How to Fix an Old RV Refrigerator that Doesn't Get Cold 

i have fixed many refrigerators in rv parks when i find my baffled neighbours playing with their unit. If you get that screw out and get the burner tube out, you can pour rust out of it. Peoples eyes get wide. so then put the cover back on. Next go on the roof and take the plastic cover off. Inspect the screen to be sure air can move thru it. After the flame, moving the transported heat away from the condenser coil is equally important. Clean the screen and if you want here is where you would add a cooling fan to draw more air thru. Carolyn, you are exactly on the right track. Keep up the great work. Jacqueline, Mechanic and Refrigeration Technician

Good on you Carolyn for taking this as far as you did. I had a very similar experience with my 2014 Tioga Class C a few year ago in Key West FL. It worked great on shore power, not so good on gas. All the RV techs, told me to buy a new unit…I knew the problem was in the gas. I fooled around with it for days cleaning this and that and nothing changed. Everyone was going to dinner and beach parties and I couldn’t go and stayed to work on my RV for days. I finally talked the local RV shop to sell me a USED, jet they didn't have any new one available. I switched out the jet and bam…it worked just like being on shore power. It was my problem all along. I then took a magnified picture of my old jet (which I tried many times to clean with lots of products, like alcohol or break cleaner and nothing worked) and I could see what looked like salt deposits in the jet almost closing off the orifice. I still have it and will try to send you the pics of the close-up. I suggest buying a new jet, mine is a 58, you can see the number printed on the side when you take it out. Its on the end of the tubing coming from the gas supply just before the burner. Here’s a link on a Dometic Orifice #58 Burner Jet www.dyersonline.com/dometic-orifice-58-burner-jet.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwuITNBRBFEiwA9N9YENGT1jvMbvak4THks2c27ObhI4d3vfCmLuOEYvwUi8NClKWwR9wbkBoCiRYQAvD_BwE I found out you also need to clean the flue (burner tube) from above with a wire brush. You can order one on-line from Dometic or I was going to buy a 3/4” pipe cleaning brush from Home Depot and rig it to make it long enough to clean the whole pipe from above, but I ended up taking the whole thing out and it really wasn't that bad. One more thing, on that condensate drain hose, instead of running it straight out the vent cover, first insure there is a drip loop in the hose before it goes outside. This drip loop will act like a pee-trap on a sink and seal the outside air from inside your refrigerator. Just make it go down first then back up high on the vent cover. The outside air can migrate up the tube and raise the temperature as much as 10 degrees….and that burner cover should be tight, or could blow out from the wind when your driving. Let me know if you try this…Terry

You are becoming very skilled with your RV repairs Carolyn. You do your research and have a go and do well. I had a neighbour who bought a manual for the type of car she owned and would do all kinds of jobs by following the manual.

Hi Carolyn. I am glad you are not afraid to troubleshoot! You are so intelligent because you do your research and take precautions! Keep it up!

Good for you, being a lone since my hub died 17 years ago I do things myself and wear myself out and IF I cant fix it then I call someone. Saved a lot of money doing it and Plus you learn.

We had a problem once with ours. Found the problem by chance. I broke the rooftop cover and when I pulled it off to replace it we found that the insulation above the fridge came loose from the sidewall and was blocking the air flow up through the roof. Made all the difference just by securing it back in place. Safe Travels!

"Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I break shit." We need THAT on a tee! lol Everybody else is asking about your tank top, I want to know about your back tats!

Take my 30 some years of experience and chalk it up to weather. You can use the pipe cleaners to clean that drain as well as baking soda with vinegar. I also set the thing on fire. Learning through experience! LOVE YOU, Carolyn.

Great video, Carolyn. So happy to see you are still out and about, and things appear to be going well for you. Bless you, girl!

Love how you troubleshoot and GO FOR IT to fix a problem... keep inspiring!

Really excellent! That was so smart of you to do. Sometimes, regardless of what we're willing to pay to just get a problem fixed for us, what actually does the job is our own smarts and intuition. So the seal isn't such a problem after all. Way to go. Seriously, Metilda seems to always come thru.

I admire your tenacity in research and repair work. Keep up the good fight!

Love when a DIY project works! Congrats on 42k subscribers!

Consider soaking the cover in vinegar to neutralize rust. Paint cover with Zithron 900 1235 degree extreme temp paint. To restore corrosion protection.

PERSISTENCE! GREAT VIDEO CAROLYN!. Wow! THANK you .Pipe cleaners, don't be without . That long pipe is full of rust,suet. Vacuum Inside also. Same happened to my brother's 90's Dometic 3 way Have SAFE travels and cold frig. 😁

You keep this up I will have to start showing your vids to my RV Techs lol. Good job!

Thanks for the ideas, I'm glad that you found a way to get the refer colder. Nothing worse than having a refrigerator that doesn't give you full service. I'm thinking of pulling the vent pipe out and having a sheet metal shop replicate it with stainless steel. It would never be the source of crap in the burner again. You're on the right track and you've given me some ideas. I've seen guys with air compressors blowing out the burner. A great alternative would be to use a can of "Keyboard Air Cleaner". They come with a small tube that can be used to focus the air directly down the burners and up the burner in the same direction as the gas is blown. Further thought is the heat has to get into the flue and be there long enough to get the ammonia heated. Removing the baffle is probably allowing more heat into the vent pipe. I suspect my problem may be at the top of the vent or on the fins of the upper 'radiator'.

That's one of the secrets of life.... When you have a problem, at least look at it. I can't tell you how many times I've fixed computers or cars that the owner could easily have done had they just carefully poked around the way you did. Excellent lesson, Carolyn. Thank you for sharing. Aloha.

Great information! Thank you. Glad your refrigerator is working better!!

Thanks for this tip. I've heard everything regarding old rv's is clean and clean it some more. Gonna try this.

Carolyn, the shield is to keep the wind from blowing out the flame, so install it correctly. after the pipe cleaner blow out with a can of keyboard air. And good job!

Great work. Showing us that it's fine and dandy to at least research and TRY!

COOL! I was told the same thing. A good clean blue flame. I really liked watching this video. Science & Tech always fascinate me. Very informative and educational. These are great things to know and look for. Something so simple and 10 degrees colder. AWESOME JOB! Peace! 🌈🌈

You did the exact same service you would get from a RV repair place, lol, great job. Only this time the work carries a warranty from Carolyn! Keep up the good work.

Greetings Carolyn, a couple other tips that will help, make sure your vent on the roof for your fridge is clear of debris. Good air circulation is a must for an RV fridge. Also, I've seen people mount a computer fan on the coils which makes a big difference. There are several how to You tube videos on this topic. Lastly, the easiest fix is to park your RV so the fridge side in not in the direct sun.

I didn't know that could be or needed to be done! There's still so much I need to learn!

I'm glad you were able to fix it. I saw a video on Bob's channel I think, that showed a guy putting reflectix inside his fridge and a small battery fan too to help cool things down. I forget which video, but it's something to try to help cool things off in there.

"NEVERTHELESS, SHE PERSISTED" , Carolyn that suits you perfectly. Great video.

Good for you,smart woman! Love all your videos, and Capone,

Your doing good, learning by doing. Make sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm in the living quarters and I'd say your good to go. Appreciate the time you took to show us all what you did. And to be very clear on safety issues that could arise. Thanks Carolyn.

Another thing you might try is putting an "S" in the condesate drain tube to form a p-trap, like under your sink. Make sure it has enough water in it to make it air tight. I've heard (but haven't tried it myself) that this can get you another 10 degrees of cold, especially in warm humid climates. Makes sense to me since that tube is basically a 1/2 in diameter hole between your fridge interior and the warm outside.

Great vid, and yes, propane takes getting used to. I'm still learning at my 60+ years. I love the tee, and those tats. Have a full back tat myself. Hopefully someday we can share!

Get one of those little mechanic's inspection mirrors and look up thru the 'chimney'...you might have a blockage...also check the roof vent over the fridge, make sure its not blocked.

Thank you ma'am for sharing! I'm glad you got it working normal again! Happy Trails! :-)

I love it! You're also a handy woman not afraid of tackling problems yourself! Keep up the great videos!

Amazing! You have the courage to take apart the refrigerator and I would most likely never do that. My solution: Buy dry ice and put it in a container in the frig and call it a day.

Carolyn a air compressor may be helpful to clean the burner and the exhaust pipe of that system . If there is no air compressor available you may want to try the cans of air that people buy to clean dust off their computer keys boards It's fun at times to watch your videos and I imagine the fun interaction I could have with you⚓

Great how to Diy. Pretty good shape for 25 yrs most houses would need more work lol. RV simple sweet to work on.....cheap living... I put reflectix inside my door where condiments go... Stays cooler less energy

i had same experience in Brewster county Texas . cured problem with wall mart deep freeze and solar panel. UN believable , hot summers make more ice . i love NASA inventions

love the tank top !!

I think you do really well on trying to/and fixing things. Some people just throw away things soon as it doesn't work like new.I suppose rving or camping wouldn't work for those that give up sooo easily.

You go. Good for you for teaching yourself and kicking butt. Thank you for the video.

You rock Girl! Get in there & get 'er done!

😯 wow great job gently troubleshooting! Hoping I may be as brave one day! Thanks for the advice!

Be Happy, be Smart, Be PROUD. And Celebrate!! With a big smile on your face you beat the professionals. Yehhh!!

Gas/Elec./Propane scares me too!! GREAT JOB Carolyn!!!!! So glad you fixed it!!! AWESOME JOB GIRL!!!!

I am so glad that you were able to fix that....go girl go...

Happy for you! Glad you went exploring and "fixed" it lol.....I too like the saying sometimes I get lucky, sometimes i break shit...it is definitely at tee topic!

It's amazing what one can do when one puts their mind, knowledge and common sense nto it. A job well done Carolyn. Really enjoyed this video. Thank you for sharing.

Love the bloopers at the end of the video! Should do that more often, so cute!

Awesome glad you got it working again

Don't you feel accomplished when you do something like this? I do. Happy for you!

Good job, Carolyn!! 😘

Gonna try it today !!! Ty

Thanks for the info, good job!

Very informative. Thanks!

Good info! Thanks 😊

Great work, just keep an eye on it. You look happy. Peace.

Install a small 12 volt circulation fan up facing towards the refrigerator chimney o the roof. I put an on/switch on the circuit. On hot days it increases the air circulation and gives me great cooling.

It always pays to try to do these things yourself when you can, and with the slogan on your shirt you've gotta succeed!!!!

Great Job!

Good for you Carolyn! Next learning about the generator.

Lol! "At least that's what I think, I'm no expert!" You are the best! Thank you.

Good for you I admire you never the less u persisted :-)

Carolyn, I'm such an avid fan of yours, now I've watched ALL of your videos and I'm lost. No more videos to watch! What is a person to do? I need my Carolyn fix! Well take care, i love what your doing and don't stop! Keep your head and chin up amongst all these cyber meanies! Love love love you!

You go girl!

Very clever! Way to go!!!

way to go girl GOOD JOB.

Every time I turn on the camera too I get company. Funny how that works! Your fridge might be fine in these cooler temps but what are you going to do when it's back into the 90's? For food safety, refrigerators should always be under 40 degrees.

I have an old road ranger rv .. No paperwork to see what year. The frig doesn't work on electric. Will it work on propane? And how do I light pilot in back of frig?

Great video!

Great video thanks

Pippi Peterson has great RV tips !Great job, pretty frustrating tweeking old things all the time I bet?Hugs

One more challenge passed with an A+ Bless you my friend

To add to the cooling power of our RV fridge we try to park our rig with the fridge away from the afternoon sun. It helps.

Good info. Thx

You are soo brave Carolyn'😊 wish i was brave to try fixing stuff in my truck camper... to afraid i might break something..

Well done.

Hey friendly. I don't know if you couldn't get the screw out because it was too tight, or if the head was stripped. If the head is stripped, laying a wide rubber band over the hole and then inserting your screwdriver usually works. Just an FYI. Fun video.....

I love the message on your shirt! You are a genius, Peppermint Patty.

compressed air in a can like you use to clean the inside of computers and keyboards could get more rust out than the pipe cleaner.

Truly amazingkts ...😁

Good job!

do you have a manual fro your fridge i have the same 1

That metal cover is just a draft shield, just cut the top bit off (the bit with the rusty curve) with some wire snips and reinstall it with screw, Be aware with it just pushed in with no screw like you have it now will result in it coming loose and dislodge which will let the flame easily be blown out by the wind.

Gracias, buen trabajo

I hope this same thing will fix mine...I kinda think mine is a bigger issue but a guy who works for an rv dealership told me exactly what you just said that rust falls out of the exhaust vent. He said to get a can of that air like you use to clean computers and blow out the piece where the flames come out. LOL @ "Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I break shit." that is the story of my life!!!

Super...a need to know, good one👍👍. Thx, 😘!

Great job, really like your top.......

I want all 3. The tank info,tat,and love that phase!!!!

I put heat shield on any pipes that get hot back there and I put an exaust fan on the vent door. My temperature dropped 15 degrees.

Great, never thought about cleaning that gas line, to the burner ,Thanks

Good job out of you!

love your shirt i got one for my daughter

Love your shirt!

Love it.

Great job in getting the fridge to perform better! I would put the screw back in place so it won't get lost even though the cover is not on. If someone has some sheet metal shears, maybe cut the hole out a little larger. If none available, use a hack saw and make small cuts around the hole then take pliers to remove the small bits to enlarge the hole then you can replace the cover and monitor the temp to see if that helped. Also, does the condensation hose fit into a hole to completely drain out and away from the RV or at least our of the refrigerator compartment? Keep up the good work!

. Thanks for your video

I enjoy your videos, your heart is beautiful. Thanks for sharing and not getting discouraged.

Way to go!!!!!