RV refrigerator door has half-inch gap. How can I fix it?

Dear Dave,
Observation: When I first got the r-pod I tried running the fridge on battery mode, but after a day of driving the house battery was so low I had to run my truck in order to use the power jack. I tried it several times with the same result. Several years ago I replaced the single 12v battery that came with it with two 6v batteries. Wow, what a difference! Now I run the fridge on battery, and it stays cold even when the outside temp is in the 90s in the desert. It’s sad that RV manufacturers put the cheapest battery in something that customers spend thousands of dollars on, but I have heard that story many times.

A year or so ago I was in Arizona boondocking and the fridge would not cool down. It didn’t make ice, and the temp in the fridge was over 50. I always carry ice packs, so a friend would freeze them and swap them out every day so I didn’t lose any food. Then I discovered that even on electricity it wasn’t staying cold.

On examining it, I realized the door was not shutting tightly, and the latch left almost a half-inch gap. I could see the light of a flashlight inside the fridge. I was traveling so I found a 1/2″ cord at a hardware store and taped it to the edge of the door—and it worked!

Later, the dealer I bought it from said they fixed it. (Apparently, they “adjusted” it but did not replace any parts.) But after a month or so on the road it failed again. So I went back to the cord. I’m about to take it to my trusted RV repair shop. Do you have any thoughts or recommendations? Thanks! —Ann, 2017 r-pod 179; purchased new, have traveled 80k to 90k miles

Dear Ann,
Wow, that is a lot of miles!

Common issue with refrigerator doors

This is a common issue I see quite often with refrigerator doors, as we tend to load them up with heavy containers of water, milk, or other beverages. Then we bounce down the road and the door settles and the seal does not align. I talk about this in my maintenance seminars and have done a few videos on RV Lifestyle & Repair.

With even the slightest gap, warm, moist air will enter the refrigerator. That not only makes it less effective, but typically causes additional frosting and freezing of the evaporator coils. And that makes things worse as the thermistor is located there.

With frost or ice covering the evaporator fins and sometimes the thermistor, it gives a false reading that the refrigerator is cold, even freezing. Then the module board thinks it is cold enough while the rest of the refrigerator is warm.

Test refrigerator door seal

The best test that I have found is to use a dollar bill. Place it between the door and the refrigerator frame, and shut the door. Try pulling the bill out and there should be some resistance or a slight tug if the seal is aligned properly.

If you have a 5th wheel or diesel pusher, you will need a $100 bill, as maintenance is much more expensive on the “big rigs”! 🤣

Usually the alignment can be fixed or adjusted by bending the lower hinge of the door or adding spacers/washers, and no parts are required. However, if the hinge pin is plastic, it might require a new part. This is an easy swap as it typically is just a couple of screws holding a flat piece with a pin or post.

 You might also enjoy this from Dave 

How long will an RV 12-volt refrigerator run with two batteries?

Dear Dave,
Why are trailer manufacturers moving to 12-volt refrigerators? How long will two Group 24 batteries run a 12-volt fridge? —Randy, 2015 Keystone Cougar

Read Dave’s answer.

MORE FROM DAVE ON RV REFRIGERATORS

• How to disable auto defrost on an RV residential refrigerator
• Why does RV 12-volt refrigerator noisily cycle hourly?
• Should we run the RV refrigerator and the roof A/C between trips?
• Why does the RV refrigerator work on LP but not on 120-volt power?

Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”

Read more from Dave here. 

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