Refrigerator partly works

[Mthiker]

We have a 2014 Fun Finder 189 FBS TT with a Dometic 2652 double door refrigerator. When prepping for last outing I started the refrigerator on propane in our sloped drive way. I know you should only run frig when on level ground but I was in a hurry. Got to camp and frig not working. Back home on level ground the top freezer works but lower area not getting cold. Did I break the frig and is it fixable. Note: also noticed the thermistor was just dangling inside lower part of frig but even after I put it back where it should be, no change to cooling. Any help in fixing would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

 

[profdant139]

I'm not an expert, but I think that running the fridge for a little while on a tilt is not fatal -- the damage resulting from non-level operation is slow and cumulative, or so I have read.

And I would think that if the freezer is still getting cold, you did not damage the coils -- otherwise, the freezer would not work.

So the good news is that the unit is probably ok. The bad news is that I have no idea why the freezer would work and the fridge does not!!

 

[Xerofall]

I've been struggling with a similar issue. I think I've boiled it down to outside temps.

When I bought the trailer, it was in the low 70s. The fridge was in the 30-40 range, the freezer was 20-30 range.

Had it plugged in and running ever since sitting in my driveway. When I checked one day, I was shocked to see the fridge skyrocketed to 70... however the freezer was still good to go. The outside temps were 85-95 however.

Then on a Sunday we had a storm blow in, it went from 95 to the low 50s! I checked the fridge and it returned to the 30-40 range. Then back up to 70 when the heat got back up.

I'm researching getting some cooling fans for the fridge venting off the side of the trailer, I hope that'll help. But I really think the outside temps will affect your fridge.

In the end, I'm hoping the cooler temps while camping at a higher elevation will keep it cold.

 

[Mthiker]

Thank you for the replies. Forgot to mention that we live in San Diego County with temperate climate, (rarely gets over 85 degrees). We are hopefully going out again (if they do not close parks again) to local mountains and we will see if there is still a problem.

 

[Woodgrain]

Is yours an 189 FBS or FDS? The FDS has the fridge in the slideout and Cruiser didn’t account for proper venting. Even in the FBS, if they didn’t install the flue baffling correctly it will overheat.

Recommend pulling the installation manual for the fridge and verify installation clearances. Too much is bad because air is not being forced through the cooling fins. Tighter the better

 

[mjpguy]

Another thing to keep in mind is, the refrigerator get its "cold" from the freezer. The frozen air from the freezer is what cools down the fridge. If the freezer is working but the refer is not, look for some kind of port/vent blockage or the fan that forces the air from the freezer into the refer is either broken or in some cases, something spilled in the freezer and froze the blades of the fan. It happens.