Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 07-30-2013, 10:12 AM   #1
Winnebago Camper
 
MDPD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Stuart, Florida
Posts: 21
Dometic Refer Not Staying Cold

We have a relatively new to us 2009 Tour with a Dometic NDA 1402 refrigerator installed in the slideout. On the highest setting, the refrig temp will be between 37 and 40 when we wake up. During the course of the day when the ambient temp climbs to 90-94 the temp inside will go up as high as 49 and then back down at night. I have run it on electric and gas with the same results.

I tried calling Dometic but they are no help and only refered me to a service center. In reading some of the articles there was mention of the out side coil cooling fan not working would cause this issue. I have looked and listened but can not find a fan to help exhaust the heat from the rear of the unit. Is there supposed to be a fan installed? and if so where is it? Will adding a computer fan help with this problem.

All help will be greatly appreciated.
MDPD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2013, 11:01 AM   #2
Winnebago Camper
 
Gocoffeer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 23
Heat removal and air flow at the top of the refrig is paramount to good cooling for this type of non pumped ammonia unit. From the brief description you are offering....it sound to me like the refrig is not properly able to vent out the heat during the hot days. I am assuming that in the evening thru early day it begins to chill down again.
This condition can be altered by manipulating the refrig roof vent. There are forced air vent covers for these units and they work.

Camco - Solar Powered RV Fridge Vent Kit (Includes Panel & Fan) - Item #42162 on eBay!
__________________
Craig Gosselin
1994 Fleetwood 33H
1995 Fleetwood 30H (parts vehicle)
Gocoffeer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2013, 11:13 AM   #3
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by MDPD View Post
We have a relatively new to us 2009 Tour with a Dometic NDA 1402 refrigerator installed in the slideout. On the highest setting, the refrig temp will be between 37 and 40 when we wake up. During the course of the day when the ambient temp climbs to 90-94 the temp inside will go up as high as 49 and then back down at night. I have run it on electric and gas with the same results.

I tried calling Dometic but they are no help and only refered me to a service center. In reading some of the articles there was mention of the out side coil cooling fan not working would cause this issue. I have looked and listened but can not find a fan to help exhaust the heat from the rear of the unit. Is there supposed to be a fan installed? and if so where is it? Will adding a computer fan help with this problem.

All help will be greatly appreciated.
Not familiar with your fridge, but my Dometic RM7561UL did not come with a cooling fan.

Lowering ambient Temp around the rear mounted cooling fins will lower the inside temp as witnessed by the temp change you mentioned. I installed two computer fans to extract hot air from my cooling fins at the rear of the fridge. I did not do precise temperature measurements inside the fridge yet with the fans turned on and off yet but it appears to be working OK at ambient temps around 82F. If you do not have an operating fan, I suggest you try putting a regular clamp on fan to cool the fins and see what difference it makes in your situation under the temperatures you are experiencing.

Computer cooling fans do move a lot of air and with the correct positioning they should work for you and draw very little power. I think mine draw about 250ma each.

Good luck.
Libero is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2013, 02:00 PM   #4
Winnebago Owner
 
Dave78Chief's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 149
A google search indicates having a Dometic NDA1402 installed in a slideout can be problematic. Parts book (http://67.238.126.140/pdf/3309892.002.pdf) indicates there are fans inside but not outside.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/upda...ers-49058.html

Tech- Inside a Dometic NDA1402

Dave
__________________
Dave in Virginia
1978 Winnebago Chieftain
Dodge M400 - 440-3
Classic Winnebago Site: https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php
Dave78Chief is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2013, 03:01 PM   #5
JC2
Winnie-Wise
 
JC2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Mo/Texas
Posts: 318
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gocoffeer View Post
Heat removal and air flow at the top of the refrig is paramount to good cooling for this type of non pumped ammonia unit. From the brief description you are offering....it sound to me like the refrig is not properly able to vent out the heat during the hot days. I am assuming that in the evening thru early day it begins to chill down again.
This condition can be altered by manipulating the refrig roof vent. There are forced air vent covers for these units and they work.

Camco - Solar Powered RV Fridge Vent Kit (Includes Panel & Fan) - Item #42162 on eBay!

I seriously question the quality/efficiency of these solar units from what others on the web have mentioned. A properly vented fridge with adequate fans on top of the fridge will work wonders. If you don't have at least (2), add them. We control ours with a toggle switch instead of the thermal disc used by others. They seem prone to fail at the most inconvenient times. Our switch is located in a top cabinet next to the fridge.
__________________
04 Newmar DSDP 4015-Cummins ISL 370hp-Spartan MM Chassis-2013 Chev Equinox AWD-Ready Brute Elite Towing System-FMCA 402879-SKP 120487 [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
JC2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2013, 07:07 PM   #6
Winnebago Camper
 
MDPD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Stuart, Florida
Posts: 21
After reading your replys, I spent the afternoon trying to figure out where to put fans and came to the conclusion that the only place available to mount them without removing the frig was just inside the upper vent pulling the hot air out. This decision was made after removing the upper vent and feeling the heat that was trapped above the vent escape. I am going to order two 64 cfm fans and mount them to the sheet metal deflector that blocks half of the vent cover aimed out toward the vent openings and switch them from inside. I am not an engineer, but I really do not know what they were thinking when they designed this installation.

As with all the advice I have received from you all over the years, if anyone has a better idea I would appreciate hearing.
MDPD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2013, 05:59 PM   #7
Winnie-Wise
 
garykk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Southern NM
Posts: 327
Just a thought......on one of the cooling fins in the refer there is a small clip that is used to control the temp, can't recall what it is called but it can be adjusted. Perhaps it was accidently moved?
__________________
2014 Phaeton 40 QBH
2015 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4
garykk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2013, 06:55 PM   #8
Winnie-Wise
 
Jerry J's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: N Id
Posts: 284
Thermister?
__________________
Jerry J.
2008 Winnebago Vectra 40TD
2017 Lincoln MKX
Jerry J is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2013, 07:49 PM   #9
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Durant, Ok
Posts: 8
Has anyone done any testing on how much reefer cooling ability is effected by the level of the box?

Three degrees they say, is ok, but is it cooling as well as it would if it was only 1 degree off level.

My Amish unit seems to work better when very level but have no way to come up with a definitive answer. To may variables to be sure.

For now I will put a little more effort into leveling the reefer.
__________________
2002 38' Diplomat
Keith & Shirley
Durant, OK
ruffian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-02-2013, 02:45 PM   #10
Winnebago Owner
 
Five2o's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 83
I have a 2010 Ellipse with that fridge and had similar problems.

I did get a board replaced on warrenty when 1st problems appeared but fridge was still useless so I took matters into my own hands.

There are 2 fans controlled by a thermostat switch attached on the exterior top access panel. The .fans are not accessible, but I remove the thermostat and hardwired the fans to a switch I turn on if its warm out.

Also unscrew the thermistor in the fridge compartment and leave free of the cooling fin. Experiment with this...I ended up isolating the thermistor from the cooling fin with a chunk of duct tape then re installed the screw.

My fridge keeps beer at 35 degrees using 120v ac or on propane in 90 degree heat for the last year or so. Hope it works for you.
Five2o is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
dometic


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Hot water pilot not staying on wildmandmc Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 26 01-26-2014 01:17 AM
House batteries not staying charged fergo27 Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 12 03-25-2010 04:27 PM
Water heater not staying lit Warpath Plumbing | Systems and Fixtures 26 10-31-2007 05:25 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Winnebago Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:15 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.