We have an older Dometic refrigerator (Model RM2611). Getting ready for an extended trip so turned on the fridge last night to make sure it's working properly before we leave next week. Woke up and checked it first thing this morning - and as soon as I opened the trailer door I was hit with the heavy smell of gas! I immediately looked at the fridge's info panel and it looked normal - gas light on, no "Check" light on. So I checked the stove burners and the other gas appliances but they were all off. Then I opened the freezer part of the fridge, and it was dead warm inside, not cooling at all.Of course, I immediately shut off the fridge, the gas, and all the electricity running to the trailer. Opened door and windows and it is airing out now.A week before our trip so we still have time to fix this. Does anyone have any idea what could possibly be wrong? (Also I checked the outside panel of the fridge, and there was no discernible odor of ammonia.)Any help or info to understand what might be wrong is greatly appreciated!

First thought, wondering why you didn't set off a gas alarm??Obviously you have a leak somewhere in the line. Obviously a very dangerous situation.If you can't track it down, it has to go to someone (dealer or RV repair guy). We have mobile outfits that can come to your house or site.Good luck with it.

downtheroad wrote:First thought, wondering why you didn't set off a gas alarm??Obviously you have a leak somewhere in the line. Obviously a very dangerous situation.If you can't track it down, it has to go to someone (dealer or RV repair guy). We have mobile outfits that can come to your house or site.Good luck with it.Yes, but could it be leaking due to the gas coming out the line, but not being lit? Stuck thermostat or like? I will have to check the gas alarm indeed!

Ailurophilia wrote:Yes, but could it be leaking due to the gas coming out the line, but not being lit? Stuck thermostat or like? I will have to check the gas alarm indeed!There should be a safety shut off/lock out on the frig. If it doesn't light after a couple of tries, the gas to the fridge will be shut off and should certainly not be filling your rig with propane.

is it lp gas or ammonia gas your smelling?ammonia smell would indicate a leak in the evaporator section don

That's what we were thinking! It sure seems like the safety switch is defective. I should also have mentioned - we took our trailer out camping just 2 weeks ago, and the fridge was working fine on gas - however, the fridge was not cooling as well as previously, even though the freezer was working fine.downtheroad wrote:There should be a safety shut off/lock out on the frig. If it doesn't light after a couple of tries, the gas to the fridge will be shut off and should certainly not be filling your rig with propane.

Yikes! Refrigerator not cooling - leaking gas into cabin!

downtheroad
Explorer
Aug 18, 2013
First thought, wondering why you didn't set off a gas alarm??
Obviously you have a leak somewhere in the line. Obviously a very dangerous situation.

If you can't track it down, it has to go to someone (dealer or RV repair guy). We have mobile outfits that can come to your house or site.

Good luck with it.
Ailurophilia
Explorer
Aug 18, 2013
downtheroad wrote:
First thought, wondering why you didn't set off a gas alarm??
Obviously you have a leak somewhere in the line. Obviously a very dangerous situation.

If you can't track it down, it has to go to someone (dealer or RV repair guy). We have mobile outfits that can come to your house or site.

Good luck with it.

Yes, but could it be leaking due to the gas coming out the line, but not being lit? Stuck thermostat or like? I will have to check the gas alarm indeed!
downtheroad
Explorer
Aug 18, 2013
Ailurophilia wrote:

Yes, but could it be leaking due to the gas coming out the line, but not being lit? Stuck thermostat or like? I will have to check the gas alarm indeed!

There should be a safety shut off/lock out on the frig. If it doesn't light after a couple of tries, the gas to the fridge will be shut off and should certainly not be filling your rig with propane.
Don_McL
Explorer
Aug 18, 2013
is it lp gas or ammonia gas your smelling?

ammonia smell would indicate a leak in the evaporator section

don
Ailurophilia
Explorer
Aug 18, 2013
That's what we were thinking! It sure seems like the safety switch is defective. I should also have mentioned - we took our trailer out camping just 2 weeks ago, and the fridge was working fine on gas - however, the fridge was not cooling as well as previously, even though the freezer was working fine.

downtheroad wrote:

There should be a safety shut off/lock out on the frig. If it doesn't light after a couple of tries, the gas to the fridge will be shut off and should certainly not be filling your rig with propane.
Ailurophilia
Explorer
Aug 18, 2013
No, it was definitely propane gas.

Don McL wrote:
is it lp gas or ammonia gas your smelling?

ammonia smell would indicate a leak in the evaporator section

don
Ailurophilia
Explorer
Aug 19, 2013
Any one else have any more ideas or advice?
Chris_Bryant
Explorer II
Aug 19, 2013
I would suggest cleaning the burner- and that you were smelling the results of incomplete combustion, rather than am LP leak (there was no check light on). This would explain the poor cooling as well.

The bad part is that the LP part of the fridge should be sealed from the interior, and it doesn't sound like it is.
lfeather
Explorer
Aug 19, 2013
Ailurophilia wrote:
Any one else have any more ideas or advice?

Does it work on electric?
Ailurophilia
Explorer
Aug 19, 2013
Sadly, no. I replaced a 5amp fuse just before this all happened. (Before that the electric wouldn't turn on at all - but now, it turns on (the AC light is on) but it doesn't get cold - just like the same problem when it's on gas.) The strange thing is the panel lights up like everything is fine, and the "check" light doesn't come on for either gas or electric.

lfeather wrote:
Ailurophilia wrote:
Any one else have any more ideas or advice?

Does it work on electric?

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Yikes! Refrigerator not cooling - leaking gas into cabin!

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