3993]

It sounds like you have it worked out now!    I have the 2 door model.   I noticed with mine that it only had 1 exterior cooling fan even though the fridge frame had mounting spots for 2.   I ordered a 5 pack of computer fans off of amazon for $20 and replaced the fan with 2 of these.    Now I have a lifetime supply of computer fans for replacements or other projects...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NTUKALW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can't tell if my 2 door has a fan or not? I'll try to look up the back side with a mirror later today.. ?

[gbpack]

Glad that you got it fixed. We keep our 2-door unit set at 4 and the usual fridge temp is 36-37 degrees, and the freezer is usually around 0-5 degrees. The 4 setting works well for us. I guess if we're ever in a really hot area we'll have to turn it up to 5. Glad to hear that it can handle those high outside temps!

[drdave]

[quote timestamp="1469383130" author="@surfsup" source="/post/23309/thread"][quote timestamp="1469365645" author="@tlbones" source="/post/23303/thread"]It sounds like you have it worked out now!    I have the 2 door model.   I noticed with mine that it only had 1 exterior cooling fan even though the fridge frame had mounting spots for 2.   I ordered a 5 pack of computer fans off of amazon for $20 and replaced the fan with 2 of these.    Now I have a lifetime supply of computer fans for replacements or other projects...  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NTUKALW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[/quote]I can't tell if my 2 door has a fan or not? I'll try to look up the back side with a mirror later today.. ?[/quote]You can pull either the top or bottom exterior cover and should be able to see with a mirror or just look down from the top with a step stool.   My original fan was noisy when running which is what made me investigate and discover the mounting situation allowed for 2.    

[jtelles3993]

By the end of this afternoon setting 3 was at 40°f. Still within refrigeration specs, but we'll probably leave it on 4 until we hit some cooler less humid locales.

[jtelles3993]

[quote timestamp="1469383130" source="/post/23309/thread" author="@surfsup"]I can't tell if my 2 door has a fan or not? I'll try to look up the back side with a mirror later today.. ?

You can pull either the top or bottom exterior cover and should be able to see with a mirror or just look down from the top with a step stool.   My original fan was noisy when running which is what made me investigate and discover the mounting situation allowed for 2.    [/quote]
Thanks. I did not see any fan on mine. If I decide to add one I think I'll place in up in the roof vent.

[gbpack]

Surfsup - Most likely you have one fan built somewhere into the back of your fridge unit. Haven't you heard it running during those times you were experiencing the high outside temps? We can hear ours when both inside and outside of the trailer.

[shark24]

so the vents we need to check on the 21 bhs are on the side not the roof I think? We were gone this week and the fridge isn't cold enough pretty much sounds like this may be our problem. Going to take a look at it and see. Lowest I have seen it is 47 and much higher as the day warms up.

Thanks

[jtelles3993]

so the vents we need to check on the 21 bhs are on the side not the roof I think? We were gone this week and the fridge isn't cold enough pretty much sounds like this may be our problem. Going to take a look at it and see. Lowest I have seen it is 47 and much higher as the day warms up.

Thanks

No, it was the roof vent on mine. Someone at the factory had placed a perfectly cut single piece of insulation up there. I guess they figured it would help somehow?!?

When you take the vent cap off, the roof vent should have a screen protector built in to keep stuff like leaf accumulation and bird nests from falling through into the fridge compartment. The insulation I found was on the other side of that screen. I had to cut out a piece of the screen, reach in and pull it out.

[charliem]

so the vents we need to check on the 21 bhs are on the side not the roof I think? We were gone this week and the fridge isn't cold enough pretty much sounds like this may be our problem. Going to take a look at it and see. Lowest I have seen it is 47 and much higher as the day warms up.

Thanks

No, it was the roof vent on mine. Someone at the factory had placed a perfectly cut single piece of insulation up there. I guess they figured it would help somehow?!?

When you take the vent cap off, the roof vent should have a screen protector built in to keep stuff like leaf accumulation and bird nests from falling through into the fridge compartment. The insulation I found was on the other side of that screen. I had to cut out a piece of the screen, reach in and pull it out.

[font size="3"]Surfsup,

Explanation please. Apparently your fridge has a vent on the roof vs high on the side? Most 21s had the exhaust vent on the side, but apparently LL has started using the roof vent with the new roof. [/font][font size="3"]I'm surprised to see this change in a 2015 model. I'm guessing the insulation piece you found is an artifact of this transition. Sort of like the left end of the factory (engineering) not talking to the right end (production). [/font][font size="3"]If properly installed the roof vent is probably better from a convection air flow standpoint. [/font][font size="3"]Do you have the aluminum roof or the new TPO roof?[/font]

[jtelles3993]

[quote timestamp="1469455693" source="/post/23346/thread" author="@surfsup"]No, it was the roof vent on mine. Someone at the factory had placed a perfectly cut single piece of insulation up there. I guess they figured it would help somehow?!?

When you take the vent cap off, the roof vent should have a screen protector built in to keep stuff like leaf accumulation and bird nests from falling through into the fridge compartment. The insulation I found was on the other side of that screen. I had to cut out a piece of the screen, reach in and pull it out.

[font size="3"]Surfsup,

Explanation please. Apparently your fridge has a vent on the roof vs high on the side? Most 21s had the exhaust vent on the side, but apparently LL has started using the roof vent with the new roof. [/font][font size="3"]I'm surprised to see this change in a 2015 model. I'm guessing the insulation piece you found is an artifact of this transition. Sort of like the left end of the factory (engineering) not talking to the right end (production). [/font][font size="3"]If properly installed the roof vent is probably better from a convection air flow standpoint. [/font][font size="3"]Do you have the aluminum roof or the new TPO roof?[/font][/quote]

On my trailer, the fridge exhaust vent is located on top of my camper not far from the shower skylight. It is cut into the 'aluminum' roof. It is a 2015 21RBS but built in late 2014. Obviously, as with all brands in the RV industry, very little consistency with these trailers.

Hope this clears things up.