Frig Electric Not Working

[TECMike]

The electric part of our Dometic frig has quit working. It cools fine on propane. But will not switch over to electricity when plugged in. What should I check first? Thanks in advance!

[TECMike]

Thanks so VERY much, folks. I will try all of the recommendations the best I know how within a couple of days.

[mr__ed]

I also had similar problem once on my Dometic fridge. Having had electrical experience, I always carried various testing equipment with me (digital VOM and clamp-on ammeter). I first located the wires going to the heater element and, using the ammeter, found it was drawing no current. The correct voltage was there, so the obvious conclusion was the heater element had opened (i.e. burned out). I managed to obtain a similar replacement and got the fridge working again. For me, it was a simple fix.

[Community Alumni]

I would do as recommended by hawkeye first.

Then, unless you can bring it to an rv repair facility, call your local dealer and see if there are any mobile Tech's in the area.

A thing to note is it's difficult to check if a board is good or not. There are testers that are quite expensive and they don't always tell the tail. I would have the heating element checked first to ensure there is continuity (no short), that's an easy test for a Tech to do with a good tester.

Good luck

... Eric

[hawkeye-08]

TECMike, you have some information to do some basic troubleshooting and avoid having a mobile tech look at it. If you don't have meter to check for 120V at outlet, plug a lamp into outlet and see if it lights.

[TECMike]

Gracious, I did not know it could be three or four different things. My problem is finding someone who is competent enough to handle the job. Our frig is eight years old and has given us wonderful service until now.

[Community Alumni]

Just had my Atwood (now Dometic) repaired on Wednesday for the same thing. It was the heating element that goes into the heat stack. It worked fine on gas but dead on electric.

We're fortunate to have a mobile RV Tech in the area and he did a bunch of tests including trying a different circuit board but he found a short somewhere in the heating element assembly. Working fine since.

[enblethen]

There is a fuse for the 120 AC element and a fuse for the refer optional 12 volt.
If in auto and it immediately switches back to LP, there is no 120 volt. If it stays on 120, it could be the circuit board or the element.

[Old-Biscuit]

Swapping to LP (not staying on AC when in AUTO ) means fridge does NOT see any 120V AC power
Outlet or fuse.


Check the 120V AC outlet that fridge plugs into......got 120V AC power??

If YES....
Then remove the control module cover (have to unplug 120V AC cord and DC leads)
Then check if the 5A glass fuse has blown.
If blown...new fuse and a new electric element

[TECMike]

Would it be a fuse problem or does the fuse control the propane?

[enblethen]

If you manually try to switch to 120 volts AC and it switches back to LP, my first check is the heating element in the stack.
You would need to check the element for continuity.
Next check for 120 volt AC output from the circuit board. Next remove the circuit board and look for burnt spots on the back.
Big question is, Model of refer?

[camp-n-family]

Check that the battery is fully charged as well. I know it sounds odd for electric but I just went through this. Mine wouldn't work on propane or electric and I couldn't select between the two either. Turns out the battery was low and needed to be fully charged for the fridge to work at all.

[newman_fulltime]

the outlet