Fridge just took a dump...

[Taranwanderer]

SO, I came home from OCMD last Sunday, plugged in after parking the rig. Unloaded clothes, bikes, gear, etc. Around Tuesday night last week, went out and unloaded the fridge, all was well. Then this past Saturday, I'm out there cleaning, vacuuming, etc--open the fridge to load some beers in, and everything is HOT. Fridge is totally shut off, freezer is totally defrosted. Threw everything out. Won't work on electric or propane. Why can't stuff work for more then 2 years these days?

[Still Kickin]

If you do not smell or detect the presence of amonia you most likely have an electrical issue. Look to Ford refrigerator RV repair and troubleshooting videos on the net to get you familiar with what might be your problem. Just sayin'

[WolfWhistle]

Originally Posted by Taranwanderer

SO, I came home from OCMD last Sunday, plugged in after parking the rig. Unloaded clothes, bikes, gear, etc. Around Tuesday night last week, went out and unloaded the fridge, all was well. Then this past Saturday, I'm out there cleaning, vacuuming, etc--open the fridge to load some beers in, and everything is HOT. Fridge is totally shut off, freezer is totally defrosted. Threw everything out. Won't work on electric or propane. Why can't stuff work for more then 2 years these days?

Battery good?
How about the status lamps on the front upper panel ... what do they show?
DC fuse? AC breaker?
WW

[Taranwanderer]

Thanks for the Ford AC video recommendation. This a Dometic DM2652, for the record.

So, I went out and did some troubleshooting. All the lights on the front panel are working normally, as is the light inside the fridge. The fuses on the board in the control panel were both OK. The unit does ignite the burner when you set it to gas, which I didn't think it was doing. The board is getting 12V DC and 120V AC like its supposed to be. So if it cools down in the next few hours on gas only, it may be a burned out 120V element. But if that's the case, why didn't the gas burner come on when it was set to "Auto" when the temp inside rose to abnormal levels? Or is the burner prevented from igniting when 120V AC is turned on, regardless of temperature? Does the board even "know" what the temp level is inside? How does it know when to turn the AC element or the LP burner on and off?

So many questions, so little knowledge...

[Flybob]

If you haven't used it on propane for a while or have changed the tanks, there could be air in the line that needs to be bled out.

[M&K Hoffman]

Originally Posted by Taranwanderer

This a Dometic DM2652, for the record.

Well if you would have asked people to guess what fridge you had, as one of the many unfortunate owners of that particular unit,that would have been my guess.

[Bama Rambler]

Unfortunately, the board doesn't know when the element is burned out, and it doesn't use the temp to determine if it should switch energy sources. If there's 120 available at the board then it switches to electric power.

[M&K Hoffman]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

Unfortunately, the board doesn't know when the element is burned out, and it doesn't use the temp to determine if it should switch energy sources. If there's 120 available at the board then it switches to electric power.

You can check the electric element by disconnecting it from the circuit board and hooking it up directly to 120 vac. Let run overnight. If your fridge gets cold, the element is OK. Mine was at 32 degrees in the fridge compartment after 12 hours.

[WolfWhistle]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

Unfortunately, the board doesn't know when the element is burned out, and it doesn't use the temp to determine if it should switch energy sources. If there's 120 available at the board then it switches to electric power.

120Vac determines which mode its in. Exactly right, BR.

Someone (dealer, T), needs to figure out the problem... board? Element? zombie apocalypse?
WW

[WolfWhistle]

Originally Posted by M&K Hoffman

You can check the electric element by disconnecting it from the circuit board and hooking it up directly to 120 vac. Let run overnight. If your fridge gets cold, the element is OK. Mine was at 32 degrees in the fridge compartment after 12 hours.

Never thought of that MKH.
WW

[Taranwanderer]

FYI, the fridge and freezer did cool down to normal temp after a few hours running on gas. So the cooling mechanics, the condenser, the evaporator, are all working. The board is showing 120V at the two "prongs" that the element plugs in to. What if I just take the electric heating element out of the "sleeve" in the burner, switch it over to electric, and see if the element gets hot? If it doesn't, then I'm guessing that the element is toast. If the prongs are powered but the fridge isn't getting cold, it has to be a bad element, right?

[SidecarFlip]

Pull the leads and check the continuity of the element. If it's toast it will have no continuity at all.

[M&K Hoffman]

Here is a thread I wrote back in August about my experience with our fridge: My DM2652 Story. I have installed the fans and controller, but real world testing is probably not going to happen until next year.

[Still Kickin]

Originally Posted by Taranwanderer

Thanks for the Ford AC video recommendation. This a Dometic DM2652, for the record.

So many questions, so little knowledge...

Taran, I'm not sure you read my suggestion correctly as you talk about "Ford AC". I am trying to point you in the direction of Ford's refrigerator service troubleshooting information on the net, for your Dometic fridge issue, so I will suggest one more time. Just sayin'

[Bama Rambler]

Originally Posted by Taranwanderer

What if I just take the electric heating element out of the "sleeve" in the burner, switch it over to electric, and see if the element gets hot?

While that will work, it's much safer to take an ohm meter and check the continuity of the element. That's a 325 watt element, so it's going to get really hot in a hurry if it is good.

If you do decide to try that, make sure you're not touching the rod and it's not touching anything that could burn or melt.

[Bama Rambler]

Oh yeah, and don't get shocked!

[clr]

There is also a chance that the refrigerator is not level enough to operate. Make sure the unit is level with a ammonia absorption type refrigerator it has to be level to operate.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by SidecarFlip

Pull the leads and check the continuity of the element. If it's toast it will have no continuity at all.

X2,
It is a lot more reliable and much quicker than waiting to see if it cools overnight by hooking the element directly to an outside 120V source.

MUCH cheaper than going to some technician and paying him to do what you can do yourself!

Most times the element can be easily changed but you may have to disconnect yoru refrigerator and pull it into the camper to get access to the element.

[hillsdaletc]

If it's running on AC it will be plenty hot at the end of the heater where the wires are attached. You don't have to remove it. By the way , the thermistor attached inside on the fins in the refrigerator. Is the sensor for the board. It looks like a thin wire with a clip. Sliding it up the fin lowers the temp.

[M&K Hoffman]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

X2,
It is a lot more reliable and much quicker than waiting to see if it cools overnight by hooking the element directly to an outside 120V source.

MUCH cheaper than going to some technician and paying him to do what you can do yourself!

Most times the element can be easily changed but you may have to disconnect yoru refrigerator and pull it into the camper to get access to the element.

Well actually that idea came from a technical publication and is used to prove that the system works. If it does work your problem is most likely associated with the control board which will include the thermistor.