My trusty RV tech went off to Florida for the winter, so I had to try out a new guy to deal with an issue that I was having with my refrigerator intermittently not lighting on gas. In the course of working on that issue (which I actually think is a corroded wire between the main board and the ignitor), he removed my main board and replaced it with what I think was another random used board. Since then, the refrigerator will only run if it is over 40 degrees outside (despite running a space heater in the coach with the refrigerator door open leading to 60 degrees in the refrigerator...) and when it does run, within 6 hours the temperature in the refrigerator is down to 10 degrees. Thankfully, my regular RV tech is back from FL and is going to put a new control board in tomorrow, but I have some questions in advance.Thinking about it, the refrigerator is acting like the temperature sensor is sensing the OUTDOOR temperature, not the temperature in the refrigerator. Is this possible??? The normal temperature sensor looks like it is in place inside the refrigerator, attached to the plastic bracket on the fins at the back of the refrigerator.Or, could it just be a bad controller board?I have used this refrigerator many times in the past in cold weather below 32 degrees. Once we get this sorted out, we will get to the original issue of not lighting intermittently on gas ... Any ideas/comments on this would be appreciated. The refrigerator is (I believe) the original refrigerator in my 1998 Coachmen Class C, Dometic Model RM 2652.

A faulty thermistor causes fridge to 'run' continuously due to lack of temperature sensing for thermostat -----food compartment temps control 'cooling cycles'Manual..PG 9 'Limb Mode'Dometic thermistor FIXI would use a Dinosaur Electronics control board as replacement (check Serial number on Fridge for correct Dino Board)RM 2652 "Americana" 921144001 - 921144064 Micro P-711 921144101 - 921144140 3850415.01 921144142 - 921144167 3850712.01Dino Bds

I have NEVER had a Main control board cause Cooling problems or freezing problems. Are you positive he connected the temp Thermister back correctly and IS connected to the board. I do not understand why ANY so called RV tech would install a USED part on a customers coach. NOT professional and I would NEVER use such a parts changer again. You then have TOO many variables that may cause a problem. Maybe the Board is NOT correct for your refer. Maybe he did something wrong besides using used parts. Doug

"Thinking about it, the refrigerator is acting like the temperature sensor is sensing the OUTDOOR temperature"Those were my exact words to Dometic and the most recent tech I tried to get to repair it. I had to throw out a whole fridge full of food because temps outside were in the high 20's-low 30's and the fridge wouldn't even turn on/try to cool. Nothing. But when its 90 degrees outside, food in the fridge is borderline frozen. Thermometer shows 26-28 in the fridge, 0-5 in the freezer.And I still have no answers. I hope you find a solution. Please update if you do.

I completely agree, Dougrainer, this guy will NEVER touch my coach again... besides screwing up the refrigerator, he disappeared with a part from my generator and wouldn't return calls or texts for 2 months. I had to ambush him at his regular workplace--the service dept. of the largest RV dealer in my area... but that is water under the bridge at this point.If the thermister were not connected back to the control board, would the board somehow be able to sense the outdoor temperature? That's the really confusing thing--the fridge won't run at all (on electric or propane) when the outside temperature is below 40 degrees, but if it's below 40 it turns into a freezer.

"If the thermister were not connected back to the control board, would the board somehow be able to sense the outdoor temperature?"Geez would you stay out of my head! :) That is another exact thing that I asked and could not get an answer.Some of the answers I have gotten for the problem:From Dometic: 1. fridge not installed properly in the cabinet2. the cooling solution gels/freezes in cold weatherFrom a tech:1. thermister should be located next to the fins, not where it currently is (Dometic disagrees)2. bad control boardAs I said, no answers yet to the same questions you ask.

Refrigerator thinks it's a freezer ... | Good Sam Community

jillhop
Explorer
Apr 09, 2017
Temperature held between 34-37 degrees over night. Success!
jillhop
Explorer
Apr 09, 2017
Update... replaced the "mystery board" with the appropriate one from Dometic, and after 6 hours the temperature is holding between 36-38 degrees for the past 2 hours. I'll know for sure in the morning, but it looks like the problem was caused by a bad lower control board.

Thanks for all the imput! I'm not sure if this information helps you, tinstartrvlr. :-)
tinstartrvlr
Explorer
Apr 04, 2017
Wow. Take a few days off and return to find out I have been labeled a jerk. No further comment necessary considering the source.

Oldbiscuit, thanks for the input. I've been in contact with Dometic and they have been very responsive. Last place I stayed a tech came out and decided he didn't want to work on the problem because "we don't do warranty work if you didn't buy from us". So now that I have changed locations, I will look for another tech and start the process over. Like I said, Dometic has been great, although they are hinting that it is an installation problem as well. I don't doubt there is an installation problem, but it doesn't seem like it would cause the problem Jillhop and I have. Maybe so; hopefully we will find out.
jillhop
Explorer
Apr 04, 2017
Tonight, after running the refrigerator for 24 hours, the temperature in *both* the food and freezer compartments was minus 10 degrees. Fahrenheit. Once the RV tech and I can get together again, we will be replacing the lower control board with one that we KNOW is appropriate for my refrigerator model.

And Old-Biscuit, your idea about meat storage might work for you, but I'm a vegetarian. ;-)
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Apr 03, 2017
4*F in 'FOOD' compartment....heck fill that sucker up with frozen meat and have a 'double' section freezer

Sorry......

New thermistor.......unknown fantom circuit board?????

Check for model number on that board and see if it even is one for your fridge model

Dometic RM2652 Parts List

Dino Board
jillhop
Explorer
Apr 03, 2017
Morning update: After replacing the thermistor (entire wire, not just the end in the refrigerator) this morning the temperature in the refrigerator was *4* degrees. Replacing the "mystery board" is probably the next order of business (since this particular symptom started when that was installed) but the RV tech who is working with me is also putting in a call to Dometic.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Apr 03, 2017
jillhop wrote:
So, we found that the thermistor wire near the lower board was corroded, so replaced the thermistor, and left the "new" board in place. Refrigerator is cooling back down, I'll check the temperature in the morning.

Hopefully the original (seperate?) intermittantly-working-on-gas issue is also resolved. I'm leaving on a 2 week trip from MA to Denver and back in 10 days, where I'll be dry camping in a hotel parking lot for a dog show. Refrigerator needs to work on gas, and not freeze all my food. :-)

Old-Biscuit: The temperature in the food compartment was 15 degrees this morning.

That would be due to NO temp sensing ....fridge running continuously in limp mode-----thermistor wire corroded
jillhop
Explorer
Apr 03, 2017
So, we found that the thermistor wire near the lower board was corroded, so replaced the thermistor, and left the "new" board in place. Refrigerator is cooling back down, I'll check the temperature in the morning.

Hopefully the original (seperate?) intermittantly-working-on-gas issue is also resolved. I'm leaving on a 2 week trip from MA to Denver and back in 10 days, where I'll be dry camping in a hotel parking lot for a dog show. Refrigerator needs to work on gas, and not freeze all my food. :-)

Old-Biscuit: The temperature in the food compartment was 15 degrees this morning.
j-d
Explorer II
Apr 02, 2017
If Thermistor is disconnected or fails "open" or very high resistance, the board will command the cooling system to run full time. Friend with a Dometic in a fiver had it freezing all her stuff in the fridge. I disconnected thermistor, immersed in ice water and read whatever the spec was for esistance. Said I hoped it'd be a bad thermistor but it tested good.

Report the next day was "You Fixed It!" I can only figure there was corrosion on the pins or in the socket, and unplug/plug back scraped it off.

Many here like Dinosaur boards better than OEM. I don't know if that's true for your particular Dometic.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Apr 02, 2017
jillhop wrote:
Hey! What's with the name-calling?? I'm just trying to get ideas on how to solve my problem.

I left the coach plugged in last night, with the refrigerator on "Auto". Temperature inside the refrigerator was 15 degrees this morning. The sun is out and it's warming up into the low 50's today, so I'm going to open the door, let it warm up, and try again in "gas" mode. And my good, dependable RV tech is going to have a look at it this afternoon. I will update with those results.

Oh, and I'm a "she." :-)

When you say "Temperature inside the refrigerator was 15 degrees this morning." is that the freezer compartment OR is that in the Food Compartment?

15*F in freezer is NOT good
15*F in Food compartment means cooling uit is working but temp sensing is NOT----did you look to see if thermistor leads were actually plugged into the lower board?
IS thermistor attached to fin OR hanging down?

Plugged in/attached to fin----thermistor is BAD

Still doesn't resolve 'swapped' lower board!!!

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