klm
SIOUX FALLS, SD
Senior Member
Joined: 05/26/2004
View Profile
 Online
|
Hi,
I am a FT'er, so the coach and appliances are in constant use. I have a 2 dr Dometic frig. I have to defrost the refrig fins every few weeks.(freezer much less frquently) Is this normal? They get a buildup of ice, pretty substantial am't. Is there something I could/should be doing to prevent this, or at least slow it down? I have the frig set on #4 (out of 5) cold setting, would it help to lower?
Do you have a technique of defrosting you can share? Thanks, Kathy
'02 KOUNTRY STAR DP
'04 PT CRUISER INFERNO RED
LUCKY THE TRAVELIN'BLACK CAT
|
itsalleasy
USA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/20/2007
View Profile
|
That doesn't sound bad. It will depend on how often/how long the door is opened, humidity. And how good the door seal is.
|
avan
Sioux Falls, SD & Livingston,TX
Senior Member
Joined: 11/02/2002
View Profile
 Offline
|
We also FT and rarely see even frost on the fins. Can't remember ever having to 'defrost' the fridge. Do get some ice buildup in freezer - de-ice or defrost that maybe once every 3 months. Our setting is generally a 5 or 6 out of 9.
Click for more pics of our FT home, our snowbird digs and our summer trips
The puller - International 4700LP (530E) - Wiers Towmaster; Trailer-Saver Air Hitch
The pusher - 40' Travel Supreme Fifth
|
Phils
Paradise, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/23/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
Sound about normal to me. I used two Dometics for full-time living for 7 years and SHOULD have defrosted as often as you do but many times I didn't get it done for 2 or 3 months or longer. They use more propane as those fins ice up.
To defrost I used a hair dryer after shutting the fridge off. Took out the top skinny shelf and put a baking tray on the next shelf to catch the water/ice. Seems like it took less than 10 minutes. This was for the fins only as the freezers only needed defrosting once or twice per year.
Sold them last March because of Dometic's recall: 1) these were built-in a regular (off-grid) home so it was a major pain if I wanted their band-aid shield installed and 2) I was uncomfortable keeping two fridges in my house that had a manufacture's acknowlegement that they could start a serious fire.
The hairdryer should be plugged in to a ground-fault interupt circuit, which is what your kitchen should have. Be careful using electricity around water.
Phil
'03 F250 deezle and '01 Komfort 27FS
Off the grid and outta sight at home
Go camping to have neighbors and amenities
|
jzick
Davenport,Fl
New Member
Joined: 07/05/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Once per week,we turn the fridge off when we go to bed and turn it back on as soon as we get up in the morning. Food stays cold, fins have no more ice film - water from ice on fins drains out. Works great for us and we do not have to use hair dryers, pans of hot water, etc.
Joe and Bonnie
2 Lazy Dogs
07 Allegro Bay FRED 35 TSB
|
|
|
spitfirepete
Great Outdoors RV resort
Senior Member
Joined: 11/17/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Your experience sounds normal......If you don't wait until there is a lot of ice buildup on the fins, you can just shut the refrigerator off for 4-6 hours and the ice will drain off...no harm to food. Then turn it back on...Works for us.
Peter and Linda
2007 Mandalay Presidio ISC
1975 Triumph Spitfire toad
2007 Saturn Vue toad
Bichon and Cocker (spoiled puppies)
|
Triker33
Homestead, FL
Senior Member
Joined: 11/30/2002
View Profile
|
On a 4 out of 5 setting my fins will Ice up.
I move the setting down to 3 and ice clears up. So I run on three with that fin slider all the way up.
On the 3 setting it will stay from 33 to 38 depending on how often the door is opened. I use a remote temperature sender inside. On real hot days traveling if remote shows it getting to 40-41 then I turn it up to the 4 setting.
You might try to run the slider all the way down on a 4 setting.
I defrost the freezer around 3 times a year.
Larry Full Time Since 99
1999 34Q Discovery DP ISB 275HP 6 Speed Allison
Banks Powerpack
DataStorm SatMax5 | CoPilot Live 10 | VMSpc | Pressure Pro
14' Chariot Trailer
2001 FXSTI HD
08 HHR LT2
Click here to see where I am
|
ladymc53
Canyon Lake, Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 04/20/2007
View Profile
|
Phils wrote:Sound about normal to me. I used two Dometics for full-time living for 7 years and SHOULD have defrosted as often as you do but many times I didn't get it done for 2 or 3 months or longer. They use more propane as those fins ice up.
To defrost I used a hair dryer after shutting the fridge off. Took out the top skinny shelf and put a baking tray on the next shelf to catch the water/ice. Seems like it took less than 10 minutes. This was for the fins only as the freezers only needed defrosting once or twice per year.
Sold them last March because of Dometic's recall: 1) these were built-in a regular (off-grid) home so it was a major pain if I wanted their band-aid shield installed and 2) I was uncomfortable keeping two fridges in my house that had a manufacture's acknowlegement that they could start a serious fire.
The hairdryer should be plugged in to a ground-fault interupt circuit, which is what your kitchen should have. Be careful using electricity around water.
Phil
Your method is the same one I use - 4 mos. before defrosting...I'm lazy. took about 15 mins.
Bill & Linda
Ladymc & Shuttlebird
2008 Silver Dodge Diesel Dually 3500 - "The Silver Bullet"
Towing 1998 35 ft. Newmar 5th wheel
20K Husky Hitch & Blue Ox Bedsaver
Handheld Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS AND Sat. in dash mounted GPS in the truck
READY TO ROLL!
|
Dennis Henderson
Crystal River, Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 08/03/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
As fulltimers for almost 9 years, we finally realized that the only time we get frost/ice on the refrigerator fins is when we have the setting too cold. Once we figured that out and adjusted our setting, we never have frost or ice build up.
When we did have the build up and needed to defrost, we would simply turn the refrigerator off overnight and turn it back on in the morning. The frost/ice would be gone and the refrigerator temperature would still be below 40 degrees.
We keep a refrigerator thermometer inside at all times so that whenever we open the door we can sneak a peek at the temperature and verify that it isn't too cold.
Hope this helps.
Dennis and Cindy Henderson
fulltiming, currently at Crabtree Meadows at milepost 339 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina
|
Gruffy
monominto mb ca
Senior Member
Joined: 10/02/2003
View Profile
|
I agree with the Henderson's ..... never get frost or ice build up on the fins. Some ice does form but falls off on the next cooling cycle. Defrost the freezer whenever the frost builds up inside. Depends on how humid it is where we camp.
If it stays frozen on top and doesn't freeze below we figure we're good to go. Have never checked the actual temperature.
|
|
|
