Dometic Compressor Freezer Query (2 Viewers)

[Sheddy]

Our Thetford T2160 Fridge freezer which was fitted as a replacement for the Domestic Tec Tower last year seems to be coping well with the current high temperatures here in Berlin, the internal van temperature was 39°C last night when we got back at 9pm, the freezer temperature was -12 this morning but during the night I reduce both the fridge and freezer settings and run it in 'Night' mode to save battery capacity. Before leaving the van this morning the freezer was set on high to take advantage of the solar, this evening when we get back to the van I'll check the freezer temperature again.

 

[Lyrick]

As mentioned before not impressed with the freezer compartment on our Dometic RCL 10.4s compressor fridge.
I placed two fridge temp senders , one at the back and one at front, in the freezer compartment and there is a 4/5 degree difference between them . the rear being colder at 12/13 degrees.
Switched fridge off and when the temperature had reached outside temperature I set my mobile phone to record video , placed it in the freezer , closed the door and shone a torch around the outside edges of the lid.
The inside of the compartment lit up and I could see the torch beam shining through in several places.
I'm going to leave to be sorted under warranty.

 

[Sheddy]

Before leaving the van this morning the freezer was set on high to take advantage of the solar, this evening when we get back to the van I'll check the freezer temperature again.

Back this evening again a hot day but it was only 34°C inside the van at 8 pm. The freezer which had run all day on full was at -15°C, so overall a good performance.

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[Paul F]

Back this evening again a hot day but it was only 34°C inside the van at 8 pm. The freezer which had run all day on full was at -15°C, so overall a good performance.

Thetford seem to be achieving what Dometic are not. I hardly opened the freezer today, and just checked the stats. 31.5ºC inside and outside the van. Fridge holding 1.7ºC but freezer only at -2.8ºC. The best it achieved all day was -6.2ºC. I even left the Boost setting running until it timed out and reset to normal mode.

 

[Paul F]

This is a bit concerning. As I am booked in to have my RMD 8555 swapped for the 10.5 compressor.
Nothing wrong with the 8555 only that it struggles when the sun comes out....tried everthing fans.changed cooling paste. And then though sod it change the fridge to a compressor....looks like I may be jumping from the pan into the fire.

Why can't Dometic manufacturer a fridge that is fit for purpose.

I think I would be inclined to ask the supplier if the mods that Morelo are making will be incorporated by Dometic into future new models of this fridge freezer. I can only comment from personal experience but the freezer compartment in the old absorption unit in my Hymer coped better in hot conditions.

 

[Hoovie]

Great and thanks

Will take a look at my fan and might request the cooler fin plate from the dealer, may make a temp bodge in the mean time though.

Will order a Wi-Fi thermometer with tracking and 2 channels, that seems to be a must

It is the only way you can really tell what is going on! You might need two thermometers though? I don't know if there are any logging ones which do two zones.

I know the Absorption Fridge are supposed to (well, not "supposed" to, but just do) become problematical at high ambient temps, but a decent compressor fridge shouldn't really care what the ambient temp is unless you are at real extremes.
The Compressor Fridge/Freezer I installed in my Motorhome is nothing special, but seems to cope just fine?
(Freezer Scale on Left, Room Scale on Right)

Same for Springtime (changed scale for room temp as much cooler)

(Freezer slightly warmer - I tweaked it down 1C a month or so ago)

The amount you guys are paying for those Motorhomes, a working fridge & freezer should not be in question!

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[EuroTrotters]

Reads the fridge temperature on the ones being discussed here and the German forum I first read it on.

So the more food stored in the fridge the more likely the freezer temperature will rise.

Poor design.

 

[TCG]

Not living up to their claims - but they do use the cop out words UP TO -18 c

 

[Paul F]

By way of an update my freezer woes continue. I bought a little Govee unit which lets you download the temperature log into a csv file, and also gives a nice screen view like the one below.

We have been away 10 nights now, and the 'best' we have managed is -8.7 degreees C and the 'worst' -1.0 degrees C. The freezer is simply not cold enough - waste of time trying to keep ice cream in there, ice cubes like slush and bread almost defrosted. I certainly won't risk any fish or meat in the freezer. I have got the fridge wound up flat out to try and keep the compressor running, but now the cooling plates in the back of the fridge are getting all iced up so not ideal at all.

I am waiting for the fridge modification plates from the factory but to be honest, I don't hold out much hope. I think Dometic have just got the balance wrong between fridge and freezer for the unit to run on one compressor and one thermostat.

Not impressed at all.

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[WESTY66]

May I ask a daft question?
I have done the paste thing and on gas with fans set to come on at 28 in the grill on a warm day the Dometic is around 6.8 deg freezer -18, at night when it’s cooler it’s 3.0 and -20.2
On ehu it’s 2.0 in the fridge and -21 in the freezer.
Now the fridge freezer is empty whilst I’m running these tests, would a full fridge keep the temps down during the day?

 

[Paul F]

Whilst away, we have had a 'bursting at the seams' fridge and and an almost empty fridge, but it seems to make little difference. In the software it is possible to zoom in and interrogate the data down to one minute increments, but I cannot see any obvious daytime/nighttime pattern. I am not necessarily acheiving the coldest results overnight. The temperature is just randomly fluctuating based on how much the fridge compressor is running. The freezer is just not up to the job.

 

[Lenny HB]

May I ask a daft question?
I have done the paste thing and on gas with fans set to come on at 28 in the grill on a warm day the Dometic is around 6.8 deg freezer -18, at night when it’s cooler it’s 3.0 and -20.2
On ehu it’s 2.0 in the fridge and -21 in the freezer.
Now the fridge freezer is empty whilst I’m running these tests, would a full fridge keep the temps down during the day?

When i did my tests when fitting an internal fan I found the fridge got really cold empty, then I put a load of plastic storage boxes in the fridge I still found when it's full of food it's not as cold as in my tests.

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[WESTY66]

When i did my tests when fitting an internal fan I found the fridge got really cold empty, then I put a load of plastic storage boxes in the fridge I still found when it's full of food it's not as cold as in my tests.

Cheers Lenny, not really what I wanted to hear but hey ho, freezer great on gas and ehu, fridge not so good on gas

 

[Ridgeway]

We’ve had an improvement since last weeks freezer-gate story. The only thing I’ve done is to switch the fan on permanent on the Dometic control panel. Odd thing is so far I haven’t actually been able to find the fan Ordered the 2 channel thermometer and will modify the fridge cooling fins, maybe even just remove them as the thread on Linertreff

 

[Lenny HB]

Cheers Lenny, not really what I wanted to hear but hey ho, freezer great on gas and ehu, fridge not so good on gas

Fridge should be better on gas, clean the chimney & burner and fit a new jet.

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[WESTY66]

Fridge should be better on gas, clean the chimney & burner and fit a new jet.

I’m going to see if I can get it in somewhere to get it done
OR where can I learn to do this and get the parts ?

 

[Lenny HB]

I’m going to see if I can get it in somewhere to get it done
OR where can I learn to do this and get the parts ?

Plenty of posts about it on here, easy job just need long arms and if you are a contortionist it helps.

 

[WESTY66]

Just had a pipe cleaner up the exhaust 8” or so! It just doesn’t seem to “roar” like others I’ve heard

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[WESTY66]

Now I’ve lost the little retaining screw that fastens the burner assembly to the chimney

 

[Ridgeway]

Now I’ve lost the little retaining screw that fastens the burner assembly to the chimney

I did the same, then worse stripped the thread on the poxy thin bracket bigger screw and some elbow grease cured it that time

 

[dpsuk999]

Best thing I’ve ever found to clean the chimney is a thick piece of wire and splay the wires out at the top like a chimney sweep and shove that up and down see attached picture I got the idea from another forum

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[Whitebirdyman]

There is a Govee temperature sensor unit referred to in this thread for monitoring the freezer. Can I please have details of the unit as the only one I can find is the H5075 which has a range of 0C to 50C and would therefore be suitable for the fridge but not the freezer.

 

[funflair]

I bought one of these to try, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/14512726...d=link&campid=5338547443&toolid=20001&mkevt=1 it seemed to work fine so I have just bought the last one he had in stock but there are other sellers of course, the app work well and it data logs but not sure what the interval is.

This was just testing it at home in freezers so will put in the van fridge and freezer next trip away.

 

[Whitebirdyman]

I bought one of these to try, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/14512726...d=link&campid=5338547443&toolid=20001&mkevt=1 it seemed to work fine so I have just bought the last one he had in stock but there are other sellers of course, the app work well and it data logs but not sure what the interval is.

View attachment 783380
View attachment 783381

This was just testing it at home in freezers so will put in the van fridge and freezer next trip away.

I see the same thing is available on Amazon so I will get one there. Thanks for the information.

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[funflair]

Yes, the funny thing is I won’t buy off Amazon so used EBay and it came in a Amazon prime packet

 

[Paul F]

A bit of an update on this thread. I have now fitted the modified deflector plate supplied by Morelo. The performance is moderately better, and the freezer now maintains roughly 10 degrees cooler than the fridge - so +2 degrees in the fridge makes -8 in the freezer, 0 degrees in the fridge makes -10 in the freezer. The unit is still not performing in the way that the Dometic instruction book claims as a 2 star freezer. Interestingly, they have dropped that description from the instruction manual if you download a copy on line now. Anybody else have experience of this exact model? Do I have a faulty unit or are they just not very good?

 

[Ridgeway]

So basically this is a flat plate to replace the finned plate ie just a big reduction in surface area and therefore efficiency in it’s cooling

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[Paul F]

So basically this is a flat plate to replace the finned plate ie just a big reduction in surface area and therefore efficiency in it’s cooling

Yes, thats it exactly it. Reduces the efficiency of the cooling in the fridge with less surface area on the deflector. This in turn makes the compressor run longer, and by default the freezer effectiveness increases. If I was forced to improve it further myself, then I would insulate some of the deflector plate and/or the cold pipe behind it. I am still trying hard to get Dometic to accept responsibility for it though. This is a £2000+ unit that is less effective than a £300 Beko household fridge/freezer from Curry‘s!!

 

[Ridgeway]

Yes, thats it exactly it. Reduces the efficiency of the cooling in the fridge with less surface area on the deflector. This in turn makes the compressor run longer, and by default the freezer effectiveness increases. If I was forced to improve it further myself, then I would insulate some of the deflector plate and/or the cold pipe behind it. I am still trying hard to get Dometic to accept responsibility for it though. This is a £2000+ unit that is less effective than a £300 Beko household fridge/freezer from Curry‘s!!

Am I thinking too simply here and suggest that we remove totally the plate or reduce it’s size ?

 

[Paul F]

I suspect that may work to some degree, although it would leave the pipe exposed - not very attractive, and vulnerable to knocks and bangs I think. This is what it looks like behind the deflector;

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