How RV Refrigerators Work

There are a lot of misconceptions about how RV refrigerators work.  For example, an RV fridge does not have a compressor or refrigerant like a household unit.  RV fridges have a coil system that boils ammonia and when it reaches the condenser, it cools.  There are three methods of boiling the ammonia: a 110 heating element, propane flame, and a 12 volt heating element. This type of refrigerator is referred to as a three way fridge.  Most units today are two way electric and propane.  Using a 12 volt heating element to cool a fridge is very difficult because the RV's house battery will discharge rapidly if you don't have another method of recharging it.  You can tell your RV fridge is working well if it cools right down in 2 or 3 hours.  Your fridge has a problem with the cooling unit if you get a strong smell of ammonia, the freezer is cooling but the fridge isn't, or if it becomes warm inside.  If you smell ammonia, the cooling unit needs to be changed as it is leaking.  If the fridge is warm inside or the freezer cold but not the fridge, your cooling unit probably has a blockage.  In most cases you would change the cooling unit.  About 10% of the time you can temporarily unblock a cooling unit by turning the fridge upside down.  Some people have tried driving over rough roads with their fridge in the back of their pick-up truck to loosen the blockage.  Changing a cooling unit is an expensive operation, even a rebuilt unit can range in cost from $600 to $900.  It takes approximately 2-3 hours to remove and replace the fridge and the cooling unit.  When a cooling unit needs to be changed, we will always recommend a complete fridge.  For a few hundred dollars extra, you will get not only an updated model, you will get new electronic modules as well.  Nothing is worse than installing a new cooling unit and having the ignition module or power supply fail, costing an additional $250.  Replacement refrigerators are available for most existing Dometic and Norcold models.  The cost to replace your fridge starts at about $900 for a small camper fridge to $2000 for the deluxe larger models.  Some of the four door models with ice makers reach $5000 and more.  The only way to extend the life of your fridge is to ensure that you keep the fridge level when in operation.