My Dometic refrigerator will not work in electric mode. It is set on auto but will only work on gas. Didn't realize it until tank ran out of gas and fridge stopped working. Even though its set on auto you hear the igniter trying to light. Of course it will only do that several times and check light comes on now since my lp tank is empty

Did you try taking it off auto and switch it to elec only? Try turning everything off and then turn it back on.

Sounds like it is not getting 120 volts AC.Check receptacle in outside access for power.Check fuse on circuit board in ouside access.

On a Dometic if set on Auto and it lights on LP and you are POSITIVE that the 120 receptacle behind the refer is HOT, then the 120 volt Heat Element fuse on the rear control board is blown and the odds are that the 120 element is defective and that is the reason the fuse is blown. Doug

Found glass fuse blown behind access panel for the electric heater. I hope by that being blown doesn't mean there is something wrong with fridge. Going to have to try and find one and replace it and see what happens.

Found the exact same situation yesterday. However, the fuse holders were also so brittle that the act of removing the fuses for testing broke both of them. I had to remove the board, remove the broken fuse holders and solder new inline fuse holders to the board. All is well now.Eric

Fridge Will Not Work On Electric | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

Chris_Bryant
Explorer II
Jul 24, 2013
d1h wrote:
Another question on this. If I use gas mode until I can get the electric mode fixed. How much gas will I go through say on a several day camping trip.

It doesn't use enough LP to worry about.
d1h
Nomad III
Jul 24, 2013
Another question on this. If I use gas mode until I can get the electric mode fixed. How much gas will I go through say on a several day camping trip.
j-d
Explorer II
Jul 23, 2013
If you're sure 1. There's Power, 2. Fuses are Good, 3. Power gets to Element Connections, then Element is probably bad. You can test for resistance. With a Make/Model, you can go to the Service Manual on Chris Bryant's Website and get the exact resistance value. I think it'll be around 50-ohms. Element, if not GOOD, can be Open (infinite resistance), Shorted (zero ohms), or in my opinion worse, INTERMITTENT. If you have a clamp-on AC Ammeter, you can read out the current draw while it's running and hot. They don't draw much, around 2-amps. Again, a manual should have the Ohms and the Amps.
gwalter
Explorer III
Jul 23, 2013
I just had mine repaired by my dealer for the same situation. It ran fine on gas but no on electric. I had checked and changed the fuses and had power to the outlet. The heating element was bad. It works great now.
enblethen
Nomad
Jul 23, 2013
Check each end of fuse to neutral to insure there is 120 volts AC present.
Locate the two wires going to the element from the circuit board. Verify that there is 120 volts leaving circuit board.
No, 120 volt AC could indicate a bad circuit board.
AC present could mean an open heating element.
I am guessing bad circuit board 120 volt relay burnt out.
d1h
Nomad III
Jul 23, 2013
Replaced the blown fuse today turned on fridge and still doesn't seem to be working on electric. Does that mean the heater is toast? Looks maybe like I'll be using gas mode rest of camping season and worry about getting it fixed when season ends.
travisc
Explorer
Jul 23, 2013
I had a problem on my fridge where the converter wasn't putting out 12V, so the fridge board would only work on battery and gas- as soon as the converter was connected to 120 the 12V would drop. and the fridge would run anymore- check your voltage coming to the fridge board- 12v is what my board ran off- when I turned on more lights- the voltage dropped.
eric1514
Explorer
Jul 23, 2013
Found the exact same situation yesterday. However, the fuse holders were also so brittle that the act of removing the fuses for testing broke both of them. I had to remove the board, remove the broken fuse holders and solder new inline fuse holders to the board. All is well now.

Eric
d1h
Nomad III
Jul 23, 2013
Found glass fuse blown behind access panel for the electric heater. I hope by that being blown doesn't mean there is something wrong with fridge. Going to have to try and find one and replace it and see what happens.
dougrainer
Nomad
Jul 23, 2013
On a Dometic if set on Auto and it lights on LP and you are POSITIVE that the 120 receptacle behind the refer is HOT, then the 120 volt Heat Element fuse on the rear control board is blown and the odds are that the 120 element is defective and that is the reason the fuse is blown. Doug