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Refrigerator


psvenndex

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We are connected to electricity. When we hit the on/off button on refrigerator the lights light up and we hit the “auto” button so the power switches to AC. We have the temperature set for coolest. After 5 or 6 hours there is no cooling in the refrigerator. It seems like the coils on the outside are warm. Any ideas? 

Pam & Steve Venneman


Hull #301

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Which refrigerator do you have?  We have the Dometic and keep the temp control right in the middle and the setting is always on auto so that we are on propane with no shore power and on 110V when on shore power.  

After 5 or 6 hours is the refrigerator still cool?  Could it just be cycling?  If on propane does it stay on?  Mike

Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L

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When you stick your hand in the freezer section, does the bottom of the freezer feel cold? Getting any icing?

All the 3 ways we've ever used, any brand, cool faster on gas. Electric is far slower..

And, cool faster if loaded with cold liquids (think prechilled or even frozen quarts and gallons  of water,  or chilled beverages.).

Most  3way fridges will not cool down, and bring down warm beverages to cold , in less than 12 to 24 hours, in my experience. 

Tell us how you started. What you loaded. And, where are you now? Ambient temperature?

All these things are factors .

 

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2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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And , it's always possible that something isn't working properly.  

Please share a few more details,  for more help 

2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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11 hours ago, psvenndex said:

We have the Dometic refrigerator. The refrigerator does not cool even after 5 or 6 hours. All the drinks in the refrigerator are still room temperature. 

Does the refrigerator cool down on propane?

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Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L

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On 6/29/2021 at 12:09 AM, SeaDawg said:

And , it's always possible that something isn't working properly.  

Please share a few more details,  for more help 

When I first tried the refrigerator at home before leaving the refrigerator was empty and it seemed to cool on electric. About 2 weeks later I tried it on the road with some room temperature soft drinks and bottled water and nothing cooled after being hooked up to electric for most of a full day.

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Pam & Steve Venneman


Hull #301

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46 minutes ago, psvenndex said:

We have not tried to cool the refrigerator on propane yet.

The Dometic works most efficiently on propane.  If you want to cool it down quickly use propane.  It will take a couple of days using 110V to get it cool.  We use propane for the initial cooling then switch to 110V if we have it.  It’s on propane while we drive.  Mike

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Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L

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So I have to store my Ollie offsite. In the Texas heat if I turn on propane the evening before a trip it has cooled by next day.   I also try to only put cooled items in fridge. 

2021 Legacy Elite II Hull #807 - 2021 F150 w/ 3.5L EB and max tow package 

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Yeah  before trips I've always  turned our fridge on to 110 while still plugged in at home for at least a  day before I start loading stuff  into  the fridge (have done so for many years with our van's Dometic and am on the same program with the Oliver's NorCold). If it's hot or  muggy  out (not common here despite the fun we just had with the "heat dome") we give it longer to get cold.

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Jim and  Yanna, Woodinville WA

2004 Ford E250 camper conversion

Oliver Elite II hull #709

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We are also in the Texas heat. We turn ours on propane until it is completely cooled and then load up from our residential refrigerator so everything is already cooled. We run on propane while driving and then once at the destination will connect to shore power if available.

Cindy

Charlie & Cindy / Cleburne, TX / 2021 Elite II Hull #743 / 2013 Ford F250 Diesel 4WD Supercab

States we've camped in our Oliver:

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  • 2 weeks later...

    I'm following this topic with interest.   I wouldn't have chosen a 3-way... My investigations and reading of countless posts... it seems the 3 ways are just another source of "trouble".   Todays modern "two ways" have just gotten so efficient and with the 340watt solar panels it seems to me a no brainer...  but alas, it's all that's available with an Ollie and I recognize that everything has its own learning curve and I this is no different.  So with that said:

~Am I going to be running it on propane even while driving (some seem to frown on doing this) if I like my food/coke/beer COLD?

~and yes I'll be putting warm cans in there and I expect it to make them ice cold.  Reasonable?

~Will the freezer keep ice cream hard?

~about how much propane does this thing consume?  (I upgraded to the two 30lb propane bottles)

~I like things cold.... so am I going to be happy with this or is it going to be more like a cooler with ice? 

(we are waiting for our build.... so I have nothing left to do but worry   🙂 )

 

2022 Elite II, Hull #1097  Elli Rose 🌹 and she has the solar panels with the 390Ah lithium batteries.  Our tow vehicle is a 2019 Ford Lariat F-150 4wd, 3.5L Eco-boost, 3.55 rear end, with the Max tow package.  Elli Rose also has the street side awning and several walnut and cherry mods on the inside.

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1 hour ago, mccrusn said:

    I'm following this topic with interest.   I wouldn't have chosen a 3-way... My investigations and reading of countless posts... it seems the 3 ways are just another source of "trouble".   Todays modern "two ways" have just gotten so efficient and with the 340watt solar panels it seems to me a no brainer...  but alas, it's all that's available with an Ollie and I recognize that everything has its own learning curve and I this is no different.  So with that said:

~Am I going to be running it on propane even while driving (some seem to frown on doing this) if I like my food/coke/beer COLD?

~and yes I'll be putting warm cans in there and I expect it to make them ice cold.  Reasonable?

~Will the freezer keep ice cream hard?

~about how much propane does this thing consume?  (I upgraded to the two 30lb propane bottles)

~I like things cold.... so am I going to be happy with this or is it going to be more like a cooler with ice? 

(we are waiting for our build.... so I have nothing left to do but worry   🙂 )

 

 I always travel with the refrig  on propane.  The only risk of this is different state laws mostly states with bridges and long tunnels.  Some are clearly marked and some have detours others don’t have anything until  you see the flashing lights behind you because you have  propane  on board and you disobey the signs. All the years I’ve traveled with the propane on  I never had a problem. But these days never say never. 😳

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Grant  2022 GMC Denali 2500 HD 2019  Elite 11😎

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We tend to follow cooler weather, but we still sometimes wind up in 90 plus degree weather. Our three ways did fine. Yes, they kept beer cold, as well as food. We don't often buy ice cream,  but that stayed frozen, too.

We've had our dc compressor fridge for two seasons now. I really like it, but it's not necessarily the best choice for everyone.  

Though we upgraded to 400 watts of solar, and 200 portable,  I still have to run the generator some days, as it uses at least 60 to 70 amp hours a day, and that's in the relative cool of 3000 ft elevation in North Carolina. (We have only two 12v x 105 ah batteries in our Elite.)

Yes, we're in the camp that ran on propane while driving. some seem to be fine on 12v driving, but not us.

Relax. Get your fridge cold at home before leaving, and enjoy the 3 way. It's not that big of a learning curve.

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2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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2 hours ago, mccrusn said:

    I'm following this topic with interest.   I wouldn't have chosen a 3-way... My investigations and reading of countless posts... it seems the 3 ways are just another source of "trouble".   Todays modern "two ways" have just gotten so efficient and with the 340watt solar panels it seems to me a no brainer...  but alas, it's all that's available with an Ollie and I recognize that everything has its own learning curve and I this is no different.  So with that said:

~Am I going to be running it on propane even while driving (some seem to frown on doing this) if I like my food/coke/beer COLD?

~and yes I'll be putting warm cans in there and I expect it to make them ice cold.  Reasonable?

~Will the freezer keep ice cream hard?

~about how much propane does this thing consume?  (I upgraded to the two 30lb propane bottles)

~I like things cold.... so am I going to be happy with this or is it going to be more like a cooler with ice? 

(we are waiting for our build.... so I have nothing left to do but worry   🙂 )

 

5+ years with our 3 way.  No issues.  We drive with propane on.  We have never used 12V.  The freezer keeps ice cream solid.  We put warm cans/bottles in and they cool down, just like home.  It uses very little propane. I don’t think this is something you need to worry about.  Mike

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Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L

ALAZARCACOFLGAIDILKSKYLAMDMSMOMTNENVNMNYNCNDOHOKSCSDTNTXUTVAWVWYsm.jpgALAZARCACOCTDEFLGAIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMS

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Our trailer is almost 6 years old; I have always run the fridge on propane during travels with no issues.  The only time we switch over to 12V is when we have to use one of the tunnels in our area; they require all campers of any type to stop for inspection.  You have to prove to them that the gas bottles are off. After we pass through the tunnel we stop and put the fridge back on propane.  We have been doing this process for many decades.

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Horace & Dianne

Chesapeake, Virginia

2016 Toyota Tundra Crewmax 4x4 Limited

2015 Oliver Legacy Elite II - Hull # 93

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We've had good results, as well as bad, with 3-way absorption RV fridges.  Our first experience was with an older (2013) two door 7-cu ft Dometic in a 30 ft 5th-wheel.  It did not have electronic controls; temp selector was a slide on the side of the cooling fins.  We had no problems with it, whatsoever and it kept proper temp well.

Experience #2: a 6 cu ft two door Dometic 3-way in a 25 ft. Leisure Travel Van.  It struggled to maintain safe temps and most always had to be set on the coldest setting.  It's possible the poor efficiency was the result of the installation; also, the fridge had plastic slotted shelves that didn't allow air to circulate well, which made it struggle to keep cool.  At any rate, I hated that fridge 😠

Along comes Norcold: The Norcold in our 2021 Elite II has been great, thus far.  We run mostly on propane, especially when traveling in warmer climates.  Though smaller than the previous 6 cu ft fridge, it seems to have more capacity because of the shelving configuration.  Also, the integrated freezer holds much more than the separate door freezer compartment in the LTV fridge. 

We are very happy with the Norcold.

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Ray and Susan Huff

Elite II Twin "Pearl" - Hull#699; delivered December 7, 2020

2013 F350 6.7l diesel Super Duty 4x4 long bed crew cab

1UP-USA Heavy-duty bike rack

2017 Leisure Travel Van Unity Twin Bed (sold)

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