That is not true. There are many factors regarding fridge performance
including design, how it is packed and how it is used. The absorption
fridge/freezer in my motor home makes ice cubes in 100F weather although
most ice creams will soften a bit. The back of the fridge is actually in a
compartment outside the vehicle, vented chimney style with a fair bit of
forced outside ventilation. Open it too often though and you are not
getting cold beer out of it.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Todd Last
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 6:59 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Dometic in 100F ambient?

Isn't it a fact of the design of the Dometic (or any ammonia apsorption
fridge)  that you are not going to get any better than 20-30 degrees lower
than the ambient temperature?

Todd
'88 Westy

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Michael Diehr <md03@XOCHI.COM>
> After this last weekend's positive experience with a coleman xtreme
> cooler in 100F+ temperatures, I'm wondering if there's even any
> reason trying to fix up the Dometic.
>
> First question -- has anyone ever had a working dometic provide
> adequate cooling in 100F+ temperatures?
>
> Looking at the coleman cooler, I notice that it has almost 2" of foam
> insulation.   Looking at the dometic, it seems to have very little
> insulation, and it also seems to be self-defeating as it dumps so
> much waste heat under the cabinet, so it's basically bathing itself
> in hear.
>
> Second question -- is re-insulating the dometic with some sort of
> modern insulator a possibility?
>
> Third question -- does venting the waste heat out of the van make a
> serious difference?  The dometic has a fan already, but all it seems
> to do is stir up the air behind the cabinet.   Would a fan that vents
> the air outside of the van actually be better?