Warm Fridge - Dometic DM2882

[kcgaz]

My Dometic DM2882 has an ice cold freezer, but the fridge goes from low 40's to 60 as the day heats up. Does anyone know if this refrigerator has electric fans on the backside below the coils? I can't see any, but its pretty tight in the compartment. I'm thinking this could be an air circulation problem, but would appreciate any advice and guidance. Thanks in advance for your help!
Best,
Kevin

[klutchdust]

Drew A. wrote:

PButler96 wrote:

kcgaz wrote:
we still have considerable swings in temperature of the fridge from 28-42 degrees. The temperature really seems to go up when we open the fridge for only a matter of seconds. I am at a loss as to what to do next.

I'd quit worrying about it. It all sounds normal for any of the absorbtion fridges we have had. I would not worry unless the temp gets up into the high 40s to mid 50s and stays there. 42 is plenty cold to keep stuff from spoiling.

I agree. The air volume is small and the exchange of cold air with room air is high when the door is opened. That will make the air temperature measure high.

Put a glass of water in there and measure the temperature with an instant read thermometer. I bet you'll find the water stays cold while the air temperature might go up after opening the door.

Exactly. When you get groceries that includes dairy, frozen and chilled. It sits in the car for some time before it gets to the home reefer. It doesn't spoil. I am going to do the water test.

[klutchdust]

Drew A. wrote:

PButler96 wrote:

kcgaz wrote:
we still have considerable swings in temperature of the fridge from 28-42 degrees. The temperature really seems to go up when we open the fridge for only a matter of seconds. I am at a loss as to what to do next.

I'd quit worrying about it. It all sounds normal for any of the absorbtion fridges we have had. I would not worry unless the temp gets up into the high 40s to mid 50s and stays there. 42 is plenty cold to keep stuff from spoiling.

I agree. The air volume is small and the exchange of cold air with room air is high when the door is opened. That will make the air temperature measure high.

Put a glass of water in there and measure the temperature with an instant read thermometer. I bet you'll find the water stays cold while the air temperature might go up after opening the door.

What is happening is the outside temperatures are reaching 100 and above. Before this I have had few issues with my fridge, doing exactly as you have mentioned. My recent trip to the Sierras I had 100 degree plus temps. The fridge fluctuated from 40 to 60. (Based on my thermometer on the top shelf)
So now the trailer is plugged to ground power and in the back yard. it's over 100 this week and fridge could get to 40 at night then warm up during the day to 50 or so. The fridge is empty btw. So I installed this....



This Am temp was 38* and it's been 40* all day so far and temps around 100 outside.
Ordered a "snip the tip" thermistor replacement. It can be set like a thermostat instead of guessing by sliding the thing-a-ma-bob up and down the fins.

[Drew_A_]

PButler96 wrote:

kcgaz wrote:
we still have considerable swings in temperature of the fridge from 28-42 degrees. The temperature really seems to go up when we open the fridge for only a matter of seconds. I am at a loss as to what to do next.

I'd quit worrying about it. It all sounds normal for any of the absorbtion fridges we have had. I would not worry unless the temp gets up into the high 40s to mid 50s and stays there. 42 is plenty cold to keep stuff from spoiling.

I agree. The air volume is small and the exchange of cold air with room air is high when the door is opened. That will make the air temperature measure high.

Put a glass of water in there and measure the temperature with an instant read thermometer. I bet you'll find the water stays cold while the air temperature might go up after opening the door.

[PButler96]

kcgaz wrote:
we still have considerable swings in temperature of the fridge from 28-42 degrees. The temperature really seems to go up when we open the fridge for only a matter of seconds. I am at a loss as to what to do next.

I'd quit worrying about it. It all sounds normal for any of the absorbtion fridges we have had. I would not worry unless the temp gets up into the high 40s to mid 50s and stays there. 42 is plenty cold to keep stuff from spoiling.

[klutchdust]

kcgaz wrote:
Update...We have left the extreme heat of Arizona to the reasonable heat/higher humidity of Oregon for the next six weeks. I have replaced the thermistor, circuit board and heating element and have installed four fans on the back of the refrigerator and four inside the refrigerator and we still have considerable swings in temperature of the fridge from 28-42 degrees. The temperature really seems to go up when we open the fridge for only a matter of seconds. I am at a loss as to what to do next. I've tried everything I know to do and the fridge is only just over 2 years old. Any other ideas would be much appreciated.

My fridge is doing the same thing. I have a hard wired fan coming for the inside of the fridge and will be changing the thermistor to a different type that you can adjust to the desired temperature. These absorption type refrigerators struggle above 90* outside temperatures. Propane is a better choice to get maximum results out of the fridge vs running it on 120 side as in plugged into ground power.
As outside temps rise it is better to bring a cooler for drinks etc.and keep as little as possible in the fridge. At 100 degrees, these fridges will not maintain 38. Just returned from a week in Sierras and it was tough keeping it around 40.
Hope you saved the parts you replaced because i don't think any were defective. Also i use compressed air and blow air up the chimney to get rid of leaves or whatever may accumulate when the trailer sits. My unit does not vent through the roof so leaves are not an issue. My last rig did have that problem though. Also have you checked your gas flame? easy to remove the cover and see if there is any carbon blocking the holes in the flame pipe.

[pianotuna]

kcgaz,

Only use one fan inside the fridge.

Move two the fans to the top of the chimney and place them in a mask to suck air out.

[kcgaz]

Update...We have left the extreme heat of Arizona to the reasonable heat/higher humidity of Oregon for the next six weeks. I have replaced the thermistor, circuit board and heating element and have installed four fans on the back of the refrigerator and four inside the refrigerator and we still have considerable swings in temperature of the fridge from 28-42 degrees. The temperature really seems to go up when we open the fridge for only a matter of seconds. I am at a loss as to what to do next. I've tried everything I know to do and the fridge is only just over 2 years old. Any other ideas would be much appreciated.

[Caveman_Charlie]

I'm sorry to tell you this but, that style of Dometic fridge SUCKS. My brother has one and has the same problem. My 29-year-old Norcold works a lot better than his brand new Dometic. I don't think you are going to be able to fix it.

I'm sorry.

[klutchdust]

Also, pre cool your items going into the fridge if you can. Cardboard, paper etc stores heat so keep it out of the fridge.
I use compressed air to blow up the chimney. If the coils have dirt on them they will not cool properly.

[Baja_Man]

My $.02....

The roof vent exhaust fans and the fans below coils (pull/push air) and a refer condenser fan is typically all that is needed to maximize cooling on a properly INSTALLED and running ammonia refer.

Check to see if the refer was PROPERLY installed (many are NOT) based on manufacturer's install instructions for your model (easily found online or included in your manuals when purchased . Ex. Too much gap between refer and rear wall allows hot air to gather and will not allow refer to cool properly.

You need to consider the ambient temps and temps inside RV temps when gauging expectations. If you are checking today, or the next few days......it's **** hot in central/southern AZ....several degrees over 100F today!

Is your RV in shade or sun?
If sun, does sun hit refer side?

[kcgaz]

So I have done everything that I know what to do but I still have a cold freezer (-5) and a warm fridge (40-60). I didn't have any fans behind the fridge, so I added two exhaust fans in the stack and two under the fins. I changed out the thermistor and the control board, but don't know what to do next. Any ideas?

[CA_Traveler]

Warm air from the coils rises, so fans to exhaust up.

[midnightsadie]

one month out,, might beg a little for help.

[kcgaz]

It is one month out of warranty of course. I checked the Thermister with an Ohm meter and it is showing an open circuit which makes me suspicious that it could be contributing to the problem. For those who placed fans in the chimney, did you position the fans to pull the hot air out or down draft?