Frost control

What SoundGuy said.

wa8yxm wrote:
Ok, I will cover this again.

... this has NOTHIng to do with frost control.. There is no frost control on an RV type fridge.

No need. Technically you may be correct but to everyone else you're arguing semantics. The OP may not have used the technically correct terminology in his original post but he knows what he wants, having a late model Dometic DM2652 fridge that is equipped with a 12 vdc climate control heating element (installed in the area between the freezer and fridge sections) that unlike earlier versions of this same fridge can't be switched off when running on battery power alone to conserve battery reserve. Ignoring your penchant for being precise, the OP can easily install his own switch, just as I did in my own DM2652 and just as I described earlier, that will solve this problem. :)

Ok, I will cover this again.
On many Refrigerators, both HOME and RV, there is a moisture control switch, This has NOTHING TO DO with Frost.. It has to do with moisture (Water) around the door seal.

Some RV fridges have an LAT (low Ambient Temp) Switch, This switch turns on the interior light all the time, It overrides the door switch.

Cutting the wire and inserting an SPST switch, will NOT simulate the LAT switch

The LAT switch is connected across the door switch, YOU DO NOT CUT WIRES TO ADD ONE.

But againk, this has NOTHIng to do with frost control.. There is no frost control on an RV type fridge.

Residential Fridges may have heaters built in (Say what) to heat the cooling coils and melt off frost.. often these either run on a "Time of day" program or on a "So many seconds after the compressor stops" type program.. But yes, they actually HEAT the interior to melt the frost. Are there better ways? I do not know but I know a man who once cooled a room to sixty below zero. And that's how he did it.. But the frost melter was controlled by a sensor. Only came on when needed.

It would seem reasonable that the Norcold four door fridge/freezer would come with frost control, yet we've had to defrost many times. If the cooling fins get frosted over heavy the refrigerator gets warm inside and it really strains the works. I wonder if someone disconnected a wire or fuse or breaker is missing?

GordonThree wrote:
I think it's safe to assume your fridge has one, and it's always on.

'tiredTeacher wrote:
You are correct! I called the Dometic folks, was put on hold for about 5 min. while the tech rep researched the issue and was told it is always on. When it warms up a bit, I'll see if the wire is accessible at the light switch. The climate control and interior light are on the same circuit.

There's no "if" about it ... as shown in my pics all you need to do is cut the thicker red wire at the fridge light switch and insert a SPST switch in the line - done. :B

GordonThree wrote:
I think it's safe to assume your fridge has one, and it's always on.

You are correct! I called the Dometic folks, was put on hold for about 5 min. while the tech rep researched the issue and was told it is always on. When it warms up a bit, I'll see if the wire is accessible at the light switch. The climate control and interior light are on the same circuit.

Teach

Okie1 wrote:
I don't know about RV refrigerators but residential units have not used stile heaters in many years. They route the return line (which is hot)around the door and mullion area to reduce moisture.

Neat, that's a good re-use of waste heat, and explains why the switch to turn it off went away.

SoundGuy wrote:
The solution is simple though - just add your own switch, just as I did ... no need to open any "control panel". Pics are in my gallery.

Thank you, sir. That's what I needed to know.

Teach

Look at the wiring diagram on the back- it will show it. There was a thread about that a while ago- some models you can disconnect it at the back, some you have to go to the interior light switch (IIRC).
On Dometic refrigerators, the product number is the most important- it will show every variation.

That is not what the switch does. It is moisture control around the door seal, not frost control if anything turning it on will INCREASE frost build up.

Just so you know

There is also an LAT (low ambient temp) switch,, you can simulate that one by simply bypassing the door switch for the light. That is what it does.