Refrigerator question -

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by Mfturner

Avanti, I that is a great description on heat capacity of a refrigerator, but do you think an absorption refrigerator actually had a thermostat with hysteresis, rather than just a "power level" control? I'm off the impression that the heating element runs all the time in my Dometic, with more or less heat input depending on which of the five settings I can choose from. I've never watched a current meter to see whether the current draw cycles in a feedback controlled fashion, or in a steady pwm fashion, or draws different dc current depending on the refrigerator setting. At any rate, five settings without labels never seemed like a real thermostat to me, but maybe I'm wrong.

My refrigerator is at 42 degrees.....

Should be around 36 ... maybe when I get the cooling fans it will help..... still outside temps have an effect...

[GallenH]

Those of you who know my handle know that I've gone through a lot of testing with a 20year old Dometic 2310. Here are some observations:

The gas line on that model is set up to run through the thermostat and both the 120v and the 12v elements include the thermostat in their circuitry. So it's multifunctional. If the thermostat dictates, the gas will be reduced to "low flame" condition OR the 120v/12v elements will be effected. I had assumed that if the thermostat was on MAX the 12v (for example) element reading would be different from if it was on less than max. This does not appear to be the case so either I have a faulty thermostat or the 12v element is only energized (at full voltage) when the thermostat dictates.

Whatever. But after a recent trip to Glacier at often high altitudes I can say that the unit works well on LP and 120v (always in the 30s) and less well on 12v (mid 40s).

I did install a pair of computer fans which people claimed helped. I did "burp" the fridge which I definitely believe helped.

But RTrek, I can say that in all of my trips at high altitudes, frequently in the White mountains of AZ where elevation was 9-9.5k I didn't experience problems cooling until the very last trip.....before I burped or added the fans.
I understand what Dometic says. I'm just saying what I found to be true.