While John is hard at work at FedEx here in Memphis, Tennessee, I’m home busily working at my transcription job. Life is good. Then, out of the blue, there is beeping. After some investigation — it’s the refrigerator — beeping — and flashing — “No co” “No co” What the heck is that? I verify that both the propane and AC modes of the refrigerator are working. I turn the fridge off. I turn the fridge on. I flip the breaker on. I flip the breaker off. It still keeps beeping. Hmm.
To the Internet! Oh dear. It says this error means the fridge is not cooling. I check and sure enough my ice cubes are slush. The Internet mentions “fire hazard”, “cause of most RV fires”. Oh my. So with all power cut off to the fridge I pull out the manual from our box of manuals. I read about “No co” and resetting. The Internet says this probably won’t fix my issue. Hmm.
I call John. “Hey honey. Remember we talked about in the next year or two replacing the fridge? It may be time.”
After some discussion about a reset switch, I head outside with a screw driver and the manual. How hard can this be, right? Take off the panel and press a reset button or something. I’ve got this.
Right. Aside from cobwebs, tree debris and general dirt, I don’t see any kind of a reset button, and I am for sure not sticking my hand in there to root around and find one.
I call John back. PLEASE come home I say. So he does. Not being afraid to stick his hand in there and poke around he discovers we have a leak. The ammonia has leaked out and the pilot light for the propane side of the fridge function is right below the the leaking ammonia pipes. Okay, I get the whole fire thing now.
The plan is for me to take John back to work, get some coolers and ice, and attempt to save as much food as possible until the new fridge shows up. Off we go. Well, almost off we go.
After a FUBAR a couple of years ago hooking the Jeep up properly to the RV and ruining a set of tires, John defeated the locking mechanism on the Jeep’s steering to prevent the wheels from locking while being towed.
Oops. It allows me to take the key out in the wrong position leaving the battery still engaged. In my defense, I had just come home from having a root canal the day before and wasn’t in my right mind.
So before I can take him back to work and go to Lowes, we now need to jump the Jeep battery. Let’s try pushing it down the drive a bit and try the pop-the-clutch method. Fifty yards from the coach — the Jeep is still not running. The park we are in is full of workman. They are all at work. John goes back to the coach, pulls the 100-pound engine battery carries it the 50 or so yards and jumps the Jeep. Now off to work he goes and shopping I go. The refrigerator will be delivered the next day.
My job is to prep the coach. The doorway of our RV is only about 23” wide. I know, super narrow right? Why? Who knows. It is going to have to come through a window. In order to do that the couch has to be moved (it is bolted to the slide) and everything has to be moved out of the way. This is when small space living REALLY S*CKS!
I got the couch mostly apart.
Tore down my office and piled it with refrigerator parts and anything else that would fit.
John brought three volunteers from his work crew home to help him. My job, feed them, “water” them, take pictures and be an extra set of eyes.
First things first, out comes the window. Todd (outside) and Chris get to work pulling the window apart.
Next, the old fridge gets pulled out of its cubby-hole.
And sent out the window. Everybody ready?
Here it comes! My John, the other John and Chris sent it on its way.
Nice catch guys! Todd and a neighbor guy who had just come home caught it and Chris and John helped lift it down. This fridge is HEAVY.
Time to put the new fridge in. Much lighter. John will be able to collect at least a hundred pounds more of rocks now!
Through the window it goes.
Tada!
After the window was back in, it was time to eat. The pizza man showed up right on time.
I must say watching these guys work was enjoyable. You can tell they spend a lot of time working together. It was smooth, well coordinated and it didn’t take them anytime at all. What may have seemed like a major problem or hitch to some, these guys handled like it was no big deal and easily dealt with the issue.
It was almost fun. Almost.
Those guys are the best!