Help me Understand my Dometic Dual Frig

Hvymtlc5 wrote:
5 year old Dometic 2862 (A/C n /LP). If the unit works fine (freezer/frig) on LP then the cooling unit or thermister cannot be bad because these are used by the 12V LP system too - correct? There must be an issue elsewhere?

I have checked 120V power to the heater from the board and it is there and element ohmed fine and is hot. Fuses are good. Cooling fan is running. Trailer is level. Power is stable. Freezer is cold, frig/fins are not cooling at all. Black tubes on back of frig are very warm..but not hand burning hot.

all I can think of then would be the control board. you may need a certified tech to diagnose that.

I think you made a mistake on your problem. You stated that it works on LP, then stated 12voltLP system. THAT is the same power source. Do you mean it does NOT work on 120ac power?. You only have 2 sources of HEAT---LP flame and the 120 heat element. If it works on LP just fine but does NOT on 120 and you are positive the Heat Element is HOT and working, then the only other 2 problems it can be
1. The LINE voltage is below 105 volts. What is the line voltage?
2. The sleeve the Heat Element is in has slightly/or detached from the burner flue(very rare). IF this has happened on a Dometic, there is a 2nd unused heat element sleeve next to the original and you just pull the element and install in the extra sleeve. Doug

PS, have you waited 24 hours?

Last poster is right. It's either flame or 120vac element. You might be being fooled into just having problems with your door seals and assuming it works on propane. It takes a good day to get the inner fridge area down to operating temp. The freezer will always be cold on these things because of how they work (no compressor).

It is also possible that the thermostat is bad. I've had to have 2 of mine replaced in the last 4 years on a Dometic RM2510. The propane side of the thermostat worked fine, however the contacts on the 120V side failed intermittently. Resetting the temperature dial would sometimes start it working again, however once it reached the set temperature, it would open the contacts, then never close them again.

Obviously, if the heater is hot, this isn't the problem, although the intermittent connection can cause a problem...

vermilye wrote:
It is also possible that the thermostat is bad. I've had to have 2 of mine replaced in the last 4 years on a Dometic RM2510. The propane side of the thermostat worked fine, however the contacts on the 120V side failed intermittently. Resetting the temperature dial would sometimes start it working again, however once it reached the set temperature, it would open the contacts, then never close them again.

Obviously, if the heater is hot, this isn't the problem, although the intermittent connection can cause a problem...

The posters model does NOT have the same tstat you have. He has an electronic tstat. Doug

If that slow (day or so to get cold) is normal - then I guess it is working ok.

Here is the real issue (we're newbies so please bear with me), it makes no since to me that that we can run on propane and get the frig cold to go to the campsite. We then switch to electric mode, and then we have to wait a day for the electric to "catch up" to cool?? Our food will spoil by then. I would think the electric would just take over from the propane and keep cooling? Ours seems to start the lengthy cooling process all over again. How do you guys/gals keep the food from going bad?
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The refer does notstart over. When you reach the CG, you switch to 120 and it should maintain just as well as LP. You must have another problem. Doug