RV Fridge Cooling Unit Replacement + Bonus Elwha Tour -- My RV Works

My RV Works, Inc., RV Technician, Darren Koepp, replaces the cooling unit on an RV refrigerator and gives some basic RV fridge diagnosis techniques. Follow along as Darren takes you through the cooling unit replacement process from start to finish.
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Topic: RV Refrigerator Cooling Unit Replacement & Diagnosis
System: RV Refrigerators
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Click the link here to watch our other RV Fridge Repair Videos!
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Film Date: 6/12/2023
Location: Elwha River, Washington
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"My RV Works-Jam" Composed by Steve Patry - Four Faces Band
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[@campusa8742]

This was a great video! Thank you so much. I appreciate all of the added detail that you provide because it helps me really form a good picture in my head and helps me remember. I'm about to have a new cooling unit put into my small 4 cubic feet Dometic RM2454. I hired a repair person to do it but I feel qualified to observe his work And feel qualified to assess the final job when he is done. Thank you so much for educating me. I also want to say that I contacted Chris about getting the cooling unit through his company, and he never replied with the final answer for me, and I was very disappointed with that. I ended up purchasing mine through David Force at "RV Cooling Unit Warehouse". The part already arrived and the shipping and packaging was outstanding.

[@evealderson3674]

My RV works! im a happy camper! Thank you all at My RV Works. Rick would have loved it! Darren, Dakota, Sid, Ann, Tricia you all are so appreciated.

[@MyRVWorks]

Our pleasure! Thank you for letting us film and get to know you a little bit!

[@msav57]

I had to do this on my 93 Foretravel Grand Villa 2 years ago. I believe mine was original and the cooling unit was molded into the back of the refrigerator and I literally had to cut it out to replace it with the new one. After watching the video, I guess the new ones are much easier to remove and replace. I very much appreciate your videos and your knowledge and would love to meet up with you someday and shake your hand and thank you for all you've done for us! RVers

[@coffinb1]

Great video. I'm just curious about what the cost of that job was, parts and labor, vs.a new frig. Thanks !

[@jocool562]

Usually new install is cheaper but this is an aftermarket unit. So maybe it makes it a competitive price

[@elimorfin1694]

Thanks for this very good video. You make it look so easy ...

[@MyRVWorks]

Glad it was helpful! When you have done as many as we have, I hope you make it look easy too! ;-)

[@wd8545]

Thanks , been waiting for just this video.

[@MyRVWorks]

Enjoy

[@dawgfan751]

Love your videos, so informative. I also love when you show the area your in. I was stationed there in the early 90s and it always brings back some great memories.

[@evealderson3674]

Thank you all so much! Such a great help.

[@brianbiggs3484]

Great video as always Darren !!! 👍👍🇨🇦✌️🇨🇦✌️🔧🔧

[@dustup2249]

Thanks for the primer. I work with the same Wago brand interconnect devices in the SEPTA, Baltimore LRV and MARTA municipal passenger rail markets, so I can attest that they are a reliable product if used in control systems that carry millions of passengers a year.

[@MyRVWorks]

Thanks for sharing!

[@hillbillyrv]

Good job guys.

[@KrisVworksforMe]

Going to be doing one of these next week so will be watching this video again. Thanks

[@barnettbilly85]

Thank you for this video.

[@MyRVWorks]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tonybachler2272]

My Man; Your Illistration Is Priceless; I took My Motorhome to a Place in Seattle , The Basement air was Not working. They Repaired It?? $6000.00 Later On my Trip. It Did not work. Took it Back In. $500.00 Later They Replaced The Thermastat. Which I sespect was The Only Problem; Thanks It Makes One think. How Many Shops RIP YOU OFF;;

[@diverm2371]

Thanks

[@burtburt1755]

Thank you Darrin for this very informative video. I just bought a new cooling unit from Chris at Cool Fun. Nice guy and very helpful and friendly. I watched some other videos and none as good as yours. Some of the videos showed people adding fans to the lower coils. Have you ever added a fan? I've been a fan of your videos for a while now. Enjoyed them all.

[@jeffsteele1295]

Great Video just learned what I would not want to do lol just kidding. Great helper fine looking young man. So what happened to the bird net ? thanks Jeff

[@MyRVWorks]

Thanks, I will pass the compliment on to Dakota. He actually was asked for his autograph the other day! The pine needles were just from falling through the top vent. No nest up there at all. Everything looked good.

[@fredhammers5495]

Hi Daren great video as always very informative. When you disconnected the dc from the fridge you left the two wires bare and called them common? Is that the same as negative? The two that you capped are they both positive? Why are there 2 comment and two positives ? I bought a 1995 camper with a Demedicis 2202 and when I plugged it in to my truck, the one set of wires and the wire cap melted. Thinking the wiring was done improperly. Thanks for any help you can give me.

[@elimorfin1694]

So how long did it take you

[@MyRVWorks]

The Spader Flat Rate for this job is 3.8 hours and does not include removing and reinstalling the refrigerator. We do a lot of this type of repair and through that experience we can get these smaller units done in under 2 hours. Because we recorded this one - and because it was standing up in the door - it took us about twice as long to complete. We knew we were going to be recording this job, so we budged extra time in the service schedule.

[@stoyanblg]

Thank you Darren for the excellent walk through the process! I recently bought a lightly used 2022 Coachmen Apex Nano with Dometic gas/electric fridge which seems to work fine but it has the ammonia smell in the fridge part of it only, not in the freezer top part. I looked around in the back area for yellow stuff but nothing. What do you recommend in this case? It's a Dometic DM2672. Also have you tried the rebuilt units Cool-fun RV offers ? Also whats your thought on the Amish units lots of people talk about? I am located in Colorado. Thanks!

[@starhopper457]

Absolutely outstanding Darren! When do you decide to change components rather than replace the unit? But then I"m seeing the cooling unit go for about $500-600 and a new Dometic for about $2200.

[@andymackay8747]

If it is a blockage, boiler very hot, tubes on left are cool, is it required to replace the Cooling unit?

[@curlyhum1276]

Are the cooling units engineered with design obsolesces, lol. Great work i learn a lot! plan on opening an RV lot here in Northeast Oklahoma.

[@MyRVWorks]

No, the design is a solid one with many decades with no issues. It is when they are operated outside of the design spec that we get into failure issues.

[@laundrymanadams6105]

Good video, I did see your watch at one point read 11:20 or so but I could never it when you finished, how long did it take you and I understand video time added time.thanks

[@MyRVWorks]

The Spader Flat Rate for this job is 3.8 hours and does not include removing and reinstalling the refrigerator. We do a lot of this type of repair and through that experience we can get these smaller units done in under 2 hours. Because we recorded this one - and because it was standing up in the door - it took us about twice as long to complete. We knew we were going to be recording this job, so we budged extra time in the service schedule.

[@laundrymanadams6105]

@@MyRVWorks thanks Darin

[@TWegnerPhotography]

So a big double door labor complete should be 7-8 hrs includes the removal and install

[@zLigHt44]

My Norcold is the double door with ice maker,2003 year DC used for the touchpad,so just AC and gas,I have the power off and the propane off but the freezer seems cool to the touch and the refrigerator is also cool, but not as much as the freezer, location is high desert should be hot in the compartments but they are not.What I think is happening is the gas is slowly moving through the unit and causing this cooling affect, is this normal? Please somebody help me because I don't know if it can catch fire, everything is in the off position.

[@stephenchristian5739]

never seem to ever get a cost I left a year ago because of it, I'm here now because I've watched 2 other CUR vids, please, what do they charge for their CU +ship to WA CA we can then average here on the West coast? What do you charge PHr? Rv repair is from $90hr $140 hr & up. My dometic Royal from 1999 has been freaking amazing everything clean no smell or yellow, I'm thinking blockage, it just lights then stops after 10 minutes, & recently started making loud gulping noises like it's being starved of chemical components. What exactly is that you mentioned regarding blockage? It would be great, even fantastic to know, also I have a cap with threads right on the bowl or container, what is that for? I was hoping it was a place to clear the unit of any bubbles or move the gases around to get more use out of the refer, I'm sure everyone wishes we could clear out the unit too bad we can't simply add Ammonia & gas, man! All the best.

[@boattguyafloat]

Hi Darren my dometic RM8501 likely has a blockage so I need a new cooling unit but can't find one to buy. Can I buy from you? I can come pick up. can you recommend a supplier if not? Thanks..

[@MyRVWorks]

coolfunrv.com/ Tell them that my RV Works referred you I believe they'll extend a discount. 😉

[@vincentgonzales8917]

Darin which bal cable motor and gear box do you recommend?

[@MyRVWorks]

On our website we have the BAL parts sheets to help you sort out the different part numbers. Navigate here: myrvworks.com/manuals/ In the search box on that page enter 'BAL' and you will find the documents that may help you.

[@enarandyr9122]

Why not replace it with a JC Refrigerator 12/120 volt compressor?

[@MyRVWorks]

The customer did not choose this option.

[@ChuckFasst]

When you speak of a blockage causing the boiler to run very hot, can you elucidate a little further? Blockage up above in the flu or in a vent or something?

[@MyRVWorks]

The blockage is in the tubings. Within the cooling unit tubings you have a component called sodium chromate which is an anti-rust inhibitor. And if you look at the back of the cooling unit you'll see big tubes and small tubes. So these flakes solidify and start working their way around and they get lodged inside the transition from a large tube to a small tube.

[@ChuckFasst]

@@MyRVWorks thanks for that. So you were telling me that I will have to replace that entire unit that you are replacing?

[@vincentgonzales8917]

Everybody has cell phones so take lots of pictures. Can't go wrong then.

[@mstewpie]

I have decided that I trust you enough to ask your opinion. I have a 2017 Cruiser Shadow Cruiser S195WBS and I am the second owner, and according to the previous owner they only used it 3 times a year and we only used it twice last year, am I due for a bearing packing?

[@MyRVWorks]

Best practice is to inspect/repack every year or 12K miles whichever is sooner.

[@mstewpie]

@MyRVWorks I don't know the mileage. I bought it second-hand, and they said they only used it three times per season and didn't say how many miles they used it. They hadn't used it in 2022 yet when we bought it, so from 2017 to 2021, 5 seasons, 15 times, and they said it was too big for them. Should I just pack them, just in case?

[@mstewpie]

I took your advice and did a repacking yesterday, and had a pleasant surprise, Zerk fittings were already installed.

[@anomilumiimulimona2924]

​@@mstewpieyou should take the hubs off to make sure the seals are in good shape, and the brakes are in good working order

[@mstewpie]

@@MyRVWorks I was curious as to how to calculate the mileage, using a trip meter and whatever comes up at the end of the trip, or subtract the running around miles from all the places you visit, since the trailer stays parked? Thanks!

[@hatteraslabuf]

Did this unit have the recommended clearances for scrubbing the heat? And, who was Rick Aldersen? My condolences . . .

[@MyRVWorks]

Yes the chimney was within spec. Rick was the husband that passed away in March of '23. He had watched many of our videos and they helped him to maintain his RV. His wife reached out to us to diagnose and repair the refrigerator so she could sell the RV since it is too much for her to handle now that Rick is gone. We never met Rick but from what we have heard he was a great man and loved my many and is certainly missed.

[@hatteraslabuf]

@@MyRVWorks Your demeanor has suggested that you have a heart, to help others. Now that we know the story - I’m sure that you have been further elevated in stature, than you could possibly know. Thank you, for mentioning this man and what you must have meant to him !

[@billchesney8949]

Why would the customer not replace with a 12v compressor refrigerator

[@guywhatley3219]

If they do any boon docking the propane run model allows you to have refrigerated items without solar backup etc.

[@MyRVWorks]

The 12v compressor option is not for everybody. We have installed both types for our customers and the ones that opt for the 12v compressor option either have a large battery bank or they are always connected to shore power.

[@professionalinspectionserv4228]

It won't fit out the door? Might be easier to bring it out and lay it down on a picnic table...

[@MyRVWorks]

I vote to get'R'done and standing it up in the doorway works for me. To have done it any other way would have involved even more work. ;-)

[@oldodger]

You talk too much and go off topic

[@MyRVWorks]

I do read the replies and the bell curve of viewer comments is that they prefer when I discuss a bit deeper, so I am catering to this larger group. So, I do not see me changing this formula any time soon.

[@jody-eg8ce]

@@MyRVWorks Keep doing what you're doing. I like the content I am about to go into this business myself and I appreciate all the information you give. Thank You. I do have a question, how do you do warranty work? The customer doesn't pay if its under warranty, Correct?