You'd be surprised how many things we refrigerate that don't really need it. Eggs and cheese, just to name a few. I would trash Bank Of America! They are nothing but a hassle!
For Americans, storing eggs in the fridge isn't simply a matter of taste - it's done to prevent the spread of Salmonella. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there are approximately 142,000 illnesses every year that are caused by consuming eggs contaminated with Salmonella. In the U.S., hens are not required to be vaccinated against Salmonella, with only one-third of farmers choosing to immunize their flocks. Because of these immunization policies and practicies, it is imperative to keep eggs refrigerated.To minimize the risk of contamination and to extend shelf life, eggs should be stored in the case or carton in a refirgerator. If done so, they should last up to four to five weeks without a significant loss of quality, according to the American Egg Board.
Cheeses of all kinds should be refrigerated between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit in order to preserve freshness and avoid mold. However, because hard cheeses such as Parmesan and Romano have less moisture, they often remain fresh even without refrigeration. Softer cheeses, such as brie and ricotta, have more moisture, and therefore absolutely must be refrigerated to avoid spoil.
Its safety feature of the BOA to freeze accounts,if there are to many transactions from different places in a short time periode. And calling them,cant change it,because everyone is able to call with your account data,theorethically...
If the flame is going in the fridge, then hooking to 110V is not gonna help....just junk the fridge and look on CL for somebody parting a camper out. Could have tested the 110V function on the fridge with your genset too. Fridge WILL fit out the door, it's made that way, take the doors off, it will fit out the door
Sounds more like user error to me. I have no problem setting my BofA accounts to either US or international travel and they never deactivate my accounts.
We have had Bank of America lock the account for large out-of-state purchases when they received no previous notification that we were traveling. I call, give them the info and password, and unlock the account. It's no big deal and helps fight fraud.
I use an independent RV service company and I NEVER have to wait more than a day. They repaired my Norcold that had completely quit. It was a hardware reset that the factory trained mechanic knew about. Good as new!
Ok, propane stays lit and the compressor stays on when plugged in. I'm thinking there's only two things left to fix. One is the remote chance that the refrigerant has leaked out. Any reefer tech can check that for you, same as topping off your AC. The other, more likely problem is that your adjustable thermostat went bad. This ain't rocket science.
RV refrigerators are different than domestic ones. No compressor, no Freon. They're absorption fridges charged with anhydrous ammonia and hydrogen. You usually replace the whole cooling unit with a new or rebuilt one that comes pre-filled. If it leaked, it has to be replaced. Rebuilt units are about $500.00 + core.
Gonagain his refrigerator doesn't have a compressor it is an absorbing refrigerator that uses heat propane , or a heating element under a tank and it boils a mixture of usually ammonia . it is,a very special and I only know one place that can fix this type I think it's called ford's refrigeration. it's in Iowa or someplace in the Midwest
A RV refrigerator is different from the one in your house. Your RV refrigerator doesn’t use a compressor or Freon. It works off of the principle of absorption. Instead of applying cold directly, the heat is drawn out. RV refrigerator uses heat, either from an electric heating element or an LP-gas flame. The heat starts a chemical reaction, and evaporation and condensation causes the refrigerator to cool. This is essentially the same principle that the “Coleman” refrigerator-type chests work, except that a RV refrigerator has an ammonia type fluid that is used for the evaporation/absorption process.
To clarify some of the other commenters' comments with a _very_ brief explanation of how absorption-type refrigerators work: Heat is applied to a solution of water and ammonia. The heat boils the ammonia off (leaving the water behind), which is then cooled in a condenser until it becomes a liquid. (This releases heat to the outside.) The liquid ammonia then passes to the evaporator where it evaporates in the presence of hydrogen. The evaporation process requires heat, which it draws from the refrigerator/freezer compartment, making it cold. The now-gaseous ammonia then passes to the absorber where it is absorbed (dissolved) back into the water, creating an ammonia solution, which then goes to the boiler for the cycle to repeat. Absorption-type refrigerators are more complex than the more common compressor-type fridges, and because of the carefully choreographed interplay of the various fluids in the system, they have to be kept level to work properly (or at all).
Good point David, but the diagnosis would be the same. In Eric's case it would be a loss of the ammonia, which I doubt, or his temperature control unit. Do you see any other possibilities?
Eric, are you or an immediate family member a veteran? If so, switch to USAA. They have user internet travel features that allow you to set the state and dates you'll be at all at your fingertips. Also, when you set up your profile, register your phone number. On future calls, they'll greet you by name when they answer the phone. They will also reimburse atm fees, up to $15 per month. I'm a 35 year veteran and have used them for years. Anytime I've ever talked to them, I've hung up with a smile on my face. One more thing if they suspect suspicious activity, they call you. None of this crap of finding out that your card was declined at the pump. You'd already know and suggest the card to be canceled and directions of when and where to get a new card, if in fact your #s had been stolen. I hope you get the frig repaired soon and not too costly.
Agree completely with this. USAA has great customer service. I don't think you have to be a Veteran or family member anymore to use the banking the services.
Ron Briz I love USAA so much. After being a member with them for the last 6 years, I could never imagine using any other institution. My wife uses Navy Federal, they're great also.
Always admire how calm you remain.. Fridge breaks down still smiling and optomistic. Crazy guy climbs on top of your RV still smiling! I have to let go of my control freak ways before I full time RV.. All of you guys have shown me you have no control on the road.. Prayers for Jax and You..
I didn't know anything about RV refrigerators, until someone commented they have no compressor or freon, and I now know why it's so important for an RV to be level. Unlike the refrigerator in your house which works by the use of freon and a compressor, your camper refrigerator is an ammonia absorption type refrigerator. These refrigerators function by boiling the ammonia hydroxide solution. This is accomplished utilizing heat produced by the gas burner or the electric heating element. There is no compressor, so there is no noise made by a properly running R.V. refrigerator. A compressor in a home refrigerator circulates the coolant whether it is level or not. A camper refrigerator is designed with a natural angle to the pipe work so as to keep the ammonia solution circulating, thus causing your fridge to continually cool. When you change the angle of the pipe work by running your refrigerator when your camper is not level, you risk vapor-locking the cooling unit. This stops the circulation and your refrigerator quits working!
Sorry you found out the hard way that the price of a RV reefer is absolutely nuts. As far as B of A I would dump their ass in a heartbeat. Since interest on an account has become a joke the only thing a bank has to offer is their service. If their service isn't doing what you want find one that will the woods are full of em! It seems like RV repair services are always a long wait time till you get to the mid west, then they seem to be easier to gat into. Good luck!
You're absolutely right. My husband us a bank owner/CEO and says customer service has be priority one, that and interest rates. At all his banks a "real person" answers the phones and no one holds > than 5 minutes. Our money is very important and we should expect the more personal approach rather than algorithms!!
Add more batteries to your current setup. Buy a decent inverter (minimum 2000 watts). Junk that propane fridge and replace it with a normal everyday residential fridge. Shouldn't cost you more than $600 total. Maybe less. You have solar panels, they'll give you enough juice to run the residential fridge, and when they don't, you have a generator to charge the batteries with. Residential fridges are more reliable, do a better job keeping your food cold, and you don't have to wait months for camping world to diagnose stuff for you, you just go to Home Depot and buy a new fridge for $200.
***** Mine fit, no problem. They make all sorts of sizes of fridges. His should be 23 3/4" wide. I'm betting it's about 42" high as well. He could pick up a large "compact" fridge (misnomer) and fit it in there no problem. Those are usually 20" wide and no more than 36" tall. Add a nice little shelf above and he's set. Or spend a little more and search around for an apartment size small fridge. They do exist. The one I see at walmart all the time is the dual door Danby unit for about $200. 34 inches tall, 20 inches wide.
i would run to Walmart and get a small 120 fridge or 12 volt Coleman cooler & measure your fridge and run lowes or Walmart, a 120 fridge, that fits the opening and stick it in the area the old one was!
The bank situation is in the system algorithm to freeze the account like that but you would think they would be able to do something. I would suggest getting a prepaid debt and load cash on that to use. Be way easier to go in a branch and get cash to put on the prepaid vs calling them every day like they're your mother.
Sorry about your troubles. Change banks! (yes, not easy but speak with your feet may be only way to get the megabank's attention). We carry a Dometic 12v/230v fridge/freezer as backup for total rv fridge failure, or lack of propane, and have a standalone solar setup for it. If not needed for a primary cooling unit works as an additional freezer. Best of luck-
Sorry to hear about your Fridge. Im a certified RV mechanic. The suggestion I have for you is to "Burp" your unit. There may be some Debris or a bubble formed in the Ammonia. If you have the time and energy to attempt Burping it thats your best bet. But this involves completely removing the unit and turning it upside down for an hour or so. You can usually do this in the RV. The unit should be mounted with 2 screws in the rear access compartment and around the trim on the front. We have had to do this to quite a few of the trade ins our sales Dept takes in.This may make the unit last for years or just months. They all very.But if there is an ammonia smell present-The unit is junk. As for removing the unit The RV was actually built around the interior . We often have to completely remove the largest window in order to remove it from the camper or RV. Sorry there isnt an easier fix.GOOD LUCK!
Hey Tom, I have done this to my rv fridge years ago and it worked like a charm! Still going strong. I commented and advised that Eric give it a try, I hope he figures it out!
Eric, Rv Fridges are for the most part 2 pieces, they have to be, to get them through your door. Options: 1. Call good sam...a joke of a camping world thing and see if another rv dealer can do the install, tell them you are traveling, they might squeeze you in...sometimes they will if they know you are on the road/out of town...but they will have to order the damn thing anyway...so essentially you are screwed, unless they have one laying around, which I doubt CW clowns will have 2. install yourself if GS will cover it 3. part time job, plenty this time of the year...viewers will understand a few weeks off. 4. dude I hate to say, no emergency fund but expensive Disney world? Always have that emergency fund when traveling...if you dont have it you dont need to be traveling! 5. portable 110V electric fridge for a short time substitute if you can do a Genny or hookups while parked and ice chest it while traveling 6. Ice chest 12v cooler for a fridge 7. BOA Blows....Wells Fargo does too but not that bad! 8. reach ahead for the install at another crappy CW until then do the cooler thing, find dry ice along the way...lasts longer 9. Find a military cooler, oval green things, aluminum...once kept ice in one for three days in the trunk of a black celica in summer time SC... those things makes those Yeti owners look stupid with money to burn 10. There are several fridges for "Off gridders" some run off of a small amount of kerosene, yes a small flame but much smaller than that propane burn,they have been around for ages, first used to keep blood plasma cool while fighting the Japanese on hot tropical islands in WWII... 5cent history lesson for ya....also Im.pretty sure there is a very efficient Dometic chest freezer than can be used as a fridge; 12 v if not mistaken
When my RV fridge goes out I won't buy a replacement. I bought a quality ice chest that will keep a bag of ice 5 days. It does indeed keep ice that long though mostly water :)
You can diagnose the fridge yourself. Look for green stains near the bottom of the burner. If stains are there the cooling unit is bad and about 500 for the part. The fridge works like and old school coffee pot in that the heat from gas or electric causes the ammonia to percolate within the unit. There are no moving parts, just pipe with coolant within so if there is heat and it does not cool the cooling unit is bad. You can look on the back and google the mdl number for prices of the cooling unit. it is easy to replace.
1) if you buying a new fridge, get a thermo-electric "cooler" fridge. Dometic and Waeco are some brands. No moving parts except for the fan. Quiet and energy efficient means you can run it from the solar. Use one for freezer and another for chilling. Add insulation around the cooler to made it even more efficient. 2) Get a credit card from Canada (use Morgan's address) that accept US dollar as primary payment. Then advise them you are a travelling snowbird. Scotia Bank is very understanding which is why they have branches in USA, Caribbean and South America for retired Canadians.
Keep your head up. Everyone is healthy and safe and that's what's important. When everything hits at once, all you can do is just deal with things one day at a time.
hey Eric, if you parked un-level when it quit working it can cause a "gas bubble" in the system that blocks the flowing of the ammonia in the coils on the back. I have had this happen before in the past. You may try turning it completly OFF for maybe 12 hrs or so for the ammonia to settle in the coils first then turn it back on. If that doesn't work, the only way to fix it is to burp it- it is kinda a pain but costs nothing. You have to uninstall it and flip it upside down for a bit (maybe 6-12 hrs) to let the gas settle in the coils. Then flip it back right side up and reinstall it. It is especially challenging when you live in the rig. It does cost nothing and sure beats waiting for camping world - they are a great place to shop but I gave up on service thru them. Good luck!
Mike, where do you get your information on that procedure? I wouldn't call myself an an expert on absorption-type refrigerators, but I've done a lot of research on them over the last few weeks and learned a lot about how they work, and from what I've learned, flipping it upside down would definitely NOT work. In fact, it's the worst thing you could do. It would almost certainly disable the fridge completely and require a technician to fix it, which would entail draining all the gases and fluids out and re-installing them. These types of refrigerators are complex and require a precisely measured combination of gases and fluids, and those gases and fluids must be carefully placed in the right locations within the tubes, pipes, and vessels in the fridge. (That's why it's so important that they be kept level.) Flipping such a refrigerator upside down is of course the exact _opposite_ of keeping it level, and doing so would completely f*ck up (to use a technical term) that careful balance and distribution of fluids and gases.
Camping world will just try and sell you a new one when it can probably be repaired. Find a place that does RV refrigeration repair. Guardian RV & fleet service in Chalmette,LA is on your route. Good luck.
I bought a 12v refrigerator from Home Depot for $700 and installed it ... just an option and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Although the refrigerator wouldn't fit through the RV door so we had to push it out the dinette window lol. good luck and I hope you get the problem resolved.
I ltike the way you let us in to your life. Don't let the heaters get you or your lady down and thanks for keeping it real.. the best thing about bad times it makes tHe good times better. Just a friend 😃😃
Hey Eric there is a RV salvage center in Gainesville off of I75..Its not that far off your route. RV frigs. are just a big box with a propane connector pipe and a 120volt ac plug and a dc connector.Just measure you box.Disconnect it outside under panel. Unscrew it inside .Remove doors on frig..Remove it from MH through PASSENGER front door!!Might have to take out seat. Reverse to install.I did mine that way.
Ice and cooler, till you get it fixed. Camping World sucks, call local RV shops and make sure they know how to diagnose and repair refrigerators. They can always be repaired if they know how verse just replacement. Good Luck..
Tell Bank of America that you will bill them for your time and telephone costs each week if they do not fix the problem. If that does not move them then find a new bank.
You may be overthinking the whole fridge thing. I'm a certified HVAC tech in PA. I've actually worked on two different RV fridges in my career so far. There's not much to them. Don't worry about getting some RV place to look at it. I'd have to look a bit closer, but you may just need a refill on coolant. I'd imagine that fridge takes R-134, but I'd have to look closer. Get a local HVAC tech that knows a thing or two about refers and have them look at it. Or even a guy that deals strictly with household appliances and refers. Just remember, just because it's in an RV, it is still just a refrigerator/freezer combo. Call a local HVAC tech, please. Us guys don't usually turn away work.
I have been a customer of Bank of America for some time now.I live in West Palm Beach Fl. The same thing happened to me when I was visiting my daughter , who just moved to Los Angeles. We went out to eat and when I used my debit card , it got declined . However since I have alerts turned on, I got a text within about a minute asking me if to verify the charge, I did and I was able to use the card to pay the bill. Make sure alerts are turned on . I think you can do it through the app. Love your Vlog ! Good luck with your Fridge !
Hey Eric,our fridge packed it in 2yrs ago. It was 12yrs old and I thought about replacing the cooling unit or putting in a residential fridge. We decided to bite the bullet and replace it with another RV fridge. We ordered a Dometic fridge freezer from PPL in Huston Texas. We used our fridge as a cooler putting ice bags in the bottom compartments each day, this lasted until the next day. When we finally got our fridge replaced we moved our fridge freezer into the basement of our motorhome and now use it as just a freezer. I realize you don't have the room that we have in our motorhome but there are options, you just need the one that works best for you. Good luck.
You dont have to replace the whole fridge just the cooling unit on the back. It isnt an easy job but it can be done. there are a bunch of videos on youtube on how to do it. It wont cost 1700.00 bucks either
Gary P. Bingo. It's actually pretty easy. I did mine a few years ago. There are a bunch of companies in AZ that remanufacture them for a lot less than buying a new cooling unit.
suggested solutions: * take out your money and close your account at bank or america ( they suck! ), move to a federal / national credit union, or a different bank ( i happen to like citizens bank ) * always keep some cash on hand for emergencies, i'd say $500-1000 is a good start * consider a portable 12 v fridge / freezer, you can find them many places, you could also probably find a used replacement fridge online for the RV, or pull one out yourself if there is any junked RV's within a reasonable distance. * i'd try calling any local appliance repair / refrigeration / heating & cooling places and ask if they could take a look at your fridge.. it might be something simple they can fix or at least diagnose for you, so you can order & replace a part. * buy some ice and store your food in a cooler, if it was only in the fridge overnight, the food doesn't spoil that quickly, no reason to throw out all of the food. i'm sure things will work out, good luck, try and stay positive!
I've read all the tech comments about the type of fridge and potential causes and would like to add my two cents worth based on recent experience. The beginning of August we bought a new truck camper. We brought it home and checked all the systems ... every thing running perfectly as it should. It was too hot to camp so it sat in front of the house until October when we took our first trip in it. Arrived at the first campground and found all the food thawing (running on propane). I did what Eric did and plugged it in with the same result as Eric. The next day we drove home (80 minutes) and picked up our ARB fridge/freezer and got back on the road. When we got back, I found a Dometic Certified Repair Center close to home and took the camper in. The tech was very knowledgeable (see video on our channel) and quickly determined that there was a plug clogging the flow of ammonia in the evaporator. He said that this is quite common due to contamination from the manufacturing process. It worked fine because it sat for months but the minute we hit the road, the plug shifted and clogged the coil. Dometic replaced the entire unit under warranty (it was cheaper for them this way rather than to pay the labor to disassemble the unit and just replace the evaporator). I just Googled Dometic Repair Centers and found about 10 of them within 50 miles of our home. Half of them were mobile repair businesses that will come to you. I wouldn't deal with Camping World if you held a gun to my head :-) The dealer I chose for the repair was super cool. He had to order the new fridge and work out their warranty costs with Dometic and then I had to wait for delivery of the new unit. Initially, I called him on a Wednesday, took it in on Thursday and picked it up the following Thursday so a week :-)
I am looking at the same issue in my 31' puma. The dometic fridge uses and ammonia based system that is not serviceable.. When they crap out, you need to pull the entire part and replace it. I would just get one of those dorm fridge / freezers that is as close to the same size as your trifuel and put it in there.. Spend the money to upgrade your solar system to a 48 volt bank and 48 volt inverter.. If you have big enough batteries, you will be able to run the little dorm fridge with no issues.
Take the fridge out and flip it upside down for a few days... it remixes the ammonia coolant mix inside and also if there are any particulate in the system it could free it from the orifice... my dad learned this from a RV shop.. it sounds stupid, but it works. google it, its common. Its like they get vapor locked.
Eric, I'm so glad you shared your Bank of America woes. I was having the same exact issue with my Wells Fargo account, also a constant daily mess I have to wade through every time. I have to keep answering those trick questions, each time. Finally, last night a customer service rep told I needed to clear up everything with their fraud department, because my card was on an automatic hold (!!!). Now my card is finally working just fine. Unfortunately, all of the big banks follow the same protocols. I hope you get it all fixed soon.
@ DrBill: Heh heh [chuckle]....no, I'm being extremely sarcastic. I made my comment in light of the recent revelations of Wells Fargo's massive and widespread fraudulent activities. I know that sarcasm often doesn't come through in written text, but I thought that the exaggerated hyperbole of my statement, coupled with what we now know about Wells Fargo, would've made it obvious in this case. :-)
We had a similar fridge breakdown in our class b. Went to walmart purchased a number of ice bottle/bag ( rubber kind with a screw on stopper) this would be the kind you would use to apply ice to an injury. Purchased bagged ice, filled the bags. Packed around our food in the fridge. Saved our vacation.
Nice Suggestion, only problem is that the RV fridge works totally different than an Air Conditioning system. They would probably have no idea what is wrong and would not have the tools and equipment to fix the fridge if they could figure out the problem.
Addition to my last comment regarding plugged capillary tubes. Turn the fridge off, both gas and electric and let it sit for no less than three days. The ammonia should work its way out of the capillary tubes. It will be OK to drive while the fridge is off. The sloshing generally keeps the tubes clear. After three days fire the fridge up with gas. Make sure the burner is running and the flame is blue. It should run when you restart after it sets idle three days. Good luck.
You have some options: PPL RV in Texas, they have 3 outlets; RV parts country, a cooler, a 12v cooler. Remember, things are never as bad as they first seem when you step back and take a deep breath.
Hi Eric, I also live in a 24' class c w/solar. I installed a 10 cu ft apartment fridge in mine, and it fit perfectly in the old fridge space, no mods necessary. It uses about 1-1.5kwh/day. costs about $100-$300 on craigslist. More space and waaay cheaper than a traditional RV fridge. Both positive and negative that it doesn't use propane. Means that 3+ cloudy days = generator for batts. Running a 750W system w/ 600AH.
A few friendly travel+banking tips Eric. 1. There is $7 billion or so lost every year due to stolen debit and credit card fraud. So please blame the thieves of the world not BOA, as BOA is just trying to prevent money lost as do all similar banks, and it's an automated computer system. It shows you their system is working. If your card had been stolen, you would be VERY pleased that the thief didn't get your money. 2. BOA debit isn't designed for traveling anyway, the debit system is based on a "Home Billing Address" and thus will always throw a red flag as you travel, even if you call them repeatedly. 3. BOA is a brick and mortar bank and thus have billions in monthly bills, and their service appropriately AND understandably shows it. I would be using a much better proven bank that doesn't have so much overhead. 4. Open an account at Chase or Capital One, which are both thousands of times better then BOA will ever be. I was blown away at just how much better Capital One is. Both Chase and Capital One have automated systems that text you instantly to get authorization for something their system wants to decline, so you are NEVER upset that you were declined, if it even happens. Also they both don't have a gigantic chain of branches to maintain, right? So their money goes into their services, not their bills. 5. Both Chase and Capital One phone numbers are answered near instantly with the most friendliest people I have ever experienced. This alone is worth their service. 6. Sign up with Visa's TravelMoney card, which is not a 3rd party such as a bank. It is a pre-paid Visa system from VISA that uses their credit system instead, and is NOT based on your billing address. Loading it is super easy too. This card is based on your physical Geo-location and it coordinates with your smartphones Visa app and previous uses, thus it practically never ever gets declined, simply because it is designed for people like YOU who travel. Hence its name, lol. P.S. Travel experts worldwide recommend going this route anyway. usa.visa.com/visa-everywhere/innovation/paying-while-traveling.html (watch the video) I am not employed by either of these companies. I am just a user who used both BOA, Chase and Capital One and have many years of experience with all of them. Capital One is what a real bank should be and I couldn't be any happier with them. So don't be upset at BOA, just change your bad habit of using them, lol... Hope your day improves and you figure out what to do with your fridge.
There has to be a balance expecting him to call them every morning is absurd! The know he is traveling so gas especially should not be a suspected activity.
Be sure to check the fan in the refrigerator. I don't know how an RV fridge works but it must be similar to a residential refrigerator. My fridge at home died - wouldn't cool anything. It was the fan in the freezer compartment. It died. I bought a new fan for about $60.00. It was a snap to install and the fridge has been working like a champ since.
Bank of America has an option online to specify where you're traveling to. You can put a vacation leave for multiple destinations, and I don't believe its specific to City/Town. You might be able to schedule the state you're travelling to ahead of time, and you can certainly do multiple locations during your travel. don't call them!
Get a hold of a mobile rv repairman....all campgrounds have the phone numbers for one. One question, did you smell ammonia in the fridge area??? Very important question. If you did smell something odd you will need a cooling unit, that means the ammonia solution has leaked out, cant be repaired, very expensive about half the cost of a new fridge. Did you see the pilot light on when you looked under the burner tube..If you did that's a good sign. How long did you run it on 110 v AC? Remember it takes 6-12 hours to cool a fridge down. When you look at the flue (burner tube) feel the horizontal plug in component (110v AC heater element), it sits about 10 inches from the bottom of the flue, it should be hot! Be careful.... If it's hot that's good. If you have a pilot light on and the 110v AC element is on (hot) when plugged in to shore power the problem is inside the flue. There is a spiral component that sits inside the flue to direct the heat inside the flue, if it fell into the bottom of the burner that's not good. The only way to see it is if you take the roof mounted fridge vent off and look down into the bottom of the flue. If that 110 v AC heating element is not on (hot) when plugged into shore power either the element is bad or the control board (small computer board on bottom left of fridge) is n/g. I seriously doubt that you have a problem with both the AC and gas portion of the fridge, usually it's one or the other unless the control board is bad. Again, IF YOU SMELLED SOMETHING FUNNY all bets are off and its new fridge time.... Ron W Email me and I can walk you through all this, diagnosing a fridge problem is not hard. If the pilot light is not on,
Eric, consider moving to another bank that is not going to put these restrictions on you. I know it would be a pain but would be well worth it getting away from bank of america. For cooling issue you could consider getting a yeti or a rtic cooler. It is said the keep ice for a week. You can find Yeti coolers at Bass pro shops. It would be a temp fix til you find out what is going on with the fridge.
Eric, some times all it takes to get one working again when they quit like yours has and wont cool on gas or elec is to remove it from the coach, and turn it upside down for a while, then back right side up. plug it in and let it run a while and see if its cooling before reinstalling it. They get a air bubble in them and it basicly vapor locks them. By turning them upside down it lets the bubble come out and they work again. Dont cost anything to try but a bit of time. Good luck.
Want to give this a thumbs down, but don't want to bring negativity to the channel... Sucks, man! But chin up! You're still doing what you love with a fine partner! Keep it up!
Eric, try a local RV tech in order to find out exactly what is wrong. It may not need to be replaced and may not cost as much as a new one. But you will know what the exact problem is and cost of repair. If need be ... go with the cooler for a while. Just remember, this too will in time all work out.
We travel 6 to 8 weeks at a time most years. We call our credit union a couple days before departure and tell them that we'll be gone for approximately 8 weeks and we'll be passing through .... list of states. That's all there is to it. We've been dealing with the same credit union since 1982 and never had issue one ... they're super awesome :-)
1. Switch to a credit union, before that take all your money with you. My mom went to the same shit with her bank as they were freezing her money because she was traveling to see me in another state for vacation. 2. Get a dc fridge like the one you bought for Bertha. 3. Chill, take your time and relax, a bad day in the road is better than a good one at the office.
Might have already been posted. but.. you can try as a last resort is to pull the fridge, turn it upside down for 24 hours. reinstall it, and wait 24 hours before powering back up. camping world will not fix the frige, only replace it. good luck, and safe travels.
sorry about the frig. I hope you get everything worked out. tell Morgan I said hi and give Jax and Ziggy a scratch for me.. be safe and have fun and don't give up
Hi Eric. Common problem with gas absorption refrigerators. They were not designed to run 24/7 364 days a year. What is likely wrong with the fridge is liquid ammonia has entered into the capillary tubes. They are suppose to carry vapor, not liquid. This is a result of parking off level or extended runs without a defrost once in a while. To fix the problem you need to power the fridge down and let it set idle for a few days. The Ammonia will eventually work itself out of the capillary tubes and when you restart it it should run and get cold again. If you go to camping world they will sell you a new fridge because that is the way they stay in business. Worst case scenero is there is internal rust plugging the orifice the ammonia runs through inside the fridge. I got a 30 year old fridge going by turning it upside down for a few days, but if its internal rust the fridge is likely on its way out. I would power it down a few days and see if it will run. This has happened three times in thirty years of camping and most of the time when a gas fridge does not cool its liquid ammonia working its way in the capillary tubes. Good luck and drive safe.
Funny, same thing happened to our new RV. We turned it off for a day and prayed, because repair is nearly impossible on the road. It works now, and we are continuing to pray.
the rv frig are mainly 2 brands, they both work the exact same and don't have moving parts, if the propane is visibly lit and is not cooling the cooling loop, then it means your problem lies in the cooling loop either plugged up or leaked out the ammonia. it would be cheaper to buy new or use replacement over the new cooling loop and have it installed
I barely even use my fridge. Just eat potatoes, oats, whole grains, fruits, and veggies. A lot of it doesn't even need to be cooked, clean up is a snap, and your health and fitness will dramatically improve. Refrigeration really isn't necessary at all. Simplify man-it pays in myriad ways!
Eric that Fridge might be an easy fix my Mothers fridge will do the same thing every couple of years or so. Get the Fridge upside down and leave it like that for 24 hours. after that get it back upright leave it for another 24 hours and it will work like new! Its something to do with how that type of fridge works. ( I think it gets a bubble somewhere in the pipe work )
@Tracy James Tavares...If you use it in your fridge with the door closed/sealed, you will quickly find that as the dry ice evaporates, it will carbonate your food, especially fruit and veggies. Not good at all. Freaked me out the first time I bit into a carbonated apple!!!
insaynbcr Stuffs tricky 4 sure . I gota keep insulin cool . Used 2 yamk 2000 / 5000 Gal. fuel tanks . Drop in bunch O dry ice , it push all the O2 out , no o2 no fire .
In case of the worst with the fridge they sell rebuilt coil packs to get it up and running...if it leaked out there should be yellow residue around the coils.
We left B of A about 8 or 9 years ago when we were in Mexico and they gave us problems, after we told them when and where we were going to be! On the fridge thing. Some viewer will be able to point you to a local shop that can get you in and get it fixed... If he's on your way, check with RV Prepper Wayne and ask him. He seems to know a lot about these rigs.
It's important that you don't show your girl any signs of weakness or that you're going to lose it. It's a new relationship. She needs you to stay strong and just handle the problem. Good luck with it man. That really sucks! What about a junk yard for RV's? Sorry you''ve got issues.
You could purchase an ARB or Engel refrigerator. I think the ARB 40 quart is about $800 bucks and draws about 1 amp per hour. Keeps you going until you fix your fridge. Then you could sell it or have an extra cooler for the jeep.
We have problems with them too. It is beyond annoying. Then they say just call in .....sure...let me call in at the register and give out all my personal info while I have 10 steaming mad customers waiting in line while I try to get BOA to believe it is actually me trying to buy $24 worth of groceries! UGH!!! Wells Fargo is just as bad.
Lets run down a few gas refer tricks I have learned. There is ammonia and sulfur pressurized at 400 lb. in the coils, If you had a leak. You would know it. The refer needs to be level for the most part to work well. Heating the ammonia and sulfur, make it mix. When it mixes it cools at the opposite end of the unit. Some times stuff gets in the burn chamber blocking the heat from getting to the coil. Check the roof vent for signs of heat out the tube stack. Last thing you can try. Pull the frige out of the hole and flip it upside down for a day. This will remix the sulfur and ammonia. While upside down. Clean all the burn tubes. Good luck. If you were back home in Washington. I would help you do it.
The 3-way fridge/freezer died in my RV too. Yes, they are expensive. Step 1: Get a Yeti cooler and do without frozen food. Step 2: Save for a new fridge/freezer. Step 3: Purchase new fridge/freezer and install it. They have simple electric and gas hook-ups which are easy enough for most any DIY'er to handle. Oh---and get a different bank. Take charge of your situation and be less dependent upon others (others being camper world or whatever), after all, that is a major part of what RV life is about...independence and self sufficiency.
Your other option, for a while, is to use an ice-cooler or plug-in cooler along with using fresh/canned food instead of cold/frozen food. Just until things can be figured out with the fridge.
Eric, You have a lot of choices in this one. All of them can be good or bad. You are probably doing this but look at what others have posted on what they did and how they did it and then make a choice. To get the old refrigerator out, you could take it out the window if it won't fit through the door. It looks like your windows on the drivers side may be big enough, but you would want to measure first. If you go the residential refrigerator route, Lowes or Home Depot could help you "load" your new refrigerator into your camper if it fits through the door or the window. Again take measurements, while we had friends help us with our new residential refrigerator getting it through the window the people at Lowes were very helpful and offered to help.
![PURPEECH - นี่ฉันเองคนที่... (It's me) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/NuhHd0hOOg8/mqdefault.jpg)
Change banks! Bank of America sucks!
at best their business practices are suspicious.. at worst probably criminal in some cases
Call an appliance repair man. Suck it up buttercup. Buy a dometic 12v for 450
You'd be surprised how many things we refrigerate that don't really need it. Eggs and cheese, just to name a few.
I would trash Bank Of America! They are nothing but a hassle!
I stand corrected, you can't trust store bought eggs. Sorry, I'm used to farm fresh eggs that haven't been tampered with.
For Americans, storing eggs in the fridge isn't simply a matter of taste - it's done to prevent the spread of Salmonella. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there are approximately 142,000 illnesses every year that are caused by consuming eggs contaminated with Salmonella. In the U.S., hens are not required to be vaccinated against Salmonella, with only one-third of farmers choosing to immunize their flocks.
Because of these immunization policies and practicies, it is imperative to keep eggs refrigerated.To minimize the risk of contamination and to extend shelf life, eggs should be stored in the case or carton in a refirgerator. If done so, they should last up to four to five weeks without a significant loss of quality, according to the American Egg Board.
Cheeses of all kinds should be refrigerated between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit in order to preserve freshness and avoid mold. However, because hard cheeses such as Parmesan and Romano have less moisture, they often remain fresh even without refrigeration. Softer cheeses, such as brie and ricotta, have more moisture, and therefore absolutely must be refrigerated to avoid spoil.
Its safety feature of the BOA to freeze accounts,if there are to many transactions from different places in a short time periode. And calling them,cant change it,because everyone is able to call with your account data,theorethically...
MotherOfManyHorses these days eggs must be refrigerated unless they are straight from the hen
Bank Of America is the worst bank you can go through. Pick a nationwide credit union like I did. Best move I ever made.
I like USAA.
USAA is a superb company.....best of all.
I would definitely pull all my money out of Bank of America & put it in a different bank or credit union!!!
seriuosly f..k bofa. worst bank i ever had
If the flame is going in the fridge, then hooking to 110V is not gonna help....just junk the fridge and look on CL for somebody parting a camper out. Could have tested the 110V function on the fridge with your genset too. Fridge WILL fit out the door, it's made that way, take the doors off, it will fit out the door
Sounds like you need to change banks
Lynn Higginbotham or have a extra card for emergencies such as that
Yes if I had that kind of trouble I'd change banks...like yesterday!
I was just going to say the same thing. I can certainly understand the concerns about fraud, but that's ridiculous.
Sounds more like user error to me. I have no problem setting my BofA accounts to either US or international travel and they never deactivate my accounts.
We have had Bank of America lock the account for large out-of-state purchases when they received no previous notification that we were traveling. I call, give them the info and password, and unlock the account. It's no big deal and helps fight fraud.
I use an independent RV service company and I NEVER have to wait more than a day. They repaired my Norcold that had completely quit. It was a hardware reset that the factory trained mechanic knew about. Good as new!
Wade Johnson pp
just my opinion, Camping World is for those that don't know an independent dealer is 10X better, maybe 100X. Camping World is a rip off.
Ok, propane stays lit and the compressor stays on when plugged in. I'm thinking there's only two things left to fix. One is the remote chance that the refrigerant has leaked out. Any reefer tech can check that for you, same as topping off your AC. The other, more likely problem is that your adjustable thermostat went bad. This ain't rocket science.
RV refrigerators are different than domestic ones. No compressor, no Freon. They're absorption fridges charged with anhydrous ammonia and hydrogen. You usually replace the whole cooling unit with a new or rebuilt one that comes pre-filled. If it leaked, it has to be replaced. Rebuilt units are about $500.00 + core.
Gonagain his refrigerator doesn't have a compressor it is an absorbing refrigerator that uses heat propane , or a heating element under a tank and it boils a mixture of usually ammonia . it is,a very special and I only know one place that can fix this type I think it's called ford's refrigeration. it's in Iowa or someplace in the Midwest
A RV refrigerator is different from the one in your house. Your RV refrigerator doesn’t use a compressor or Freon. It works off of the principle of absorption. Instead of applying cold directly, the heat is drawn out. RV refrigerator uses heat, either from an electric heating element or an LP-gas flame. The heat starts a chemical reaction, and evaporation and condensation causes the refrigerator to cool. This is essentially the same principle that the “Coleman” refrigerator-type chests work, except that a RV refrigerator has an ammonia type fluid that is used for the evaporation/absorption process.
To clarify some of the other commenters' comments with a _very_ brief
explanation of how absorption-type refrigerators work:
Heat is applied to a solution of water and ammonia. The heat boils the
ammonia off (leaving the water behind), which is then cooled in a condenser
until it becomes a liquid. (This releases heat to the outside.) The liquid
ammonia then passes to the evaporator where it evaporates in the presence of hydrogen. The evaporation process requires heat, which it draws from the refrigerator/freezer compartment, making it cold. The now-gaseous ammonia then passes to the absorber where it is absorbed (dissolved) back into the water, creating an ammonia solution, which then goes to the boiler for the cycle to repeat.
Absorption-type refrigerators are more complex than the more common
compressor-type fridges, and because of the carefully choreographed interplay of the various fluids in the system, they have to be kept level to work properly (or at all).
Good point David, but the diagnosis would be the same. In Eric's case it would be a loss of the ammonia, which I doubt, or his temperature control unit. Do you see any other possibilities?
You got this Eric. Keep your head up you have been through worse my friend. Stay strong many prayers headed your way.
Get a credit union....BofA is a bad corporation all the way around
Eric, are you or an immediate family member a veteran? If so, switch to USAA. They have user internet travel features that allow you to set the state and dates you'll be at all at your fingertips. Also, when you set up your profile, register your phone number. On future calls, they'll greet you by name when they answer the phone. They will also reimburse atm fees, up to $15 per month. I'm a 35 year veteran and have used them for years. Anytime I've ever talked to them, I've hung up with a smile on my face. One more thing if they suspect suspicious activity, they call you. None of this crap of finding out that your card was declined at the pump. You'd already know and suggest the card to be canceled and directions of when and where to get a new card, if in fact your #s had been stolen. I hope you get the frig repaired soon and not too costly.
Agree completely with this. USAA has great customer service. I don't think you have to be a Veteran or family member anymore to use the banking the services.
Ron Briz I love USAA so much. After being a member with them for the last 6 years, I could never imagine using any other institution. My wife uses Navy Federal, they're great also.
Always admire how calm you remain.. Fridge breaks down still smiling and optomistic. Crazy guy climbs on top of your RV still smiling! I have to let go of my control freak ways before I full time RV.. All of you guys have shown me you have no control on the road.. Prayers for Jax and You..
I didn't know anything about RV refrigerators, until someone commented they have no compressor or freon, and I now know why it's so important for an RV to be level. Unlike the refrigerator in your house which works by the use of freon and a compressor, your camper refrigerator is an ammonia absorption type refrigerator. These refrigerators function by boiling the ammonia hydroxide solution. This is accomplished utilizing heat produced by the gas burner or the electric heating element. There is no compressor, so there is no noise made by a properly running R.V. refrigerator. A compressor in a home refrigerator circulates the coolant whether it is level or not. A camper refrigerator is designed with a natural angle to the pipe work so as to keep the ammonia solution
circulating, thus causing your fridge to continually cool. When you change the angle of the pipe work by running your
refrigerator when your camper is not level, you risk
vapor-locking the cooling unit. This stops the circulation and
your refrigerator quits working!
Sorry you found out the hard way that the price of a RV reefer is absolutely nuts. As far as B of A I would dump their ass in a heartbeat. Since interest on an account has become a joke the only thing a bank has to offer is their service. If their service isn't doing what you want find one that will the woods are full of em! It seems like RV repair services are always a long wait time till you get to the mid west, then they seem to be easier to gat into. Good luck!
You're absolutely right. My husband us a bank owner/CEO and says customer service has be priority one, that and interest rates. At all his banks a "real person" answers the phones and no one holds > than 5 minutes. Our money is very important and we should expect the more personal approach rather than algorithms!!
Anybody else giggle when the FROBO Fridge AD came on before this video haha
The ads are tailored for each person who watches the video so not everyone saw the fridge ad.
Add more batteries to your current setup. Buy a decent inverter (minimum 2000 watts). Junk that propane fridge and replace it with a normal everyday residential fridge. Shouldn't cost you more than $600 total. Maybe less. You have solar panels, they'll give you enough juice to run the residential fridge, and when they don't, you have a generator to charge the batteries with.
Residential fridges are more reliable, do a better job keeping your food cold, and you don't have to wait months for camping world to diagnose stuff for you, you just go to Home Depot and buy a new fridge for $200.
*****
Mine fit, no problem. They make all sorts of sizes of fridges. His should be 23 3/4" wide. I'm betting it's about 42" high as well.
He could pick up a large "compact" fridge (misnomer) and fit it in there no problem. Those are usually 20" wide and no more than 36" tall. Add a nice little shelf above and he's set. Or spend a little more and search around for an apartment size small fridge. They do exist. The one I see at walmart all the time is the dual door Danby unit for about $200. 34 inches tall, 20 inches wide.
shepd3 , probably the best advice yet. Not sure Eric has room for more solar though. But yeah... that's the route I'd try to go.
i would run to Walmart and get a small 120 fridge or 12 volt Coleman cooler & measure your fridge and run lowes or Walmart, a 120 fridge, that fits the opening and stick it in the area the old one was!
Smart idea. Best Advice i seen on here today. He stresses too much.
Will not work for more than a week, the movement of the RV causes too many bubbles in the coolant. Must be RV fridge.
We got one of those things love it :)
yeah. you are set up now to where you dont need a propane fridge.
add a battery.
That's an excellent idea!
The bank situation is in the system algorithm to freeze the account like that but you would think they would be able to do something. I would suggest getting a prepaid debt and load cash on that to use. Be way easier to go in a branch and get cash to put on the prepaid vs calling them every day like they're your mother.
Sorry about your troubles. Change banks! (yes, not easy but speak with your feet may be only way to get the megabank's attention). We carry a Dometic 12v/230v fridge/freezer as backup for total rv fridge failure, or lack of propane, and have a standalone solar setup for it. If not needed for a primary cooling unit works as an additional freezer. Best of luck-
BoA is too big and too greedy. Has lost touch with its customers, and has no intention of correcting that.
Take care it will get better..for you and Morgan.. just take one thing at a time. have a safe travel.
Sorry to hear about your Fridge. Im a certified RV mechanic. The suggestion I have for you is to "Burp" your unit. There may be some Debris or a bubble formed in the Ammonia. If you have the time and energy to attempt Burping it thats your best bet. But this involves completely removing the unit and turning it upside down for an hour or so. You can usually do this in the RV. The unit should be mounted with 2 screws in the rear access compartment and around the trim on the front. We have had to do this to quite a few of the trade ins our sales Dept takes in.This may make the unit last for years or just months. They all very.But if there is an ammonia smell present-The unit is junk. As for removing the unit The RV was actually built around the interior . We often have to completely remove the largest window in order to remove it from the camper or RV. Sorry there isnt an easier fix.GOOD LUCK!
Hey Tom, I have done this to my rv fridge years ago and it worked like a charm! Still going strong. I commented and advised that Eric give it a try, I hope he figures it out!
Eric,
Rv Fridges are for the most part 2 pieces, they have to be, to get them through your door.
Options:
1. Call good sam...a joke of a camping world thing and see if another rv dealer can do the install, tell them you are traveling, they might squeeze you in...sometimes they will if they know you are on the road/out of town...but they will have to order the damn thing anyway...so essentially you are screwed, unless they have one laying around, which I doubt CW clowns will have
2. install yourself if GS will cover it
3. part time job, plenty this time of the year...viewers will understand a few weeks off.
4. dude I hate to say, no emergency fund but expensive Disney world? Always have
that emergency fund when traveling...if you dont have it you dont need to be traveling!
5. portable 110V electric fridge for a short time substitute if you can do a Genny or hookups while parked and ice chest it while traveling
6. Ice chest 12v cooler for a fridge
7. BOA Blows....Wells Fargo does too but not that bad!
8. reach ahead for the install at another crappy CW until then do the cooler thing, find dry ice along the way...lasts longer
9. Find a military cooler, oval green things, aluminum...once kept ice in one for three days in the trunk of a black celica in summer time SC... those things makes those Yeti owners look stupid with money to burn
10. There are several fridges for "Off gridders" some run off of a small amount of kerosene, yes a small flame but much smaller than that propane burn,they have been around for ages, first used to keep blood plasma cool while fighting the Japanese on hot tropical islands in WWII... 5cent history lesson for ya....also Im.pretty sure there is a very efficient Dometic chest freezer than can be used as a fridge; 12 v if not mistaken
When my RV fridge goes out I won't buy a replacement. I bought a quality ice chest that will keep a bag of ice 5 days. It does indeed keep ice that long though mostly water :)
You can diagnose the fridge yourself. Look for green stains near the bottom of the burner. If stains are there the cooling unit is bad and about 500 for the part. The fridge works like and old school coffee pot in that the heat from gas or electric causes the ammonia to percolate within the unit. There are no moving parts, just pipe with coolant within so if there is heat and it does not cool the cooling unit is bad. You can look on the back and google the mdl number for prices of the cooling unit. it is easy to replace.
Can u do more videos with Jax? He's one of the reasons i watch. Beautiful kitty 😊
Have you tried burping your fridge by turning it over?
probably the best comment on here. i wonder if he even reads these.
1) if you buying a new fridge, get a thermo-electric "cooler" fridge. Dometic and Waeco are some brands. No moving parts except for the fan. Quiet and energy efficient means you can run it from the solar. Use one for freezer and another for chilling. Add insulation around the cooler to made it even more efficient.
2) Get a credit card from Canada (use Morgan's address) that accept US dollar as primary payment. Then advise them you are a travelling snowbird. Scotia Bank is very understanding which is why they have branches in USA, Caribbean and South America for retired Canadians.
Keep your head up. Everyone is healthy and safe and that's what's important. When everything hits at once, all you can do is just deal with things one day at a time.
hey Eric, if you parked un-level when it quit working it can cause a "gas bubble" in the system that blocks the flowing of the ammonia in the coils on the back. I have had this happen before in the past. You may try turning it completly OFF for maybe 12 hrs or so for the ammonia to settle in the coils first then turn it back on. If that doesn't work, the only way to fix it is to burp it- it is kinda a pain but costs nothing. You have to uninstall it and flip it upside down for a bit (maybe 6-12 hrs) to let the gas settle in the coils. Then flip it back right side up and reinstall it. It is especially challenging when you live in the rig. It does cost nothing and sure beats waiting for camping world - they are a great place to shop but I gave up on service thru them. Good luck!
Good suggestion and worth a try.
Mike, where do you get your information on that procedure? I wouldn't call myself an an expert on absorption-type refrigerators, but I've done a lot of research on them over the last few weeks and learned a lot about how they work, and from what I've learned, flipping it upside down would definitely NOT work. In fact, it's the worst thing you could do. It would almost certainly disable the fridge completely and require a technician to fix it, which would entail draining all the gases and fluids out and re-installing them.
These types of refrigerators are complex and require a precisely measured combination of gases and fluids, and those gases and fluids must be carefully placed in the right locations within the tubes, pipes, and vessels in the fridge. (That's why it's so important that they be kept level.) Flipping such a refrigerator upside down is of course the exact _opposite_ of keeping it level, and doing so would completely f*ck up (to use a technical term) that careful balance and distribution of fluids and gases.
We have an all-electric "dorm room" style fridge in our 1985 Fiber Stream camper - its not functional at all! Good luck on a repair or replacement.
Camping world will just try and sell you a new one when it can probably be repaired. Find a place that does RV refrigeration repair. Guardian RV & fleet service in Chalmette,LA is on your route. Good luck.
I'd close my Bank of America account if I were you, take your money to a credit union.
I bought a 12v refrigerator from Home Depot for $700 and installed it ... just an option and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Although the refrigerator wouldn't fit through the RV door so we had to push it out the dinette window lol. good luck and I hope you get the problem resolved.
I ltike the way you let us in to your life. Don't let the heaters get you or your lady down and thanks for keeping it real.. the best thing about bad times it makes tHe good times better. Just a friend 😃😃
Hey Eric there is a RV salvage center in Gainesville off of I75..Its not that far off your route. RV frigs. are just a big box with a propane connector pipe and a 120volt ac plug and a dc connector.Just measure you box.Disconnect it outside under panel. Unscrew it inside .Remove doors on frig..Remove it from MH through PASSENGER front door!!Might have to take out seat. Reverse to install.I did mine that way.
Ice and cooler, till you get it fixed. Camping World sucks, call local RV shops and make sure they know how to diagnose and repair refrigerators. They can always be repaired if they know how verse just replacement. Good Luck..
Tell Bank of America that you will bill them for your time and telephone costs each week if they do not fix the problem. If that does not move them then find a new bank.
You may be overthinking the whole fridge thing. I'm a certified HVAC tech in PA. I've actually worked on two different RV fridges in my career so far. There's not much to them. Don't worry about getting some RV place to look at it. I'd have to look a bit closer, but you may just need a refill on coolant. I'd imagine that fridge takes R-134, but I'd have to look closer. Get a local HVAC tech that knows a thing or two about refers and have them look at it. Or even a guy that deals strictly with household appliances and refers. Just remember, just because it's in an RV, it is still just a refrigerator/freezer combo. Call a local HVAC tech, please. Us guys don't usually turn away work.
I have been a customer of Bank of America for some time now.I live in West Palm Beach Fl. The same thing happened to me when I was visiting my daughter , who just moved to Los Angeles. We went out to eat and when I used my debit card , it got declined . However since I have alerts turned on, I got a text within about a minute asking me if to verify the charge, I did and I was able to use the card to pay the bill. Make sure alerts are turned on . I think you can do it through the app. Love your Vlog ! Good luck with your Fridge !
Sorry to hear about your problems, stay strong and I hope it all works out for you.
Hey Eric,our fridge packed it in 2yrs ago. It was 12yrs old and I thought about replacing the cooling unit or putting in a residential fridge. We decided to bite the bullet and replace it with another RV fridge. We ordered a Dometic fridge freezer from PPL in Huston Texas. We used our fridge as a cooler putting ice bags in the bottom compartments each day, this lasted until the next day. When we finally got our fridge replaced we moved our fridge freezer into the basement of our motorhome and now use it as just a freezer. I realize you don't have the room that we have in our motorhome but there are options, you just need the one that works best for you. Good luck.
You dont have to replace the whole fridge just the cooling unit on the back. It isnt an easy job but it can be done. there are a bunch of videos on youtube on how to do it. It wont cost 1700.00 bucks either
Gary P. Bingo. It's actually pretty easy. I did mine a few years ago. There are a bunch of companies in AZ that remanufacture them for a lot less than buying a new cooling unit.
If its not cold ... you might need to top up the Gas to fridge?
suggested solutions:
* take out your money and close your account at bank or america ( they suck! ), move to a federal / national credit union, or a different bank ( i happen to like citizens bank )
* always keep some cash on hand for emergencies, i'd say $500-1000 is a good start
* consider a portable 12 v fridge / freezer, you can find them many places, you could also probably find a used replacement fridge online for the RV, or pull one out yourself if there is any junked RV's within a reasonable distance.
* i'd try calling any local appliance repair / refrigeration / heating & cooling places and ask if they could take a look at your fridge.. it might be something simple they can fix or at least diagnose for you, so you can order & replace a part.
* buy some ice and store your food in a cooler, if it was only in the fridge overnight, the food doesn't spoil that quickly, no reason to throw out all of the food.
i'm sure things will work out, good luck, try and stay positive!
I've read all the tech comments about the type of fridge and potential causes and would like to add my two cents worth based on recent experience. The beginning of August we bought a new truck camper. We brought it home and checked all the systems ... every thing running perfectly as it should. It was too hot to camp so it sat in front of the house until October when we took our first trip in it. Arrived at the first campground and found all the food thawing (running on propane). I did what Eric did and plugged it in with the same result as Eric. The next day we drove home (80 minutes) and picked up our ARB fridge/freezer and got back on the road. When we got back, I found a Dometic Certified Repair Center close to home and took the camper in. The tech was very knowledgeable (see video on our channel) and quickly determined that there was a plug clogging the flow of ammonia in the evaporator. He said that this is quite common due to contamination from the manufacturing process. It worked fine because it sat for months but the minute we hit the road, the plug shifted and clogged the coil. Dometic replaced the entire unit under warranty (it was cheaper for them this way rather than to pay the labor to disassemble the unit and just replace the evaporator). I just Googled Dometic Repair Centers and found about 10 of them within 50 miles of our home. Half of them were mobile repair businesses that will come to you. I wouldn't deal with Camping World if you held a gun to my head :-) The dealer I chose for the repair was super cool. He had to order the new fridge and work out their warranty costs with Dometic and then I had to wait for delivery of the new unit. Initially, I called him on a Wednesday, took it in on Thursday and picked it up the following Thursday so a week :-)
BE GLAD THEY DO THAT !!!
I am looking at the same issue in my 31' puma. The dometic fridge uses and ammonia based system that is not serviceable.. When they crap out, you need to pull the entire part and replace it. I would just get one of those dorm fridge / freezers that is as close to the same size as your trifuel and put it in there.. Spend the money to upgrade your solar system to a 48 volt bank and 48 volt inverter.. If you have big enough batteries, you will be able to run the little dorm fridge with no issues.
Believe in yourself and fix that fridge. Get Morgan to a Drive-thru Wedding Chapel !!!
Eric, please check the fuse behind the fridge......This happen to me in Florida. Small fuse behind the fridge that I didn't even know was there!
Take the fridge out and flip it upside down for a few days... it remixes the ammonia coolant mix inside and also if there are any particulate in the system it could free it from the orifice... my dad learned this from a RV shop.. it sounds stupid, but it works. google it, its common. Its like they get vapor locked.
Eric, I'm so glad you shared your Bank of America woes. I was having the same exact issue with my Wells Fargo account, also a constant daily mess I have to wade through every time. I have to keep answering those trick questions, each time.
Finally, last night a customer service rep told I needed to clear up everything with their fraud department, because my card was on an automatic hold (!!!). Now my card is finally working just fine.
Unfortunately, all of the big banks follow the same protocols.
I hope you get it all fixed soon.
I've heard that Wells Fargo is a fine, upstanding institution with an excellent reputation.
@ DrBill: Heh heh [chuckle]....no, I'm being extremely sarcastic. I made my comment in light of the recent revelations of Wells Fargo's massive and widespread fraudulent activities.
I know that sarcasm often doesn't come through in written text, but I thought that the exaggerated hyperbole of my statement, coupled with what we now know about Wells Fargo, would've made it obvious in this case. :-)
We had a similar fridge breakdown in our class b. Went to walmart purchased a number of ice bottle/bag ( rubber kind with a screw on stopper) this would be the kind you would use to apply ice to an injury. Purchased bagged ice, filled the bags. Packed around our food in the fridge. Saved our vacation.
eric, try a heating and cooling company in the area, they might be able to help with the frig
yeah and they take maybe more than a replacement will cost...
Nice Suggestion, only problem is that the RV fridge works totally different than an Air Conditioning system. They would probably have no idea what is wrong and would not have the tools and equipment to fix the fridge if they could figure out the problem.
Good idea
Addition to my last comment regarding plugged capillary tubes. Turn the fridge off, both gas and electric and let it sit for no less than three days. The ammonia should work its way out of the capillary tubes. It will be OK to drive while the fridge is off. The sloshing generally keeps the tubes clear. After three days fire the fridge up with gas. Make sure the burner is running and the flame is blue. It should run when you restart after it sets idle three days. Good luck.
Time for a NEW BANK!!!
You have some options: PPL RV in Texas, they have 3 outlets; RV parts country, a cooler, a 12v cooler. Remember, things are never as bad as they first seem when you step back and take a deep breath.
When you are ready, use smart tile as a back splash. It is a Canadian product, but you can buy it in US, peel and stick.....awesome product!
Hi Eric, I also live in a 24' class c w/solar. I installed a 10 cu ft apartment fridge in mine, and it fit perfectly in the old fridge space, no mods necessary. It uses about 1-1.5kwh/day. costs about $100-$300 on craigslist. More space and waaay cheaper than a traditional RV fridge. Both positive and negative that it doesn't use propane. Means that 3+ cloudy days = generator for batts. Running a 750W system w/ 600AH.
A few friendly travel+banking tips Eric.
1. There is $7 billion or so lost every year due to stolen debit and credit card fraud. So please blame the thieves of the world not BOA, as BOA is just trying to prevent money lost as do all similar banks, and it's an automated computer system. It shows you their system is working. If your card had been stolen, you would be VERY pleased that the thief didn't get your money.
2. BOA debit isn't designed for traveling anyway, the debit system is based on a "Home Billing Address" and thus will always throw a red flag as you travel, even if you call them repeatedly.
3. BOA is a brick and mortar bank and thus have billions in monthly bills, and their service appropriately AND understandably shows it. I would be using a much better proven bank that doesn't have so much overhead.
4. Open an account at Chase or Capital One, which are both thousands of times better then BOA will ever be. I was blown away at just how much better Capital One is. Both Chase and Capital One have automated systems that text you instantly to get authorization for something their system wants to decline, so you are NEVER upset that you were declined, if it even happens. Also they both don't have a gigantic chain of branches to maintain, right? So their money goes into their services, not their bills.
5. Both Chase and Capital One phone numbers are answered near instantly with the most friendliest people I have ever experienced. This alone is worth their service.
6. Sign up with Visa's TravelMoney card, which is not a 3rd party such as a bank. It is a pre-paid Visa system from VISA that uses their credit system instead, and is NOT based on your billing address. Loading it is super easy too. This card is based on your physical Geo-location and it coordinates with your smartphones Visa app and previous uses, thus it practically never ever gets declined, simply because it is designed for people like YOU who travel. Hence its name, lol. P.S. Travel experts worldwide recommend going this route anyway.
usa.visa.com/visa-everywhere/innovation/paying-while-traveling.html (watch the video)
I am not employed by either of these companies. I am just a user who used both BOA, Chase and Capital One and have many years of experience with all of them. Capital One is what a real bank should be and I couldn't be any happier with them. So don't be upset at BOA, just change your bad habit of using them, lol...
Hope your day improves and you figure out what to do with your fridge.
There has to be a balance expecting him to call them every morning is absurd! The know he is traveling so gas especially should not be a suspected activity.
always have emergency cash on hand in case of these situations
Check out Ford's Refrigeration Training Center. They have videos on youtube also.
Art Bellon Yes, excellent resource.
Good advice. One of Ford's trained people is in Florida - Michael Grant in Hollywood Florida.
Yup. This is the one I mentioned. These things can almost always be fixed.
Be sure to check the fan in the refrigerator. I don't know how an RV fridge works but it must be similar to a residential refrigerator. My fridge at home died - wouldn't cool anything. It was the fan in the freezer compartment. It died. I bought a new fan for about $60.00. It was a snap to install and the fridge has been working like a champ since.
Bank of America has an option online to specify where you're traveling to. You can put a vacation leave for multiple destinations, and I don't believe its specific to City/Town. You might be able to schedule the state you're travelling to ahead of time, and you can certainly do multiple locations during your travel. don't call them!
Go to Morgan's homeland for Xmas..... you won't need a fridge :) brrrrrrrrr
express your love for her every day and all will be well
Get a hold of a mobile rv repairman....all campgrounds have the phone numbers for one.
One question, did you smell ammonia in the fridge area??? Very important question. If you did smell something odd you will need a cooling unit, that means the ammonia solution has leaked out, cant be repaired, very expensive about half the cost of a new fridge.
Did you see the pilot light on when you looked under the burner tube..If you did that's a good sign.
How long did you run it on 110 v AC? Remember it takes 6-12 hours to cool a fridge down. When you look at the flue (burner tube) feel the horizontal plug in component (110v AC heater element), it sits about 10 inches from the bottom of the flue, it should be hot! Be careful.... If it's hot that's good.
If you have a pilot light on and the 110v AC element is on (hot) when plugged in to shore power the problem is inside the flue. There is a spiral component that sits inside the flue to direct the heat inside the flue, if it fell into the bottom of the burner that's not good. The only way to see it is if you take the roof mounted fridge vent off and look down into the bottom of the flue.
If that 110 v AC heating element is not on (hot) when plugged into shore power either the element is bad or the control board (small computer board on bottom left of fridge) is n/g. I seriously doubt that you have a problem with both the AC and gas portion of the fridge, usually it's one or the other unless the control board is bad.
Again, IF YOU SMELLED SOMETHING FUNNY all bets are off and its new fridge time....
Ron W
Email me and I can walk you through all this, diagnosing a fridge problem is not hard.
If the pilot light is not on,
Eric, consider moving to another bank that is not going to put these restrictions on you. I know it would be a pain but would be well worth it getting away from bank of america. For cooling issue you could consider getting a yeti or a rtic cooler. It is said the keep ice for a week. You can find Yeti coolers at Bass pro shops. It would be a temp fix til you find out what is going on with the fridge.
Our refrigerator quite working a while ago also, we got a new smaller apartment sized refrigerator and it works great 👍🏼
Eric, some times all it takes to get one working again when they quit like yours has and wont cool on gas or elec is to remove it from the coach, and turn it upside down for a while, then back right side up. plug it in and let it run a while and see if its cooling before reinstalling it. They get a air bubble in them and it basicly vapor locks them. By turning them upside down it lets the bubble come out and they work again. Dont cost anything to try but a bit of time. Good luck.
Want to give this a thumbs down, but don't want to bring negativity to the channel... Sucks, man! But chin up! You're still doing what you love with a fine partner! Keep it up!
Eric, try a local RV tech in order to find out exactly what is wrong. It may not need to be replaced and may not cost as much as a new one. But you will know what the exact problem is and cost of repair. If need be ... go with the cooler for a while. Just remember, this too will in time all work out.
We travel 6 to 8 weeks at a time most years. We call our credit union a couple days before departure and tell them that we'll be gone for approximately 8 weeks and we'll be passing through .... list of states. That's all there is to it. We've been dealing with the same credit union since 1982 and never had issue one ... they're super awesome :-)
you will get over it , we have not had a fridge for over 3 years and we are still alive !!
hello there ! hope your doing well
RubberTrampsReviews
AUSSIEMADMATT i know it great ! not depending on ever single comfort humans think they need for survival.
1. Switch to a credit union, before that take all your money with you. My mom went to the same shit with her bank as they were freezing her money because she was traveling to see me in another state for vacation.
2. Get a dc fridge like the one you bought for Bertha.
3. Chill, take your time and relax, a bad day in the road is better than a good one at the office.
Might have already been posted. but.. you can try as a last resort is to pull the fridge, turn it upside down for 24 hours. reinstall it, and wait 24 hours before powering back up. camping world will not fix the frige, only replace it. good luck, and safe travels.
sorry about the frig. I hope you get everything worked out. tell Morgan I said hi and give Jax and Ziggy a scratch for me.. be safe and have fun and don't give up
You forgot to get back to Morgans project.
Hi Eric. Common problem with gas absorption refrigerators. They were not designed to run 24/7 364 days a year. What is likely wrong with the fridge is liquid ammonia has entered into the capillary tubes. They are suppose to carry vapor, not liquid. This is a result of parking off level or extended runs without a defrost once in a while. To fix the problem you need to power the fridge down and let it set idle for a few days. The Ammonia will eventually work itself out of the capillary tubes and when you restart it it should run and get cold again. If you go to camping world they will sell you a new fridge because that is the way they stay in business. Worst case scenero is there is internal rust plugging the orifice the ammonia runs through inside the fridge. I got a 30 year old fridge going by turning it upside down for a few days, but if its internal rust the fridge is likely on its way out. I would power it down a few days and see if it will run. This has happened three times in thirty years of camping and most of the time when a gas fridge does not cool its liquid ammonia working its way in the capillary tubes. Good luck and drive safe.
Funny, same thing happened to our new RV. We turned it off for a day and prayed, because repair is nearly impossible on the road. It works now, and we are continuing to pray.
the rv frig are mainly 2 brands, they both work the exact same and don't have moving parts, if the propane is visibly lit and is not cooling the cooling loop, then it means your problem lies in the cooling loop either plugged up or leaked out the ammonia. it would be cheaper to buy new or use replacement over the new cooling loop and have it installed
I do appreciate Bank of America and their policies on that as I have been a victim of debit card fraud.
We use a Nocold portable fridge it's a real fridge for about 500 bucks at west marine on our sailboat. Good luck brother.
I don't know if this helps but you could call a Mobile RV Repair. Also, you could get an electrical plug in cooler to keep something cold - around $75
I barely even use my fridge. Just eat potatoes, oats, whole grains, fruits, and veggies. A lot of it doesn't even need to be cooked, clean up is a snap, and your health and fitness will dramatically improve. Refrigeration really isn't necessary at all. Simplify man-it pays in myriad ways!
Eric that Fridge might be an easy fix my Mothers fridge will do the same thing every couple of years or so. Get the Fridge upside down and leave it like that for 24 hours. after that get it back upright leave it for another 24 hours and it will work like new! Its something to do with how that type of fridge works. ( I think it gets a bubble somewhere in the pipe work )
Make sure you check all your electrical connections for loose or corroded connections Eric.
buy some dry ice at a supermkt
Dry ice can suck the O2 out of small spaces .
@Tracy James Tavares...If you use it in your fridge with the door closed/sealed, you will quickly find that as the dry ice evaporates, it will carbonate your food, especially fruit and veggies. Not good at all. Freaked me out the first time I bit into a carbonated apple!!!
insaynbcr Stuffs tricky 4 sure . I gota keep insulin cool . Used 2 yamk 2000 / 5000 Gal. fuel tanks . Drop in bunch O dry ice , it push all the O2 out , no o2 no fire .
insaynbcr sounds pretty fun
In case of the worst with the fridge they sell rebuilt coil packs to get it up and running...if it leaked out there should be yellow residue around the coils.
We left B of A about 8 or 9 years ago when we were in Mexico and they gave us problems, after we told them when and where we were going to be!
On the fridge thing. Some viewer will be able to point you to a local shop that can get you in and get it fixed... If he's on your way, check with RV Prepper Wayne and ask him. He seems to know a lot about these rigs.
It's important that you don't show your girl any signs of weakness or that you're going to lose it. It's a new relationship. She needs you to stay strong and just handle the problem. Good luck with it man. That really sucks! What about a junk yard for RV's? Sorry you''ve got issues.
You could purchase an ARB or Engel refrigerator. I think the ARB 40 quart is about $800 bucks and draws about 1 amp per hour. Keeps you going until you fix your fridge. Then you could sell it or have an extra cooler for the jeep.
The wife and I stopped using BOA years ago. The worst bank in recorded history!
We have problems with them too. It is beyond annoying. Then they say just call in .....sure...let me call in at the register and give out all my personal info while I have 10 steaming mad customers waiting in line while I try to get BOA to believe it is actually me trying to buy $24 worth of groceries! UGH!!! Wells Fargo is just as bad.
You can get a cheap temporary fridge at Wal-mart until you get the one in the camper fixed.
Lets run down a few gas refer tricks I have learned. There is ammonia and sulfur pressurized at 400 lb. in the coils, If you had a leak. You would know it. The refer needs to be level for the most part to work well. Heating the ammonia and sulfur, make it mix. When it mixes it cools at the opposite end of the unit. Some times stuff gets in the burn chamber blocking the heat from getting to the coil. Check the roof vent for signs of heat out the tube stack. Last thing you can try. Pull the frige out of the hole and flip it upside down for a day. This will remix the sulfur and ammonia. While upside down. Clean all the burn tubes. Good luck. If you were back home in Washington. I would help you do it.
The 3-way fridge/freezer died in my RV too. Yes, they are expensive. Step 1: Get a Yeti cooler and do without frozen food. Step 2: Save for a new fridge/freezer. Step 3: Purchase new fridge/freezer and install it. They have simple electric and gas hook-ups which are easy enough for most any DIY'er to handle. Oh---and get a different bank. Take charge of your situation and be less dependent upon others (others being camper world or whatever), after all, that is a major part of what RV life is about...independence and self sufficiency.
Your other option, for a while, is to use an ice-cooler or plug-in cooler along with using fresh/canned food instead of cold/frozen food. Just until things can be figured out with the fridge.
Eric,
You have a lot of choices in this one. All of them can be good or bad. You are probably doing this but look at what others have posted on what they did and how they did it and then make a choice.
To get the old refrigerator out, you could take it out the window if it won't fit through the door. It looks like your windows on the drivers side may be big enough, but you would want to measure first.
If you go the residential refrigerator route, Lowes or Home Depot could help you "load" your new refrigerator into your camper if it fits through the door or the window. Again take measurements, while we had friends help us with our new residential refrigerator getting it through the window the people at Lowes were very helpful and offered to help.