Isotherm Shelves Fix?

[LeBill]

Hello everyone,

In our 2023 LE I with the all electric refrigerator, the shelves come loose frequently. Primarily the shelves are not snug in the side grooves in such a way that minor loads and/or moderate jostling cause them to fall out of the tracks (side grooves) making a jumbled mess inside the fridge. Has anyone else seen this? I hate to think that all of the Isotherm fridges work this way, there'd be a lot of angry users. The shelves are made of weak wire with inadequate side bracing. So far, I haven't come up with any reliable remedy. If anyone has ideas, I'd like to try it.

We'll be at the rally, if anyone needs to see first hand.

Thanks

[SeaDawg]

That's interesting,  and sad, as my isothetm/ indelb  tf130 shelves are actually extremely difficult to move. Very tight.

Are the shelves actually sliding, or the products loaded on them?

You might want to try repositioning products/jamming then together so they can't move. With a partially loaded fridge, this sometimes means leaving a shelf empty, and smooshing everything else together, for transit. I also use some cheap dollar store "baskets" to group small items.

The door arrangement took some time to get used to, but now I really like it. I use some thin shelf liner strips tp protect the plastic from can markings.

I took out the glass shelf upon delivery. I don't trust them, as I managed to break one in Alaska, in another rv.

Some people use these bars to contain products, successfully. 

https://www.amazon.com/Refrigerator-Adjustable-Accessories-Prevents-Extendable/dp/B0BTT1V7P2/ref=asc_df_B0BTT1V7P2/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=647304703169&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13580810062204330458&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1015214&hvtargid=pla-1966444163683&psc=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpPKiBhDvARIsACn-gzA--dHgqDF4LiylRzlTSYl77KGXIkYLMd1TrjWXBID3_62ISqTBOxEaAvXoEALw_wcB

 

Also, what tire pressure are you running? Any discombobulated contents, elsewhere in the trailer?

I'm used to wedging stuff, and we're usually quite good unless my husband decides to find his "internal Mario andretti" on curvy mountain roads. Then, I might just find a few loose shoes or remotes in the trailer, at camp set up. 😁

 

 

[ScubaRx]

47 minutes ago, LeBill said:

Hello everyone,

In our 2023 LE I with the all electric refrigerator, the shelves come loose frequently. Primarily the shelves are not snug in the side grooves in such a way that minor loads and/or moderate jostling cause them to fall out of the tracks (side grooves) making a jumbled mess inside the fridge. Has anyone else seen this? I hate to think that all of the Isotherm fridges work this way, there'd be a lot of angry users. The shelves are made of weak wire with inadequate side bracing. So far, I haven't come up with any reliable remedy. If anyone has ideas, I'd like to try it.

We'll be at the rally, if anyone needs to see first hand.

Thanks

Come find us in E-05. I'll be happy to take a look at it.

[LeBill]

The issue seems to be two-fold: a) weak, flimsy wire, b) loosey goosey side-to-side snugness.  I run the recommended tire pressure (55psi) btw. The shelves collapse frequently while we're stationary, just putting/taking stuff in/out of the fridge. Two to four pounds on one shelf seems to be enough to bend the wire and cause failure. 

I have confidence that our collective minds will be able to find a remedy.

thanks

[SeaDawg]

If that is so, I'd open a service ticket. The shelves shouldn't bend under normal load, nor slip.

And, definitely,  let @ScubaRx take a look, at the rally.

My shelves have a kind of "spring" to keep them in place. I'll look for a photo. My trailer is in storage.

Is your fridge the cf130? or, is it a different model in elite i.

[LeBill]

i am assuming it is the cf130, not sure where to verify the model number. I kinda want to get a second opinion prior to opening a service ticket, it may be operator error.

thanks

[John E Davies]

I just installed one, into Hull 218, and the shelves are a disgrace. You need to remove them, bend the side “spring bars” outward (that ride in the grooves), I doubt that they have an actual name, and try to make the shelves straight again. They are much smaller gauge wire than the old Dometic 3 Way, and seem to be made from old wire coat hangers. And they seem to have the same strength, meaning none…. I am not impressed, I really hope a stronger set becomes available. I can’t file a claim with Oliver, but you and other Isotherm owners should.

In the mean time try to keep the heavy stuff down low and in the bottom tray. Adding adjustable spring loaded fridge bars, braced against the sides, to keep foodstuff  from sliding around should also help. These used to be pairs, I cut them into “singles”.

You could also add small plastic clamps to all the shelves, to fix them in place, but I suspect that they would still deform.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[John E Davies]

Can you tell me if your Ollie has this Intelligent Control? If so, please PM me with some pictures.

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/9169-how-to-isotherm-intelligent-control-for-cruise-130-refrigerator/

John Davies

Spokane WA

[SeaDawg]

1 hour ago, LeBill said:

i am assuming it is the cf130, not sure where to verify the model number. I kinda want to get a second opinion prior to opening a service ticket, it may be operator error.

thanks

I don't think so. I'd open the ticket.

[SeaDawg]

2 hours ago, John E Davies said:

Can you tell me if your Ollie has this Intelligent Control? If so, please PM me with some pictures.

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/9169-how-to-isotherm-intelligent-control-for-cruise-130-refrigerator/

John Davies

Spokane WA

Well, that's not something I've seen before

 Did it come with your isotherm, @John E Davies?

[John E Davies]

FYI, if Isotherm doesn't step forward with a fix, I will probably make new shelves out of heavy gauge aluminum sheet, bent up in front and back for rigidity. There is a fix for this....

John Davies 

Spokane WA 

[John E Davies]

7 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

Well, that's not something I've seen before

 Did it come with your isotherm, @John E Davies?

No, that is why I am asking if the Oliver installations include it. It was a little less than $200. Installation with the fridge removed at the factory would be a WHOLE lot simpler than having to retrofit it later.

• Up to 25% energy savings from compressor-efficiency gains
• Up to 40% energy savings with combined effect of cold-energy surplus stored in food and drinks

https://boattest.com/isotherm-intelligent-temperature-control

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

[SeaDawg]

So, did you put the cold plate/holding plate in your isotherm? Or, do you work with the food/drink as cold sink? @John E Davies

[LeBill]

I do not have the extra energy saving control. Just the knob inside the fridge.  My shelves look the same as John E Davis', but without the tension bars. John described it well, they are just weak steel, and not well suited for the application. 

[John E Davies]

43 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

So, did you put the cold plate/holding plate in your isotherm? Or, do you work with the food/drink as cold sink? @John E Davies

See the thread, I only had to add a temp sensor. This is wandering off topic. Sorry LeBill!

John Davies

Spokane W/

[LeBill]

I may have a remedy...I reformed the shelves (bent them) to be much wider at the "forearm", causing them to not have a tendency to slide forward (out towards fridge door). Previously, they would slide out, such that only the "forearm" of the shelf was within the slot, the "elbow" was not supporting the shelf. The forearm would easily bend, and we'd see a collapsed shelf. Now, even though they are actually no wider, the shelves do not move fore and aft by themselves in the fridge, resulting in full support by the complete wire arms & elbows. I tested it in place with eight soda bottles (~8lbs) and they did not collapse under moderate jiggling.

(sorry, I could not successfully flip over the two images...)

[John E Davies]

That is what I was talking about previously, your shelves are identical to mine. Those have to be bent outwards.

You can clip those cable ties and then flip over part of the shelves so you can put three 1/2 gal milk bottles in there, resting on the strong glass shelf. That alone will take some load off the steel. A couple of 3 liter plastic juice bottle will fit too. And put drinks in the door… only light stuff up high.

I guess we need to add all this stuff to this thread:

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/8827-thread-for-isotherm-cruise-130-elegance-2-way-compressor-fridge-the-unit-used-in-2023-models/

John Davies

Spokane WA