Dometic Refrigerators

[Cali_Couple]

We have a top of the line side by side Dometic refrigerator in our 2007 $200,000 motorhome. This unit has ALWAYS been a problem!! First it wouldn't make ice. Once that was fixed it only ran for 2-3 days then quit. It was found that the refrigerator defrost heater stops working and doesn't allow the unit to defrost. After having that part replaced it worked fine, FOR 3 OUTINGS. Back to the repair shop! Once again, the same part had to be replaced.
The error message on the display reads "Err 12 CALL". Okay, just TRY to call Dometic. Hahahaha!!!!! When you call the recorded message tells you all about the models that are being recalled and then hangs up.
So now it has been used for total of 15 days (during 4 trips) when it stopped again. We finished the last 2 weeks of a 3 week vacation without a refrigerator. We called our repair shop to order the heater unit a week before we got home. We've been home for 9 days now and we are still waiting for the part. This has caused us to miss out on a 5 day water skiing trip with friends and family.
With the inconvenience of not having a refrigerator work properly, and the hundreds of dollars worth of food that we have thrown away over the past 4 years we will NEVER buy anything from Dometic again. Their customer service is NON-EXISTENT, troubleshooting in the manual is of no help and the product is sub-standard. You would think that after making RV refrigerators for decades they could get it right.
OH and by the way; be assured that I am not just whining. I am licensed in heating, ventilation and air conditioning. I know quality products and this thing is just a piece of junk. Shame on Dometic for their products and service

[uncle_t]

how cold does it get when it is 110 outside?

[JJBIRISH]

So your Cali Couple from California that joined on 06/01/13 posted 4 times over 5 minutes never to return again… :h

:B

It seemed that he a lot of problems because the auto defrost didn’t work…
Caused him to miss trips and throw out hundreds of dollars’ worth of food…

I am not familiar with those top of the line side by side Dometics so I didn’t know the defrost heater would cause complete shut down and lock out… still didn’t…

Seems you found the answer to your question…

[campsmoke]

Well i am back now! And I guess this is my extra "POST" for those who count and are truly interested in facts! We changed the cooling unit in the 1292 and also changed the "motherboard" our fridge now runs on both eletric and propane and does not turn off when the outside temp gets around 53 degrees F.Dometic told us that the only time it shuts down is when the outside temp reaches 28 degrees F. Yes it was costly but we did not have to remove the fridge from the coach or rebuild the frame in the slide-out. Happy trails to those who helped us with their kind info!

[beemerphile1]

FWIW; this thread is seven months old. The OP was here one day, made two posts, and hasn't posted since.

[mlts22]

I know a lot of people camp with residential fridges, but does it mean a lot more generator use to offset the electric use, not to mention the larger battery bank? Or is the use not that much, so it isn't that great an issue.

[crosscheck]

tpi wrote:
The other option in a propane refrigerator is Norcold. Pick your poison. While I'm not bowled over by Dometic quality, I've not had the level of problems you have had.

I need the propane fridge, I camp frequently without hookups. If you always use hookups I'd follow the advice posted and get a compressor refrigerator.

We almost exclusively dry camp on sometimes very uneven ground without the use of a generator.After hundreds of nights we are still very happy with our compressor fridge.

If you think you need a propane fridge to dry camp that is your choice. For us there is a better option and that is an all electric 12V fridge.

Dave

[mlts22]

Absorption fridge days are numbered. As soon as EFOY gets their fuel cell cost down to reasonable prices or Truma gets their propane based VeGA system on this side of the pond, either of which will keep the house batteries topped off, absorption fridges will be history.

If I were running Dometic or Norcold, I'd be investing in battery and fuel cell technology so I could make a model with a propane fuel cell, built in battery, and a compressor so it would be a plug-in replacement for absorption units.

[wa8yxm]

The only problem I have had with My Dometic, to date (9 years come may) is the ice maker, The water line from the solenoid to the inside is shot.... NORCOLD uses the identical ice maker so no joy there either.

I fixed it though, IN fact I fixed it better than new.

I removed it and put in a pair of Rubbermaid ice cube trays. More ice, faster and every bit as good.. Very happy, and more room too.

[BillB800si]

~DJ~ wrote:
Don't you just love it when you are having a serious problem with something and someone pipes up with MINE works great and has for years?!! :R
My last 4 truck campers have had Dometic fridges and all were junk!!! Do yourself a huge favor like a previous poster suggested. Go electric!!! Find a 12/110 volt unit with the Danfoss system. :C

=================

Ah it took you 4 times eh!! Kinda slow on the uptick aren't you? Why would anyone buy something that was junk FOUR TIMES??? ;):@ :h :S:Z

[campsmoke]

Is it possible to have the refrigerator's unit recharged with the cooling ammonia or whatever they use for the heat transfer?

[YC_1]

one helpful thread

another example

I have had just a couple of problems with mine fortunately but won't hesitate to toss it out if it hiccups. More room in the residential models and they work much better. I watched my RV neighbor change his out recently. They can be taken out the door. Some have added a pure sine wave inverter for the refer but the Samsung does not require pure sine wave.

[tpi]

The other option in a propane refrigerator is Norcold. Pick your poison. While I'm not bowled over by Dometic quality, I've not had the level of problems you have had.

I need the propane fridge, I camp frequently without hookups. If you always use hookups I'd follow the advice posted and get a compressor refrigerator.

[Bonefish]

Look on the roof; the AC unit is probably Dometic too!

[liveneasy]

~DJ~ wrote:
Don't you just love it when you are having a serious problem with something and someone pipes up with MINE works great and has for years?!! :R

My last 4 truck campers have had Dometic fridges and all were junk!!! Do yourself a huge favor like a previous poster suggested. Go electric!!! Find a 12/110 volt unit with the Danfoss system. :C

When someone is having a serious problem and asking for help... Yes.
But.. when someone posts because they had problems and starts bad-mouthing a manufacturer because of their problems then I like seeing responses from people that are happy with theirs and aren't/haven't had problems. That's the only way to weed out the good from the bad.

Your response is a good example. "4 truck campers and all Dometic fridges were junk". I've had 3 motorhomes that I've lived in fulltime, all with Dometic fridges and I have had zero problems with mine. My current MH was built in '96, I've lived fulltime in it since '05 without a single refrigerator problem.