Problem with a Truck Camper’s refrigerator & freezer on a slide-outs

Just the Facts 

Jack Webb of TV show fame Dragnet was known for saying “just the facts, ma’am, just the facts” – thus only the facts:

    • New 2016 Eagle Cap, Model 850
    • Dometic 7 cubic refrigerator on the slide-out
    • While on a ten-day dry camping cross-country trip, the temperature in the refrigerator was at 60 degrees and the freezer 14 degrees the entire journey.
    • I had to purchase a portable ice chest and ice cubes every two days to keep perishables and milk cold – I need cold milk to go with the Oreo cookies.
    • Call to Dometic Customer Service – troubleshooting assistance not available – would only provide the nearest authorized dealer.
    • I spoke with another camper who suggested placing a fan at the top of the refrigerator air cabinet between the refrigerator’s coil and exhaust grill to remove the excessively hot air. While traveling down the Interstate, the hot exhaust from the refrigerate evaporator coil could not exit and needed assistance.Air flow diagram from Refrigerator

CORRECTIVE action 

4 Inch Computer fanAttached are two 4-inch, 12-volt fans computer fans to the inside of the exhaust grill with tie wraps to exhaust the hot air. Electric power was provided from the LP solenoid terminal strip at the bottom of the chamber.Picture of exhaust grill

 

 

The refrigerator temp went from 60 to 34 degrees within four hours.

Guess Dometic nor Eagle Cap had never heard of such a problem – this must be the only truck camper with a refrigerator on a slide-out traveling down the highway with such a problem.


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webmaster@northeast-truckcampers.org. Thank you.