Heavy rain water can in to RT under refrigerator?

[k1hog]

I have a 2004 RT 200P, on our last outing, it rained cats and dogs, water ran in to the RT from under the refrigerator.

Any idea where the rain came in from??

Thanks

Johnnie

[mkguitar]

Cats and dogs and blowing sideways?


Id guess the rain was hitting the driver side and came in the fridge vents?

your lower vent is easily opened- wet in there?




Mike

[themexicandoctor]

Originally Posted by k1hog

I have a 2004 RT 200P, on our last outing, it rained cats and dogs, water ran in to the RT from under the refrigerator.

Any idea where the rain came in from??

Thanks

Johnnie

Not so fast.

The rain would have to be going SIDEWAYS & UP, unless you had your vent cover mysteriously attached upside down.

And are you talking about so much water you noticed it coming out from under the fridge?

Or?

There could be a leaking window above the kitchen sink, in the roof or something as simple as a defrosted refrigerator.

Keep us posted with the result.

I have a 2005 & there is no way to see water that would enter from the side as the fridge is in the way.

You might want to look in from theoutside vent.

[k1hog]

This is a picture of the RT driver side.

[markopolo]

I recall there being a screened drain at the bottom on the floor just inside the lower fridge vent on the '04 190P RT I had.

[k1hog]

markopolo

This drain is accessed from the outside of the RT??

[themexicandoctor]

There is a drain, its accessed from the outside, my fridge used to have a condensation pipe that ran from the fridge & out through the drain & underneath the body of the coach.

Ostensibly the drain was there to capture any water that came in via washing the rig, etc.

Seeing the upper grill, that is a slight possibility as the rain woukd hsve to be going sideways but not uphill.

Will try to find some photos

[k1hog]

I have looked for the drain, with no luck, could be it became covered up. A picture would be most helpful.

[themexicandoctor]

Here you go.

Some photos from outside looking in and inside looking out, including one looking up into the upper black vent which is really well designed, there are two layers.

You might want to pull out your fridge & check back there, it should be enclosed all in a tin case as pictured.

You do not want water getting into the subframe from back there, or, ANYWHERE, i don't know if it can.

( While the fridge is out, if its a 3 Way Dometic RM or a Norcold & you need a high quality fridge for your needs, already have solar & can afford to upgrade, you can raise World Consciousness by drop kicking the Fridge into a landfill or even better, donating it to someone who can use it at a cabin where they have propane & it can be sitting level & have no need for solar other than a little power to keep the control board firing.

Unless you have a one in a thousand miracle unit, in an rv that is always parked out of the sun, PERFECTLY LEVEL

Rant over. )

I really hope you don't have a Roof leak that has found the fridge opening but if you have, Summer is the best time to fix it.

Another entry point is sometimes the fan shroud outside.

During the rain storm were ever in line with a garden's sprinkler system?

These photos really tell you all you need in terms of what the drain was for & when you look at the screen, make sure some Sherlock hasn't installed it, upside down.

[themexicandoctor]

Sorry Mate, in between my suggestion but before I had chicken peckedthe answer & photos, you replied.

Photos of mine should match yours even though we are a year apart. 04 < 05.

And if you don’t use your fridge s a cooling box but as a cabinet*, or don't need it like a full timer like me, excuse my rant.

In fact, that is what small Dometic & Norcold 3 ways are designed for & can operate at high efficiency.

NOT AS A FRIDGE.

But as $1200 Cabinets.

With a door, disguised as a Fridge.

I apologize to Dometic & Norcold for all my comments, I am amazed that for 9 years I was tryingto get the box, even the new one, to work as a fridge.

[k1hog]

This is what i see? Your thoughts???

[themexicandoctor]

Its obvious to me because the new DC fridge is approximately 4 inches shallower than the old 3 Way but I could see the edge of it with the old unit installed.

Use a flashlight.

Unless there was a radical departure from design on your individual unit.

Get underneath & shine a flashlight up into the direction mine is - maybe you will see a light or look for the condensation pipe

[themexicandoctor]

It does look like mine is more obvious - pm Booster.

Maybe the previous owner decided to cover what he thought was a design flaw.

Looking at the grills, both lower & upper, can you see how hard it would be to get water in there & was it a deluge or a small puddle that increased with the rain flow?

[k1hog]

Where did the water drain.to??

[themexicandoctor]

Underneath the chassis, on top of storage bin surround & onto the ground

[k1hog]

Thanks all for the information. I have found that my RT does not have a drain, as stated in the above reply. I have resealed the outside vents. Time will tell if that fixes the problem.

Again thanks all.

[booster]

Originally Posted by k1hog

Thanks all for the information. I have found that my RT does not have a drain, as stated in the above reply. I have resealed the outside vents. Time will tell if that fixes the problem.

Again thanks all.

I would get some kind of drain in there, I think. The screen is a decent solution, and it probably helps frig performance a bit also. Put a line of flexible sealer to the inside of whatever drain you add so if you are off level the water has to go out of the van not to the inside. You have sealer on the bottom of the opening, which may be a bad idea as you would prevent the water from getting out under the door.


I think the upper vent is more likely to leak than the lower as the fins are shallower so less distance to blow water.



Also don't discount the possibility that the window seal at the van is leaking as that would also come out the same place, think.

[k1hog]

The frig sites on a board, that is the top of the bay under the frig. If the drain is under the frig I am not able to see any evidence of that. It appears that the only way to know for sure if there is drain would be to pull the frig out and look under it.

Your thoughts Please.

[rtbill]

On our '01 200 the fridge is drained to the wheel well. The plastic liner at the bottom of the fridge compartment has a short pipe leading through the fiberglass wheel well. Additionally the fridge condensate drain (that drains condensate from inside the fridge) is routed through another hole in the liner and fiberglass.

The plastic the liner is made from is extremely non-adhesive. I have not found any sealant that sticks to it.

The fridge drain came loose on our van. I have not been able to reseal it. Water can run down the outside of the condensate drain and end up in the van. Remove the drawer under the fridge and you should be able to see the two drains going into the wheel well. This is a really stupid design. The condensate should have been routed onto the liner and allowed to drain out the drain molded into the liner.

How does rain water get into the fridge compartment? The fridge vents tilt inward, when enough water builds up they overflow into the compartment. There is probably some leakage around the sides of the vent panels as well.

[k1hog]

rtbill, thanks for the info, however there is no drawer below the frig, is there a way to address this issue, short of pulling out the frig?