Fridge problems??

2

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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Take a look at the thermocouple too. That's what senses the fridge temperature.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Photomom said:
    Have you eliminated the altitude as the source of the problem?
    Not completely, but I am at about 8100', now. I have run it at higher altitudes without this problem, however. 

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Tabaz
    Tabaz Member Posts: 2,421
    Jenn - please take some photos of the fuses so I can buy some spares.
    2016 Outback 320
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
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  • Dereco
    Dereco Member Posts: 95
    I had fridge problems this past weekend as well. The fridge would simply not get cold, after 3 hours of towing and being turned on, and then three days of propane. It was on, the fan runs, but no cooling. Then plugged in to shore power on return trip and the fridge was remarkably cooled within an hour. Make sense?  PS. Tab was not perfectly level when camping, and not level at all on shore power. 
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Mine goes flaky on me every once in awhile - I turn it off, try different sources, screw with the tem control and at some point it works like normal again. The first time it flaked I called Ed to see about getting service somewhere. Then it went normal again so called him back and cancelled the request. Now I just putz with it.
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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    One thing I have noticed with the 3-way fridge is that it does not operate well when turned above 3 1/2 or 4. Turning it up any further from my experience only makes it worse. This happens while on propane. I haven't used battery enough to comment, or shore power, I never turn it up more than 3 or 4 anyway. When we were camping last, I had the same trouble PXLated had, and pretty much did the same thing he did. Seemed to clear itself up after a while. Go figure. If anyone comes up with an answer to why, please post, so the rest of us can finally do without the frustration of having to fiddle around with it before it goes back to "normal". Thanks!
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Yep ... 4 max ... 5 is totally flaky, sometimes colder, sometimes warmer. By the way, I always run on propane unless I'm futzing with it.
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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    Yup, me too, propane only. Seems to work better, and hardly uses any at all. After 10 days, only MAYBE an 1/8th of a tank. Pretty impressive!
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • luv2travel
    luv2travel Member Posts: 50
    Am I doing something wrong?  I ran my fridge on propane and lost 2/3 of full tank by morning.  I ran nothing else and the fridge was on 3 or so. 
    2012 T@B L, 2020 Honda Passport Touring
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    edited July 2016
    luv2travel - Could be a leak at the propane tank - maybe the little relief valve didn't get screwed tight - or the main connector isn't tight.
    I just switched tanks and I got over three weeks out of it using just the fridge. Might have been four but I know three for sure.
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    ericnliz said:
    One thing I have noticed with the 3-way fridge is that it does not operate well when turned above 3 1/2 or 4. Turning it up any further from my experience only makes it worse. This happens while on propane. I haven't used battery enough to comment, or shore power, I never turn it up more than 3 or 4 anyway. When we were camping last, I had the same trouble PXLated had, and pretty much did the same thing he did. Seemed to clear itself up after a while. Go figure. If anyone comes up with an answer to why, please post, so the rest of us can finally do without the frustration of having to fiddle around with it before it goes back to "normal". Thanks!
    I have never had an issue, before running it on colder temps and I have tried it at several different temps.
    sore
    PXLated said:
    Could be a leak at the propane tank - maybe the little relief valve didn't get screwed tight - or the main connector isn't tight.
    I just switched tanks and I got over three weeks out of it using just the fridge. Might have been four but I know three for sure.
    I have used 2 different tanks.

    luv2travel said:
    Am I doing something wrong?  I ran my fridge on propane and lost 2/3 of full tank by morning.  I ran nothing else and the fridge was on 3 or so. 
    Something sure sounds wrong. I get 2-3 weeks, sometimes more from one tank. I am planning to spend a night connected to shore power next week. I will also to the TV and run on DC to see if the fan kicks on as the thermostat does not dictate fan operation on DC.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • luv2travel
    luv2travel Member Posts: 50
    PXLated - Thanks, I will try switching them soon.
    2012 T@B L, 2020 Honda Passport Touring
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  • Mr_Mrs_Gnome
    Mr_Mrs_Gnome Member Posts: 241
    @jkjenn, could there be a regulator/LP line leak?
    '17 Outback S - TV 2016 Chevy Colorado in "Colorful Colorado"
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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    You'd think you would smell propane if there were a leak.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Mr_Mrs_Gnome said:
    @jkjenn, could there be a regulator/LP line leak?
    Stove and Alde are working flawlessly and I  would think the LP detector would go off. It is pretty sensitive.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Slight leak outside so no detection? Down by the regulator?
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  • jdargis
    jdargis Member Posts: 305
    Soapy water solution on the fittings to check for bubbles from a leak?
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  • Mr_Mrs_Gnome
    Mr_Mrs_Gnome Member Posts: 241
    @jkjenn, wondering about altitude and propane burn rate, too. You've mostly been around 9000 ft, right?
    '17 Outback S - TV 2016 Chevy Colorado in "Colorful Colorado"
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Mr_Mrs_Gnome said:
    @jkjenn, wondering about altitude and propane burn rate, too. You've mostly been around 9000 ft, right?
    8,000 -9,000'

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    If I read the 3163 service manual (https://docs.google.com/gview?embedded=true&url=http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/3163.pdf) correctly, where. Operating in DC mode, the thermostat does not drive temperature, it automatically goes at full blast. Therefore, the fan should run in DC mode. I pulled the cover off the panel to the right of the fridge and switched it to DC mode and no fan. Therefore, it seems logical to me that the fan is the issue. Thoughts?


    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    So much back and forth and multiple T@Bs. To summarize jkjenn's problem, is this correct?
    120v - unknown
    Propane - cools to 50F, fridge fan does not run
    12v - no cooling, fridge fan does not run

    Is this correct?
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Photomom said:
    So much back and forth and multiple T@Bs. To summarize jkjenn's problem, is this correct?
    120v - unknown
    Propane - cools to 50F, fridge fan does not run
    12v - no cooling, fridge fan does not run

    Is this correct?
    120v...was not cooking as it had in the past. Frozen items began thawing.

    Propane can only hold to 50f with ice added.

    12v...did not test for long so as it not drain, but fan did not run and I believe it should have, per the manual.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Assuming this is the correct manual for your fridge, my read is that the fridge fan does not run on 12v operation. Look at the schematic on p.11 and the troubleshooting chart on p. 12. No mention of the fan.

    There seem to be a very limited number of components that are used for 12v operation. Propane looks more complex. Based on everything I've read, the most likely problems are leveling, and altitude. I'm sure you have your trailer nice and level though. When do you expect to come down?
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Actually, looking at the troubleshooting chart on p. 18, it appears that the fridge fan only runs in propane mode. The first step checks whether the fridge is in gas mode.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    Get an ARB and run it on battery. I only used about .3V per night, including battery spark for Alde and fridge, parasitic draws and the ARB. This included when it was getting into the 80's and 90's in March and April. Just my thoughts, Jenn. I hate spoiled milk :anguished:
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Verna said:
    Get an ARB and run it on battery. I only used about .3V per night, including battery spark for Alde and fridge, parasitic draws and the ARB. This included when it was getting into the 80's and 90's in March and April. Just my thoughts, Jenn. I hate spoiled milk :anguished:
    I had that thought for next year. The thing is when the Norcold works, it's terrific. I would like a freezer, though.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    Set the ARB on 27* or lower and everything at the bottom will freeze, such as meat and lettuce that gets lost....  The stuff at the top will be cold, but not frozen.  But, this is still not cold enough for ice cream. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    And ( knock on wood), my fridge worked fine last summer and winter after I figured out where the non-freezing point was. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Verna said:
    And ( knock on wood), my fridge worked fine last summer and winter after I figured out where the non-freezing point was. 
    That's what I am used to with the Norcold. My water bottle stayed frozen the entire trip.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Is this the first time you've used it at altitude?
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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