Yikes! Refrigerator not cooling - leaking gas into cabin!

[Ailurophilia]

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!

[subcamper]

A proper installation of an RV fridge completely seals the rear of the fridge (the cooling coil/combustion area) from the living area of the RV. This is according to the fridge manufacturer and is intended to keep combustion gasses out of the RV. However, this is not to say all manufacturers do this properly! If this is done properly, you shouldn't get propane inside the RV from a burner stuck on without being ignited. From your post it sounds like there was a LOT of propane inside the RV.

I had to remove the trim around my fridge for a mod I was making and noticed mine was poorly sealed at the top and had some gaps at the bottom. I had to seal mine up myself.

Steve

[j-d]

For Electric Operation, here are some ballpark specs and ideas.
1. Resistance of 120VAC element should be around 50-Ohms
2. Current Draw of 120VAC element should be 2-3-Amps
3. You can temporarily wire a plug to the 120VAC element and power it up from an outlet.
a. Element should get HOT
b. The area the element is inserted into should get HOT
c. And the Fridge should get COLD
If you haven't done so yet, get the Service Manual. Chris's site BryantRV.com will probably offer it in the Service Documents part on the left side of his home page.

EDIT: You replaced a 5-Amp Fuse. Said fuse could be protecting 12VDC for the Logic Board (also Panel Lights). OR it could be protecting 120VAC for the Heating Element. If it blew the 120VAC fuse, better check the Element for a short before you plug it in with a non-fused test cord. Or, of course, make up your test cord with a fuse in it.

EDI-2: Be sure it isn't trying to light up LP Gas while you're testing 120VAC.

[Ailurophilia]

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?

[lfeather]

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

Does it work on electric?

[Chris_Bryant]

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.

[Ailurophilia]

Any one else have any more ideas or advice?

[Ailurophilia]

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]

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.

[Don_McL]

is it lp gas or ammonia gas your smelling?

ammonia smell would indicate a leak in the evaporator section

don

[downtheroad]

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.

[Ailurophilia]

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]

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.