Refrigerator Issues

[Caminonut69]

Well 2 months out of warranty my fridge starts acting up. I have the Insignia which is the Best Buy store brand made by a Chinese company. The fridge is getting warm on occasion. I went to check for parts and there isn't anything but normal wear parts like water filters. I guess you just have to buy a new one. I started to contact Best Buy to see if they would stand behind it but I have never liked it as you can tell it's cheap made. I would think for the price of a DRV it would have a quality fridge in it.

[The Gritz Carlton]

So...what's the question here?

[Judge]

I assume it has a freezer on the top and fridge on the bottom?

If your freezer is cold but the fridge is luke warm, it is most likely the evaporator fan in the back of the freezer. That fan blows the cold air from the freezer to the fridge compartment.

I have a Whirlpool and the evaporator fan started intermittently spinning and the freezer would get into the 50's. That happened at about 18 months. I got a replacement on Amazon for about $20 (probably more now with inflation). I also bought a second one to cary as a spare. Its about a 15-minute job to replace it.

The motors are cheap Chinese junk. If you can't hear the fan running, that's probably your problem.

To check it there should be crews holding on a plastic shroud on the back of the freezer that covers the evaporator coils. You'll probably have to remove some beauty caps to access the head of the screws.

Once you have it off turn the thermostat to max cold, close the fridge door and see if the fan is spinning.... or just listen for the fan after cranking down the thermostat.

[Porkchop]

Judge=You assumed wrong.

Bill

[Judge]

Originally Posted by Porkchop

Judge=You assumed wrong.

Bill

Then he needs to provide more info because there are Insignia refrigerators with a freezer compartment on top and a fridge compartment on the bottom.

Just like this one.....

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insigni...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Caminonut69]

I could fix it if I could get parts but I've lost confidence in it. It's a french door fridge. The biggest problem is the doors don't close good. I'm constantly double checking them because I've left them cracked where they won't close properly. The biggest problem is the center divider between the fridge doors doesn't always close. You have to check it every time you use the left door. I think it's freezing up from the door not closing and will eventually go back to working when it defrosts. I'm replacing it with a GE when I get time. I've got a 3 or 4 month trip out west starting in July and will change it before then.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by Caminonut69

I could fix it if I could get parts but I've lost confidence in it. It's a french door fridge. The biggest problem is the doors don't close good. I'm constantly double checking them because I've left them cracked where they won't close properly. The biggest problem is the center divider between the fridge doors doesn't always close. You have to check it every time you use the left door. I think it's freezing up from the door not closing and will eventually go back to working when it defrosts. I'm replacing it with a GE when I get time. I've got a 3 or 4 month trip out west starting in July and will change it before then.

If you doors are not staying closed, that can certainly be a problem for the fridge working properly.

But even with a french door fridge and a freezer on the bottom, there is still an evaporator fan that blows the cold air from the coils in the freezer up to the fridge compartment.

And guess what... most of the GE fridges also have the cheap evaporator fans from China as they are used across manufacturers and models.

[Caminonut69]

I think the fridge is working ok it’s the doors not closing and causing the coils to freeze up that’s the main issue. When it defrosts it goes back to working again. The thing about a GE is I can get parts right down the road.

[lwmcguire]

Have had a couple French door fridges that had issues with the center divider. New seals, alignment, and Teflon spray fixed both.

Our 28 cu ft Samsungs, haven't had that issue. Nor have the counter depth at the lake house.

Cleaning and lubrication on seals, plus alignment, goes a long way.

As a plug for Samsung, the newer digital inverter fridges are certainly energy efficient.

[EA37TS]

Since Insignia is made by Haier you might want to look for a comparable model and go from there. Haier is sold at a number of outlets to include Lowe’s and Home Depot.

[craigd853]

Originally Posted by Judge

Then he needs to provide more info because there are Insignia refrigerators with a freezer compartment on top and a fridge compartment on the bottom.

Just like this one.....

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insigni...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

Wow I love how some people take the liberty of the good folks that offer free help by bashing said help. It's truly a wonderful world we live in these days. Keep sending the help in Judge I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels the same way.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by craigd853

Wow I love how some people take the liberty of the good folks that offer free help by bashing said help. It's truly a wonderful world we live in these days. Keep sending the help in Judge I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels the same way.

I am proof that you are not the only one feeling the same way.

Originally Posted by Caminonut69

I think the fridge is working ok it’s the doors not closing and causing the coils to freeze up that’s the main issue. When it defrosts it goes back to working again. The thing about a GE is I can get parts right down the road.

How long was the warranty? Do I dare assume 1 year at the risk of being wrong. I wonder how much confidential RV stuff has been transmitted back to China via you refrigerator.

FWIW, my outdoor fridge ( one door) is Insignia. If I ever start using a toad, I may downsize to a smaller Non Insignia. My coach came with 3 Insignia TVs and the main TV failed under warranty ( 9 months old) they offered to replace free of charge but I bought a Samsung Smart TV with WiFi. I still have two Insignia TVs still going approaching 4 years old.

[Caminonut69]

Yes it was a 1 year warranty. I am just going to change it out and chalk it up to experience. The first DRV I looked at had a Whirlpool. I’ve had nothing but good service from their appliances. Then when this one came in I didn’t realize till it was a done deal that it was different. My last trailer had the Samsung in it and I eventually changed it out because the fridge kept freezing up. I replaced it with a GE and never had any more problems.

[Cummins12V98]

They had run out of Whirlpools when they built my 16 so they used the same in a KitchenAid. Better LOOKING model but mechanically the same. I would buy this unit in a heart beat. We are going on 8 years full time with ZERO issues with 30-40k traveled miles.

[jr_nicholson]

After two years my whirlpool fridge compressor broke down. The fridge was tossed into a garbage bin and I replaced it with the same size KitchenAid and I have not had a problem since Unfortunately the insignia that they put in the D RVs now are not up to standard. Like most of the equipment they’re putting in the DRVs now they’re not up to standard. The best thing for you to do is completely replace the refrigerator with something that’s quality that’s going to last if you’re going to keep the camper

[Caminonut69]

Well I plan on keeping it so I will put a new one in. Sounds like y’all are pretty happy with the Kitchen Aid. I will look and see what they offer.

[Cummins12V98]

Chinese Made whirlpool clothes washer died just after one year warranty. Replaced with 220V Bosch 500 with ZERO issues for 6 years full time. Factory Whirlpool US Made 220V dryer is still going strong!!!

[DogLovers]

Have you considered calling in a fridge repair guy? Sometimes the amount of headache you save by paying somebody to fix something is well worth the price.

I don't repair my furnace, water heater, washer/dryer, air conditioner or stove/microwave want to know why?

Because I am NOT an appliance repair man!

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by Caminonut69

I think the fridge is working ok it’s the doors not closing and causing the coils to freeze up that’s the main issue. When it defrosts it goes back to working again. The thing about a GE is I can get parts right down the road.

Are parts interchangeable?

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by lwmcguire

Have had a couple French door fridges that had issues with the center divider. New seals, alignment, and Teflon spray fixed both.

Our 28 cu ft Samsungs, haven't had that issue. Nor have the counter depth at the lake house.

Cleaning and lubrication on seals, plus alignment, goes a long way.

As a plug for Samsung, the newer digital inverter fridges are certainly energy efficient.

I saw a lot of Furrion 12v refrigerators in new units at the RV show in Charlotte. According to the Forest River rep the insustry will go this way, moving away from propane.