Residential Fridge Problem

oletimer · July 2, 2015

We have a 2003 Teton that we are in most of the year. About 3 years ago we started having problems with the fridge, a sideXside Dometic NDR1292? So last summer I beefed up our solar, and installed a Frigidaire 18' with a top freezer and non-electrical controls. I was going to try to get by without changing my invertor. It worked great all winter without the genset ever having to be fired up. We have 800 watts of panels, 1,100 AH of AGM batteries. Got back to Kansas the first of May, shut everything down for a couple months, then wanted to head for the lake. Fridge wouldn't cool. Took it to the shop, no gas. They said, "Frigidaire top freezers are noted for condenser leaks", so replaced, $380, 2 months out of warranty. Worked good for about 4 hours, because of a bad sweat job, so repaired, and recharged. Worked good all day, but the next AM, all ice had turned to water. Checked again in the PM, and all water had turned back to ice. I kept telling them I was using MSW power, and they checked it out and said the power was fine. I placed temp sensors in the box, and freezer and have been monitoring, and all has been going OK, until last night about 10:00 PM, when the box went to 34*/freezer -11*. I hooked up to shore power then, and at 6:30 AM this morning the box is 40*/freezer 28*. I have always thought the freezer had too much range, anywhere from 0*-12*, but they said that was because of the defrost cycle, but I'm sure that cycle would not take it all the way up to 28*. I have now sold this RV, but I don't want to sell any problems. I've got crazy things going on with both MSW, and PSW power. Do you think the I messed up the controls while using MSW power, the shop don't think so.

Any ideas? As always, Thanks, Dick T

Mariner · July 3, 2015

When you say shop, do you mean an RV shop? Not sure a lot of RV shops would have much experience with a residential fridge. Did you check with Frigidaire? I personally have a PSW for our Whirlpool fridge. MSW can really mess with electrical things that would rather have PSW.

oletimer · July 3, 2015

When you say shop, do you mean an RV shop? Not sure a lot of RV shops would have much experience with a residential fridge. Did you check with Frigidaire? I personally have a PSW for our Whirlpool fridge. MSW can really mess with electrical things that would rather have PSW.

Sorry, I didn't make myself very clear. Not an RV shop, but Appliance Repair Shop for all models. They did confirm all my controls are mechanical, but I know there are relays and such. I was warned on this and the HDT forum to install a PSW invertor, and I was going to, but got LAZY, plus it worked OK, I think because of the non-electric controls. Hope to find more today as they said they would now come to me, and save me a 40 mile round trip. Not very hopeful though.

Dick T

GlennWest · July 3, 2015

My Teton has a residential fridge from factory. Also has MSW inverter from factory. The fridge was not run off the inverter. I changed that so the fridge would function when traveling. Came with 4 12v batteries from factory also. We have had 0 problems. Ours is the Amanda which I understand is same as Whirlpool. It does have digital display.