Been doing some interwebs searching and all I can find is recall info.Here is my problem. I dont run down the road with gas turned on so when I unplug my trailer it switches over to gas. Since there is no gas turned on it tells me to check the gas. Fair enough. I would expect this. Now when i get to my destination and plug the trailer back in it will not switch back over to electric automatically. I have to go in and turn the fridge off and then back on. Then it will start up on electric. This would not bother me one bit if I could get to the fridge with the slides in but I can not. When we get home I have to slide all 3 slides out just to turn the fridge back on and this is not acceptable.

Leave the gas on! That is the simple solution and what probably 98% of us do.

donn0128 wrote:Leave the gas on! That is the simple solution and what probably 98% of us do.X2 Ran with the gas on for years. Turn it off when fueling then back on once we've pull away from the pumps more times than not but never an issue.

Might be due to having a 'fault' (check light) that needs to be reset (turning ON/OFF button OFF then back ON.IF NOT going to use propane while in transit......turn fridge OFF prior to unplugging AC power.You will still need to turn back ON when plugged back in. Which means you will still need to access fridge.I would valve in LP, leave in auto, let it swap and run on LP while in transit..then it will swap back to AC when you plug in.

The fridge probably does switch back to electric but the "check" light stays on. At least that's what my manual says in our 2008 Montana. Also says it tries for two minutes to light the gas flame and if it can't, the check light comes on.

Goostoff wrote:Been doing some interwebs searching and all I can find is recall info.Here is my problem. I dont run down the road with gas turned on so when I unplug my trailer it switches over to gas. .You don't travel with gas on. Ok, me either. But then what are you saying? When you unplug the trailer it switched to gas...ok....but when and why are you unplugging before your on site and plugging into 120v? I'm confused.

Dometic fridge auto switch | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

dougrainer
Nomad
Apr 15, 2014
"This would not bother me one bit if I could get to the fridge with the slides in but I can not. When we get home I have to slide all 3 slides out just to turn the fridge back on and this is not acceptable"

OK, then your only recourse is to install, behind the refer (easily accessable) and ON/OFF 12 volt switch to just kill power to the refer. This will not affect the eyebrow on and off inside. OR, on the refer burner tube (hidden by the recall shield is a thermo switch with 2 wires. unhook one of those wires and the power to the refer is dead. reconnect to get power restored. The added switch is the BEST way to do what you need. Doug
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Apr 15, 2014
When you hit the road, before you unplug from shore power, TURN OFF the battery disconnect (Everything will still work till you pull the plug) Now when you get home, Plug back in BEFORE you restore the battery connection.

The first couple of times I'd still run the slides out and check to make sure my instructions help but this is how I do it when I gas up at the propane pump, Since I need to turn off all pilot lights (I have only one and it is already off) and all DSI devices (I have 3) I simply disconnect batteries, this turns 'em all off... alas one time the re-connect failed (Bad switch) but I fixed it.
korbe
Explorer
Apr 15, 2014
I don't travel down the road with gas either. I also either switch my frig to gas or electric manually. I prefer to tell my frig what to do.
dougrainer
Nomad
Apr 15, 2014
1. The refer if left ON will go to LP in the Auto mode and since the LP is OFF will burn off the LP in the line and go to check.
2. When you get to the CG, the refer will go to 120 if in Auto mode, but the CHECK will stay on to let you know that it did NOT light on Gas. You will then have to run numerous LP light cycles to purge the LP line and get LP to the refer
3. If only 10 miles to the CG, WHY turn the LP OFF????? The systems are designed for in transit use.
4. If you insist on turning the LP OFF, then turn the refer OFF before you turn the LP OFF and you will not have this problem. Doug
NanciL
Explorer II
Apr 15, 2014
All you have to do is turn the fridge off when you are not going to use it. That is what we do. Then turn it back on when you are ready to use it. that is what we do.

And for what it is worth; I completely agree with you on turning the gas off when you are driving regardless what others might say. My book advises it, and it is much safer

jack L
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Apr 15, 2014
Then valve in the LP at CG and let it swap. Then when you get home plug in, swaps back to electric. Valve out the LP.
Then you won't have to open slides, turn fridge OFF back ON to reset fault.

Just make sure it lights off on propane so no 'check' fault light.
Goostoff
Explorer
Apr 15, 2014
RinconVTR wrote:
Goostoff wrote:
Been doing some interwebs searching and all I can find is recall info.

Here is my problem. I dont run down the road with gas turned on so when I unplug my trailer it switches over to gas.

.

You don't travel with gas on. Ok, me either. But then what are you saying? When you unplug the trailer it switched to gas...ok....but when and why are you unplugging before your on site and plugging into 120v? I'm confused.

I dont have an extension cord long enough to reach the campground. :) I unplug the trailer just before leaving the house. When I get to the campgound I plug the trailer back into the post at the site. At this point the fridge will not switch back to electric. This isnt a problem since I can just turn it off then back on. It is when I get back home that I wish it would switch back to electric.

I dont run on gas while going down the road because it is only 10 miles to the campground so there is no need for it. I run the furnace a couple times in the spring and a couple times in the fall. All other times of the season the gas is turned off.
RinconVTR
Explorer
Apr 15, 2014
Goostoff wrote:
Been doing some interwebs searching and all I can find is recall info.

Here is my problem. I dont run down the road with gas turned on so when I unplug my trailer it switches over to gas.

.

You don't travel with gas on. Ok, me either. But then what are you saying? When you unplug the trailer it switched to gas...ok....but when and why are you unplugging before your on site and plugging into 120v? I'm confused.
JohnG3
Explorer II
Apr 15, 2014
The fridge probably does switch back to electric but the "check" light stays on. At least that's what my manual says in our 2008 Montana. Also says it tries for two minutes to light the gas flame and if it can't, the check light comes on.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Apr 15, 2014
Might be due to having a 'fault' (check light) that needs to be reset (turning ON/OFF button OFF then back ON.

IF NOT going to use propane while in transit......turn fridge OFF prior to unplugging AC power.
You will still need to turn back ON when plugged back in. Which means you will still need to access fridge.

I would valve in LP, leave in auto, let it swap and run on LP while in transit..then it will swap back to AC when you plug in.