R & R Dometic fridge
Have class C with Dometic RM2652 fridge gone bad. I am used to doing my own work when possible, is removing and replacing this fridge something that can be done without taking to a dealer?
Forum Discussion
8 Replies
- The mobile RV repair guy had to remove entry door and frame. Getting old fridge out, and new one in, was a 2 man job. The first replacement fridge did not cool, nor did the next one cool. The repair guy found out that he had to invert the new fridge to get the coolant in the right places before installing. We replaced the Dometic fridge with a same size Norcold unit.
mlts22 wrote:
Before replacing it, try "burping" the fridge by pulling it out, then letting it sit upside down for 24 hours. After that, put it right-side up, and stick it back in. This is not a true fix... but it might give you a few weeks to years of additional life. Of course, once you smell ammonia, the fridge is cooked, so it is either buy a new one, or a cooling unit.
Go to the trouble of removing fridge......FIX it
Crystals formed from overheating stick to inside of cooling unit. They will NOT go back into solution. They are permanent. They are like build up inside old galvanized plumbing piping....accumulative.
Turning fridge upside down, rolling it around, flipping it, 'burping' etc. may be great at relieving frustrations but is a bogus band-aid fix for a permanently clogged cooling unit.
Even IF you dislodge some of the blockage it will just migrate and clog some place else.
Clogged/blocked cooling unit....remove fridge then replace cooling unit or replace fridge.- Before replacing it, try "burping" the fridge by pulling it out, then letting it sit upside down for 24 hours. After that, put it right-side up, and stick it back in. This is not a true fix... but it might give you a few weeks to years of additional life. Of course, once you smell ammonia, the fridge is cooked, so it is either buy a new one, or a cooling unit.
- Thanks to all for the information!
- Visualize not just the size of the coach entry door that the fridge will have to pass through to get old out and new in. Think of countertop corners, dinette bench backs, etc. You may have to lift it over, set it back down, etc.
I replaced an old Dometic RM763 with a newer bigger DM2852 (the larger version of the one you're pulling. Even though new was wider and taller, measurements from its specs said it'd come through the door. Luckily it actually did, but I ended up taking the doors and hinges off the 2852.
Actual mechanics were easy. A few screws on the front frame, two in the lower rear. Electrical was a 12VDC junction block, unplugging 120VAC. Gas connection was straighforward but I ended up deleting the gas valve at the back of the fridge. REMEMBER TO BUBBLE TEST FOR LEAKS when done.
Spend time looking at the Baffling and Venting part of the install instructions! You can easily find the original install was improper and you can improve the performance of the new one. Or... wonder why some odd-looking piece was in there, leave it out, and wonder why the new fridge doesn't cool right. That odd piece might've been part of required baffling. - Moved from Forum Technical Support
- Most defiantly, depending on your skills. It’s not too difficult. You can fine instructions on the web and maybe a video on youtube.
