RV Repair: rv refridgerator, vertical tube, metal shelf

Question
why does my refridgerator not get cold.

Answer
There can be several reasons that it isn't getting cold. First you need to check the back of the refrigerator and see if it is getting hot. Usually on the right side in the back there is a round tube that has the burner in it. This should be hot to the touch. If it is hot check the coiled tubes that come down the middle and see if they too are getting hot. If everything is hot then your cooling unit has gone bad and you will need to replace it. If nothing is hot then it is in the electronics. One thing you can do to force it is find the 110 vac element located in the vertical tube and has 2 wires coming from it, and to connect a temporary plug on them and plug it in direct. This will force it to run full out and around the controls. Leave it this way for a week if it starts cooling to make sure there isn't a block in the cooling unit. These refrigerators are supposed be run within 3 degrees of being level. Any more than 3 degrees is not good for them. Always check for level inside of the freezer with a small round level. If there is a metal shelf in the freezer take your readings from the shelf. If no shelf then use the bottom of the freezer to check level. If you happen to see any greenish, yellow residue in the rear then the cooling unit has gone bad and needs replaced. If you determine that the cooling unit is bad then you have decisions to make. They are to rebuild or replace the refer. If the box is in good shape replace the cooling unit. If not replace the refer. One thing to remember is that the manufactures change the sizes of refers every couple years so if this is an older one you will need to know if you can enlarge the hole for the refer to fit a different size.