Dometic S819 Gas Refrigerator Question

The mobile service guys had to remove the entry door frame to get the old fridge out and new one in. There was a problem, new fridge did not cool. They got another fridge, it didn't cool either. A Norcold tech told them how to invert the fridge and hold it at a certain angle and get ammonia coolant to flow into the right places, then mount the fridge. That did the trick. Recommend you contact Dometic or Norcold to find out where to get replacement fridge. We went from a Dometic to a Norcold fridge that fit the same space.

If you can do the work yourself, you might come out ahead, otherwise might want to consider a new fridge which anyone can do.

Will your fridge come through the coach entry door?

OK guys,
I have checked the heating element and it meters 37 ohms, hooked it directly to AC and let it go all night....no cooling.
Now, my question is where is the best place to get a cooling unit for a Dometic S-819 and how much trouble is it to replace. I have already had the fridge out to change the shower fixtures so that's not a problem but haven't checked into changing the cooling unit.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Jerry

If the fridge is level, you have a good flame, yet no cooling within 6-10 hours, your cooling unit is bad.

The fact that the electric element is not heating when AC is available is a red herring...totally different problem. Not worth even chasing that concern if you are not getting cold on LP.

Check for ammonia smell and yellow/green stains on cooling unit. If yes, cooling unit needs replacement or you need a new fridge that fits the same hole.
We had a mobile service guy replace our fridge, it died at around 10 years old.

Jerry_Amerson wrote:
Thanks guys,
Here is what I've done so far on the gas operation. Cleaned flu, cleaned orfice, have good blue flame about 3/8" high. The tubes going up the side got very warm when I had it running after about 4 hrs. but no cooling inside. I think I left it on all night but don't remember cause I quit working on it to change the shower fixtures which required me to pull the fridge out...geez!! what a job that was. Got the fridge back in and hooked up so I will do these two tests as you suggested.

I don't think it's the cooling unit because when I went to the NASCAR races in April I started the gas when we hit Waco and when we got to the track which was about 3 hrs. later I checked the fridge and it was cold, not real cold but cold..the problem is that after we got set up and I leveled the RV the gas was still on and it warmed back up. It has also gotten cool a couple of times when I ran it on gas but never has gotten real cold inside.

If I have a good heating element and wire it directly to 120v for 24hrs will that guarantee me that the cooling unit is bad. It sounds like that bypasses everything else, is that correct.

Thanks again for all your help, and if I have to change the cooling unit it shouldn't be too bad cause I already have had the fridge out once. I just want to be sure before I spend $500.

IF element is good.......gets hot and fridge doesn't get COLD then YES cooling unit is BAD.
Wired directly you will bypass control board, thermostat etc. Element will stay ON the whole time therefore the cooling process will run continuously and food section should freeze just like freezer section.

Place gas of water in both sections and check temps with thermometer.
Freezer can get cold and food section not..........blockage
Neither sections getting cold........probably cracked cooling unit/no ammonia

Thanks guys,
Here is what I've done so far on the gas operation. Cleaned flu, cleaned orfice, have good blue flame about 3/8" high. The tubes going up the side got very warm when I had it running after about 4 hrs. but no cooling inside. I think I left it on all night but don't remember cause I quit working on it to change the shower fixtures which required me to pull the fridge out...geez!! what a job that was. Got the fridge back in and hooked up so I will do these two tests as you suggested.

I don't think it's the cooling unit because when I went to the NASCAR races in April I started the gas when we hit Waco and when we got to the track which was about 3 hrs. later I checked the fridge and it was cold, not real cold but cold..the problem is that after we got set up and I leveled the RV the gas was still on and it warmed back up. It has also gotten cool a couple of times when I ran it on gas but never has gotten real cold inside.

If I have a good heating element and wire it directly to 120v for 24hrs will that guarantee me that the cooling unit is bad. It sounds like that bypasses everything else, is that correct.

Thanks again for all your help, and if I have to change the cooling unit it shouldn't be too bad cause I already have had the fridge out once. I just want to be sure before I spend $500.

AC Electric element doesn't get hot....
Check that you have 120V AC power, then check the 5A fuse on control module (lower board).
If Power and fuse good......you can unplug AC heater element from board and plug it directly into AC power source. If element doesn't get hot.....BAD element 300W (check resistance across unplugged leads----40 ohms good)
IF element does get hot.....BAD lower board
IF element gets hot and fridge doesn't cool down (*test 24hrs)---cooling unit is BAD

Propane flame ignites and looks good..........how long did you operate before deciding fridge doesn't get cool??

Thermistor in food section senses temps.........thermostat uses that temp sensing to control electric & propane cycles.
T-stat turns them ON/OFF as needed to maintain temp set point

Fridge level, good ventilation............good flame no cooling effect (*test 24 hrs) cooling unit BAD

I take it you have good 12V DC power otherwise propane wouldn't lite/stay lit. Panel lights wouldn't be on. (3A fuse on lower board is for DC Circuit)
IF you have a light inside fridge....check that 'storage switch' is ON (side of lower board)


HERE is a pretty decent service manual that includes your S819.
It is sorta set up backwards.......contents/index pages at end etc.
BUT good info/test procedures

got a good 12volt battery hooked up, frig needs 12v for the controls.

Jerry_Amerson wrote:
does the thermostat turn the gas flame on and off after a unit gets cold or does the gas burner always stay on.

yes, no