Surplus RV places in Elkhart

[richard5933]

Any gurgling noises while the burner is fired up?

Any other parts of the cooling unit getting warm/hot while the burner runs?

Likely a reason the unit was offered for sale.

[Jim Blackwood]

I haven't noticed any gurgling noises. I put the insulated jacket back on the burner tube to see what difference it might make and now I have a little heat in the top condenser. Almost hot on the infeed end and almost room temp at the other but still a little warm. Not warm anywhere else.

I tipped it about 20-30 degrees going counter-clockwise from the top and did 10 cycles all the way around (for the number of coils in the big tube condenser) and I've been whacking it with the rubber hammer every time I walk by all up and down everything but no results so far. Put temp gages in both compartments and they haven't moved.

But, you know even if it doesn't respond and worst case I have to shell out $600 for a new cooler assembly that's still only about $900 for an essentially new fridge including the gas to go get it and the cost of the replacement heating element. I think I could have done much worse. I'm not the least bit afraid of swapping out the cooling unit (although maybe I should be) and I'm thinking maybe if I take it with me up to Amish country they will be willing to recharge it and set it to rights as is. The one thing I don't know yet is if the control board will still run the heating element in 120V mode but I'll find out about that in a week.

Jim

[Jim Blackwood]

Starting to cool some now. Freezer compartment is down in the 30's and fridge has dropped about 5 degrees. Got it set on 9, I'll see how low it goes. Still banging on it some.

Jim

[richard5933]

When I fired up my Amish-built replacement cooling unit, within three hours the freezer was down to 5F and the fridge to 45F.

You might get some more time from this one, but I'd be making plans so that it can easily be pulled back out for a new cooling unit.

Nothing to be afraid of - the replacement went pretty straightforward
and is something you should have no problems with.

Never heard of anyone 'recharging' an ammonia-based absorption fridge.

[dtcerrato]

The Amish Tech that worked our fridge told me they're charged with 350 psi pressure and can have a small pinhole leak & leak literally for many months before showing signs of less cold. The cooling unit they put in mine was a new unit under warranty that got returned because of a pin hole leak. They welded it up, repainted it and told me it would outlast the oem Dometic cooling unit. I agree with Richard on the ease of replacement of the cooling unit & short time it takes for cool cold freeze down... Really the only time leaks (ammonia oder) can be detected are when they're in the part of the cooling unit that's in the cooling cabinate otherwise its outside in the vented area where it's difficult to detect. Not saying it's leaking but just saying...

[Jim Blackwood]

I ran it for a few hours yesterday and it got down to under zero in the freezer and about 45 in the fridge. Left it on overnight and it had an FL error this morning, Cycled power and went again. We'll see later today how it does.

Now in my DL it will sit above the fuel tank and the right side compartment of the battery box where the Vanner sits. So I'm wondering about going through the floor into those areas for the lower vent. And how do you guys deal with the upper vent? Looks like it would come out on the curved section of the roof above the window.

Jim

[chessie4905]

they make those roof vents and they don't  care if they have an angle. Take a look at the roof vents used on rv's and tt's. I think the one on my tt is something like 2 1/2 x10? opening.

[richard5933]

You're going to want the rear vent to provide access to the rear of the fridge for routine maintenance and service. Without it, you'll have to pull it out every time you have a problem or need to do anything (cleaning, etc.)

[dtcerrato]

A tiny 12V computer fan just blowing upward just below the hottest coils across the back upper area of the fridge's vented area is the ace-in-the- hole for keeping fridge interior temps real cold in real hot ambient temps - trust me it helps tremendously...

[Jim Blackwood]

I think this thread is sort of in danger of wandering off topic but as it stands after running on propane for 5 hours the freezer is about -5 and fridge is 40. That seems OK for 90 degree weather I think. I'll do more testing when the electric element gets here. Might start a new thread for installation.

But next up, what do you guys think would be the odds of finding a good usable old school water heater with manual controls and a pilot light? Any thoughts on that one?

Jim

[chessie4905]

I have a current Suburban 6 gal electric/propane one in our 2020 travel trailer and it works fine, with no issues so far. But an electric 12 gallon one is hard to beat. Just sits there quietly working.

[richard5933]

...But next up, what do you guys think would be the odds of finding a good usable old school water heater with manual controls and a pilot light? Any thoughts on that one?

Jim

Why pilot light? They're a PITA compared to a properly running electric ignition.

[luvrbus]

Why pilot light? They're a PITA compared to a properly running electric ignition.

They all have pilot lights the electronic is for lighting the pilot light,I have had the igniter go bad and use a propane torch to light the heater till I replaced the igniter unit

[dtcerrato]

Why pilot light? They're a PITA compared to a properly running electric ignition.

There is a lot of redundancy built into our conversion - lots of time for overlap on a coach with 42 years of ownership..two of our appliances are pilot lights absolutely no electric needed to run. Pita! NOT
One is an lpg radiant Empire furnace & the other is a 6gal lpg water heater of 1970s vintage and both run better than when they were new. Of coarse they're redundant to newer electronic ignited Atwood Excaliber forced air furnace and a 20 gal 120V water heater but when boon docking or dry camping guess which ones are being used with much pleasure and independence from solar, battery banks, or genny?! Pita! NOT...
I guess we took that one personal.
It's all good. Redundancy redundancy redundancy... 

[richard5933]

There is a lot of redundancy built into our conversion - lots of time for overlap on a coach with 42 years of ownership..two of our appliances are pilot lights absolutely no electric needed to run. Pita! NOT
One is an lpg radiant Empire furnace & the other is a 6gal lpg water heater of 1970s vintage and both run better than when they were new. Of coarse they're redundant to newer electronic ignited Atwood Excaliber forced air furnace and a 20 gal 120V water heater but when boon docking or dry camping guess which ones are being used with much pleasure and independence from solar, battery banks, or genny?! Pita! NOT...
I guess we took that one personal.
It's all good. Redundancy redundancy redundancy... 

Didn't mean anything personal Dan. With vintage equipment like you have, it is truly possible to run with a pilot and not have to worry about electronics going bad. Somehow I thought that we were talking something newer in this situation, something which will likely have electric/electronic controls whether or not there is a pilot or ignitor.

I like redundancy too, but on something like a water heater there is very little to go bad with the ignition system that $20 won't fix, other than the main board. And, if it's the main board then likely it wouldn't run if it were a pilot unit either unless it's one as old as your Dan.