RV Fridge

Sometimes you will get an older RV as scrap, the owner may have replaced the fridge with a newer larger model.

Here's how they work the refrigerant is mixture of ammonia and water, when heated is driven out of the water as a vapor which goes on a hunt through the coils in search of water as ammonia has an affinity for water. During it's search for water the vapor absorbs heat making ice which cools the box.

The vapor eventually returns to the water which stayed behind because of the lower boiling temperature, ammonia has a lower boiling temp.

These RV type fridges are known to quit working if they sit idle for long periods of time, the ammonia will eventually separate from the water at ambient temperatures settling out at higher elevations within the system making the refrigerator inoperable.

Tip the fridge upside down and leave it until the water has a chance to co-mix again with the ammonia, then again back right side up. You may have to do this several times before the fridge becomes functional again.

Now you have something to sell as a working unit, if this does not work then you have a leaker. No problem there are shops that service RV fridges and they will gladly give you a core payment, usually $50.00 for each nonworking fridge you bring in. Prices may have improved since my last transaction.

If the fridge has been abused and no longer looks good cosmetically, take it in for a core.

Regards
Gustavus

I agree with your method to flip them over... there is another tip that the owner of a propane shop told me about... sometimes in the bends of the pipes the mixture hardens and crystalizes.... feel the pipes and they should be warm/hot to the touch...where is stops getting warm, you have a blockage... try hitting with a hammer..... not too hard mind you... you don't want to break the line and breathe in amonia

Those thing are magic! No moving parts & runs off gas, & two powers...

You could even use a small fire made from twigs & it set up for another 12 hr run.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gustavus

These RV type fridges are known to quit working if they sit idle for long periods of time, the ammonia will eventually separate from the water at ambient temperatures settling out at higher elevations within the system making the refrigerator inoperable.

Tip the fridge upside down and leave it until the water has a chance to co-mix again with the ammonia, then again back right side up. You may have to do this several times before the fridge becomes functional again.


Regards
Gustavus

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Huh. THAT is interesting. My RV fridge stopped working, and I bet it's just from sitting idle. I'm excited to hear this might be a simple fix. I was just going to rip it out, scrap it, and replace it. Thank you!

Jilly, leaving them upsidedown for 24 hours usually does the trick.