My name is Emily. I am a mobile certified RV repair tech based here in Las Vegas, and this is RV Repair Woman.

So what do we mean by charging a fridge?

Well, when people say they're trying to get their fridge or their AC system charged, it means they're trying to get more refrigerant put into it.

They think that the reason that their fridge isn't cooling properly, isn't being as efficient as it used to be, or isn't doing something that they want, is because the system is low on refrigerant. And I'm here to tell you it's probably not.

Both absorption style RV fridges and RV acs are hermetically sealed systems, means there isn't a port to pour more refrigerant into the system .

So, even if you could magically get more refrigerant into the system, you would still have to be asking the question, how did the refrigerant get out? And if it did get out, it means you have a leak.

If you do suspect that you have a leak in your RV refrigerator, it is super easy to test for using the see smell hear test. This is a test that requires no special know-how and no extra tools except for the body that your mama gave you.

So here's what you're gonna do. You're gonna go to the outside access panel for your fridge. Open that sucker up and perform the see smell hear test.

You are looking for a neon liquid to be pooled anywhere inside that compartment. If you do see a neon liquid, you have a leak. That neon liquid that you're seeing is the refrigerant that has gotten out. You are smelling for ammonia. Ammonia is one of the four ingredients inside of your refrigerant.

If you're wondering what ammonia smells like, I think it smells like Satan's butthole. But I've also heard it described as old gym socks. Some cleaning products have ammonia in 'em. If you're smelling a bad smell that doesn't normally come out of your fridge, there's a good chance it's ammonia.

And then finally, you are hearing for a gurgling noise like a babbling brook coming through your pipes.That is also the sound of gas leaking out of your system.

This is really a see something, say something situation. If you see, smell, or hear any of the things that I just described, that means that you have a leak in your fridge and you wanna get that solved. Asap my friend. If you see that neon liquid, do not touch it. It's not something that you want in contact with your skin. If you are hearing something or smelling something, know that another ingredient in that refrigerant is hydrogen, like what we put in the Hindenburg balloon, and not something that we want flames happening around. It's sort of a dangerous situation and you really kind of wanna get that solved relatively quickly.

Unfortunately, there's no patching that problem. If you have a leak, you are looking at one of two options. You can either replace just the cooling unit, which is basically the back half of the fridge, or you need to replace the entire fridge. If you have a fridge that is over 10 years old, you may struggle to find a new cooling unit for it.

So just know that that option might not be available to you. Also, if your fridge is over 10 years old, you might be wanting to do a Pro/Con list of if you wanna dump the money of a new cooling unit into a fridge that may not have that long of a lifespan left anyway. So just some things to keep in mind.

If you are going to replace the whole fridge, something to keep in mind there is that when these rigs are made, the fridges and the appliances are put in before the walls. There is a chance that if you have a large fridge that you will not be able to get it out the door. So this is a good point for a measuring tape, and if it's not fitting out the door, you're looking at either taking out your front windshield or pulling a slide, and either of those things is going to cost a pretty penny.

But the main takeaway of this video is no, you cannot recharge an RV fridge. I know that replacing these things are very expensive. But we don't fix them for a reason. That reason is safety.

We really don't want the ingredients in that refrigerant hanging out around you, and you don't want them either. If you would like to learn some tips and tricks on how to maintain your RV fridge, so there is less of a chance that it needs to be replaced before it's time, then check out my FREE ultimate RV maintenance guide where I will walk you through not only how to maintain your fridge, but also your ac, your roof, your leveling system, your tanks. Oh my goodness. I know so many people are overwhelmed by their water tanks. Really the number one way to save money on RV repairs is giving your rig some love.

So go check that out. And if you just want some RV tips and tricks that most RV techs aren't going to tell you,

go ahead and hit subscribe, and I'll be in your subscription box every week.

This has been RV repair. Woman. You got this.