Dometic DM2652 RBX

[kadylady]

We have a 2003 Springdale that we purchased used about 7 years ago. At that time we replaced the fridge with a new Dometic DM2652RBX. I have been extremely OCD about making sure the trailer/fridge is completely level before we run it. We aren't full time RVers, so it doesn't get constant use.
We just got back from a road trip. About 4 days in, the fridge quit working. We couldn't figure out what was wrong so bought an ice chest and made do.
Now that we're home, we leveled out the TT and my husband checked everything that he could and it seems to be getting power. He turned on the fridge so we could see if it worked at all. After a few hours I checked it and neither freezer or fridge cool, but the face of the refrigerator, between freezer and fridge, was very hot to the touch. Not the doors, but the space between them. Right in the center. I immediately turned it off.
Our regular RV place is really booked up. I'm hoping we don't already need a new fridge. This one does not have that many hours on it.
Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks.

[j-d]

kadylady wrote:
Old-Biscuit suggested disconnecting that thing that gets hot. Dehumidifier or whatever it is. Can we safely run refer without it?

...YFS... It should be selectable, used when the surfaces the door gasket bear on (called mullions) are sweating due to a cold fridge in high humidity conditions. We live and camp in humidity. At least with A/C running, our mullions never sweat, so that heater has never been ON.

[kadylady]

Old-Biscuit suggested disconnecting that thing that gets hot. Dehumidifier or whatever it is. Can we safely run refer without it?

[MrWizard]

that front heat, has me concerned
my thoughts run toward control board failure
and the frost free heater is stuck on
even if the fridge is trying to cool, it can't compete against that being ON full time

[kadylady]

Ok. We're pretty sure that it's the thermestor. Husband tested it as instructed in a video online. So, according to a little research, husband said he could order one and splice in the new one instead of threading the wire thru the refer. Is that a viable solution? We have disconnected the thermestor and are waiting to see if fridge cools without it.

The issue of the dehumidifier heating up, is still a problem though. (I'm waiting to see if I can tell if freezer is cooling before that heats up.) If we disconnected it at the refer interior lamp as suggested, can we run the refer without it?? We do have an appointment at our RV repair place, but not for a month. We have two more trips before that..Thanks

[kadylady]

Thank you Old-Biscuit. I'll have husb read your post. Been in town running errands and will get back to it tomorrow. Thanks for posting.

[kadylady]

Thanks for your input, Alaska. We are definitely going to think about it if this needs replacing. No evidence of yellow powder or ammonia. So....still hopeful.

[Old-Biscuit]

First off.....if cooling unit HAD a leak the 'thermal fuse' would trip due to overheating and you would NOT have any DC to fridge

The HOT area should NOT be HOT.....warm YES but NOT Hot.
It is a heater cable embedded and is energized when fridge has DC...no switch on that model.
Gets power at interior lamp switch (hot wire to switch)
HOT means the heater cable is shorted..need to disconnect hot wire at lamp switch that powers the cable (not lamp)

As for cooling issue......
Quit cooling is not much of a description

You mention that the 'element' got hot when DH turned fridge on.
So A/C is working.
Now you need to test cooling unit functions

The thermistor on fins in food compartment senses temp and thermostat controls cooling cycles based on that sensing.

So CUT THE POWER TO HEATER CABLE so it is NOT energized and burning out.
Then unplug thermistor leads on lower circuit board (P2 connector) so thermistor is 'unavailable' which will cause thermostat to allow for continuous cooling
Then turn fridge ON using the A/C Element.
Let it run overnight (at least 12 hrs) and then check freezer temp and food compartment temp
Freezer S/B 10*F or colder and food compartment 40*F or lower

If so thermistor is BAD and cooling unit is good
IF Not.cooling unit is bad

[alaska315]

We feel for ya. We had the same fridge,quit just like that and then a few nights later I smell the ammonia.Heck, I was blaming it on the cats and darn near threw em out. Thankfully for me and the cats I checked the back panel and there was the dreaded yellow stuff.
We too were naysayers about ever putting in a residential fridge until we looked thru the internet and you tube and a trip to menards with our tape measure made up our minds.
What we got was more efficient even at higher altitudes, holds more food and uses far less power than we ever thought. We have 400 watts of solar and 4 agm batteries and it works great unless like most on solar, we have a cloudy day or two and then we give the batteries a generator boost for a few hours.
When we are driving down the road, our truck alternator is charging all of our batteries anyway, and if this fridge goes out in a few years, a new one is 3 or 400 bucks and an easy install.
And we are not camp grounder types. We are very serious boondockers and fulltimers and rarely stay at a campground. We are probably some of the few that never get our monies worth out of a Passport membership as we boondock so much.
Yeah, We were ones that said NO, we never would on a residential fridge and now we say, NO, we'll never go back.
It's a choice and not for everyone we are sure,but it sure was a no brainer for us.
Best of luck with your fridge and hopefully it's just the thermistor,,,,,this time.

[kadylady]

no pix

[kadylady]

I'll have husband check when he gets home. Weird that it would work great one day and not at all the next day.

[donn0128]

Sounds like you found the chimney. This can become plugged and not heat the refer.

[kadylady]

Can't delete posts. Sorry.

[kadylady]

Turned on refer about half hour ago. Just checked. Not hot on the front center exterior yet. There is a galvanized cylindrical "vent" on the right side of the exterior accessed compartment. About 4" in diameter. It starts above the bottom right hand corner of compartment and continues up along the right hand side. It is HOT to the touch.

[kadylady]

Thanks for link, Isaac.

[kadylady]

@donn

If one failed, would it be immediate? The refer worked perfectly before loading and for first 3 days on the road. Then when we got to our destination on day 4 it wouldn't cool. We don't run the propane while traveling, usually.

Also, could not find any other switch in the refer to control humidity. Just on/off. AC/propane.

I took my phone out and took picture of the coil up the back of refer. Can't figure out how to post pix here.