My 2013 dometic 1350 quit cooling on a trip. Mobil repair tech found a blockage in the cooling unit. He suggested we removed the fridge and turn it upside down to burp the cooling unit. We did that and turned it right side up after a few minutes. The fridge started working like normal. My question is and which the tech couldn't answer, is this a permanent fix or will the blockage show up in the cooling unit somewhere else.Anyone had this done to their fridge and did it fix the problem long term?thanks

MrRetired821 wrote:My 2013 dometic 1350 quit cooling on a trip. Mobil repair tech found a blockage in the cooling unit. He suggested we removed the fridge and turn it upside down to burp the cooling unit. We did that and turned it right side up after a few minutes. The fridge started working like normal. My question is and which the tech couldn't answer, is this a permanent fix or will the blockage show up in the cooling unit somewhere else.Anyone had this done to their fridge and did it fix the problem long term?thankstemporary at best. just moving the blockage so it can show up some where else or the same place later. best be is to just replace the cooling unit on the back of the fridge if you want it to be real reliable.

Like many things in life, some are luckier than others. It may only work properly for a short time, or if you are lucky, it may work for a long time. Only you can decide, should I just replace the cooling unit now, while convenient, or wait till it quits again, at a time I really need it.Another thought, is why did it have blockage? Most times from operating off level. In the future, try to keep the trailer closer to level, while running the fridge.Jerry

I've found that the average life for Dometic RV two/three way absorption refrigerators to be around 9 to 14 years depending on the use/abuse cycle. Living in the RV full time or not using it at all, parking way off level, failing to keep the burner can/vents clean, operating in extremely hot/cold temperatures, and a lot of off road use (bouncing around), tend to reduce the life. Some units make it over twenty years without major repairs, . . . . but, not many. Do you feel lucky?Chum lee

There is no such thing as a permanent Fix. Sooner or later either A: it will happen again or B: something else will fail.NOTE: This statement also applies to replacing the cooling unit (Or the entire fridge) Sooner or later the new unit will also fail.. Unlelss it gets lucky and some nice semi driver totals the RV as happend to me (The new cooling unit did NOT fail..) (Note.. it really turned out to be a good thing as other thins were about to fail..but did not.. quite.. due to the insurance payment.. .I can't believe the issues I found during cleanout).

Thanks for the responses. I guess I'm trying to convince myself to gamble with the burp thing. However, my better half says get a new cooling unit. BTW the fridge is still working like it should, but it's parked at the house.

burbing fridge | Good Sam Community

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jan 12, 2023
If you plan on living in the RV.. Do you plan on MOVING it or parked on/near construction of new house site.

If the latter.. Consider the "new Fridge" for the new house... Have it on hand.. (You need not unbox it unless you fear warranty expiring) If the RV fridge fails.. Unbox. plug in and use.. Or better (less energy needed to run it) Use it instead of the RV unit... And when new house ready.. MOVE IT.
MrRetired821
Explorer
Jan 12, 2023
dougrainer wrote:
Blockages are as hard as a weld and are attached in the upper coil area and CANNOT be broken loose. So, burping just rearranges the Ammonia temporarily to work a little longer. It works but NOT AS WELL AS BEFORE THE BLOCKAGE. IT WILL FAIL AGAIN. Rebuilders cut out the tubing where the blockage is on blocked units and then weld a new upper tube assbly in place, then charges the cooling unit. THERE IS NO WAY THAT MOBILE TECH FOUND A BLOCKAGE, UNLESS HE STUCK AROUND FOR 2 OR 3 DAYS AND DID VARIOUS TESTS. TEMPORARILY UNBLOCKING A UNIT REQUIRES THE REFER TO BE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN FOR 24 HOURS AND THEN RIGHT SIDE UP FOR 24 HOURS. Then start a cooling process. You could have just had a glitch and if the refer continues to cool (below 38 degrees in the refer and below 10 degrees in the freezer), I would not worry about it. Also, it could have been as simple as the rear cooling fans did not run. Did the Mobile tech checked those? Doug

PS, is the refer in a slide room?

The tech used a heat measuring gun and found the top tube hot on the left side and it cooled off right in the middle and continued cool the rest of the loop. Seems logical to me that where the heat stopped and the cool begin theres the problem.
The fridge is in a slideout. One of the fans was stopped up with mud dobbers nesting on it. Once flipped, it gurgled a few minutes and then we flipped it right side up. powered up and working still. Steady 34 degrees in fridge.
Note: we were camped in Davis Mountain State Park and temps got down to single digits a couple of days before it quit working.

thanks

Mod Edit: fixed the quote
trailrider
Explorer
Jan 13, 2023
Temps got down to single digits?
There is your problem.
dougrainer
Nomad
Jan 14, 2023
MrRetired821 wrote:
dougrainer wrote:
Blockages are as hard as a weld and are attached in the upper coil area and CANNOT be broken loose. So, burping just rearranges the Ammonia temporarily to work a little longer. It works but NOT AS WELL AS BEFORE THE BLOCKAGE. IT WILL FAIL AGAIN. Rebuilders cut out the tubing where the blockage is on blocked units and then weld a new upper tube assbly in place, then charges the cooling unit. THERE IS NO WAY THAT MOBILE TECH FOUND A BLOCKAGE, UNLESS HE STUCK AROUND FOR 2 OR 3 DAYS AND DID VARIOUS TESTS. TEMPORARILY UNBLOCKING A UNIT REQUIRES THE REFER TO BE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN FOR 24 HOURS AND THEN RIGHT SIDE UP FOR 24 HOURS. Then start a cooling process. You could have just had a glitch and if the refer continues to cool (below 38 degrees in the refer and below 10 degrees in the freezer), I would not worry about it. Also, it could have been as simple as the rear cooling fans did not run. Did the Mobile tech checked those? Doug

PS, is the refer in a slide room?

The tech used a heat measuring gun and found the top tube hot on the left side and it cooled off right in the middle and continued cool the rest of the loop. Seems logical to me that where the heat stopped and the cool begin theres the problem.
The fridge is in a slideout. One of the fans was stopped up with mud dobbers nesting on it. Once flipped, it gurgled a few minutes and then we flipped it right side up. powered up and working still. Steady 34 degrees in fridge.
Note: we were camped in Davis Mountain State Park and temps got down to single digits a couple of days before it quit working.

thanks

Mod Edit: fixed the quote

AS I stated, NO BLOCKAGE. The fan was the problem. Also, to make the refer operate BETTER, I install an additional 12 volt cooling fan at the upper outside vent door blowing OUT. This is really needed for all slide room installed refers. IF any blockage, you would NOT get 34 degrees. The heat gun showed high temps because with inadequate ventilation the cooling unit overheated slightly. Doug
joebedford
Nomad II
Jan 14, 2023
MrRetired821 wrote:
my better half says get a new cooling unit.

There's your answer.
MrRetired821
Explorer
Jan 28, 2023
Well mobile tech just installed the new cooling unit. Put fridge back into hole and it works like its supposed to.
thanks for all the replies.

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