| Author |
Message |
Neil (148.78.243.24)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 10:38 am: | |
We have been full time in our MC5 for 8 years and during that time we have gone through 4 Dometic refers. Once they replaced it. The rest of the time they blamed the instaltion. We have installed fans on top to pull out the hot air and built a false wall, because they said it was to far from the outside wall of the bus.
I don't think I'll buy another one.
We are about finished with our house, and will be moving in soon. Then we plan to remodel the bus and install one of those new side by side's with and ice maker.
Anybody else have any problems? Any comments about the NOrcold? Neil |
Frank Allen (64.12.96.235)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 12:12 pm: | |
all i can tell you is my norcold ran for 15 yrs, but i am having some trouble with it now, although i think it is minor. id buy another one in a minute , it also runs 6 deg off level just fine, thats about all i can tell you about it . seems to be a good depenable unit
Frank Allen
4106 |
two dogs (67.30.23.78)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 1:26 pm: | |
I'd be interisted in hearing "what" went out..I have a dometic , & the 110 part went out,the repairman said that happens all the time, it's an electric heat unit..not a motor like in home ref. |
Neil (148.78.243.26)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 7:06 pm: | |
Mine just gets warm.It's now at 52 and should be about 40. I guess the unit gets plugged up.
Maybe there not made to run 24-7? |
two dogs (67.30.23.4)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 7:43 pm: | |
are you running it on propane or elec.,kinda sounds like propane, have you blown out the ,well I don't know the correct word,there is a flap in the back, that is hot when it's on propane,two screws,remove flap shop air 60 to 75 pounds pressure, blow it out,soot forms in there ,I run mine 24/7 ,I think it depends on the quality of propane you receive,not all propane the same.I bet your other units weren't that bad shape, the guy just wanted to sell another one.mine is 16 years old..got to blow it out every year or so. the electric "unit" didn't last long at 24/7,like I said it's just a little heating coil,produces heat,just like propane.you "can" buy another one if you want..like I said,depends what you are running on,what the answer is..(tried to mail you off line.) |
Jim Ashworth (Jimnh) (172.146.113.140)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 9:27 am: | |
From what I've seen those side by side RV fridges go for $3000. For that you could have a house fridge, an inverter and a lifetime supply of batteries. Just something to consider.
Jim |
two dogs (67.30.23.115)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 10:47 am: | |
sorry....did some math...my dometic is 22 years old...24/7/365 |
FAST FRED (67.75.113.52)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 12:58 pm: | |
The simpler Dometics sold as "Servelle" brand to the Amish and other "off grid " folks operate cont. for many decades.
These are truly basic units with the early style piolt light system.
Have nothing but a thoery , but think that the heat being ON from the pilot , all the time helps the units live long lives.
Have owned 30 year old units in RV's that worked just fine.But all were pilot light units , not with the starting circuit boards & all that fancy stuff.
For real boondocking the new Servelle might work fine as the insulation is thicker , so the propane consumption would be even less!
FAST FRED |
Dale MC8 (66.81.130.77)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 8:04 pm: | |
I also think the simple/basic units have less problems, but one thing about them is that by having the pilot on all the time, you produce more rust in the flue. This rust then falls down on the burner and doesn't allow it to burn when needed. As two-dogs said, a little blast from the air hose will fix it, but you have to remember to do it.
HTH, Dale MC8 |
Scott Whitney (66.82.9.29)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 8:53 pm: | |
Or go in with a toothbrush once a year and clean the rust flakes off the burner slots. Good idea to go in there as part of your regular maintence plan anyway to check for mud dobber nests, squirrel nests and other nasties.
Scott |
Neil (148.78.243.25)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 01, 2003 - 9:34 am: | |
Thanks for all the responses. It seems I never have any luck with Dometic products. We have had trouble with the AC units also. So I guess I'm getting tired of buying what seems to be junk.
When we built the bus we thought we were using the best parts. So you can imagine the dissapointment when things started to fail.
But take heart, the bus has been great! A freind in Ca. where we used to live said "you will have to pull a trailer full of parts to get across country in that old bus" We have had almost no problems with the coach!
Neil |
FAST FRED (67.75.109.228)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2003 - 6:15 am: | |
Dont feel bad I have a Notcool that only half works , and its NEW!
FAST FRED |
JohnC (65.67.220.1)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 04, 2003 - 9:29 am: | |
I too have gone through my share of Dometics (4). Three of them failed after I defrosted them, so now I just turn them down and wait for the ice to melt. I attended Dometic school and they were very adamant about air flow along the back. Fans and extra space don't mean a thing if you don't force the air flow along the tubes. Follow the installation manual! Good luck! jc |
John G Root Jr (Johnroot) (66.82.9.42)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 04, 2003 - 11:49 pm: | |
I hope i'll have more luck with the Nova Kool I bought. www.novakool.com Model RFS 7500.
How big a fan, or how many CFM do I need to cool the rear of the fridge? Is there a thermostat I could use to turn the fan on and off? I bought the solar fan but it seems way too puny to be effective.
John Root
4106 1638 |
Scott Whitney (66.82.9.42)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 05, 2003 - 10:32 am: | |
I intend to use a computer fan mounted to the under side of the shelf the fridge sits on. It will blow up past the fridge coils and out the roof vent. New PC fans are 12v, quiet, and some have a built in thermostat sensor which varies the fan speed automatically. (about $9.00) Don't know if the built in speed/temp settings will be ideal for the fridge or not. It may run at full speed all the time or may run at the slowest speed all the time. But it will be better than no fan. It will be on a switch so I can turn it off in winter time or when I am pinching my power. Will just take some experimentation on placing the temp sensor to get it work best, I think.
My inverter sits in a cabinet under the fridge, so part of the plan is to send the inverter's air up past the fridge coils and out the vent as well. Hoping the inverter does not create so much heat as to affect the fridge's performance. The inverter's built-in fan only comes on during heavy charge cycles.
An additional solar powered fan up at the roof vent may be a future option. . .
Scott |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 05, 2003 - 11:40 pm: | |
So far so good with a single solar powered vent on my roof, providing all the airflow necessary for my fridge. I'm using a Nicro Fico unit... it runs day and night all on it's own, and I monitor the air output temp- usually about 110f to 120f, it tells me if the fridge is working or not. It's been running about a year now with no problems at all. I take air in from the cabin, because when I took it in from under the coach it blew the pilot out too often. I have a CO detector nearby so I'm not worried about CO backwash... actually so far under any circumstance even while on the road, air always goes the correct way... up and out!
My fridge is 120/propane, and I keep it lit while I'm driving. Although some might yell at me for using cabin air to supply the fridge, so far it's been safe, effective, reliable. Not having an outside inlet means I won't burn my coach down while lighting the fridge because there's a squirrel nest in there... it's working very well....
Cheers
Gary |