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Topic: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit (Read 1039 times) previous topic - next topic

refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Dometic refrigerator with heater kit is slowly and surely loosing its capacity to cool. Does anyone have suggestions to get it operating properly again?  We put meat out in snow but other groceries in fridge going bad!  Would appreciate feed back....Patrick and Dee...trying to survive a storm going through Breckenridge now!!
John Patrick
2002 U270

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #1 –
Quote from: opelgt327 –
Dometic refrigerator with heater kit is slowly and surely loosing its capacity to cool. Does anyone have suggestions to get it operating properly again?  We put meat out in snow but other groceries in fridge going bad!  Would appreciate feed back....Patrick and Dee...trying to survive a storm going through Breckenridge now!!
What model refer?
What exactly is it doing?
Not cooling at all, what is temp in refer, what is temp in the freezer?
Is it just happening on propane or on 110vac or both?
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #2 –
NRD-1062,  with heater kit. Out side temp @ 13* low tonight - 5. No temp gauge with us, ice in freezer is starting to melt. heater switch is on. i justed went outside an installed a 100 watt bulb inside to try to get some heat. I belive the gas is just to cold.  thank you  John
John Patrick
2002 U270

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #3 –
John,
You may have solved the problem with the 100 watt bulb.  We have had Dometic reefers in all our coaches since 1978 and we have spent hundreds of nights in very cold temperatures (as low as -26 degrees).  Very early on we realized that as it got colder and colder outside our reefer cooled less and less.  It seemed to start around 20 degrees.  I called Dometic and asked why and was told very matter of factly (sp?) that the cold temperatures don't allow the reefer to cool properly and he made it sound like everybody knew that.  So, after I got over feeling stupid I cut a piece of Styrofoam and fit it to the inside of the reefer access door, leaving about 10% open.  That allowed the temperature at the rear of the reefer to rise considerably and we have not had a cold weather cooling problem since.  Maybe that's not your problem, but it might be worth a try.
Paul
36' 2000 U320
Paul
36' 2000 U320
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #4 –
Not sure if I have a clue here.
 
My Mom has an older refrigerator in her garage in Northern IL. Last year it was extremely cold in the garage and everything in freezer melted.  Go figure.  Thought since it was old it was broke. Turns out it must be a heat pump.  As soon as it got warm in garage due to spring coming, everything worked as normal.
 
Learning?  If you want refrigeration and freezer to work in very cold temps, they must have some residual heat to use to exchange for cool.  I know, it sounds crazy, but it works.
Tim Fiedler    2025 LTV Unity MBL on Order
2000 Chevy Tracker 2 Door Convertible 4WD Now lifted 4.5"
1985 Citroen 2CV6 Charleston
Murphy Rebel on wheels with 175HP Titan
Cessna P337
1980 48' Westport MY (!/4 Share)

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #5 –
Garage refrigerators don't work in cold temp because the thermostat is in the refrigerator portion which stays cold from garage, so it does not turn on the compressor, but the garage cannot keep freezer at zero.
 
RV refrigerators work by heating the solution in the pipes and when it is very cold the heat source is not enough to do the job it needs, so it never heats up enough.  More heat or block cold air and it may cool.

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #6 –
Wow, is the propane flame hotter and would it work better than the electric element in really cold weather. I have been out in single digits and my fridge never had a problem bu tI did not check to see if it was losing any cold but the freezer stayed frozen.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #7 –
Dometic NDR 1062
  Freezer 8F +-
  Refrigerator 38F +-
  Low Ambient Switch On
  Climate Control Switch On
  Cold - Colder Setting is currently 3
  Current Outdoor Temp 1F (It's been sub 10F for a couple of days, 0 to 1F for last 14 hours)

Refrigerator is currently running on electricity. We have not added special insulation or heat supplement for the coils.
In moderate weather, the freezer will normally run about 1F +- and big section runs 40F +- with "Cold-Colder" setting of 4.

You results may vary. Thanks for the tips on adding insulation. So far we have not had to take special measures.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #8 –
Quote from: J. D. Stevens –
Dometic NDR 1062
  Freezer 8F +-
  Refrigerator 38F +-
  Low Ambient Switch On
  Climate Control Switch On
  Cold - Colder Setting is currently 3
  Current Outdoor Temp 1F (It's been sub 10F for a couple of days, 0 to 1F for last 14 hours)

Refrigerator is currently running on electricity. We have not added special insulation or heat supplement for the coils.
In moderate weather, the freezer will normally run about 1F +- and big section runs 40F +- with "Cold-Colder" setting of 4.

You results may vary. Thanks for the tips on adding insulation. So far we have not had to take special measures.


Where are the low ambient and climate control switches located.
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Kent Speers –
Quote from: J. D. Stevens –
Dometic NDR 1062
  Freezer 8F +-
  Refrigerator 38F +-
  Low Ambient Switch On
  Climate Control Switch On
  Cold - Colder Setting is currently 3
  Current Outdoor Temp 1F (It's been sub 10F for a couple of days, 0 to 1F for last 14 hours)

Refrigerator is currently running on electricity. We have not added special insulation or heat supplement for the coils.
In moderate weather, the freezer will normally run about 1F +- and big section runs 40F +- with "Cold-Colder" setting of 4.

You results may vary. Thanks for the tips on adding insulation. So far we have not had to take special measures.


Where are the low ambient and climate control switches located.

CLIMATE CONTROL
During the summer months of high temperatures and humidity, the metal frame between the freezer and fresh food compartments may have water droplets forming. The number of water droplets will increase if the vehicle isn't air conditioned during these months.

This refrigerator comes standard with a 12 volt (DC) climate control that will evaporate the water droplets when they form.
To have the climate control on, you position the switch ("G" see figure 2) located beneath the top decoration panel that houses the control panel to ON.

The climate control can be left on continuously or only used when temperatures require it.
NOTE: The climate control will draw 12 volt DC power continuously when in the ON position.

It should be turned OFF when a charging source is not available.

LOW AMBIENT CONTROL
All RV absorption refrigerators, while similar, operate a little differently than your home refrigerator.

Dometic designers and engineers have equipped your refrigerator with an exclusive feature that allows for trouble-free operation in low ambient temperature (like below 50°F) for extended periods of time.

Simply turn on the low ambient switch located beneath the top decoration panel that houses the control panel (see figure 2, "F").

Once the outdoor temperature is above 50°F, the low ambient switch should be turned off.
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #10 –
It seems that the "Low Ambient Control" switch when turned on, just leaves the refrigerator inside lamp on all the time, even when door is closed.
 
This puts more heat load inside the refrigerator, which causes the cooling unit to run more, which keeps the freezer colder.

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #11 –
Barry B., thanks for the comprehensive update on the "Climate" and "Low Ambient" switches. I considered "low ambient" to be subfreezing, but apparently it is anything below 50F.

Barry, we have the "Low Ambient" switch on. The interior lamp stills turn on/off based on the position of the switch that is operated by the opening/closing the door. The "Low Ambient" appears to do something other than modify the behavior of the interior lamp on our refrigerator.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #12 –
Check your wiring diagram to see what the Low Ambient Control  (LAC) is connected to.  On some it shows it keeps the light on.

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #13 –
Quote from: Barry & Cindy –
Check your wiring diagram to see what the Low Ambient Control  (LAC) is connected to.  On some it shows it keeps the light on.
NDR-1062 Wiring Diagram
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #14 –
Do we have a misunderstanding here.  It is my understanding that "low ambient" refers to temperature inside the coach.  You would only have a problem if your coach was in storage and you still wanted to operate your fridge.
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R
 

Re: refrigerator use in cold weather with heater kit

Reply #15 –

Barry's NDR-1062 wiring diagram shows 12+ to LAT (low ambient temp) switch-U.
When switch-U is closed it send power to the lamp-F bypassing the lamp switch-G. 
Since some refrigerators seem to not keep light on with LAT switch, They may have a different wiring diagram or The circuit may have been modified or The LAT switch may not be working.

I don't think the LAT feature is doing much else. On the above wiring diagram, the circuit board does not even know the LAT switch is on or off.