My neighbor also can't get her fridge to cool after leaving it for 10 months. It barely gets to freezing here, if at all (Oregon Coast) but is there a chance that just leaving it off for 10 months could cause the chemicals to separate like they do with freezing? I had mine freeze in Montana years ago, took it out, turned it upside down overnight and it fired right back up the next morning. It's worked ever since...11 years and counting... :) The other thought was the circuit board. Found a burned out fuse on it and replaced it as well as another fuse in sort of push-together (from both sides) case that was also in the back of the fridge compartment near the circuit board but still no cooling. I ordered a new board to try that option before moving on to more drastic tactics.We both could swear that the freezer was getting a bit chilly today after changing the fuses, the floor of it especially, but it didn't continue to cool any more. Any ideas?Thanks...

More information please.Running on electric? Propane?Battery voltage?

pianotuna wrote:More information please.Running on electric? Propane?Battery voltage?Oh, sorry...actually, yes, she had it running last week on propane...but it doesn't cool on electric. If there was an issue with the board could it run on one but not the other? Do the chemicals in the coils need to be mixed for it to work on both or does that just affect one or the other?Battery voltage...hmmm...don't know yet. The furnace runs so I would think the battery voltage was ok. Thanks!

Also, the fridge doesn't seem to go into fault mode -- the "check" function doesn't light up when it's set on "electric" so it seems like all is well...it just doesn't cool.

If it cools on propane, but not on electric, it shouldn't be a cooling unit problem in the sense of the chemicals not being appropriately mixed and/or blockages. What you describe points to the electric heating element not heating or not getting hot enough. It could be an issue with the control board, the element itself, or AC power to the refrigerator. Is it gas/electric or gas/battery/electric? If it has a battery mode, does it work on that setting? The control board will use 12V whether the refrigerator has a battery mode or not since it must operate in gas mode without AC.Assuming it doesn't have a battery mode, the first/easiest thing to check is verifying AC at the outlet in the outside compartment at the back of refrigerator.

happy2rv wrote:Assuming it doesn't have a battery mode, the first/easiest thing to check is verifying AC at the outlet in the outside compartment at the back of refrigerator.Ok thanks...you mean just plug anything in the plug behind the refrigerator to make sure it works? No battery power I don't think. I've ordered a new board so we'll check that on Tuesday. Good to know about the chemicals...not really up for taking another fridge out. :)

Dometic refrigerator left off for 10 mo. not working

cannesdo
Explorer
Sep 22, 2019
Update: Plugged my blow dryer into the fridge outlet and it works. Plugged it in set to off but (coincidence?) the fridge made a sound like it was powering on when I plugged the blow-dryer in. That was weird. ?

Now...youtube video about how to test the fridge element...
cannesdo
Explorer
Sep 22, 2019
dougrainer wrote:
cannesdo wrote:
No...just one fridge...neighbor's. An RV tech did look at it and said it was a problem with the "electronics", think he meant the board so I'd like to help her and save her the money. The board I ordered is returnable. The fridge has an element too? I'll google...she left it to spend the winter in Mexico. The trailer wasn't moved. And it did snow one day so it could have gotten pretty cold. Don't know if that was enough to affect the ammonia.

ANYBODY that states, "it is a problem with the electronics" means they are NOT a qualified RV Tech and are just Part Changers. They should be able to state WHAT part is the problem if they are qualified. IF that person did not actually look at the refer, then do NOT trust what he states. Doug

This was a translation by my neighbor who knows nothing about anything and that's probably all she heard, so who knows what he actually said. He also said it would cost $180 to fix which also meshed with the a circuit board repair so that was my best guess.
dougrainer
Nomad
Sep 22, 2019
cannesdo wrote:
No...just one fridge...neighbor's. An RV tech did look at it and said it was a problem with the "electronics", think he meant the board so I'd like to help her and save her the money. The board I ordered is returnable. The fridge has an element too? I'll google...she left it to spend the winter in Mexico. The trailer wasn't moved. And it did snow one day so it could have gotten pretty cold. Don't know if that was enough to affect the ammonia.

ANYBODY that states, "it is a problem with the electronics" means they are NOT a qualified RV Tech and are just Part Changers. They should be able to state WHAT part is the problem if they are qualified. IF that person did not actually look at the refer, then do NOT trust what he states. Doug
pianotuna
Nomad III
Sep 22, 2019
cannesdo,

If it works on propane there is an electrical problem, but only on the 120 volt side.

check power at fridge outlet.

Check to see if the heating element is burned out.

check the fuse on the control board.
cannesdo
Explorer
Sep 22, 2019
No...just one fridge...neighbor's. An RV tech did look at it and said it was a problem with the "electronics", think he meant the board so I'd like to help her and save her the money. The board I ordered is returnable. The fridge has an element too? I'll google...she left it to spend the winter in Mexico. The trailer wasn't moved. And it did snow one day so it could have gotten pretty cold. Don't know if that was enough to affect the ammonia.
mich800
Explorer
Sep 22, 2019
happy2rv wrote:
OP already replied that it worked on LP, just not electric. I do agree its better to troubleshoot than just start replacing parts. OP was going to verify 110V at the fridge. Once power is verified, if that wasn't the issue, my next step would be to verify power at the element and/or verify the element is good.

I agree. They have established the fridge operates. So start at the beginning troubleshooting the AC side.

I am also confused slightly, does the OP's fridge not work in addition to the neighbors. The first sentence starts "My neighbor also can't get her fridge to cool". Does also mean in addition to the OP's fridge?
ScottG
Nomad
Sep 22, 2019
Fuse blew because element is bad.
happy2rv
Explorer
Sep 22, 2019
OP already replied that it worked on LP, just not electric. I do agree its better to troubleshoot than just start replacing parts. OP was going to verify 110V at the fridge. Once power is verified, if that wasn't the issue, my next step would be to verify power at the element and/or verify the element is good.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Sep 22, 2019
Hi,

Check the heating element. It may be burned out.

My fridge had a stuck relay, in the "off" position.
dougrainer
Nomad
Sep 22, 2019
SidecarFlip wrote:
10 months on? Was it level for those 10 months? If not, it probably has a clogged tube.

As long as it is NOT running, UnLevel is not going to cause a problem
The refer will NOT show any Check on 120 volts. Check is ONLY a function of NOT lighting on LP. There is NO problem with the Ammonia not being "mixed" after sitting OFF for any amount of time. IF ON 120 volts(Auto) and you do get a Check Light, that means at sometime the 120 supply was OFF and the refer tried to light on LP and did NOT. Once 120 is restored, the refer will resume 120 operation, but the Check Light will stay ON to let you know it did not light on LP when required and to find the problem on LP. The BEST way to check a refer and NOT BUY parts, is to run the refer with the 120 element wired direct to 120 for 24 hours. THAT will tell you the state of the cooling unit. Doug

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Dometic refrigerator left off for 10 mo. not working

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