Dometic freezer not working? Just old?

[coachellacanuck]

We have a Dometic model 2652 fridge/freezer (2 doors) that is original to our 2006 Keystone Sprinter. I gotta say it has never given us problems before now but the freezer will not freeze.

We are parked permanently in a seasonal campground, and it is level. The fridge is cold. And the freezer is cold too, but won’t freeze.

I haven’t found much in the way of troubleshooting online or in the original manual.

Would appreciate some troubleshooting tips from this community, including opinions as to whether, at 15 years of age it is due to die anyway. TIA!

[dougrainer]

The Dometic recall had nothing to do with operation of the cooling. It was a add on safety device for the LP section. The BEST way to determine function of your refer is to hot wire the 120 element for 24 hours and then take the temp measurements. They should be below 35 degrees in the lower refer and 0 to 10 degrees in the Freezer. From your post, it appears the Cooling unit is bad. Until you do the 120 element hot wire, you will not be certain. EVERY RV'er needs 2 things. Doug
1. A Digital Multimeter
2. A Digital Thermometer

[BFL13]

With the info now that both freezer and fridge are above spec temps, it could be the thermister needs replacing. You can test it for Ohms to confirm. You can buy a new one on Amazon, not expensive.

[coachellacanuck]

Switched it to gas last night and left it 30 minutes, no different. Left it off for 30 min, then back on electrical for the night. This morning still a freezer that is a fridge and a fridge that is better than room temperature but not cold enough for food.

Checked the fuses and breakers. Of course, the only thing not labelled are the fuses for the fridge. Breakers are labelled and fine. Fuses all appear fine.

We are the original owners. It has always been parked permanently. First, in one campground, then in storage, and now in another seasonal site. It may have been part of recall but I can’t tell since years of cleaning have rubbed off the serial number, but it hasn’t caught fire!

I have no digital thermometer. We keep a small ice cube tray in the freezer. Usually it has a coin on top of frozen tray to tell us if power went out while we are away at home. The only test I have is that tray. It’s very cold water but not freezing.

[eric1514]

vermilye wrote:
While any refrigerator can "grow old", absorption refrigerators can last many years. I have a friend that has a cabin with a 1954 kerosene fired absorption refrigerator that is still going strong.

And I’ll bet that thing has been level it’s whole life.

[vermilye]

While any refrigerator can "grow old", absorption refrigerators can last many years. I have a friend that has a cabin with a 1954 kerosene fired absorption refrigerator that is still going strong.

[dougrainer]

What you state does NOT make sense. The freezer is the FIRST part of the cooling unit coil and is NOT controlled by the refer Tstat. But, lets see if you have the correct way of determining the actual temp.
1. Glass of water in the lower section after 24 hours, what is the DIGITAL thermometer temp?
2. What is the Freezer temp with the digital thermometer?
They don't die from age. They either fail from running too many times off level or the Ammonia leaks out from a crack/hole in the tubing.
Are you the Original owner? Doug

[MitchF150]

Any difference between running on electric or gas?

Pretty sure you are running on elec 24/7, but just to trouble shoot, maybe try it on gas?

Just peeing in the wind on that call.. 🙂

Was that fridge part of the Dometic fridge recall where they changed something in case the electric heater cracked the pipe and allowed the fridge juice to leak and if you had the gas on, it would catch fire??

I had a 2003 Prowler with that exact fridge and just ran it on gas and never did do the recall... Traded it and told them that the recall had not been done, but they were fine with it!

Anyway, just tossing stuff out there.

Good luck! Mitch

[BFL13]

Some ideas here if you do not have your copy.

https://www.dometic.com/assets/47/45/operating%20manual_64745.pdf

One could be the optional fan, if you have that, not running--it has a fuse they show to replace.

Mentioned is a "stuffed" feezer, needs defrosting, is in Limp Mode from a duff thermister, etc.

There is a service manual besides the operator manual with more things to check.