Luckily I have an Edgestar 12 volt fridge in my truck that I was able to transfer the important food into.   We pulled our waters and drinks out of the truck fridge and stuck them in the trailer fridge, which should have helped it out, then left it cranked up the entire time and it never cooled down.  The door is shut tight, the burner is burning, the muffin fan in the back is running non stop, trailer is level, and it just won't get cold.  We had hot temperatures of around 100 to 105 the entire trip and the fridge would get about 10 degrees cooler at night when the air cooled down, but still nowhere even the acceptable level.   

Any ideas on what could be wrong, dead thermistor, poor ammonia charge, or did we simply get a dud??

We mentioned putting a 12v compressor fridge in there instead, but it's a little rediculous that we should even have to consider that immediately after spending 20k on a brand new trailer.  

Please post on here and/or PM me if they find out why.  My dealer worked for two weeks on it and gave up.  Dometic wouldn't take responsibility (so he didn't get paid anything for all the work he did.)  I had it there twice and he had the fridge out of the camper twice running the same tests both times.  The first time on his own and the second time with a dometic tech on the phone with him. I've given up and it's not an isolated problem.  Besides you and me there have been a number of guys weigh-in about the exact same problem.  Of course a lot of guys are saying theirs work fine, but I doubt any of those were in 95+ degree temps.  I find if it stays below 85 degrees outside I can maintain 39-41 degrees during the day and I've seen it get down to 27 degrees at night when it's 62-65 degrees outside.  That was on 120 volts.  It gets down to 31 degrees on LP.  BTW, at 100 degrees outside you are getting the exact same temp that I was getting.

I am also thinking of a replacement. I've been using coolers and ice, lots of ice. 

It still runs good on AC but not at all on gas.

Have you cleaned the burner jet (orifice)?  I have post on here yesterday that tells you how to do that.  Another guy posted that after he cleaned his jet and added a 2-stage regulator it solved his problems.  I have a factory 2-stage regulator and I cleaned the jet (brand new 2018 model, but clutching at straws here) and it had no affect.  Yours is old enough you should clean the jet.   once a year according to Dometic.

http://www.warehouseappliance.com/?t=How-To-Test-Gas-Pressure&post=75465820355399b73641a3

That sounds like a great idea.  maybe Forest River and other manufacturers should be doing this as standard equipment?  Let us know the results.  Of course you've still got a problem.  When traveling in high temps, like I did in the 100+ range while pulling my new pod home from AR to NM, there's no way to blow cold air over the coils when going down the road.  When you get to your destination, everything is spoiled from being 57 degrees + in the fridge all day and your drinks are all warm (mine never got less than 71 degrees inside on my two day trip home).  Your idea only works if you are in a campground running the AC.

Also, if you are trying to operate an RV fridge in 100+ temperatures, you are operating at the ragged edge of the technology used in RV fridges.

I know almost all of you know this, but in case someone doesn't:

1. Get your fridge to temperature using household power before leaving.

2. Fill your fridge with at-temperature food.

3. Fill it as full as possible. No empty space.

4. Minimize opening and closing.

I don't know if it is luck or good practices (probably a combo of both), but we haven't had an issue yet, even on high-90 days.

No one said you were a newbie.

I even went so far as to say all probably knew, but addressed the advice to those who may not.

Glad you acknowledged your definite dispute of the assertion I referenced--not my own--was in error, even if you didn't address it to the person whose post you were disputing.

Moving on.

There's a big difference between "it works" and "it works like it should, being able to keep the inside temps down below 42 degrees in the 90+ temps".  We need to know what your inside temperature is when it's in the mid-to-upper 90s outside.  Here we are dealing with temps in the 100s.  There's a big difference in how they cool as the temp changes outside.  Mine was 27.3 degrees this morning on 12 volt but it got down to 62 degrees last night.  Mine works best on 12 volt (which traditionally has always been the worst of the 3 in all my previous dozen or so RVs), second best on 120 volt and worst on LP (which has always been traditionally the best in 40 years of RVing).  Also do you live where the air is humid or dry? (I'm trying to determine if that makes a difference).  But there are a lot of guys on here experiencing the poor performance of the Dometic in high outside temps and it seems, so far, to be in the newer units.  All in all, you are right about the 12 volt real refrigerator with a Danfoss type compressor.  And the only reason I haven't pulled my new Dometic and installed one is because I hate to do that to a brand new $1500 refer.  Plus we haven't even used our new Pod yet.  I got it over a month ago and it's been too hot to go camping especially when the refer doesn't work.  Hell, I might hate the thing and sell it when I get home from my first camping trip with it! LOL

Casey, I had another idea (but it died of loneliness).  In the dry climate out west, we need to install a "mister" (like on patios) to mist over the outside fins on the back of the Refer.  That would help cool it! LOL

I can't understand your rage.  You mean you've never had a negative opinion on something or some features on something?  You're not welcome on here.  Go find someone else to annoy.  

We can agree to disagree, but we need not get at each other's throats. 

Then you might tell that to Keith who provoked this fight.  It appears that you have NOT "always had civil conversations here."  Guys like Keith should be banned from the sight for purposely antagonizing people.  "if you can't something nice, don't say anything."  He had no right to say the things he said.  No one was even talking to him.

< removed >

Newbie here.  Been reading this forum for a LONG time and just had to register today to make a point.  I can't believe any administrator would let Keith post anything this caustic which was bound to lead to a fight.  I also can't believe how caustic Keith was.  Really Keith?  You couldn't find anything good to say so you had to say this?  What did you hope to accomplish?  I'm from Wisconsin too and I'm ashamed we have people up here like this!  Come on administrators... delete everything on this thread starting with Keith's diatribe comment.

Originally I replied to this same text that was IMed to me thinking it was a private discussion, but to be clear I will now post my reply to spydie here:

I would say you were anything but civil, Keith

First, I don't need to take a poll.  I have been the primary admin of this forum for almost 8 years.  

We have been VERY open to frank and uncensored discussions around here because this forum was founded because of censorship elsewhere.  But they have always been civil.

I have re-read all of the posts on the last few pages multiple times to be sure I wasn't missing something and my opinion hasn't changed.

You over-reacted.  He did not continue any profanity after you admonished him for that.  I can see this is a pretty one-sided forum.  Was Keith a friend of yours?  You didn't see that he was antagonistic?  Man this is a bad place to be.  You can ban me too.  You obviously don't have the education for this, but show Keith's statement to any English teacher and ask them if that was antagonistic!  (I'm an English teacher)

And yes I know the first question, "well then why did you buy one??"   The simple answer is it's light enough to tow with the vehicle we want to tow with, and big enough to be comfortable in.  We really couldn't care less about all this Rpod hype that everyone has and if anything, it's a big part of the problem of why these things are as poor quality as they are, and why the manufacturer gets away with it.   Get rid of the beer goggles, get rid of the fact that you just spent all this money on it and the pride that won't let you say it sucks, and really start looking at it.  Look at the nails and staples clearly visible in all the panels, look at the absolute rats nest of wiring, look at the caulking and spray foam that looks like a drunken monkey with a blindfold applied it, look at every fitting, hose, and connection that leak all over the place because the factory never tightened them, look all the fit and finish compared to ANY other type of product on the market that you use or buy in your day to day life and tell me what it is about these things that makes them better than anything other trailer.  I sure don't see it.   But what I do see is my expectation for the thing to at least WORK while it's still brand new.  So that being said, is there any hope for this joke of a fridge, or is it simply a wast of space in an already cramped trailer??

I have been biting my tongue on, "So sell it and buy something you'll like!"

"quoted for truth" as they say.

MOST, and I know a LOT of them personally, owners, have had no issue with the fridge. The fridge isn't made by FR, it's made by Dometic, it is used in thousands and thousands of small RV's world wide, and very few owners have any problems at all. That's fact, not conjecture. A few do.

Now, I have no clue how the OP approached his dealer or FR or Dometic about his problems, but, based on his posts here (and this isn't the only thread where he was rude to members or stated how he chewed out so and so..) I doubt they were very anxious to help him much. That's conjecture on my part, for now.

As far as construction methods.. well, some are better then others. BUT always remember.. how well would your HOME hold up to a 6.0 earthquake on a regular basis? As far as plumbing, it coming loose is a constant battle, because of flex and vibration. You can't build a light TT and have super rigidity etc.. it would weigh to much.

Are there "higher quality" small TT's? yes. But the pod is built to a price point. Always has been. And in fact it is the least expensive under 3500lb, fully featured, hard wall TT, out there.

You don't get Lincoln Town Car for Fiesta money. You get a Fiesta. If you can't live with a Fiesta, buy a Lincoln.  It really is that simple.


[/QUOTE]

Well said +1

The point being is that these are considered "premium" TTs. Are they nicer? In many respects they are. Are they worth 2-1/2 times an R-pod? That's a good question. I've looked at a couple close up, and many of the materials used are "nicer". However, the underlying systems are pretty much the same.

It would be interesting to do a 10-year comparison.

It cost a few thousand MORE.

I'm speculating that some people have defective refrigerators, because ours works very well; even in high heat.

No. YOUR fridge sucks. Most don't.

Get it fixed or replaced.

If you hate your Pod so much, get it fixed or replaced.

But the bellyaching is getting old. Fast.

Every time I work on our Pod, I find something else that needs attention.  Every time I open up some closed off area, I find original debris from the construction and sloppy workmanship; stuff that could have been cleaned up with a vacuum cleaner or made solid by just putting the screw or staple in straight and plumb.  But I don't imagine FR, or most other RV companies for that matter, really push their employees to take their time to do it right the first time, or any time.  Speed, high production and low cost are the concerns of management.

So all that being said, if I want to have the fun of schlepping around in a travel trailer and going to nice places that I couldn't otherwise afford, I'll just have to live the poor construction quality.  I learned when I owned sailboats that all RV's, whether they roll on wheels or float, require ongoing and intense maintenance.  If you're not handy, or at least enjoy tinkering on stuff, then it's going to be frustrating to deal with the quality issues.  

Speaking for myself, I just plan on several hours of maintenance for each trip.  Things are going to break along the way, and many of the things that break are from lousy work in the first place.  On my most recent trip, all the screws on one side of the box that holds all the electrical distribution system and fallen out and the box was leaning out of the wall.  It shouldn't have happened, but it did.  So I took it apart and replaced the screws.  Same for my frig, a screw on the hinge fell out (again, poor workmanship and materials) so I put a sturdier screw in it's place.  

RV's are fun to own, but you either need lots of money pay someone else to maintain them or you need to have tinkerer genes in your DNA.  If we required the exacting standards that one sees in aircraft and all the airworthiness directives issued by the FAA for safety issues, most of us could not afford a travel trailer.  So we'll whine and complain about crummy quality, fix it, and get on to our next trip.

Well, this has been one of the less fruitful threads that have been posted here.

Basic economics - 

1. 'You get what you pay for.'

The R-Pod is pretty inexpensive, but it's because they don't do things like vacuum up sawdust from corners and they use a lot of staples. However, the components are ALL of standard RV production, and, except for inevitable unfortunate lemons, work well. I especially like the convection-microwave.

2. 'There's no such thing as a free lunch.'

If you want premium quality, you will have to pay premium rates. That should be obvious.

The fridge in our pod worked great for over 4 years, until it didn't on gas (ok on AC/DC).  Likely the gas valve, and since the fridges are imported the part would be $400 instead of the usual $70.  Sold the pod before we fixed it.

The slightly larger fridge in our current 26 foot camper is now pushing 10 years old and it works great.  We keep ice cream in the freezer compartment and it has been through outside temps of 108 F.

Seems like a deal breaker for a newbie.

The bottom line, unless you are very wealthy, RV maintenance and things not functioning or breaking a lot are simply a way of life.  If you are not prepared to accept that fact it may be best to rent hotel rooms or sleep in tents when you travel.  For myself, I accept the fact that our Pod is going to have repair issues.  It's as certain as the sun coming up.  I just try to fix them, learn a little, and have fun with it.  Over all, for the price I paid for it, it's turned out to be a pretty nice trailer and we have enjoyed it.  As Ingemar said in My Life as a Dog:  "Things could be worse."

Signed,

One of the Thousands.

"No in between" is what you are hearing, not what folks are saying. Your filters, not ours, are the problem.

You are getting no help because all you do is bellyache. Again, that is on YOU, not on us.

I used to teach my students that, if they externalize the causes for everything that happens, they become permanent victims. If they internalize, they will empower themselves to solve problems.

Stop the constant complaining, explain your difficulties, and ask NICELY for help. You'll get the help. Not from me though. I am turning you off.

Moved on.

He was looking for a little help to fix his problem and vented about having it in the first place.  So what?  And he's absolutely right about the quality standards in the industry.  It isn't very good and it leads to people understandably complaining.  If you can't suggest a solution maybe it'd be better if left it to others to do so.