Rita and I are in williams AZ for the long weekend. When we pulled into the Grand Canyon Railway RV Pard and this was the first thing we saw. YIKES!!!!!
(https://www.foreforums.com/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi341.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fo367%2Fsurfndav%2FIMG_0176.jpg&hash=330d1986e83c6da08da5185bed7c6655" rel="cached" data-hash="330d1986e83c6da08da5185bed7c6655" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o367/surfndav/IMG_0176.jpg)
The apparent cause of this fire was the refrigerator. I've heard that RV refrigerators have had problems and there was some sort of a recall. Can someone give me some specifics on this? What kind/brand/model of frig. How can I tell if mine has the proper updates?
Sorry if this has been covered before, but I thought the picture was worth sharing.
Also, Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
David, both norcold and dometic had recalls on their absorption refrigerators. If yours had the recall completed, you should have a sticker that you can see when you take off the vent cover from the outside of the coach. It also would likely include some documentation in the books that came with your coach, but that would depend on the previous owners. Sorry, I don't often know which years the recalls were made. I can see that our coach which has a dometic refrigerator had the recall completed, which consists of a piece of sheet metal over the area where the gas igniter lights. Unfortunately, I don't take much comfort from that... Thus the plan to change it to a compressor type fridge.
Don
Here's a link you can use to find out if your fridge was involved in the recall (http://www.rvrefrigeration.com/recalls.asp). You will need to know the model and serial number (Make is also required). :P Hope this helps and hopefully you are not involved!
Yes, absorption type refrigerators can start fires if they are operating when they develop a leak, especially if operating on LP gas. The refrigerant is a mixture of hydrogen, ammonia, water, and a small amount of an anti-corrosive compound. The hydrogen is what can start the fire if it ignites. One needs to check the back side of the refrigerator before it is started and look for anything abnormal like a white or yellow powder residue on the tubes, and smell for ammonia both outside and inside the refrigerator. If you ever smell ammonia, turn off the refrigerator immediately. I know someone whose RV caught fire from the refrigerator while unattended, and since it was parked next to the house that also caught fire and burned. Be careful.
Thanks for the link, according to this my fridge is not a recall fridge. I will be checking the access panel to the back frequently. Thanks to all for the info and the tips.
Our refrigeration system ruptured a year ago while in operation on propane. We were driving the coach when it happened. It was a relatively slow leak. I smelled ammonia a couple of times over the course of about two hours. I was not aware of the fire danger and did not shut down the refrigerator. We had no fire or damage other than the failure of the cooling unit. When I saw the telltale yellow stains near the burner, I did shut down the refrigerator. We used the U-Line ice maker and a Coleman thermocouple style ice chest to see us through the week long outing. I replaced the cooling unit with a new one from RV Cooling Unit Warehouse. I expect the refrigerator will serve for another 12 years if the coach stays level when the reefer is on.
Some of the refrigerator fires are likely to be caused by the heat igniting nesting material deposited in the area by critters. The area behind the refrigerator is one of the many great hideouts for all kinds of critters to place their nests.
It's prudent to check for nests or other debris in places that get hot. It's like checking tire pressure, looking for "stuff" hanging down under the coach, checking for chafed hoses and wire, etc. We study, learn, share experiences, and perform inspections with appropriate diligence. We take care of issues, and get on with the enjoyment.
Heres what my Foretravel looked like after a refrigerator fire. Household refrigerators from now on!
WOW!! Count yourselves LUCKY. Not many people see that much burned and still have as much integrity left. Bet another 15 seconds or so and you would be negotiating with the insurance company for a different coach.