Dometic is a no go

[Ed-N-Dani]

It was all going so well and then this.

The fridge isn't cooling down. I followed the instructions, set to line voltage, turn therm 1/4 turn and nuttin. I can hear some gurgling from the back of the unit and the tower looking device on the back seems to be warm to the touch. I made sure the vent on the roof was clear. A cob web or two and that was about it. I know there is 115 at the plug and the inline fuse is good. Its not 100% level but its in the driveway which is pretty flat and even. (If I sat a ball in the middle of it it wouldn't roll. )


I was searching on line for replacements and new I'm looking at 1300.00 which is out of the question. For the little I believe were going to use it that can buy a ton of ICE..literally. I also found a company that rebuilds the device that cools it for about 350.00 plus the core return. 5 year warranty.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
Ed

[Ed-N-Dani]

I ended up going this route. $200.00 115V Almost the same foot print. I like the idea of going solar as mentioned. I dont understand much about solar but Ill pick your brains next spring when I get the roof in good enough shape to add weight to it. I'm going to keep the Dometic in storage at the warehouse until I decide what I'm going to do long term. If I decide against reusing it next year Ill offer any parts I can to anyone that can use them.



Thanks again guys.

I (we) really appreciate the help!

Ed

[DrewE]

westend wrote:

Ed-N-Dani wrote:

westend wrote:
Replace it with a residential. The money you save by going to a compressor fridge can be put back into solar, batteries, and an inverter. With a compressor fridge, your box temps will always be low, it will cool in 1/10 the time, and you won't have to buy as much propane.

Do you have a recommendation on a place to shop that will fit and do they sell them that run on 12/115? I briefly shopped it on google and was only coming up with the portable chest type refrigerators.

Thanks
Ed

120V refrigerators or 12V refrigerators are sold all over. Getting one that will run on both voltages will be problematic. You could search the Forums for what others have used to replace their dead absorption models. I see where a few have bought a 10 cu ft Frigidaire for this purpose. I use a small dorm fridge and that would probably not fit your use.

Fitment will be on your shoulders. Measuring the opening would be the first step.

Many (though not all) of the 12V fridges, and especially the lower priced models, are based on thermoelectric coolers rather than a compressor. These are very inefficient and have quite limited cooling capacity. One dead giveaway that this system is used is if it has a setting to heat rather than cool.

One company that sells dual-voltage compressor fridges for fixed vehicle installation is truckfridge.com. They are not inexpensive.

[westend]

Ed-N-Dani wrote:

westend wrote:
Replace it with a residential. The money you save by going to a compressor fridge can be put back into solar, batteries, and an inverter. With a compressor fridge, your box temps will always be low, it will cool in 1/10 the time, and you won't have to buy as much propane.

Do you have a recommendation on a place to shop that will fit and do they sell them that run on 12/115? I briefly shopped it on google and was only coming up with the portable chest type refrigerators.

Thanks
Ed

120V refrigerators or 12V refrigerators are sold all over. Getting one that will run on both voltages will be problematic. You could search the Forums for what others have used to replace their dead absorption models. I see where a few have bought a 10 cu ft Frigidaire for this purpose. I use a small dorm fridge and that would probably not fit your use.

Fitment will be on your shoulders. Measuring the opening would be the first step.

[Ed-N-Dani]

westend wrote:
Replace it with a residential. The money you save by going to a compressor fridge can be put back into solar, batteries, and an inverter. With a compressor fridge, your box temps will always be low, it will cool in 1/10 the time, and you won't have to buy as much propane.

Do you have a recommendation on a place to shop that will fit and do they sell them that run on 12/115? I briefly shopped it on google and was only coming up with the portable chest type refrigerators.

Thanks
Ed

[Ed-N-Dani]

SCVJeff wrote:
Am I reading this right: your fridge is tipped 26 degrees?

The F<>B is fine, but I know there is a side spec as well and this is WAY beyond anything I've ever read

Hi Jeff, sorry I missed your post. No, that's was just a screen shot from my phone and the picture posted upright. I had the phone on its side and used the wire rack in the fridge. It was showing out just a hair but when I brought home a 4 foot level the camper was out 2" front to back over the 8 foot base. Leveled it, let it sit for a day and plugged it back in and nothing. Matter of fact I can smell a hint of ammonia when I stick my head in the fridge. Im going to chalk it up as DOA.

Kindest regards
Ed

[westend]

Replace it with a residential. The money you save by going to a compressor fridge can be put back into solar, batteries, and an inverter. With a compressor fridge, your box temps will always be low, it will cool in 1/10 the time, and you won't have to buy as much propane.

[Ed-N-Dani]

OK, leveled the camper up last night. Raised it two inches across a 8 foot span to bring it dead level. I'm thinking this cant be considered much as once again your parking on mountains, how level can you get a TC in the field unless your breaking out the cedar shims. Ran it for 14 hours and its still a no go. Matter a fact if you stick your head in the fridge I can smell a slight hint of ammonia. I'm thinking that cant be good.

I think I'm going to reach out to one of the companies that sell/exchange the rebuilt units and just replace the unit that chills the fridge unless someone has a suggestion.

Kindest regards
Ed

[Ed-N-Dani]

SCClockDr wrote:

Ed-N-Dani wrote:

shellbackcva59 wrote:
Have you tried it on propane? They seem to operate much better on gas. It also takes quite a bit of time for them to cool. I'd always run mine overnite the evening before I needed it.

Not yet, I still have to update the propane connection. Ordered those this morning. I have had it on for about 6 hrs and the fins are hot.

I can try the gas sometime this week.

Kindest regards
Ed

6 hours is not enough time for much cooling. How are things this AM?

.

I unplugged the camper last night to try to "burp" it. Plan on plugging it back in tonight around dinner and let it set for a day and see what happens. I'm really hoping after leaving it plugged in over night it starts to get cool. I understand these take a lot of time to cool. I know the last camper I had my boys were young and after a weekend of camping by Sun afternoon with them opening and closing it every 10 minutes thinking something had changed from the last time they looked I couldn't keep a stick of butter from dis forming.

I'm really taken back at the cost of new replacements. Tried searching for a dual voltage unit last night that was an actual fridge and not the portable cooler type and wasn't having much luck.

I seen a few mention a compressor type replacement. Are these designed for campers or something that you made work? The reason I ask is from two articles that I read online there is a reason why Dometic and one other company are the number one choices for campers and thats the compressor and the lines aren't made for travel and the vibration that comes along with it. The propane feature is nice but 80% never use it. They back it in the little spot they get at the CG and plug it in.

I'm not against not having the propane option, Ill feel a little less like a man but if a regular fridge is 300.00 and its 1300.00 for the propane I'm ready to pull up my skirt. 😉

Thanks!

Ed

[SCClockDr]

Ed-N-Dani wrote:

shellbackcva59 wrote:
Have you tried it on propane? They seem to operate much better on gas. It also takes quite a bit of time for them to cool. I'd always run mine overnite the evening before I needed it.

Not yet, I still have to update the propane connection. Ordered those this morning. I have had it on for about 6 hrs and the fins are hot.

I can try the gas sometime this week.

Kindest regards
Ed

6 hours is not enough time for much cooling. How are things this AM?

[SCVJeff]

Am I reading this right: your fridge is tipped 26 degrees?

The F<>B is fine, but I know there is a side spec as well and this is WAY beyond anything I've ever read

[Ed-N-Dani]

For what its worth I have a Makita level app on my phone. Shows as pretty level. It the best I have available to me right now.



You gotta go by the one the left.

[hedge]

someone had his quit, took it out and rolled it upside down and over a few times and it's been working ever since.

If you've ran it out of level a lot that may have wrecked it, I hope to go to a compressor fridge when mine dies to avoid the levelling.

[ronniedean1234]

Our Norcold quit working, always plugged in at home, I read somewhere that you have to sometimes burp the refrigerator, meaning I think shut off for 24 hours then restart, restarted ours and all is good again, might be worth a try, there are many Youtube videos about this issue....Good Luck

[Tiger4x4RV]

My 10-year-old Dometic 3-way has intermittent problems (it won't cool enough for safe food in very hot weather and the igniter sometimes does its job and sometimes not). Sometimes the fridge works fine on both propane shore power. I don't feel like replacing it right now.

Plan B when it lets me down is to use it like an ice chest. At home, I have a large collection of refreezable blue ice blocks which can be used. In case of failure during a trip, bags of ice from the store.

For hot-weather trips, when I can pretty much figure no cooling from the Dometic 3-way, I have recently purchased a small portable 12V Dometic CDF-11. This worked very well on a recent trip in 105 degree weather. It cost about $300, fits between the cab seats, and runs off either the truck's 12V or the coach batteries.