i have fixed many refrigerators in rv parks when i find my baffled neighbours playing with their unit. If you get that screw out and get the burner tube out, you can pour rust out of it. Peoples eyes get wide. so then put the cover back on. Next go on the roof and take the plastic cover off. Inspect the screen to be sure air can move thru it. After the flame, moving the transported heat away from the condenser coil is equally important. Clean the screen and if you want here is where you would add a cooling fan to draw more air thru. Carolyn, you are exactly on the right track. Keep up the great work. Jacqueline, Mechanic and Refrigeration Technician
Good on you Carolyn for taking this as far as you did. I had a very similar experience with my 2014 Tioga Class C a few year ago in Key West FL. It worked great on shore power, not so good on gas. All the RV techs, told me to buy a new unit…I knew the problem was in the gas. I fooled around with it for days cleaning this and that and nothing changed. Everyone was going to dinner and beach parties and I couldn’t go and stayed to work on my RV for days. I finally talked the local RV shop to sell me a USED, jet they didn't have any new one available. I switched out the jet and bam…it worked just like being on shore power. It was my problem all along. I then took a magnified picture of my old jet (which I tried many times to clean with lots of products, like alcohol or break cleaner and nothing worked) and I could see what looked like salt deposits in the jet almost closing off the orifice. I still have it and will try to send you the pics of the close-up. I suggest buying a new jet, mine is a 58, you can see the number printed on the side when you take it out. Its on the end of the tubing coming from the gas supply just before the burner. Here’s a link on a Dometic Orifice #58 Burner Jet www.dyersonline.com/dometic-orifice-58-burner-jet.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwuITNBRBFEiwA9N9YENGT1jvMbvak4THks2c27ObhI4d3vfCmLuOEYvwUi8NClKWwR9wbkBoCiRYQAvD_BwE I found out you also need to clean the flue (burner tube) from above with a wire brush. You can order one on-line from Dometic or I was going to buy a 3/4” pipe cleaning brush from Home Depot and rig it to make it long enough to clean the whole pipe from above, but I ended up taking the whole thing out and it really wasn't that bad. One more thing, on that condensate drain hose, instead of running it straight out the vent cover, first insure there is a drip loop in the hose before it goes outside. This drip loop will act like a pee-trap on a sink and seal the outside air from inside your refrigerator. Just make it go down first then back up high on the vent cover. The outside air can migrate up the tube and raise the temperature as much as 10 degrees….and that burner cover should be tight, or could blow out from the wind when your driving. Let me know if you try this…Terry
You are becoming very skilled with your RV repairs Carolyn. You do your research and have a go and do well. I had a neighbour who bought a manual for the type of car she owned and would do all kinds of jobs by following the manual.
We had a problem once with ours. Found the problem by chance. I broke the rooftop cover and when I pulled it off to replace it we found that the insulation above the fridge came loose from the sidewall and was blocking the air flow up through the roof. Made all the difference just by securing it back in place. Safe Travels!
Take my 30 some years of experience and chalk it up to weather. You can use the pipe cleaners to clean that drain as well as baking soda with vinegar. I also set the thing on fire. Learning through experience! LOVE YOU, Carolyn.
Carolyn, the shield is to keep the wind from blowing out the flame, so install it correctly. after the pipe cleaner blow out with a can of keyboard air. And good job!
Greetings Carolyn, a couple other tips that will help, make sure your vent on the roof for your fridge is clear of debris. Good air circulation is a must for an RV fridge. Also, I've seen people mount a computer fan on the coils which makes a big difference. There are several how to You tube videos on this topic. Lastly, the easiest fix is to park your RV so the fridge side in not in the direct sun.
Good for you, being a lone since my hub died 17 years ago I do things myself and wear myself out and IF I cant fix it then I call someone. Saved a lot of money doing it and Plus you learn.
Thanks for the ideas, I'm glad that you found a way to get the refer colder. Nothing worse than having a refrigerator that doesn't give you full service. I'm thinking of pulling the vent pipe out and having a sheet metal shop replicate it with stainless steel. It would never be the source of crap in the burner again. You're on the right track and you've given me some ideas. I've seen guys with air compressors blowing out the burner. A great alternative would be to use a can of "Keyboard Air Cleaner". They come with a small tube that can be used to focus the air directly down the burners and up the burner in the same direction as the gas is blown. Further thought is the heat has to get into the flue and be there long enough to get the ammonia heated. Removing the baffle is probably allowing more heat into the vent pipe. I suspect my problem may be at the top of the vent or on the fins of the upper 'radiator'.
Carolyn, I'm such an avid fan of yours, now I've watched ALL of your videos and I'm lost. No more videos to watch! What is a person to do? I need my Carolyn fix! Well take care, i love what your doing and don't stop! Keep your head and chin up amongst all these cyber meanies! Love love love you!
Really excellent! That was so smart of you to do. Sometimes, regardless of what we're willing to pay to just get a problem fixed for us, what actually does the job is our own smarts and intuition. So the seal isn't such a problem after all. Way to go. Seriously, Metilda seems to always come thru.
That's one of the secrets of life.... When you have a problem, at least look at it. I can't tell you how many times I've fixed computers or cars that the owner could easily have done had they just carefully poked around the way you did. Excellent lesson, Carolyn. Thank you for sharing. Aloha.
Another thing you might try is putting an "S" in the condesate drain tube to form a p-trap, like under your sink. Make sure it has enough water in it to make it air tight. I've heard (but haven't tried it myself) that this can get you another 10 degrees of cold, especially in warm humid climates. Makes sense to me since that tube is basically a 1/2 in diameter hole between your fridge interior and the warm outside.
COOL! I was told the same thing. A good clean blue flame. I really liked watching this video. Science & Tech always fascinate me. Very informative and educational. These are great things to know and look for. Something so simple and 10 degrees colder. AWESOME JOB! Peace! 🌈🌈
It's amazing what one can do when one puts their mind, knowledge and common sense nto it. A job well done Carolyn. Really enjoyed this video. Thank you for sharing.
"Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I break shit." We need THAT on a tee! lol Everybody else is asking about your tank top, I want to know about your back tats!
Janet, propane takes some getting used to. I used to make glass figurines and beads using propane tank and a torch. I had all sorts of safety re; propane only outside, flashback arrestors, always tested for leaks, etc., but still felt nervous every time I lit the torch. Then again nothing ever happened to the thousands of people who also make lamps-work like me. Or grill out. :) Cheers!
Consider soaking the cover in vinegar to neutralize rust. Paint cover with Zithron 900 1235 degree extreme temp paint. To restore corrosion protection.
You did the exact same service you would get from a RV repair place, lol, great job. Only this time the work carries a warranty from Carolyn! Keep up the good work.
PERSISTENCE! GREAT VIDEO CAROLYN!. Wow! THANK you .Pipe cleaners, don't be without . That long pipe is full of rust,suet. Vacuum Inside also. Same happened to my brother's 90's Dometic 3 way Have SAFE travels and cold frig. 😁
Amazing! You have the courage to take apart the refrigerator and I would most likely never do that. My solution: Buy dry ice and put it in a container in the frig and call it a day.
Good job, Carolyn. You figured out what the professionals couldn't do. haha. It's just funny as heck. The clicking after you disconnect the electrical is the unit trying to turn on, on propane. If when it starts clicking, run into your RV and check out the light on the refrigerator and it will indicate that it is trying to turn on, on propane. Also use a screwdriver and tap on the flu and then do your cleaning. You'll get most of that rust out. One more thing, if it's a Domestic refrigerator, many years ago there was a recall on that brand because they were starting fires. So what consumers had to do was take their RVs for a fix and if I remember correctly all they did was install that small cover to cover the flame. Go to the domestic website and enter your model # and be sure what I'm telling you is correct. I am so damn proud of you girl! You can do anything. Keep making those awesome videos. Stay safe! Love ya :)
I'm glad you were able to fix it. I saw a video on Bob's channel I think, that showed a guy putting reflectix inside his fridge and a small battery fan too to help cool things down. I forget which video, but it's something to try to help cool things off in there.
Your doing good, learning by doing. Make sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm in the living quarters and I'd say your good to go. Appreciate the time you took to show us all what you did. And to be very clear on safety issues that could arise. Thanks Carolyn.
i had same experience in Brewster county Texas . cured problem with wall mart deep freeze and solar panel. UN believable , hot summers make more ice . i love NASA inventions
Carolyn a air compressor may be helpful to clean the burner and the exhaust pipe of that system . If there is no air compressor available you may want to try the cans of air that people buy to clean dust off their computer keys boards It's fun at times to watch your videos and I imagine the fun interaction I could have with you⚓
Great vid, and yes, propane takes getting used to. I'm still learning at my 60+ years. I love the tee, and those tats. Have a full back tat myself. Hopefully someday we can share!
Install a small 12 volt circulation fan up facing towards the refrigerator chimney o the roof. I put an on/switch on the circuit. On hot days it increases the air circulation and gives me great cooling.
Every time I turn on the camera too I get company. Funny how that works! Your fridge might be fine in these cooler temps but what are you going to do when it's back into the 90's? For food safety, refrigerators should always be under 40 degrees.
Carolyn! God Bless your hootinany! Save your money! Run Matilda as long as. It's comfortable to do so & then get what you want! They'r always gonna be problems! But you're a very intelligent woman, & I give you ,lots of credit! Esther from N.Y
Get one of those little mechanic's inspection mirrors and look up thru the 'chimney'...you might have a blockage...also check the roof vent over the fridge, make sure its not blocked.
Great how to Diy. Pretty good shape for 25 yrs most houses would need more work lol. RV simple sweet to work on.....cheap living... I put reflectix inside my door where condiments go... Stays cooler less energy
Hey friendly. I don't know if you couldn't get the screw out because it was too tight, or if the head was stripped. If the head is stripped, laying a wide rubber band over the hole and then inserting your screwdriver usually works. Just an FYI. Fun video.....
In case you don't already know, just wanted to tell you the guy from Road Warrior was killed on his way to see the eclipse, he was hit by an elderly man. His wife was in critical condition but seems improved, I don't know any details. I don't even know of them, but thought you might.
That metal cover is just a draft shield, just cut the top bit off (the bit with the rusty curve) with some wire snips and reinstall it with screw, Be aware with it just pushed in with no screw like you have it now will result in it coming loose and dislodge which will let the flame easily be blown out by the wind.
I was going to suggest this too. The fact that its super rusty on top & not everywhere else suggests to me that its been colliding with the flame, resulting in that part of the housing heating more than normal, hence all the rust there. I wonder also if there isnt an obstruction in that flue, maybe a wasp nest or something.
Love the shirt. You know if you had an RV where everything worked perfectly you wouldn't have learnt nearly as much. For most of this video I had the song I am woman running through my head.
Hey Carolyn the flue should be checked for structural integrity aka holes and excessive scaling of rust . If the flue as it goes up to the roof develops a pin hole due to rust the heat could seek out combustible material and the result could be a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. Some systems cost money to check and repair why? because YOU are worth it. Peace Out
Please take a bit of time and learn about the Road Warriors, full time RV'ers, UA-camrs who only have had love for life, showing struggles, keeping things real. Unimaginable tragic times have happened. Caro and family will need all the support they can get. God bless Sean. Time for the community to step up.
I think you do really well on trying to/and fixing things. Some people just throw away things soon as it doesn't work like new.I suppose rving or camping wouldn't work for those that give up sooo easily.
Super! Way to get your hands dirty. Since you want to save $$ and DIY is the only way with an RV, I have a couple suggestions for you. The most important is when fixing an item on a RV, before you disassemble anything, take several pictures of it, from different angles, if possible, before you touch it. After you remove item you can look back at pics and it will help in reinstallation and/or trouble shooting the issue. You should blow compressed air up through the exhaust stack to make sure the stack and vent are clear of debris.
Wow, great work. "I love it when a plan comes together." It might be fun to go to a hardware store and pick up a little square of that tin and shape it like that other one.
Don't ya love it when you get in there and brave it...and your intuition about something works ?!! Proud that you do try these things on your own ♡ so glad its fixed, your food will last longer now !! One thing that came to mind for me is the cut out part on that piece you gerryrigged in there.....im thinking the curve ( cutout) maybe could be tin-snipped out a bit to make it larger and then put back into place with the screw replaced......Im concerned that by not pushing it all the way in ( for better flow) might be causing some bad exhaust to circulate inside your motorhome rather than being guided up into the flue.....it may be that the airflow going up and out may also be the problem and not the airflow pulling in...just another thought from my silly mechanical mind ♡ just worried about the burning exhaust inside the motorhome.....?? Dont mind me...im only trying to put more minds togeather and thinking about your safety and health in the long run..thats where my head is at ♡♡ great going kiddo !!
It worries me too that the piece isn't in correctly. My fear is the flame may escape it it has some kind of flare up. We don't want a fire. The frig is usually between the bed and the door in these things.
Hey Carolyn i see that your frig does not have the protected shields around the burner assembly. These models were recalled and dealers had to retrofit around burner. Not that it had anything to do with cooling just a big fire hazard. Please look into it. Great vid . And a side note inside the flue there is a flue cleaner it's a long rod with a loop on top and a spiral piece on bottom that when pulled up and down cleans the lining of the flue. The problem is accessing it. I take off the cover of the roof vent and with a coat hanger i can hook the rod and take care of business . Not many people Know this and it will help with cooling.
@@peterstencell804 I try to keep it simple on my replies if i would have told everyone it was a flue baffle that would have been a whole new topic, but if used the way I said it will remove wasp nest ,dirt daubers and rust that prevents flue efficiency.
Carolyn, I couldn't agree with the posters below that said you should replace that cover/shield that you removed. It wasn't put there without a reason. It looks a little bent on the right hand side and I'd bet that the "flap" on the left hand side belongs tight up against the other sheet metal. this may cause a draft through the burner tube that affects combustion. As the others have commented carbon monoxide is nothing to play with. As Jacqueline said you need to get the burner off and clean it out along with as much of the flue as you can. I would also ensure that the coils are clean. If you can't get the burner tube off you can probably clean it fairly well with a vacuum as compressed air will tend to spread the rust all over and possibly clog the orifice in the burner assembly. If you must use compressed air please cover the orifice in the burner so you don't blow debris into it and make your problem worse. Good luck.
I hope this same thing will fix mine...I kinda think mine is a bigger issue but a guy who works for an rv dealership told me exactly what you just said that rust falls out of the exhaust vent. He said to get a can of that air like you use to clean computers and blow out the piece where the flames come out. LOL @ "Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I break shit." that is the story of my life!!!
Hi Carolyn, I think it would be best to put the baffle plate back in place properly as it is designed to stop the flame from blowing out in high winds or when travelling, well that's my two cents worth anyway, ;-)
A lot of those refrigerator are downperforming because of their chimney. Have you been thinking at some sort of chimney sweeping ? With a vacuum cleaner and a brush inside the chimney. I've see people solving that very same problem you had that way.(although they expressed their problem in Celsius i.p.o. Farenheit :-)
It just occurred to me you should have 2 6 inch long level tools a carpenter uses as an rv refrigerator is very sensitive to being level. If it's not dead on level it can cause it to reduce how cold it gets by up to 70%. Set one level to check front to back and the other for side to side. Find a place for both to give you an accurate reading by parking in a known dead level spot then fine 2 places for the 2 levels to use every time you park. It might sound silly but that will go a long way to better functionality of your RV refrigerator. I had a lousy working refrigerator in my 78 RV at a campground and was signed up for one week and had to buy bags of ice to cool my stuff. Another RV owner asked refrigerator problems? Mine was like yours a 3 way but I only bused 120 volt or 12 volt when driving. My next door RV neighbor went into his and came out with a 6 inch carpenters level and after we went inside set it on top of the fridge and it wasn't even close. I was new to RV's at the time. Got out my leveling jacks and 15 minutes later she was dead level and two hours later I checked the fridge and she was cold as ice working better that I had seen in my first week of vacation. Hope this helps. :-)
Happy for you! Glad you went exploring and "fixed" it lol.....I too like the saying sometimes I get lucky, sometimes i break shit...it is definitely at tee topic!
Good job! I would get a can air to help as well, the big slag on top of the burner wasn't help at all, also using a angled pick to clean out the openings of the burner, the small little groves, we call them fingers, also I use a strip of sand paper, about 8-10 inches, strip it to 1" inches and fold it in half, so it's 1/2" x 8" and then make it bend around the burner and sand it like you are polishing shoes and then blow it out! Also blow up the chimney with the tube on the can air, and I like to slap the vertical tube a few time to get any loose rust out, and blow the burner again. Also try and get the cover back they way it was, try and get the right side in and push in the left, lot of reason why you need it on. I go by the sound of the burner when it's burning, nice and Crisp sound. Awesome job!! It's great that you took it on and got great results.
Carolyn, that orange flame that you are seeing is just dust particles in the air burning, nothing to be alarmed about. That part you installed partway is meant to go all the way in and be screwed it. What you actually did was leave the flue unsealed, which means you will get CO in the compartment and inside the coach. I hope you don't injure your self by doing this. Invest in a couple of cans of compressed air and blow out the burner. Get a brush and clean out the vent stack. LP gas will scale up the stack. Spending 37 years in the natural gas industry I've seen a lot of F'd up things that the customer has done. If that part was blocking the flame you would see a lot of soot all over it.
Hi Carolyn! Way to go and fix it yourself. Keep this up and you can you'll know how to fix everything on that thing! Lol. I delivered TBs for two years. It's unfortunate that most of the rvs have poor workmanship.
I acheived another 10° of cooling differential by, mounting a small 12v computer fan, gently & quietly blowing air up across the heat-pipes, located higher on the back of the fridge. This blew steady for a couple years before dust killed it, so just replaced it for more good cooling. It uses Soo little power that it's draw isn't even noticed.
Suggestion- as well as cleaning the burner-clean the gas jet. Not a job for you but Bob could do it. Also you can adjust the flame h eight and that might help. They are a pain in the butt to work on!!
karl, you're trying to get a rise out of me with that comment right??? I challenge you to spend a day with me and bob - or any man - and then tell me what a man can do better. #REALTALK
I just reread my "my suggestion" and did not realize it sounded like a cheap shot until the reread!!! My thought process had to do with the tools necessary. Well also possibly your knowledge of GAS systems. I know plenty of men I would suggest get help also. That piece of metal does need to be put back in place. It's a wind shield. Invest in a small wire brush and get the rust off. A good screw driver and remove burnerand clean it well( or good) whichever is correct. If I ever make another comment I will make attempt to keep my old sexist attitudes to a minimum! Good luck and keep on trucken.
Compressed air can can help to blow out debris, but make sure the lp orifice is covered so debris won't get lodged in the lp orifice-The RV Repair Guy, LLC north East AZ
The design of the cover would imply that it is directing all the fumes to go up the flue, but one might worry that leaving part of the cutout on top outside the flue would allow carbon monoxide to be escaping into the shell containing the refrigeration equipment....that could be bad if there is way for it to further seep inside Matilda where you are looking to be breathing oxygen after you've shut the doors and windows to go to sleep. Just something to think about before drifting off. :)
Way to go! I am going to look at the fridge on my class C and try that. I have always noticed that mine works better on AC than gas. Thanks for the vid and keep enjoying yourself!
Check the flu from top to bottom. I remember Chico from Chico and Rufus having the same problem. I would suggest putting that piece back where it was and screw it down. Just saying. I hope that helps.
Great job.. The internet has saved me a ton of money for repairs..(How to) Great repair.. I would try to put the metal piece in and see if it works? You could take a metal file, grinder, (carefully) and make the "C" bigger Use safety googles
Order a new draft cover. It was designed by engineers to provide proper safety and for top operation of your system. Also make sure you have good ventilation from that panel you removed on up to the fresh air exhaust. Also good troubleshooting. you might want to also want to clean your orifice
i have fixed many refrigerators in rv parks when i find my baffled neighbours playing with their unit. If you get that screw out and get the burner tube out, you can pour rust out of it. Peoples eyes get wide. so then put the cover back on. Next go on the roof and take the plastic cover off. Inspect the screen to be sure air can move thru it. After the flame, moving the transported heat away from the condenser coil is equally important. Clean the screen and if you want here is where you would add a cooling fan to draw more air thru. Carolyn, you are exactly on the right track. Keep up the great work.
Jacqueline,
Mechanic and Refrigeration Technician
Good on you Carolyn for taking this as far as you did. I had a very similar experience with my 2014 Tioga Class C a few year ago in Key West FL. It worked great on shore power, not so good on gas. All the RV techs, told me to buy a new unit…I knew the problem was in the gas. I fooled around with it for days cleaning this and that and nothing changed. Everyone was going to dinner and beach parties and I couldn’t go and stayed to work on my RV for days.
I finally talked the local RV shop to sell me a USED, jet they didn't have any new one available. I switched out the jet and bam…it worked just like being on shore power. It was my problem all along. I then took a magnified picture of my old jet (which I tried many times to clean with lots of products, like alcohol or break cleaner and nothing worked) and I could see what looked like salt deposits in the jet almost closing off the orifice. I still have it and will try to send you the pics of the close-up.
I suggest buying a new jet, mine is a 58, you can see the number printed on the side when you take it out. Its on the end of the tubing coming from the gas supply just before the burner. Here’s a link on a Dometic Orifice #58 Burner Jet www.dyersonline.com/dometic-orifice-58-burner-jet.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwuITNBRBFEiwA9N9YENGT1jvMbvak4THks2c27ObhI4d3vfCmLuOEYvwUi8NClKWwR9wbkBoCiRYQAvD_BwE
I found out you also need to clean the flue (burner tube) from above with a wire brush. You can order one on-line from Dometic or I was going to buy a 3/4” pipe cleaning brush from Home Depot and rig it to make it long enough to clean the whole pipe from above, but I ended up taking the whole thing out and it really wasn't that bad.
One more thing, on that condensate drain hose, instead of running it straight out the vent cover, first insure there is a drip loop in the hose before it goes outside. This drip loop will act like a pee-trap on a sink and seal the outside air from inside your refrigerator. Just make it go down first then back up high on the vent cover. The outside air can migrate up the tube and raise the temperature as much as 10 degrees….and that burner cover should be tight, or could blow out from the wind when your driving.
Let me know if you try this…Terry
"NEVERTHELESS, SHE PERSISTED" , Carolyn that suits you perfectly. Great video.
Captain, yes, that's why I HAD to have the shirt!! thank you! *hugs
You are becoming very skilled with your RV repairs Carolyn.
You do your research and have a go and do well.
I had a neighbour who bought a manual for the type of car she owned and would do all kinds of jobs by following the manual.
Ah yes, I remember using a Chilton manual for my '69 Pontiac convertible Custom S I restored.
You did well yourself by restoring such a classic car using only a manual.
Epic achievement.
We had a problem once with ours. Found the problem by chance. I broke the rooftop cover and when I pulled it off to replace it we found that the insulation above the fridge came loose from the sidewall and was blocking the air flow up through the roof. Made all the difference just by securing it back in place. Safe Travels!
Take my 30 some years of experience and chalk it up to weather. You can use the pipe cleaners to clean that drain as well as baking soda with vinegar. I also set the thing on fire. Learning through experience! LOVE YOU, Carolyn.
Hi Carolyn. I am glad you are not afraid to troubleshoot! You are so intelligent because you do your research and take precautions! Keep it up!
Carolyn, the shield is to keep the wind from blowing out the flame, so install it correctly. after the pipe cleaner blow out with a can of keyboard air. And good job!
Greetings Carolyn, a couple other tips that will help, make sure your vent on the roof for your fridge is clear of debris. Good air circulation is a must for an RV fridge. Also, I've seen people mount a computer fan on the coils which makes a big difference. There are several how to You tube videos on this topic. Lastly, the easiest fix is to park your RV so the fridge side in not in the direct sun.
Great video, Carolyn. So happy to see you are still out and about, and things appear to be going well for you. Bless you, girl!
Good for you, being a lone since my hub died 17 years ago I do things myself and wear myself out and IF I cant fix it then I call someone. Saved a lot of money doing it and Plus you learn.
I admire your tenacity in research and repair work. Keep up the good fight!
Thanks for the ideas, I'm glad that you found a way to get the refer colder. Nothing worse than having a refrigerator that doesn't give you full service. I'm thinking of pulling the vent pipe out and having a sheet metal shop replicate it with stainless steel. It would never be the source of crap in the burner again.
You're on the right track and you've given me some ideas. I've seen guys with air compressors blowing out the burner. A great alternative would be to use a can of "Keyboard Air Cleaner". They come with a small tube that can be used to focus the air directly down the burners and up the burner in the same direction as the gas is blown.
Further thought is the heat has to get into the flue and be there long enough to get the ammonia heated. Removing the baffle is probably allowing more heat into the vent pipe. I suspect my problem may be at the top of the vent or on the fins of the upper 'radiator'.
Carolyn, I'm such an avid fan of yours, now I've watched ALL of your videos and I'm lost. No more videos to watch! What is a person to do? I need my Carolyn fix! Well take care, i love what your doing and don't stop! Keep your head and chin up amongst all these cyber meanies! Love love love you!
Really excellent! That was so smart of you to do. Sometimes, regardless of what we're willing to pay to just get a problem fixed for us, what actually does the job is our own smarts and intuition. So the seal isn't such a problem after all. Way to go. Seriously, Metilda seems to always come thru.
Be Happy, be Smart, Be PROUD. And Celebrate!! With a big smile on your face you beat the professionals. Yehhh!!
That's one of the secrets of life.... When you have a problem, at least look at it. I can't tell you how many times I've fixed computers or cars that the owner could easily have done had they just carefully poked around the way you did. Excellent lesson, Carolyn. Thank you for sharing. Aloha.
Another thing you might try is putting an "S" in the condesate drain tube to form a p-trap, like under your sink. Make sure it has enough water in it to make it air tight. I've heard (but haven't tried it myself) that this can get you another 10 degrees of cold, especially in warm humid climates. Makes sense to me since that tube is basically a 1/2 in diameter hole between your fridge interior and the warm outside.
COOL! I was told the same thing. A good clean blue flame. I really liked watching this video. Science & Tech always fascinate me. Very informative and educational. These are great things to know and look for. Something so simple and 10 degrees colder. AWESOME JOB!
Peace! 🌈🌈
It's amazing what one can do when one puts their mind, knowledge and common sense nto it. A job well done Carolyn. Really enjoyed this video. Thank you for sharing.
I love it! You're also a handy woman not afraid of tackling problems yourself! Keep up the great videos!
"Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I break shit."
We need THAT on a tee! lol
Everybody else is asking about your tank top, I want to know about your back tats!
Propane scares the crap out of me.
Janet, propane takes some getting used to. I used to make glass figurines and beads using propane tank and a torch. I had all sorts of safety re; propane only outside, flashback arrestors, always tested for leaks, etc., but still felt nervous every time I lit the torch. Then again nothing ever happened to the thousands of people who also make lamps-work like me. Or grill out. :)
Cheers!
HAHAHA I'll Buy That!!!!
So would I buy a T with
Sometimes I get lucky
Other times I break shit
Love it
True words! I'd love to have that on a shirt too!
Love when a DIY project works! Congrats on 42k subscribers!
Consider soaking the cover in vinegar to neutralize rust. Paint cover with Zithron 900 1235 degree extreme temp paint. To restore corrosion protection.
Love how you troubleshoot and GO FOR IT to fix a problem... keep inspiring!
You did the exact same service you would get from a RV repair place, lol, great job. Only this time the work carries a warranty from Carolyn! Keep up the good work.
PERSISTENCE! GREAT VIDEO CAROLYN!. Wow! THANK you .Pipe cleaners, don't be without . That long pipe is full of rust,suet. Vacuum Inside also. Same happened to my brother's 90's Dometic 3 way Have SAFE travels and cold frig. 😁
Amazing! You have the courage to take apart the refrigerator and I would most likely never do that. My solution: Buy dry ice and put it in a container in the frig and call it a day.
Does dry ice cool food or freeze food??
Good job, Carolyn. You figured out what the professionals couldn't do. haha. It's just funny as heck. The clicking after you disconnect the electrical is the unit trying to turn on, on propane. If when it starts clicking, run into your RV and check out the light on the refrigerator and it will indicate that it is trying to turn on, on propane.
Also use a screwdriver and tap on the flu and then do your cleaning. You'll get most of that rust out.
One more thing, if it's a Domestic refrigerator, many years ago there was a recall on that brand because they were starting fires. So what consumers had to do was take their RVs for a fix and if I remember correctly all they did was install that small cover to cover the flame. Go to the domestic website and enter your model # and be sure what I'm telling you is correct. I am so damn proud of you girl! You can do anything. Keep making those awesome videos. Stay safe! Love ya :)
You keep this up I will have to start showing your vids to my RV Techs lol. Good job!
I'm glad you were able to fix it. I saw a video on Bob's channel I think, that showed a guy putting reflectix inside his fridge and a small battery fan too to help cool things down. I forget which video, but it's something to try to help cool things off in there.
Your doing good, learning by doing. Make sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm in the living quarters and I'd say your good to go. Appreciate the time you took to show us all what you did. And to be very clear on safety issues that could arise. Thanks Carolyn.
i had same experience in Brewster county Texas . cured problem with wall mart deep freeze and solar panel. UN believable , hot summers make more ice . i love NASA inventions
Carolyn a air compressor may be helpful to clean the burner and the exhaust pipe of that system . If there is no air compressor available you may want to try the cans of air that people buy to clean dust off their computer keys boards It's fun at times to watch your videos and I imagine the fun interaction I could have with you⚓
Love the bloopers at the end of the video! Should do that more often, so cute!
Don't you feel accomplished when you do something like this? I do. Happy for you!
Gas/Elec./Propane scares me too!! GREAT JOB Carolyn!!!!! So glad you fixed it!!! AWESOME JOB GIRL!!!!
Great vid, and yes, propane takes getting used to. I'm still learning at my 60+ years. I love the tee, and those tats. Have a full back tat myself. Hopefully someday we can share!
Than you Diana. Yes, this is my first hot and humid summer.. I learn as I go. Thanks for the kind words! :-)
Install a small 12 volt circulation fan up facing towards the refrigerator chimney o the roof. I put an on/switch on the circuit. On hot days it increases the air circulation and gives me great cooling.
Every time I turn on the camera too I get company. Funny how that works! Your fridge might be fine in these cooler temps but what are you going to do when it's back into the 90's? For food safety, refrigerators should always be under 40 degrees.
Carolyn! God Bless your hootinany! Save your money! Run Matilda as long as. It's comfortable to do so & then get what you want! They'r always gonna be problems! But you're a very intelligent woman, & I give you ,lots of credit! Esther from N.Y
Get one of those little mechanic's inspection mirrors and look up thru the 'chimney'...you might have a blockage...also check the roof vent over the fridge, make sure its not blocked.
I didn't know that could be or needed to be done! There's still so much I need to learn!
Great how to Diy. Pretty good shape for 25 yrs most houses would need more work lol.
RV simple sweet to work on.....cheap living...
I put reflectix inside my door where condiments go... Stays cooler less energy
Hey friendly. I don't know if you couldn't get the screw out because it was too tight, or if the head was stripped. If the head is stripped, laying a wide rubber band over the hole and then inserting your screwdriver usually works. Just an FYI. Fun video.....
Thank you Linda!
Don’t ever use a drill on a stripped screw
Your getting really good at fixing RV problems. You should open your own repair shop and help other rv'ers.
In case you don't already know, just wanted to tell you the guy from Road Warrior was killed on his way to see the eclipse, he was hit by an elderly man. His wife was in critical condition but seems improved, I don't know any details. I don't even know of them, but thought you might.
Flower Child Thank you for the info!
see what I see rving so true!
Gigi, thanks for the info. I don't think I knew him. But so sad and my heart goes out to their family. :-(
That metal cover is just a draft shield, just cut the top bit off (the bit with the rusty curve) with some wire snips and reinstall it with screw, Be aware with it just pushed in with no screw like you have it now will result in it coming loose and dislodge which will let the flame easily be blown out by the wind.
I was going to suggest this too. The fact that its super rusty on top & not everywhere else suggests to me that its been colliding with the flame, resulting in that part of the housing heating more than normal, hence all the rust there. I wonder also if there isnt an obstruction in that flue, maybe a wasp nest or something.
rick, thanks!
Love the shirt. You know if you had an RV where everything worked perfectly you wouldn't have learnt nearly as much. For most of this video I had the song I am woman running through my head.
I love the message on your shirt! You are a genius, Peppermint Patty.
Good for you Carolyn! Next learning about the generator.
Hey Carolyn the flue should be checked for structural integrity aka holes and excessive scaling of rust . If the flue as it goes up to the roof develops a pin hole due to rust the heat could seek out combustible material and the result could be a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. Some systems cost money to check and repair why? because YOU are worth it.
Peace Out
Lol! "At least that's what I think, I'm no expert!" You are the best! Thank you.
Please take a bit of time and learn about the Road Warriors, full time
RV'ers, UA-camrs who only have had love for life, showing struggles,
keeping things real. Unimaginable tragic times have happened. Caro and
family will need all the support they can get. God bless Sean. Time
for the community to step up.
Thanks for this tip. I've heard everything regarding old rv's is clean and clean it some more. Gonna try this.
I think you do really well on trying to/and fixing things. Some people just throw away things soon as it doesn't work like new.I suppose rving or camping wouldn't work for those that give up sooo easily.
Good for you,smart woman! Love all your videos, and Capone,
Super! Way to get your hands dirty. Since you want to save $$ and DIY is the only way with an RV, I have a couple suggestions for you. The most important is when fixing an item on a RV, before you disassemble anything, take several pictures of it, from different angles, if possible, before you touch it. After you remove item you can look back at pics and it will help in reinstallation and/or trouble shooting the issue. You should blow compressed air up through the exhaust stack to make sure the stack and vent are clear of debris.
Wow, great work. "I love it when a plan comes together." It might be fun to go to a hardware store and pick up a little square of that tin and shape it like that other one.
Don't ya love it when you get in there and brave it...and your intuition about something works ?!! Proud that you do try these things on your own ♡ so glad its fixed, your food will last longer now !! One thing that came to mind for me is the cut out part on that piece you gerryrigged in there.....im thinking the curve ( cutout) maybe could be tin-snipped out a bit to make it larger and then put back into place with the screw replaced......Im concerned that by not pushing it all the way in ( for better flow) might be causing some bad exhaust to circulate inside your motorhome rather than being guided up into the flue.....it may be that the airflow going up and out may also be the problem and not the airflow pulling in...just another thought from my silly mechanical mind ♡ just worried about the burning exhaust inside the motorhome.....?? Dont mind me...im only trying to put more minds togeather and thinking about your safety and health in the long run..thats where my head is at ♡♡ great going kiddo !!
It worries me too that the piece isn't in correctly. My fear is the flame may escape it it has some kind of flare up. We don't want a fire. The frig is usually between the bed and the door in these things.
Denise Rosser m
I put heat shield on any pipes that get hot back there and I put an exaust fan on the vent door. My temperature dropped 15 degrees.
Hey Carolyn i see that your frig does not have the protected shields around the burner assembly. These models were recalled and dealers had to retrofit around burner. Not that it had anything to do with cooling just a big fire hazard. Please look into it. Great vid . And a side note inside the flue there is a flue cleaner it's a long rod with a loop on top and a spiral piece on bottom that when pulled up and down cleans the lining of the flue. The problem is accessing it. I take off the cover of the roof vent and with a coat hanger i can hook the rod and take care of business . Not many people Know this and it will help with cooling.
That's not a cleaner it controls the exhaust speed needs to be there .
@@peterstencell804 I try to keep it simple on my replies if i would have told everyone it was a flue baffle that would have been a whole new topic, but if used the way I said it will remove wasp nest ,dirt daubers and rust that prevents flue efficiency.
You go. Good for you for teaching yourself and kicking butt. Thank you for the video.
It always pays to try to do these things yourself when you can, and with the slogan on your shirt you've gotta succeed!!!!
Carolyn, I couldn't agree with the posters below that said you should replace that cover/shield that you removed. It wasn't put there without a reason. It looks a little bent on the right hand side and I'd bet that the "flap" on the left hand side belongs tight up against the other sheet metal. this may cause a draft through the burner tube that affects combustion. As the others have commented carbon monoxide is nothing to play with. As Jacqueline said you need to get the burner off and clean it out along with as much of the flue as you can. I would also ensure that the coils are clean. If you can't get the burner tube off you can probably clean it fairly well with a vacuum as compressed air will tend to spread the rust all over and possibly clog the orifice in the burner assembly. If you must use compressed air please cover the orifice in the burner so you don't blow debris into it and make your problem worse. Good luck.
I hope this same thing will fix mine...I kinda think mine is a bigger issue but a guy who works for an rv dealership told me exactly what you just said that rust falls out of the exhaust vent. He said to get a can of that air like you use to clean computers and blow out the piece where the flames come out. LOL @ "Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I break shit." that is the story of my life!!!
NEVERTHELESS "CAROLYN " PERSISTED! 🖒
Great work. Showing us that it's fine and dandy to at least research and TRY!
To add to the cooling power of our RV fridge we try to park our rig with the fridge away from the afternoon sun. It helps.
Hi Carolyn, I think it would be best to put the baffle plate back in place properly as it is designed to stop the flame from blowing out in high winds or when travelling, well that's my two cents worth anyway, ;-)
A lot of those refrigerator are downperforming because of their chimney. Have you been thinking at some sort of chimney sweeping ? With a vacuum cleaner and a brush inside the chimney. I've see people solving that very same problem you had that way.(although they expressed their problem in Celsius i.p.o. Farenheit :-)
compressed air in a can like you use to clean the inside of computers and keyboards could get more rust out than the pipe cleaner.
Wud recommend covering gas orifice so debris doesn't get lodged in it causing problems with lp flow to burner tube- The RV Repair Guy, llc
Great information! Thank you. Glad your refrigerator is working better!!
Thank you ma'am for sharing! I'm glad you got it working normal again! Happy Trails! :-)
It just occurred to me you should have 2 6 inch long level tools a carpenter uses as an rv refrigerator is very sensitive to being level. If it's not dead on level it can cause it to reduce how cold it gets by up to 70%.
Set one level to check front to back and the other for side to side. Find a place for both to give you an accurate reading by parking in a known dead level spot then fine 2 places for the 2 levels to use every time you park. It might sound silly but that will go a long way to better functionality of your RV refrigerator. I had a lousy working refrigerator in my 78 RV at a campground and was signed up for one week and had to buy bags of ice to cool my stuff. Another RV owner asked refrigerator problems? Mine was like yours a 3 way but I only bused 120 volt or 12 volt when driving. My next door RV neighbor went into his and came out with a 6 inch carpenters level and after we went inside set it on top of the fridge and it wasn't even close. I was new to RV's at the time. Got out my leveling jacks and 15 minutes later she was dead level and two hours later I checked the fridge and she was cold as ice working better that I had seen in my first week of vacation.
Hope this helps.
:-)
Happy for you! Glad you went exploring and "fixed" it lol.....I too like the saying sometimes I get lucky, sometimes i break shit...it is definitely at tee topic!
I am so glad that you were able to fix that....go girl go...
I tried this and all kinds of trouble shooting. In the end, my driveway isn’t level and that was the problem. Check level first!
I leveled my trailer and my fridge worked.
" squirting calk for days"...thats awesome
Good job! I would get a can air to help as well, the big slag on top of the burner wasn't help at all, also using a angled pick to clean out the openings of the burner, the small little groves, we call them fingers, also I use a strip of sand paper, about 8-10 inches, strip it to 1" inches and fold it in half, so it's 1/2" x 8" and then make it bend around the burner and sand it like you are polishing shoes and then blow it out! Also blow up the chimney with the tube on the can air, and I like to slap the vertical tube a few time to get any loose rust out, and blow the burner again. Also try and get the cover back they way it was, try and get the right side in and push in the left, lot of reason why you need it on. I go by the sound of the burner when it's burning, nice and Crisp sound. Awesome job!! It's great that you took it on and got great results.
Carolyn, that orange flame that you are seeing is just dust particles in the air burning, nothing to be alarmed about. That part you installed partway is meant to go all the way in and be screwed it. What you actually did was leave the flue unsealed, which means you will get CO in the compartment and inside the coach. I hope you don't injure your self by doing this.
Invest in a couple of cans of compressed air and blow out the burner. Get a brush and clean out the vent stack. LP gas will scale up the stack. Spending 37 years in the natural gas industry I've seen a lot of F'd up things that the customer has done. If that part was blocking the flame you would see a lot of soot all over it.
Hi Carolyn! Way to go and fix it yourself. Keep this up and you can you'll know how to fix everything on that thing! Lol. I delivered TBs for two years. It's unfortunate that most of the rvs have poor workmanship.
I delivered rvs.....darn autocorrect.
😯 wow great job gently troubleshooting! Hoping I may be as brave one day! Thanks for the advice!
One more challenge passed with an A+ Bless you my friend
Some times I get lucky, sometimes I break shit......that is my life, love it
I'm glad it's working better for you. I'm the same way. Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I break shit! LOL 💖💖💖
way to go girl GOOD JOB.
I acheived another 10° of cooling differential by, mounting a small 12v computer fan, gently & quietly blowing air up across the heat-pipes, located higher on the back of the fridge. This blew steady for a couple years before dust killed it, so just replaced it for more good cooling. It uses Soo little power that it's draw isn't even noticed.
Suggestion- as well as cleaning the burner-clean the gas jet. Not a job for you but Bob could do it. Also you can adjust the flame h eight and that might help. They are a pain in the butt to work on!!
Not a job for her but Bob can do it??? Really? Why is that? Carolyn can do anything Bob can do.
karl, you're trying to get a rise out of me with that comment right??? I challenge you to spend a day with me and bob - or any man - and then tell me what a man can do better. #REALTALK
I just reread my "my suggestion" and did not realize it sounded like a cheap shot until the reread!!! My thought process had to do with the tools necessary. Well also possibly your knowledge of GAS systems. I know plenty of men I would suggest get help also. That piece of metal does need to be put back in place. It's a wind shield. Invest in a small wire brush and get the rust off. A good screw driver and remove burnerand clean it well( or good) whichever is correct. If I ever make another comment I will make attempt to keep my old sexist attitudes to a minimum! Good luck and keep on trucken.
I enjoy your videos, your heart is beautiful. Thanks for sharing and not getting discouraged.
Thank you Juli! I'm so glad you're here on this adventure with me!
You rock Girl! Get in there & get 'er done!
Hey. My bumper sticker matches your shirt. Love it.
Compressed air can can help to blow out debris, but make sure the lp orifice is covered so debris won't get lodged in the lp orifice-The RV Repair Guy, LLC north East AZ
Awesome glad you got it working again
The design of the cover would imply that it is directing all the fumes to go up the flue, but one might worry that leaving part of the cutout on top outside the flue would allow carbon monoxide to be escaping into the shell containing the refrigeration equipment....that could be bad if there is way for it to further seep inside Matilda where you are looking to be breathing oxygen after you've shut the doors and windows to go to sleep. Just something to think about before drifting off. :)
Pippi Peterson has great RV tips !Great job, pretty frustrating tweeking old things all the time I bet?Hugs
Way to go! I am going to look at the fridge on my class C and try that. I have always noticed that mine works better on AC than gas. Thanks for the vid and keep enjoying yourself!
Check the flu from top to bottom. I remember Chico from Chico and Rufus having the same problem. I would suggest putting that piece back where it was and screw it down. Just saying. I hope that helps.
Whoo-hoo! Go Carolyn, brave woman tinkering around the gas and electric. Pretty sure I'd explode something.
🤓
Great work, just keep an eye on it. You look happy. Peace.
Great job.. The internet has saved me a ton of money for repairs..(How to) Great repair.. I would try to put the metal piece in and see if it works? You could take a metal file, grinder, (carefully) and make the "C" bigger Use safety googles
Order a new draft cover. It was designed by engineers to provide proper safety and for top operation of your system. Also make sure you have good ventilation from that panel you removed on up to the fresh air exhaust. Also good troubleshooting. you might want to also want to clean your orifice