Refrigerator Question

[Miller5]

I just purchased a 2019 Jayco Redhawk 29XK. We took our first trip without getting the fridge/freezer cold prior to leaving. We loaded the fridge, and left with it on using the generator going down the road. The mode was in “A w/ the plug sign” for the trip. When we arrived the freezer was getting cold but the refrigerator was not. After 3 days camping and plugged into a 30AMP camp site, the freezer is the only thing that gets cold. Am I in the wrong settings? Is there a fix/suggestion anyone could give me please.

[Ann-Marie]

On our 2019 Greyhawk the frig has a row of aluminum fins high on the back that ice up. The "A" setting uses shore power when available and switches automatically to propane if not available.

[Miller5]

This is like brand new there’s no debris ice dirt nothing on the coils the freezer does work though? Ice had it in A mode for 3 days now at a camp site. It has to be something else, but I’m having troubles Googling anything to help.

[bdreinv]

We added additional coiling fan for frig made a big difference epically being in Arizona. Easy hook up! Thanks

[Grumpy]

Could be a bad thermistor or it is set wrong on the coil. It is a little wire that is clipped on the coil in the fridge.

Proper location for the thermistor is on the 10th fin on the cooling fins at the back of the refrigerated cabinet.

Do a Google search for RV Fridge THERMISTOR

[mini4mw]

The camping fridges (propane or electric) can be very finicky with leveling. I've had some that had to be level and my previous that had to be spot on level... They use ammonia to cool the fridge and its not efficient, but it works well off grid when using propane.

Point being, make sure your rig (or more importantly your fridge) is level side to side and front to back from a fridge point of view, not the RV. A degree off one or the other makes a big difference on how well they operate. Adding some 12v fans inside to blow on the metal fins in the fridge helps a bunch and if you can add some in the back to blow against the fins in the back helps.

[SmokeyBear]

Here's a trick that I found. I won't go into details but many times when I am camped, we have a community generator that only runs at night, somewhere around 7 PM to 7 AM. This is due to some in the group having C-PAPs. At night I put bottled water and a refreeze able freezer bag in the freezer. The water and bag freeze overnight. In the morning I move all that to the fridge compartment. It keeps the fridge compartment cool during the day. By the end of the day there is still ice in the bottles and the bag, and I return them to the freezer.

Since your freezer is the only compartment that gets cold (freezing?) you should try that. I know it's not a permanent solution for you but at least it's a workaround until you get the fridge compartment working properly.

[Berjr]

Check the refrigerator doors to see if they are in alignment and sealing correctly. You will be surprised on how small a leak can effect its performance.

In our case a couple of nylon washers on the hinge pin to align the door with the opening and a very fine coating of Vaseline on the magnetic seal made all the difference.

[ARoamer]

Originally Posted by Berjr

Check the refrigerator doors to see if they are in alignment and sealing correctly. You will be surprised on how small a leak can effect its performance.

In our case a couple of nylon washers on the hinge pin to align the door with the opening and a very fine coating of Vaseline on the magnetic seal made all the difference.

X2, Misaligned or poor sealing doors can severely reduce cooling. Being your freezer seems to be working, check the fridge doors closely. Not sure I would use petroleum jelly on the door seals, it may degrade them. A dielectric or silicone grease may be a better choice.

[CAG]

Originally Posted by Miller5

I just purchased a 2019 Jayco Redhawk 29XK. We took our first trip without getting the fridge/freezer cold prior to leaving. We loaded the fridge, and left with it on using the generator going down the road. The mode was in “A w/ the plug sign” for the trip. When we arrived the freezer was getting cold but the refrigerator was not. After 3 days camping and plugged into a 30AMP camp site, the freezer is the only thing that gets cold. Am I in the wrong settings? Is there a fix/suggestion anyone could give me please.

This is a very common problem and there are vast threads on here about the fridg not cooling. (Search feature at the top of the page.

Basically, without going into a long explanation summer is a bad time to try to cool the fridge down. The freezer will get below 0 but the fridge will not get lower than the 50s. If you live in the desert like me, trying to cool the fridge down before leaving is a major problem and we pack the fridge in the early morning right before we leave because temps will go down overnight. I generally start things cooling three or more days before leaving but it is still a problem.

There really is no solution and gas or electric makes no difference. It is something that we RVers have to live with. One thing that will help is frozen water bottles in the fridge but that is a temporary fix and the more you open the door the worse it can get.

I suggest a search here and with Google to see what others have done to help.

[CAG]

This is my post from one of the other questions asked about why the fridge will not cool. From the search feature.



"
So just to give an idea of how ineffective these units are when the temps are hot out side, and this is not just the Norcold in the Jayco, the Dometic in the toy hauler was the same way. At one point I called my local RV repair shop and asked why the Dometic was not cooling well. They said they have a terrible time diagnosing fridge problems here in the summer.


Day before yesterday I brought the rig home and turned on the fridge to do some precooling, knowing it was a lost cause. The freezer and fridge were both 97 F. At 2 PM the temps were 30 in the freezer and 80 in the fridge. At 8 PM the fridge was 100 and the freezer was 56. The outside air temp was 118F.



At 6:30 this morning the freezer was -2 and the fridge was 36. The overnight low was 87. I just checked it at 2PM today and the freezer is 35, the fridge is 80, outside temp is 109, the dew point is 70 (it is not a dry heat this time of year).



So the story here is these units do not do well with direct sunlight on the outside vent area and they do not do well if the outside temps are high. If the outside temp in in the 90s and the sun is on the side of the rigs with the fridge louvers the fridge temps will go up and the freezer might stay under 32 but the cold does not transfer to the fridge that well. It is just the nature of the beast.



A small fan in the outside compartment may help some but over the years I found it was not much. We pack the fridge early in the morning of the day we are leaving and get on the road before it gets too hot, but here it can be 100 or more at 8AM.
__________________
2018 Jayco Greyhawk 29MVP
2019 Jeep Sahara Unlimited
2011 Cyclone 3010 Toy Hauler- Sold
2014 Chevy Silverado Duramax LML -Sold"

[craigav]

It would be good to understand the reason(s) for poor cooling. I suppose I have been fortunate with mine as I have had no issues with keeping the refrigerator below 40 degrees even on the hottest of days, and of course my fridge is now over 13 years old. So I know that they are capable of keeping cold (or at least they were capable of doing so many years back). I will add that I generally pre-cool my fridge a couple of days prior to traveling and then load it with already cold items, I suspect that helps a lot. But when traveling, I add items from the grocery store that are not all cold. ~CA

[CAG]

https://www.rvuniversity.com/staticp...Efficiency_101

[bdreinv]

Good idea we also freeze a couple 1 gal AZ iced tea containers with water. Put them in frig a couple days before we take off seems to help!

[Johnynorthland]

Originally Posted by Miller5

I just purchased a 2019 Jayco Redhawk 29XK. We took our first trip without getting the fridge/freezer cold prior to leaving. We loaded the fridge, and left with it on using the generator going down the road. The mode was in “A w/ the plug sign” for the trip. When we arrived the freezer was getting cold but the refrigerator was not. After 3 days camping and plugged into a 30AMP camp site, the freezer is the only thing that gets cold. Am I in the wrong settings? Is there a fix/suggestion anyone could give me please.

After 8 years of RVing and 3 different rigs with absorption refrigerators, and throwing out food too many times, we went with a 12V fridge and couldn’t be happier! Sure there’s a bit of a downside because you need a good 12V source or run the generator to boondock, which we do very little of, 1-2 nights, but the upside outweighs it all! I will never buy a rig with an LP fridge again, or it would be a sway on day 1!

[BobKantor]

Originally Posted by Johnynorthland

After 8 years of RVing and 3 different rigs with absorption refrigerators, and throwing out food too many times, we went with a 12V fridge and couldn’t be happier! Sure there’s a bit of a downside because you need a good 12V source or run the generator to boondock, which we do very little of, 1-2 nights, but the upside outweighs it all! I will never buy a rig with an LP fridge again, or it would be a sway on day 1!

We've had the exact same experience having had both types of fridges. Our 200 watts of solar and two AGMs will keep the 12vdc 7 cubic foot freezer/fridge going most of the time, and an hour of genny running takes care of any shortfalls. (As does driving a few hundred miles to the next campground.)

[Capt. Bill]

Having been at this RVing for 51 years, here are things you need to do:
1) Start the fridge 36-48 hours prior to loading it- preferably on electric
2) Try not to load room temperature item in it- only cold or frozen items
3) Install a recirculation fan in it.
4) Ensure it is vented properly

Get ride of this problem by installing a residential 120 V fridge or buy an all electric unit.

Happy Trails

[CoraS]

It’s important to have frig and freezer cold before u put your food in. Warm food in warm refrigerator takes forever to cool down. I always put frozen food in the freezer and cold food in the cold frig. We put anything that will be going into the frig into the home frig first. Also if you pack the frig make sure there is room in the back and sides for airflow.

[norty1]

We recently discovered that just a small nudge on the freezer door helps with the icing up in our Norcold unit. It has worked faithfully for 12 years super cold freezer and lower unit. Only complaint was icing in the freezer.

Now to see if it's alignment or weak magnets in the gasket.

[rndsommer40]

I put the fridge on a few days before a trip but usually leave it on most of the summer when plugged in next to the house. Freezer works great, fridge ehh. I freeze some of the drinks then move them down into the fridge to kickstart things in there.