Fridge coldness while en route

We have made a few trips now with our TM since we purchased it a couple of months ago (new to us). While travelling the refrigerator seems to cool very poorly. I have replaced the fan on the underside after our first trip because the old one barely turned. The temperature outside ranged from 60 to 100 degrees while on the road. It just doesn't seem to work as good as our old trailers refrig. Any ideas? Is this mainly because of the lack of circulation on collapsed TM?
Thanks
winsail

[Bill]

These refrigerators all operate on the same principle, so there is no reason that your TM refrig should be worse (or better) than your previous refrig. So something isn't right. Start by checking the following.

Is the little fan blowing in the correct direction? It should suck air down through the hose and blow it out through the hole in the floor. You should be able to feel it if you put your hand under the trailer. If it is installed backwards, as sometimes happens, it won't work as well.

There are two 3-inch holes in the floor of the refrig compartment, both covered with screen. The little fan blows out through one. Make sure that the other is open (except for the screen). Occasionally someone puts a cover over this second hole since "it doesn't appear to do anything".

I have always considered adding a second fan - or substituting a bigger one. I haven't actually gotten around to doing it, but increased air flow should help.

Other thoughts. I presume you have set your refrig to run on DC/battery while you travel? When you reach your destination, is your TM battery fully charged, or discharged? It turns out that a fair percentage of tow vehicles have inadequate wiring (mine did) and the refrig can't get full power from the tow vehicle. End result is that the TM battery is discharged when you arrive at your campground, and the refrigerator is pretty warm when you arrive. This is not a TM problem, it is a tow vehicle problem, and you can't fix it in the TM! To check your TM battery, set up your TM at your destination, but don't plug in shore power yet. Instead, unplug the TM from the tow vehicle, and then check the status light panel in front of the sink. If all is well, the battery sequence should read at the next-to-top light. If there is a problem, it will read lower.

If the refrig is set to AC/plug-in power while you travel, it won't work, of course. And I don't recommend that you use propane while you travel, though others may disagree. There are many threads on this topic.

Other than that, there are a few tips for packing the refrig, and adding a small interior fan. Texas_Camper usually covers this pretty well - use the Search tool to find his posts on the topic.

Bill

[Edit - Oops! Just saw that Leon posted while I was writing!]

I have no problems with mine. By the time I get the TM set up the beer is still very close to be frozen. I don't dare keep lettuce in the TM fridge when towing or it will freeze on 12 volts.

The fan I replaced the old one with has a higher capacity than the TM original. It is indeed pointed in the right direction and the polarity of the wires is correct. The input screen on bottom of TM and output at end of dryer hose is clear. The alternator and battery in my Tow Vehicle appear to be working properly but I will get out my VOM and check it out. I have noticed only a yellow light on the battery panel. This may be my problem. My TM batteries could be newer but they hold a charge. I rarely if ever hook up to shore power when I'm camping but I have a solar panel and controller I keep the batteries topped off with. I have run with both DC and propane while driving with same result. Time for more troubleshooting.
Thanks
winsail

[Bill]

If you have the same problem with propane, then it would seem to rule out an electrical problem. I would still get out your VOM and check the trailer battery (not the tow vehicle battery, which will check fine) when you arrive.

My TM is not in front of me, but I seem to recall that there is a set of heat exhanger fins in the upper outside compartment. This is where the refrig mechanism sheds the heat that it has extracted from the freezer and refrigerator interior. These fins should be clear (not obstructed with stray fiberglass, for instance). I have also thought about installing a second fan to blow across those fins - but again, I have never done it, since I don't seem to have the problem you describe.

Have you used the small battery-powered fan inside the refrig, as Leon describes?

Bill