Your RV fridge is a super important part of your home on wheels. It allows you to keep food cold and safe to eat throughout your camping adventures. Unfortunately, as is the case with all appliances, RV refrigerators do sometimes have problems, including issues with the thermistor, RV fridge vent, and even the door seal.
The good news? You can probably solve many of the most common RV fridge problems at home. In this article, we will discuss common issues and give you some troubleshooting tips, so you can get your RV refrigerator up and running again as soon as possible.
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Common RV Fridge Problems
First, let’s take a look at some of the most common problems people have with their RV refrigerators and the solution to each issue.
The Fridge Isn’t Cooling at All
There are a few things that can cause the fridge not to cool at all and we address a couple of these in the section about fridge parts below. That said, the thing you’ll want to check first is that the RV is level. Staying parked on an unlevel surface can lead to a fridge that doesn’t cool and can even cause serious damage.
Don’t get too freaked out! Most modern RV refrigerators are still able to function for short periods of time when they are not level. In general, the problem occurs when your fridge has been out of level for over 30 minutes. This is when irreparable damage to the cooling unit can occur.
Interested in how you can stop this from happening? The first thing that you will need is a bubble level. This tool will ensure that your appliance is level.
- Place the level on the self in the freezer.
- Park and stabilize your rig.
- Check the level by making sure that half of the bubble stays in the center circle.
If the reading on the level indicates that your RV is not balanced, try the following steps:
- Position your RV about 2 feet from its final stopping point.
- Turn the engine off and set the parking brake.
- Determine how many blocks you will need at each tire position.
- Place two stacked blocks against each tire for a slight ramp-like configuration.
- Drive the RV up the blocks and stop when you reach the center of the top blocks.
- Use a level to make sure everything is level.
- Once everything is level, place the transmission in park, stop the engine, and set the parking brake.
The Refrigerator Works on Propane but Not on 110V Power
Check all the circuit breakers and fuses. Check the outlet on the back of the refrigerator. Use a multimeter to check for power voltage. If the voltage checks out okay and all lights work, then check the electric heating element. If this is broken, it is often difficult to replace. In these cases, it could make more sense to replace the fridge entirely.
The Refrigerator Works on 110V Power but Not on Propane
If the fridge runs on electricity, but not propane, you’ll want to head to the back of the fridge and remove the RV refrigerator vent cover on the outside wall to check out the flame. When the flame doesn’t light at all, you either have a problem with the delivery of propane (a clogged line) or an issue with the spark intended to light the fuel (could be a fuse).
If the flame stays lit, how does it look? If it’s not great, you could have some rust or debris causing the flame to be weak. Vacuum out the area around the burner. If it doesn’t light at all, you will have to vacuum out the entire burner area. The jet most likely has debris blocking it.
You Smell Ammonia
If you smell ammonia you have a leak. This is a service tech repair job. Ammonia will make your eyes water and affect your breathing. This usually means the cooling unit is in trouble. Turn off the refrigerator as quickly as you can if you suspect an ammonia leak. This repair needs a service tech to determine if it’s repairable, or you need to purchase a new RV refrigerator.
Be aware that if it has been leaking for a while you won’t necessarily smell the ammonia. Another sign that indicates a leak is if you hear a “bubbling” sound from the back of the fridge after it’s been turned on? Or maybe all the controls are working but the RV refrigerator still isn’t cold. Check to see if there is a yellowish or greenish stain on the back of the fridge near the burner. If you see the stain, chances are you have a leak.
RV Refrigerator Parts: Common Fixes
Still haven’t found the problem with your fridge? In this section, we will talk about some of the parts of your RV fridge that could be broken and how to replace them.
RV Fridge Vent
Weather and age will deteriorate your RV refrigerator vent on the roof. UV rays will also cause it to deteriorate. Exposure to the elements can damage the integrity of the roof vent material. It hardens the composition of the material to the point that any pressure on the vent could cause it to crumble.
Fortunately, the RV fridge vent can be easily replaced. The replacement vent doesn’t have to be identical to the original, just be sure it’s functional and allows for the air to pass through. You will find various models, styles, and colors that easily mount on motorhomes, travel trailers, and 5th wheels. Universal RV roof vents can also be found, which makes selection easy.
To replace your roof fridge vent:
- Remove the old RV refrigerator vent by unscrewing the old model and pulling it up off of the roof.
- Run butyl tape around the inside edge of the new RV fridge vent and place it in the hole in the roof.
- Put a dollop of RV roof sealant in each screw hole and then screw the vent into place.
- Seal well all around the vent using self leveling sealant.
Side Wall RV Refrigerator Vent
Periodically check the sidewall RV refrigerator vent for obstructions such as hornets’ nests, leaves, or other debris. The RV fridge vent helps to draft and circulate the hot air from the refrigerator. Heat is created from the cooling process and is then vented from behind the refrigerator. Air coming through the outside side vent will allow the hot air to draft through the roof vent. Because this venting process is so important, checking the side vent occasionally is a good idea.
Replacing the side vent cover is very easy.
- Simply remove the screws and take out the old vent.
- Use putty tape on the back of the new vent and push it into place.
- Replace the screws to secure the vent.
If your side vent is getting yellowish in color from the sun, go ahead and change it. You don’t have to wait until its broken to do the job.
RV Refrigerator Fan
The RV refrigerator fan‘s job is to keep your fridge at a steady temperature, regardless of how hard the sun is beating down on your rig.
The problem is an RV refrigerator is unlike a residential fridge. A residential fridge uses an electric compressor to keep things cold with chemicals. An RV refrigerator relies on a unique heat absorption system. It needs convection, or air draft, to keep things cool. This means the RV refrigerator fan is super important.
Don’t have a fridge fan? Installing one might be a good idea. Is you do have one, here are three tips that can help keep your food cold in the hot summer weather:
- Park in the Shade – Park in the shade whenever possible. When you park in the shade, you lower the pressure on the RV refrigerator fan. The lower the temperature of the rig, the less the fan has to work. Make sure the side with the fridge vent is the side covered by the shade. This simple tip will improve your efficiency.
- Upgrade the Fan – You can improve the efficiency of your RV fridge by mounting a thermostatic-controlled fan. When the temperature inside the fridge reaches a set point, an extra fan will kick in and push the hot air outside. If you want more control, wire a switch that allows you to manually override the system as needed.
- Avoid Battery Operated Units – While RV refrigerator vent fans come in a variety of shapes and sizes, avoid battery-operated units. A battery-operated unit is easy to install, but can be difficult to reach when it’s time to change batteries. If you do use a battery-operated RV refrigerator fan, remember to turn it off when not in use. You will save yourself a whole lot of hassle.
Thermistor
If your fridge is not cool enough, too cold, or it’s fluctuating in temperature, or if your have frost build up in your fridge, you could have a problem with a part called the thermistor.
Thermistors are the part that sense the internal temperature of the fridge and control whether the unit actively cools itself off or shuts off at the proper temperature. When the thermistor gets old, it senses the temperature poorly and thus doesn’t tell other parts of the fridge to control it correctly.
A simple fix is to move the thermistor to the part of your fridge that becomes cool last. That way the cooling unit will stay on longer and get the fridge down to the right temp before shutting off.
That said, if your thermistor doesn’t work even after moving it, it might be time for a new one. Thermistors are cheap and easy to buy online. You can even replace them yourself. We recommend watching a few tutorial videos first.
Fridge Door Seal
Another common RV refrigeration repair is the door’s seal. If you’re having trouble maintaining the temperature of your fridge, check to make sure the door is sealing properly. Even when opened frequently, a fridge should be able to cool itself back down to the set temperature relatively quickly. If it doesn’t seem the unit is able to do that, you might just have a problem with the door seal.
The good news? Seals are easy to replace as well, and can sometimes save you the trouble of troubleshooting for a more complex or costly problem. To check for a seal defect, listen for escaping air and feel around the edge for any spots where cool air might be escaping.
The video below will help you understand how to replace the seal if you find that is the issue.
As you can see, there are several things that can cause issues when it comes to RV refrigerators. Luckily, with the information above, you should be able to track the problem down and may even be able to break out your tools and fix it yourself.
