How To Change the Heating Factor in an RV Fridge I Tenting World Weblog

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How To Change the Heating Factor in an RV Fridge I Tenting World Weblog


The very last thing you need earlier than a giant tenting journey is your RV fridge not cooling. RV home equipment take a number of abuse, rather more than the home equipment in your house. Due to this fact, you’re extra more likely to expertise points with them. 

Nonetheless, some RV equipment repairs are simple and could be achieved shortly. Let’s take a look at methods to substitute the heating factor in an RV fridge.

How To Diagnose a Dangerous RV Fridge Heating Factor

testing an rv refrigerator heating element
Picture by Tenting World

In case you have an absorption-style RV fridge that runs on propane and electrical energy, it’s possible you’ll, sooner or later, expertise the fridge operating on propane however not electrical. In that case, one potential trigger is a nasty fridge heating factor. Fortunately, testing your RV fridge heating factor is quick and simple. Alternative can be comparatively cheap. Nonetheless, you have to some RV instruments to finish this activity. 

To diagnose and/or substitute a defective RV fridge heating factor, you have to the next:

  • Multimeter 
  • Screwdriver
  • Needle Nostril Pliers
  • Penetrating Oil (Non-flammable) 

Upon getting every part, begin by testing your RV fridge heating factor. 

Entry Door Elimination

Exterior access panel for RV refrigerator
Picture by Tenting World

To search out out why your camper fridge isn’t cooling, flip off the breaker for the fridge, take away the camper from shore energy, and disconnect the batteries. Find your fridge’s exterior entry door on the surface wall. As soon as situated, take away. These are sometimes held on with screws or tabs.

Discovering The Factor 

RV fridge circuit board
Picture by Tenting World

With the door eliminated, unplug the ability twine. Find the management board cowl and take away it to show the circuits. Discover the 2 wires for the heating factor, which run from the management board to the flue stack. In case you have hassle discovering the wires, consult with the wiring diagram on the board or cowl. Take away the heating factor terminals from the management board utilizing a pair of needle nostril pliers. 

Testing For Continuity

Testing continuity for refrigerator heating element
Picture by Tenting World

Utilizing your multimeter, place the purple probe into one wire and the black probe into the opposite. Polarity doesn’t matter for many heating parts. Flip the multimeter to the continuity setting and confirm the circuit is closed. If there’s an open circuit, this means the factor or wire is dangerous and can should be changed. 

If the circuit is closed, change to the resistance setting and confirm that it’s inside your unit’s acceptable vary. To acquire the resistance vary, you should reference the fridge’s service guide. If the factor isn’t throughout the acceptable vary, it should be changed. If the factor is throughout the acceptable vary, the heating factor isn’t inflicting the problem. 

How To Change the Heating Factor in an RV Fridge

In case you’ve decided your heating factor is dangerous, listed below are the steps to take away the previous factor and set up a brand new RV fridge heating factor:

Technician Tip: Earlier than putting in your new heating factor, confirm the required wattage utilizing the service or proprietor’s guide.

Step 1: Flip off the breaker for the circuit your fridge is on.

RV circuit breaker panel
Picture by Tenting World

Step 2: Take away the fridge’s exterior entry panel and unplug the fridge from the 120VAC outlet.

Security tabs on RV refrigerator access panel
Picture by Tenting World

Step 3: Determine the wiring operating to the heating factor and disconnect it from the circuit board.

Disconnecting fridge wiring from circuit board
Picture by Tenting World

Step 4: Take away the heating factor cowl by bending the tabs out and away.

Step 5: Spray penetrating oil into the cavity the place the heating factor is situated.

Step 6: Seize the factor and wiggle forwards and backwards whereas pulling up till free. 

Step 7: Set up the brand new factor into the socket and push it down till it bottoms out. Examine fitment of canopy to make sure correct insertion depth. 

Step 8: Resecure wiring and fix to the circuit board.

Step 9: Plug the fridge again in, reapply energy to the breaker, and use a multimeter to verify for present to the factor. 

Checking for current to RV refrigerator heating element
Picture by Tenting World

Step 10: Safe the heating factor cowl, circuit board cowl, and entry door cowl.

Why Is My RV Fridge Not Working On Electrical energy?

If the heating factor is in working order however your fridge nonetheless solely works on propane, you may merely have a tripped breaker or dangerous fuse. Examine the RV fridge management board and the RV’s management heart for tripped breakers or dangerous fuses. If all else fails, you possibly can carry your RV to certainly one of our close by service facilities for help.


In case you don’t wish to cope with the effort of repairing your fridge, there’s all the time a alternative. Take a look at a few of the articles under in case you’re in want.

Within the feedback, please tell us in case you’ve ever had points together with your RV fridge and what you probably did.

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