How to Fix an Old RV Refrigerator that Doesn't Get Cold

I show how I fixed my Class C RV Refrigerator that wasn't getting cold on hot days. I made a few easy fixes and gained ten degrees colder. RV Refrigerator repairs made easy.

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PHOTOS CREDITS: none

CAMERA GEAR:
Cell Phone shots: Samsung Galaxy S7
Drone: DJI Phantom 3 Standard (Special Thank You to "A")
Main Video Camera: Sony Handycam FDR-AX33

DISCLAIMER:
Carolyn's RV Life and Carolyn Higgins share her experiences, thoughts, opinions and ideas in this video for entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, instruction or guidance. Viewers should consult with professionals before pursing any actions or behaviors exhibited in this video. Carolyn's RV Life or Carolyn Higgins can not be held liable in the event of any accident or injury that may occur as a result of application of procedures and information provided in this video. #RVLife
Carolyn Higgins of Carolyn's RV Life is living her Best Life as a Solo Woman traveling with her Dog!

[jacquelineoldhaver]

i have fixed many refrigerators in rv parks when i find my baffled neighbours playing with their unit. If you get that screw out and get the burner tube out, you can pour rust out of it. Peoples eyes get wide. so then put the cover back on. Next go on the roof and take the plastic cover off. Inspect the screen to be sure air can move thru it. After the flame, moving the transported heat away from the condenser coil is equally important. Clean the screen and if you want here is where you would add a cooling fan to draw more air thru. Carolyn, you are exactly on the right track. Keep up the great work.

Jacqueline,
Mechanic and Refrigeration Technician

[Kaptnkrnch]

"NEVERTHELESS, SHE PERSISTED", Carolyn that suits you perfectly. Great video.

[TerrydeAlaska]

Good on you Carolyn for taking this as far as you did. I had a very similar experience with my 2014 Tioga Class C a few year ago in Key West FL. It worked great on shore power, not so good on gas. All the RV techs, told me to buy a new unit…I knew the problem was in the gas. I fooled around with it for days cleaning this and that and nothing changed. Everyone was going to dinner and beach parties and I couldn’t go and stayed to work on my RV for days.

I finally talked the local RV shop to sell me a USED, jet they didn't have any new one available. I switched out the jet and bam…it worked just like being on shore power. It was my problem all along. I then took a magnified picture of my old jet (which I tried many times to clean with lots of products, like alcohol or break cleaner and nothing worked) and I could see what looked like salt deposits in the jet almost closing off the orifice. I still have it and will try to send you the pics of the close-up.


I found out you also need to clean the flue (burner tube) from above with a wire brush. You can order one on-line from Dometic or I was going to buy a 3/4” pipe cleaning brush from Home Depot and rig it to make it long enough to clean the whole pipe from above, but I ended up taking the whole thing out and it really wasn't that bad.

One more thing, on that condensate drain hose, instead of running it straight out the vent cover, first insure there is a drip loop in the hose before it goes outside. This drip loop will act like a pee-trap on a sink and seal the outside air from inside your refrigerator. Just make it go down first then back up high on the vent cover. The outside air can migrate up the tube and raise the temperature as much as 10 degrees….and that burner cover should be tight, or could blow out from the wind when your driving.

Let me know if you try this…Terry

[brettgalloway]

You are becoming very skilled with your RV repairs Carolyn.
You do your research and have a go and do well.
I had a neighbour who bought a manual for the type of car she owned and would do all kinds of jobs by following the manual.

[Challway]

Hi Carolyn. I am glad you are not afraid to troubleshoot! You are so intelligent because you do your research and take precautions! Keep it up!

[akretowicz]

Great video, Carolyn. So happy to see you are still out and about, and things appear to be going well for you. Bless you, girl!

[gtanner]

"Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I break shit."

We need THAT on a tee! lol

Everybody else is asking about your tank top, I want to know about your back tats!

[rodneymathews]

We had a problem once with ours. Found the problem by chance. I broke the rooftop cover and when I pulled it off to replace it we found that the insulation above the fridge came loose from the sidewall and was blocking the air flow up through the roof. Made all the difference just by securing it back in place. Safe Travels!

[bookmouse]

I admire your tenacity in research and repair work. Keep up the good fight!

[bsteleven]

Carolyn, the shield is to keep the wind from blowing out the flame, so install it correctly. after the pipe cleaner blow out with a can of keyboard air. And good job!

[lyndapoysor]

Take my 30 some years of experience and chalk it up to weather. You can use the pipe cleaners to clean that drain as well as baking soda with vinegar. I also set the thing on fire. Learning through experience! LOVE YOU, Carolyn.

[Josevazquez]

I love it! You're also a handy woman not afraid of tackling problems yourself! Keep up the great videos!

[dkh]

Greetings Carolyn, a couple other tips that will help, make sure your vent on the roof for your fridge is clear of debris. Good air circulation is a must for an RV fridge. Also, I've seen people mount a computer fan on the coils which makes a big difference. There are several how to You tube videos on this topic. Lastly, the easiest fix is to park your RV so the fridge side in not in the direct sun.

[forthepeople]

It's amazing what one can do when one puts their mind, knowledge and common sense nto it. A job well done Carolyn. Really enjoyed this video. Thank you for sharing.

[carolkeener]

Love the bloopers at the end of the video! Should do that more often, so cute!

[hoboogre]

That's one of the secrets of life.... When you have a problem, at least look at it. I can't tell you how many times I've fixed computers or cars that the owner could easily have done had they just carefully poked around the way you did. Excellent lesson, Carolyn. Thank you for sharing. Aloha.

[LoriStephens]

Carolyn, I'm such an avid fan of yours, now I've watched ALL of your videos and I'm lost. No more videos to watch! What is a person to do? I need my Carolyn fix! Well take care, i love what your doing and don't stop! Keep your head and chin up amongst all these cyber meanies! Love love love you!

[moniqueslikkerveer]

Be Happy, be Smart, Be PROUD. And Celebrate!! With a big smile on your face you beat the professionals. Yehhh!!

[zivya]

Good for you, being a lone since my hub died 17 years ago I do things myself and wear myself out and IF I cant fix it then I call someone. Saved a lot of money doing it and Plus you learn.

[MrRickb]

You did the exact same service you would get from a RV repair place, lol, great job. Only this time the work carries a warranty from Carolyn! Keep up the good work.