fridge cooling problem Dometic DM2852

[driller2948]

Having a cooling problem with my fifth wheel fridge. 2011 Crossroads Cruiser Sahara. Since day one cooling has only been adequate. I had it check right after we bought it and was told working fine no problem. Our last outing cooling was great, outside temps were only in the 80’s. On the way home stopping half way for a quick lunch the fridge temp was 52 deg. I took it back in to the same dealer and they say I need a new fridge. #@%!’ers. Cooling unit out. I have been monitoring it over the last few days and my results are below

RV fridge Dometic DM2852
2 way fridge 120v electric & gas

I made sure drip tube has sufficient droop to hold water like p-trap.

4/30/16
Electric
65 Outside temp 8:00AM fridge 43 deg. fins 37
74 Outside temp 2:00PM fridge 50 deg fins 43
80 Outside temp 7:00PM fridge 49 deg 42

Switched to gas
5/1/16
Gas
56 Outside temp 6:30AM fridge 37 deg fins 30
65 Outside temp 5:00PM fridge 50 deg fins 44

5/2/16
Bypass control board
After 3 hrs
60 Outside temp 8:00PM fridge 37 deg fins 26
5/3/16
50 Outside temp 7:00AM fridge 17 deg fins 9
75 Outside temp 2:00PM fridge 33 deg fins 24

One hour after switching back to controlled electric
75 Outside temp 6:00PM fridge 43 deg fins 38

Electric heat element check
Outlet was pushing 124V. Amp rate on the heating element was 2.68A
2.68A X 124V = 332W
+/- 10% (33) = 365W element seems to check out!

Gas is just as bad, so I’m kind of think control board since when bypassed temps dropped to freezing.
Am I missing anything? Any help would greatly be appreciated!

[j-d]

Take a look at the first few pages of This Install and Use Manual.
I've seen better diagrams, but this'll explain that the fridge needs to be installed in a way that convection carries heat off the coils and out of the coach. It also works out that if the fridge is in a slide, so the venting isn't straight up and out of the coach, then it needs a fan to create that circulation.
That, and baffling to prevent a dead space where air swirls but doesn't flow up and out.

[driller2948]

Fridge is in a slide. Yes auto temp no controls. I checked the fan with a heat gun should have come on about 130 - 135 deg. wasn't working. Check current at the fans thermostat 1.3v. Bad 3v fuse. replaced with 5v fuse all I had handy. Power good tried heat gun again and fan spun for moment then quit. Connected to 12v power fan no good. Replaced with dual fans 40cfm each works at 130 deg. So left 5v fuse in. I'm sure the cooling system is ok. Ill try a new thermisor and see if that does the trick. Now as far as properly installed looks good but I don't install these things so I really have no clue? From the outside wall of the slide there is about 10.5" to the back of the unit. That's just to the back of fridge. Control board gas lines and boiler take up half of that clearance. 2.5" of clearance on both sides insulated with pink fiber glass. 3" inch's of clearance on top no insulation. Two standard size air vent one on bottom one at the top where freezer and condenser are. The fans are located on the back of fridge blowing up to the condenser. There looks to be one baffle just above the lower air vent that blocks 3/4's of the opening. The trailer is level and the fridge is level too just throwing that out! haha!

[dougrainer]

A BAD Temp Thermister will test(ohm) out correctly. Replace the Temp thermistor. I have NEVER found a Control board to cause cooling problems. The board reacts to the Temp Thermister. Do you have the AUTO temp system? From you tests it would appear so. Answer the question another asked----Is this refer in a slide room? If it got as cold as you stated bypassing the control board-----DO NOT trust that RV service center again. Doug

[Toddupton]

Looks by your temps you have a bad control board or thermistor

[j-d]

Because you say "...since day one..." I want to ask:

Is this Fridge mounted in a Slide?

If it is in a Slide:

Does it have a Fan?

Is the installation properly spaced and baffled?

[midnightsadie]

door gasket. ours was acting up,drove me crazy, siting there one day and I noticed the top of the door was tighter than the bottom, put a bungee cord across it and five hours later you could freeze the milk.