anyone ever recharge their rv fridge?

Post here about...well...anything!
Post Reply
User avatar
dlb
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 7305
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

anyone ever recharge their rv fridge?

Post by dlb »

i'm doing some maintenance on our travel trailer and tested the fridge the other day. i couldn't get it to cool at all. tried different settings (propane/12v/110v) and different temps, no dice. the front of the trailer was raised up a bit so i lowered it till the trailer was level, and now the fridge works great.

i've had a few other RV's with fridges and none have been so sensitive to level. that leads me to think it might be low on refrigerant or whatever it's called. i looked online about how to recharge and can't find anything but "take it to the dealer," which i am not interested in. i imagine it's a similar procedure to refilling an AC unit, is this correct? does anyone here have any experience recharging their rv fridge?
User avatar
splatterdog
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1623
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 10:26 am
Location: Minnesota, USA

Re: anyone ever recharge their rv fridge?

Post by splatterdog »

RV fridges use ammonia for refrigerant. If you had a leak, you would know it! Not sure why it's worse than others, but they all do require being level. If it works level, it's probably OK.

Here's more than you probably want to know- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RV_Fridge
User avatar
dlb
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 7305
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: anyone ever recharge their rv fridge?

Post by dlb »

the camper is a '78. is there any chance the ammonia could have slowly leaked out or evaporated over time? i'm going to look at that link you posted, and on ammonia, but wanted to ask as well while i read up.
User avatar
splatterdog
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1623
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 10:26 am
Location: Minnesota, USA

Re: anyone ever recharge their rv fridge?

Post by splatterdog »

I would think any leakage would be burning your eyes and nose. That stuff is super nasty. Nicked a line while removing one for replacement once. Run away!!! I would also think it would leave a stain if there was a slow leak. Opened an RV fridge door once to check operation and had to run for it! Time for a new one...

They do seem to last a long time. The one in my kids camper(early 80's) still works.

If the "charge" is weak, I doubt anyone but a manufacturer could do anything about it. Their answer is probably- you need a new one.
User avatar
dlb
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 7305
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: anyone ever recharge their rv fridge?

Post by dlb »

ok, you talked me off the ledge. i'll learn to live with not camping on steep hills, and/or look into finding a replacement one day if it comes to that. thanks.
User avatar
ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
Posts: 6369
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: anyone ever recharge their rv fridge?

Post by ARCHINSTL »

splatterdog wrote:I would think any leakage would be burning your eyes and nose. That stuff is super nasty.
► BEWARE - THREAD HIJACK ◄
Now, I dunno if the ammonia that is used for household cleaning purposes is the same strength as used in refrigeration, but -
My town uses black plastic bags for garbage/trash pickup. Since I do not have a garbage disposal, my bags frequently contain banana/potato/orange peels and other similar organic material.
We've had probs over the years with raccoons, dogs, and crows ripping the bags in search of goodies (note that this is in suburbia, not exurbia).
I solved the problem by giving a splash of ammonia in the bags before twist-tying, and then a splash on the bag and the surrounding ground at the curb.
Voilà! No more ripped bags!
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
User avatar
splatterdog
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1623
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 10:26 am
Location: Minnesota, USA

Re: anyone ever recharge their rv fridge?

Post by splatterdog »

That nicked line needed a minimum of 20 feet distance till it was empty. It also looked as nasty as it smelled.
larry mcgrath
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 606
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:23 pm
My tercel:: 83 tercel v20 B/T (The ROCKET)98 toyota t100
Location: Wilds of Montana

Re: anyone ever recharge their rv fridge?

Post by larry mcgrath »

david these fefers are not rechable PERIOD. Mine was doing the same thing I cleaned the chimney that encloses the propane flame --- that vents the heat out-- used a piece of welding rod with a wire cleaning brush-- to clean the carbon build up from the flue--- a 12 GA shot gun bore brush was the right size. you wouldnt believe the crap that came out of the flue------ the refer cools a lot better since i did this- Larry
Post Reply