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

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > GENERAL DISCUSSIONS > Brrr it's cold outside! Winter Camping
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-28-2015, 06:23 AM   #1
N2BchMtnMrsh
Seasoned Camper
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location:
Posts: 58
M.O.C. #14360
Refrigerator performance decreases

We are at Klamath Falls, OR and notice that the refrigerator doesnt work as well. The manual states that performanve will decrease in sub freezing temps and to chech with your local RV dealer for fixes. Does anyone here have a fix for this issue? Frig rises to 40 at night and is 35 in the daytime.
 
N2BchMtnMrsh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2015, 07:48 AM   #2
dieselguy
Montana Master
 
dieselguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Haysville
Posts: 4,261
M.O.C. #3085
Just for basic conversation ... you RV fridge runs off an ammonia and water mixture that is heated up by propane or electric heating element. As it's heated it turns into a gaseous mixture travels a bit farther in the system and then cools back into a liquid ... all in a continuous cycle. When your are in extended subfreezing tempertures this cycle stops and the mixture actually "slushes up" for no better word. Until the outside air temp rises up enough for the slush to thaw allowing the gas /liquid cycle to work again your cooling inside the frige wil be diminished ... period. Some have made the inside frige light stay on greating a "load" for the system to work on. Some have added a low wattage light inside the back of the fridge where the coils are located ... some have blocked off some of the venting also in the rear of the unit. I don't support the last two options as I feel the chance of fire just flat isn't worth it. Norcold has come out with a mod to help a gas absorbtion fridge better handle long term cold, I just don't know what it is.
dieselguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2015, 10:07 AM   #3
rohrmann
Montana Master
 
rohrmann's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 4,677
M.O.C. #12947
N2BchMtnMrsh doesn't say how old his fridge is, or what brand, so there is no way to say is there is a recall or a known issue with the specific unit. We have a 2012 rig, purchased new, but was on the dealer's lot for close to a year prior to the sale. While in Quartzsite, the fridge, a Norcold 1210, stopped working, and we had to resort to an ice chest. The fridge had been lacking at times staying as cold as it should have, but was still functioning close to as when new. Turned out, the ammonia/water mixture had formed crystals, which had blocked the normal flow, and required the replacement of the cooling unit. The fridge is now working better than when new. We have had extended times in subfreezing weather in the past, and the fridge had worked well, so this poor operation may be a failed or failing cooling unit.
__________________
Bob & Becky
2012 3402RL
2012 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC 4WD
rohrmann is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2015, 03:22 PM   #4
Mudchief
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Paola
Posts: 5,739
M.O.C. #4961
When we were full timing in our unit when it got down below zero it quit. I called a RV tech to come and and asked me if I was running it on AC. I was and he told me to switch to gas because it does better in cold weather. He told me cover the vent on the lower part leaving about 6 inches to allow air to the flame. I did that and everything started working and we did not have any problem even when it got down to -10.
__________________
Dennis & Linda Ward
Paola, Kansas
Montana 3735MK Legacy Edition
1200 watts of Solar
Mudchief is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

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
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Performance chip K0LCB Tow Vehicles & Towing 20 05-10-2013 03:06 PM
TV performance randye Tow Vehicles & Towing 24 04-23-2011 01:07 PM
Performance chip Dennis and Carol Tow Vehicles & Towing 6 07-23-2005 10:10 PM
Performance Chips Montana_1949 Tow Vehicles & Towing 3 09-01-2004 03:29 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


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


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.