fridge not cold enough after travel :(

[JohnB]

Noralee,

Can you post the model and serial number of the fridge? And making sure it is still a Doemtic Unit? Check that too.

Many of us know fridges and how to troubleshoot, however we may not know the exact model Sunline used in 1983. Or if a prior owner changed it along the way.

Many of the feature works the same between the older and newer ones, how they create that control feature has changed.

The newer fridges have a thermistor (a sensor that changes resistance with temperature) and is non adjustable to dial in a temperature. Not an actual thermostat that looks like anything normal in a home fridge. This sensor controls the temp for both gas and electric.

Does your unit work correct on gas but not on electric or visa versa? This tells us a lot about what is or is not working. But again need to know the model/serial number to look it up to help give accurate what to look for.

Hope this helps

John

[noralee]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Noralee,

Can you post the model and serial number of the fridge? And making sure it is still a Doemtic Unit? Check that too.

Many of us know fridges and how to troubleshoot, however we may not know the exact model Sunline used in 1983. Or if a prior owner changed it along the way.

Many of the feature works the same between the older and newer ones, how they create that control feature has changed.

The newer fridges have a thermistor (a sensor that changes resistance with temperature) and is non adjustable to dial in a temperature. Not an actual thermostat that looks like anything normal in a home fridge. This sensor controls the temp for both gas and electric.

Does your unit work correct on gas but not on electric or visa versa? This tells us a lot about what is or is not working. But again need to know the model/serial number to look it up to help give accurate what to look for.

Hope this helps

John

it is a dometic 2310, serial #00136.
i feel silly saying this but i was just checking things out and i've had it on 12V ever since i got here to NC...i just switched it to electric to see if that makes a difference. all i know for sure right now is that before i traveled with it on gas, it was over-cold (on electric) and then after i traveled and put it back on what i thought was electric but now i see was 12V, it is barely cold enough. today for example was not a warm day in the 40s, and my freezer is completely thawed out (
again, i've put it on electric now and i'll know tomorrow if that makes a difference. just pray that my food keeps.

would it make a difference being on 12V vs. electric? it was working on electric and gas, but after i traveled with it on gas, it no longer worked very well...

[mainah]

The 12 volt is probably the lest efficient mode. When it is cold out side the fridge is very good at making things cold. I have the same issue in cold weather freezing things. They tend to work best on gas. It should work fine with temps in the 40's they start to get warmer with temps in the 80's. If the round vertical tube in the back of the fridge is warm to the touch (warm enough you don't want to leave your hand on it for long) it may point to other issues with the fridge.

[noralee]

Originally Posted by mainah

The 12 volt is probably the lest efficient mode. When it is cold out side the fridge is very good at making things cold. I have the same issue in cold weather freezing things. They tend to work best on gas. It should work fine with temps in the 40's they start to get warmer with temps in the 80's. If the round vertical tube in the back of the fridge is warm to the touch (warm enough you don't want to leave your hand on it for long) it may point to other issues with the fridge.

huh, i didn't realize the fridge worked that way--effected by the temperature outside. what do people do in the summer? how do you keep your food fresh?

and thanks, i'll keep an eye on that vert. tube and i guess try b/w gas and electric and check the temps. maybe it's working fine if it's supposed to fluctuate so much.

[JohnB]

I did not look up your model yet, ran out of time tonight, however if you have the 12 volt option, it is only good enough to "help"maintain a cold fridge while towing. It is a weak cooling so to speak. If you are on 120 VAC now mode, that will make a large difference in about 8 to 12 hours.

The summer, the fridges do work in the summer. Mine can get 32-33 F inside when it is 80F outside. However that is after I added a stack fan to draw heat up out of the roof vent cover. Before that stack vent, it would hover between 34 to 38 and take a lot longer to recover from having the door open to put food in and out.

I do find the gas option does work the fastest to cool the fridge down from a warm inside start up.

Let us know if a day or so if everything starts working since on 120 VAC.

John

[mainah]

The fridge is only capable of degrees below ambient as the temp climbs the fridge does get warmer if you are parked in the hot sun and it's 90 you will be doing well to keep the fridge temps in the 40's. Keep in mind the air in the fridge cooling stack will be a good bit higher possible as high as 110* or more. Something in the range of 70-75* below ambient is the best a gas fridge will do. So your freezer will be above freezing if it’s really hot out. Condenser fans help a lot when it’s hot by lowering the stack temps. Putting you back into the freezing temps again.

[noralee]

well, i turned it to electric and it's working like it did originally--freezing my veggies. lol i feel silly but now i know. never got the difference b/w 12v and electric in my head seemed the same.

[Lizfj1]

SO HELPFUL! I just got a new Solaris (new to us) and I don't think the ref rig is as cold as it should be. Now I know what to check! The trailer had sat for a few years and so it has not been on in quite a while.