P.U. Proboscis Asks: Ammonia In My Reefer?

"Dear Low Tech RVing: When I open my RV refrigerator door, I about get knocked over by a strong ammonia odor. I only use 'Simple Green' to clean my fridge. Is there a problem here?"--P.U. Proboscis"

Ah, another sad story from someone like P.U. Odors and RV refrigerators aren't uncommon, happily most are related to failure to take last month's supply of forgotten leftovers out and pitch them. Sad to say, sometimes RVers returning from a trip have actually forgotten to remove food from the traveling fridge, and after a while, the memories of the happy meals shared on the road turn into a nightmare. A good cleaning out may not always cure the problem. Some have found that commercial "pet odor" removing concoctions (found at pet stores) applied liberally to the inside of the fridge will actually remove even those "unforgettable" rotten food odors.

But the strong smell of ammonia in the RV fridge, that's another story. RV reefers don't work like the ones back home. Instead of using a compressor motor (highly energy consumptive) a combination of ammonia, hydrogen, and water is heated by a burner (or small electric element) and through the magic of science and technology, remove heat from the refrigerator box. Sadly, if the cooling system which seals this trinity of chemicals in matrimony is breached, well, all sorts of refrigerator hell break loose. If you smell the strong odor of ammonia around your RV refrigerator, its cooling unit is most likely kaput.

Kaput cooling units can be conquered with replacements, and yes, if you are very handy with tools you may be able to do-it-yourself. If you feel hesitant, most RV repair firms can do it for you. However, the consensus among RV techie types is this: If your RV refer is older than 10 years, it's probably just better to replace the whole unit as after all, other things can go gunny bag too. New refrigerators come with warranties. Not that a 12 or 14 hundred dollar payout makes you feel good. If your RV isn't moving much, i.e. you spend all your time in an RV park with available electricity, you might consider replacing the confounded chiller with a small "apartment size" refrigerator unit. Sears has them for about $350.

Photo: JasonRogers on Flickr.com

Keeping the RV Refrigerator Cool

RV refrigerators are a special breed of cat: They don't use mechanical pumps to move coolant, it's all handled by heat and gravity. While they do a great job in the real RV world, they aren't like home refrigerators. First, some operating tips that may alleviate problems:

Cool your refrigerator before packing it. Turn it on 24 hours before you plan to head out. When packing, always put COLD food in the unit--it won't like warm food.

Leave plenty of room around the stuff inside the refrigerator compartment--you need good air flow. To help that "in the box" cooling, for about $15 you can get a FridgeCool unit. Battery operated, it really can make a difference.


A door gasket that doesn't keep the cold in, and the hot out can be a problem. George can help. George who? George Washington! Open the reefer door and stick a dollar bill against the door frame edge, partly hanging out of the cooler box. Close the door and pull on the bill. If George makes an escape without resistance, the door gasket isn't up to snuff and should be replaced. Food particles and other guck can give a false impression, so be sure to clean the gasket and door frame with soapy water (and a ending rinse) before trying this trick. Be sure to make George work all the way around the door frame to ensure 100% gasket cooperation

Keep 'er level: An off-kilter refrigerator is not efficient, and the effects of operating an RV refrigerator off-level will accumulate and eventually KILL your refrigerator's cooling unit. Can you say "hundreds of dollars to replace"? Use a round level inside refrigerator and keep at least a half a bubble inside the center of the bull's eye.

Check out the roof vent, too. RV "reefers" have to liberate heat, and they do so through a roof vent directly above the reefer. Birds have been known to build nests in the vents, and obstructions like that will really cut down on cooling efficiency.

In hot weather, try and park with the wall area behind your reefer in the shade.

If it works on gas, but doesn't work on electric, or vice versa, there's usually nothing wrong with the cooling unit. If you don't get cooling on gas, inspect the gas burner (at the bottom of the vertical stack) to make sure crud from the chimney hasn't fallen down onto the burner, obstructing it or even causing the burner to not light. Blow the junk off the burner with a puff of air or carefully brush it off with a paint brush. Be sure to SHUT OFF the reefer first!

For great diagnostic info, check out the RV Mobile, Inc. website.