Dometic Fridge not cooling

[noelleclark]

I have learned this about RV refrigerators. You CANNOT load them as you would a home refrigerator. They need to be more loosely packed...a lot of room for air to move around. We had the same problem, until someone told us that. Problem solved.

[Rebel1448]

I have an older dometic refrigerator except mine was freezing up. I is recommended to precook the fridge a day before to get it up to temp. Under the slide control is a wire with a thematic bulb at the end. I replaced that bulb with a replacement thermostat and it works great now. Have had it running on electric for a week now and the temperature is right on the money 35°. The replacement part is called snip the tip. https://www.snip-the-tip.com/cgi-bin/articca.cgi. it costs $27.50. Could be you problem.

[helferdm]

I'm having the same problem, which Dometic diagnosed over the phone. I've ordered "Dometic 3851331011 Circuit Board for Refrigerators" which they say will fix the problem. This is for my model, but give them a call. The Youtube videos show the installation - looks easy.

[Rv tech]

Always turn your Refer on 24 HRs. Level ground before loading. In that time period you will have given it time to cycle. What’s the model # 2652, 2852,1350 etc. tag on the inside to the right.

[Ian Stewart]

I got to say in the trailers I have had dometic has never impressed me. The sliding thermostat is temperamental, in hotter areas buy yourself some extra computer fans to help evacuate the hot air from the rear cabinet

[wnew813]

Originally Posted by txmoto

Hi everyone. We recently bought a 2004 Isata 25 foot Motor Home. It is in GREAT shape. It has a Dometic refrigerator. The Freezer portion works great and cools really fast. The refrigerator portion isn't working. Someone told me today to take it out and turn it upside down for a day or two. Is that a thing? Or just nonsense? I just ordered the replacement fridge. We are new to the whole RV world so looking for options. He also told me they put a residential fridge in their 5th wheel, but they don't put many miles on it. Thanks in advance for all of the helpful advice.

Wallace
Odessa, TX

First you need to cool it overnight plugged in if you can, take the thermostat off the fin and attach it in front of fins somewhere. These Dometic refrigerators are POS. Once it's cool overnight, then use the gas while you drive to keep it cool. These fridges are a reject from the 50's, get used to it.

[rk06382]

Originally Posted by wnew813

First you need to cool it overnight plugged in if you can, take the thermostat off the fin and attach it in front of fins somewhere. These Dometic refrigerators are POS. Once it's cool overnight, then use the gas while you drive to keep it cool. These fridges are a reject from the 50's, get used to it.

I beg to differ. The fridges of the 50's used kerosene. I had a propane fridge in the 70's that only had one door and the freezer was at top full of frost.

Propane refrigerators try to give you the feeling of home with very little electricity. I only refill my propane once or twice a year. I leave it on all summer, ready to go whenever we feel like.

[Rv tech]

All these folks trashing Dometic. I’m in the RV repair industry. Unlike Norcolds nonstop recalls. In my opinion Dometic is much better. I can’t even attempt to guess how many cooling units I have replaced in the last 30 years 100’s I’d guess. They both have their good points. Newer Norcold units I believe are easiest to diagnose. With their onboard diagnostic systems. But the Dometic units I see are pretty much fool proof. We just don’t have as many problems with Dometic.

[Regg]

My Uncle has been in the repair business for years and there is an instance where if all the electronic circuits are operating properly and test good then removing the Refrigerator/Freezer and turning it Upside Down fo several days is a fix. The solution that is heated sometimes settles and doesn't flow. Kind of like a lava lamp.

[M Wilkie]

Just a heads up that your refrigerator was probably recalled in the past due to fires and explosions.Here is a link to the information. We were able to go to a dealer and they installed the recall kit on ours for free. Do you know if yours was done?


Official Dometic Recall - DometicUSA

[Mikegjax]

If mine has been completely off I start it the day before I plan to load it. It can take a while to cool.

[M Wilkie]

Originally Posted by Mikegjax

If mine has been completely off I start it the day before I plan to load it. It can take a while to cool.

We start ours the night before and check it in the morning and adjust it if necessary.coldest area is in the bottom of the fridge. A small battery operated fridge fan can help circulate the cold air. The more cold items you put in, the better it will stay cold.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by M Wilkie

Just a heads up that your refrigerator was probably recalled in the past due to fires and explosions.Here is a link to the information. We were able to go to a dealer and they installed the recall kit on ours for free. Do you know if yours was done?


Official Dometic Recall - DometicUSA

Does anyone have any further info on this recall? My DM2652 seems to be on the list, but the recall is from 2007-2008.

I bought my Mini Lite in 2015, which is 7-8 years AFTER the recall. Wouldn't you expect a Dometic fridge installed in a rig built in 2015 would have been repaired?

The recall says, "The vehicle manufacturers will notify owners of recreational vehicles that had the refrigerators installed as original equipment and Dometic will notify the owners of the aftermarket refrigerators."

No one has notified me of this recall. This is the first I've heard of it.

I see they sell the secondary burner housing "fix" on ebay, and other places.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3311145-000...75.c100623.m-1

My TT is in storage, so I'm not sure if Dometic (or someone) has installed the SBH on my fridge.

[garbonz]

Originally Posted by wnew813

First you need to cool it overnight plugged in if you can, take the thermostat off the fin and attach it in front of fins somewhere. These Dometic refrigerators are POS. Once it's cool overnight, then use the gas while you drive to keep it cool. These fridges are a reject from the 50's, get used to it.

And are being used all over the world and on off grid locations where abundant power is not available but lpg is.

A marvel of engineering,

[M Wilkie]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

Does anyone have any further info on this recall? My DM2652 seems to be on the list, but the recall is from 2007-2008.

I bought my Mini Lite in 2015, which is 7-8 years AFTER the recall. Wouldn't you expect a Dometic fridge installed in a rig built in 2015 would have been repaired?

The recall says, "The vehicle manufacturers will notify owners of recreational vehicles that had the refrigerators installed as original equipment and Dometic will notify the owners of the aftermarket refrigerators."

No one has notified me of this recall. This is the first I've heard of it.

I see they sell the secondary burner housing "fix" on ebay, and other places.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3311145-000...75.c100623.m-1

My TT is in storage, so I'm not sure if Dometic (or someone) has installed the SBH on my fridge.

.....As far as I know yours should not be effected. It lists models between 1997 and 2006. And you need to plug in your serial number on the form. If you serial number came up then I would check further with Dometic or Forest River.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

Does anyone have any further info on this recall? My DM2652 seems to be on the list, but the recall is from 2007-2008.

I bought my Mini Lite in 2015, which is 7-8 years AFTER the recall. Wouldn't you expect a Dometic fridge installed in a rig built in 2015 would have been repaired?

The recall says, "The vehicle manufacturers will notify owners of recreational vehicles that had the refrigerators installed as original equipment and Dometic will notify the owners of the aftermarket refrigerators."

No one has notified me of this recall. This is the first I've heard of it.

I see they sell the secondary burner housing "fix" on ebay, and other places.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3311145-000...75.c100623.m-1

My TT is in storage, so I'm not sure if Dometic (or someone) has installed the SBH on my fridge.

Originally Posted by M Wilkie

.....As far as I know yours should not be effected. It lists models between 1997 and 2006. And you need to plug in your serial number on the form. If you serial number came up then I would check further with Dometic or Forest River.

I did plug in my Ser # and it came back as "affected." That's why I was asking. 7-8 yrs AFTER a recall seems to be an awfully long time to get a "new" fridge and still have it affected. So I was hoping someone else might know something.

[Ricklisa]

We had the same problem! Turns out that the vents built into the coach were not at the right location for the Dometic. Maybe Dometic has a model that works, but we went with a Norcold and problem was solved. Has to do with movement of the air to cool the coils

[M Wilkie]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

I did plug in my Ser # and it came back as "affected." That's why I was asking. 7-8 yrs AFTER a recall seems to be an awfully long time to get a "new" fridge and still have it affected. So I was hoping someone else might know something.

You don’t suppose they put an older fridge into your new unit? Can you contact the dealer that sold the camper to you and tell them this? Or has it been too long? If they did install an older fridge then they also should have installed the repair kit.By the way, there is a class action lawsuit against Dometic. They are saying that despite the fix the refrigerators are still dangerous because they use hydrogen gas. Here is the link to that.
https://www.hbsslaw.com/general-page...sked-questions

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by M Wilkie

You don’t suppose they put an older fridge into your new unit? Can you contact the dealer that sold the camper to you and tell them this? Or has it been too long? If they did install an older fridge then they also should have installed the repair kit.

No idea. Probably been too long. But I have to say, most Dometic pics I've seen on this forum look just like mine.

I did some more sleuthing and the recall kits installs sheet metal around the burner.

So I believe the "un-repaired" units look like this:



The units that have had the "fix" done look like this:



Not quite the same models, but the issue is the sheet metal around the burner, which mine has.

So I'm thinking I'm not too worried.

[Ricklisa]

We bought our coach new in 2010. It took them 3 months to figure out the problem. They replaced it with the Norcold. Haven’t had a problem since.