When a 3 way refrigerator RV type, catches fire what starts the fire? being on propane and having an open flame? amonia leak? electrical? I guess I am asking, are you safer on electric rather than gas? thanks Larry
When the refrigerator recall first went into effect, owners were told to run on electric only until you can get it fixed. After they saw almost as many fires on electric, owners were told to shut it completely off until fixed.
My refrigerator caught fire while running on ac power, and it was not included in the recall because it came from the factory with a piece of sheet metal to deflect the flame up the flue.
Most fires are caused by hydrogen gas leaking from the boiler and finding some source of ignition.
Mine was not cooling properly, which probably resulted in overheating the boiler, resulting in a leak.
My take on this is to completely shut it down if it ever stops cooling.
I am having a compressor driven refrigerator installed with insurance money. No hydrogen.
Had I kept the refrigerator and had it repaired, I would have added an ARPrv controller to shut it town on overheating, probably preventing a fire, along with adding a fire suppression system.
Mac the fire guy told me that he asked at the factory the purpose of the sheet metal being added as part of the recall. He was told itbwas to deflect the fire up the flue WHEN the refrigerator catches fire, not IF. They know very well that they will all fail some day. Mine lasted 11 years. The one in my previous RV lasted 14 years, but no fire (it was off when it leaked).
My absorption refrigerator failed while running on electric. No fire just leaking ammonia, we were lucky, we were on the road and smelled the ammonia and shut everything down.
I had a residential unit put in and sleep a lot better now.
Changing the refrigerator to residential was one of the best modifications I have done yet.