Replace fridge cooling coil myself?
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From: Terre Haute, IN
Replace fridge cooling coil myself?
My camper has a 1977 Dometic RM66E refrigerator that isn't cooling. I've tried it on 120VAC, 12VCD, and LPG, waiting about 3 hours for each. The interior temperature never changed. When on 12VDC i did see the lights dim slightly, so i think that heating coil works, and the flame looked good when on LPG. There is also a yellow residue on the cover over the boiler and near the bottom on the left side.
Also, when it was running i felt no heat in the exposed coil on the back, left side.
I'm assuming that sometime in the last 34-35 years the gasses have leaked out rendering the fridge useless. I know this is gonna cost me, but i'm looking for less costly alternatives.
I saw cooling coils online for sale, some new and some rebuilt. Is the coil something i could replace myself? Or is this something best left to an RV dealer?
Also, when it was running i felt no heat in the exposed coil on the back, left side.
I'm assuming that sometime in the last 34-35 years the gasses have leaked out rendering the fridge useless. I know this is gonna cost me, but i'm looking for less costly alternatives.
I saw cooling coils online for sale, some new and some rebuilt. Is the coil something i could replace myself? Or is this something best left to an RV dealer?
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
My camper has a 1977 Dometic RM66E refrigerator that isn't cooling. I've tried it on 120VAC, 12VCD, and LPG, waiting about 3 hours for each. The interior temperature never changed. When on 12VDC i did see the lights dim slightly, so i think that heating coil works, and the flame looked good when on LPG. There is also a yellow residue on the cover over the boiler and near the bottom on the left side.
Also, when it was running i felt no heat in the exposed coil on the back, left side.
I'm assuming that sometime in the last 34-35 years the gasses have leaked out rendering the fridge useless. I know this is gonna cost me, but i'm looking for less costly alternatives.
I saw cooling coils online for sale, some new and some rebuilt. Is the coil something i could replace myself? Or is this something best left to an RV dealer?
Also, when it was running i felt no heat in the exposed coil on the back, left side.
I'm assuming that sometime in the last 34-35 years the gasses have leaked out rendering the fridge useless. I know this is gonna cost me, but i'm looking for less costly alternatives.
I saw cooling coils online for sale, some new and some rebuilt. Is the coil something i could replace myself? Or is this something best left to an RV dealer?
The yellow is from the anticorrsive in the coil and is a sure sign of a leaker. Here is the rub on old fridges. Most of us in the trade will not recoil with any coil except those supplied by the manufacturer and they are pricey, if still available.
Problems with rebuilt coils and inexpensive ones from other sources are commonplace and given it takes some time to recoil, getting a bad one can be a real pain. Also be sure you understand the warranty.
When you are done, you still have a very old fridge with very old components save for the new coil just installed. I normally will not recoil a fridge this old simply because I seldom feel it is in the customer's best interests and it sure is never in mine to have an unhappy customer.
Can you do it yourself, with care, certainly. Are you sure you want to?
My two cents worth,
Steve
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From: Home Base Nebraska
Being the unit is that old I would replace the whole thing and not just the cooling coils, some of the older Dometics had a real problem with leaking. In our 87 5ver I replaced the whole unit because of a leak, I had to do very little modification to the opening. You may also try some of the places that have used units like Arizona R.V. Salvage Inc - Used RV Parts, Refurbished RV Appliances, Generators and Motorhome, Travel Trailer, and 5th Wheel Lot
Denny
Denny
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From: Terre Haute, IN
The yellow is from the anticorrsive in the coil and is a sure sign of a leaker. Here is the rub on old fridges. Most of us in the trade will not recoil with any coil except those supplied by the manufacturer and they are pricey, if still available.
Problems with rebuilt coils and inexpensive ones from other sources are commonplace and given it takes some time to recoil, getting a bad one can be a real pain. Also be sure you understand the warranty.
When you are done, you still have a very old fridge with very old components save for the new coil just installed. I normally will not recoil a fridge this old simply because I seldom feel it is in the customer's best interests and it sure is never in mine to have an unhappy customer.
Can you do it yourself, with care, certainly. Are you sure you want to?
My two cents worth,
Steve
Problems with rebuilt coils and inexpensive ones from other sources are commonplace and given it takes some time to recoil, getting a bad one can be a real pain. Also be sure you understand the warranty.
When you are done, you still have a very old fridge with very old components save for the new coil just installed. I normally will not recoil a fridge this old simply because I seldom feel it is in the customer's best interests and it sure is never in mine to have an unhappy customer.
Can you do it yourself, with care, certainly. Are you sure you want to?
My two cents worth,
Steve
Being the unit is that old I would replace the whole thing and not just the cooling coils, some of the older Dometics had a real problem with leaking. In our 87 5ver I replaced the whole unit because of a leak, I had to do very little modification to the opening. You may also try some of the places that have used units like Arizona R.V. Salvage Inc - Used RV Parts, Refurbished RV Appliances, Generators and Motorhome, Travel Trailer, and 5th Wheel Lot
Denny
Denny
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
I was hoping you'd come by. You make a very good point. If i find a new or working used one, do i just need to make sure its the same dimensions?
I think i might. The freezer wont stay closed (a door onside the fridge area, kinda like the chiller in a dorm fridge), but that was minor when it wouldn't work. Your link wouldnt work for me, but i googled 'rv salvage indiana' and found a few places....
I think i might. The freezer wont stay closed (a door onside the fridge area, kinda like the chiller in a dorm fridge), but that was minor when it wouldn't work. Your link wouldnt work for me, but i googled 'rv salvage indiana' and found a few places....
Good luck,
Steve
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From: Terre Haute, IN
After talking with the wife, I think i might just scratch trying to replace the rv fridge with another (and spend 800-1000$) and use a mini fridge and a power inverter....
I think i could wire a switch in to switch it over to shore power once we're hooked up. That would give me 120VAC power on the road too.
I think i could wire a switch in to switch it over to shore power once we're hooked up. That would give me 120VAC power on the road too.
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