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Old 05-16-2014, 06:34 PM   #1
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Question Reefer ills

Hi All,
Have a dometic refrig. problem that I know someone will have a answer for...(I hope)..
Seems our Dometic on our 2011 sabre freezes real well, will go down to 2 degrees, but refer section only 40 42. So, here's what I've done so far. Disconnect the thermister, refer drops to 29f. Bought a snip the tip thermister thinking the old one didn't ohm out well. No change, 42f.Currently running on electric, did not try gas yet, but seems ok since I did remove the thermister plug off the board and the temp dropped. Installed a pair of fans on the reefer fins,last season, no change. Installed a fan in the back of the unit to bring ambient air into the unit, no change.Did the dollar bill thing on the door gasket, o.k. Now wondering if there is some sort of default temp built in on the board? Going to run it on gas tomorrow and see how it does. Problem is 42 isnt low enough when we go down south, open the door a couple of times, the temp will soar up to 48 50. The ambient up here in new jersey has been around 70 so should be cooling well and the trailer is level.
ANY SUGGESTIONS??
Thanks,
Dave and Rainy
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Old 05-20-2014, 01:12 PM   #2
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Have you slid the thermistor up the fin toward the freezer as far as it will go and checked the cooling temp?
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Old 05-20-2014, 01:18 PM   #3
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Have you slid the thermistor up the fin toward the freezer as far as it will go and checked the cooling temp?
He's removed the thermistor and replaced with "snip the tip"
http://snip-the-tip.com/cgi-bin/articca.cgi

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Old 05-21-2014, 09:59 AM   #4
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Sorry I did not know what snip the tip was!
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Old 05-21-2014, 10:16 AM   #5
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Sorry I did not know what snip the tip was!
I bet you do now! Lol

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Old 05-21-2014, 04:29 PM   #6
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Perhaps Daverain would prefer to speak for himself...
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Old 05-21-2014, 04:49 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by daverain View Post
Hi All,
Have a dometic refrig. problem that I know someone will have a answer for...(I hope)..
Seems our Dometic on our 2011 sabre freezes real well, will go down to 2 degrees, but refer section only 40 42. So, here's what I've done so far. Disconnect the thermister, refer drops to 29f. Bought a snip the tip thermister thinking the old one didn't ohm out well. No change, 42f.Currently running on electric, did not try gas yet, but seems ok since I did remove the thermister plug off the board and the temp dropped. Installed a pair of fans on the reefer fins,last season, no change. Installed a fan in the back of the unit to bring ambient air into the unit, no change.Did the dollar bill thing on the door gasket, o.k. Now wondering if there is some sort of default temp built in on the board? Going to run it on gas tomorrow and see how it does. Problem is 42 isnt low enough when we go down south, open the door a couple of times, the temp will soar up to 48 50. The ambient up here in new jersey has been around 70 so should be cooling well and the trailer is level.
ANY SUGGESTIONS??
Thanks,
Dave and Rainy
Easy one, you have poor door gasket on the frig box. That would be together with a lot of frost build up.
Worse is really sounds like a partially plugged tubing feeding refrigerant to the refrig section. Freezer getting plenty of refrigerant, main box not so much. I've seen where the coils (black tubing in the back) are gently tapped
and free up the sentiment trapped in the small diameter tubing. Free and worth a try. Look for the lower set of tubing feeding the frig vs the upper set serving the freezer.
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Old 05-21-2014, 05:07 PM   #8
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what is the proper temp in the freezer ? and the refer? My wife claims refer doesn't seem cold enough yet it has a temp of 40 deg and freezer is 32 deg.
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Old 05-21-2014, 05:25 PM   #9
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Old 05-21-2014, 05:33 PM   #10
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Perhaps Daverain would prefer to speak for himself...

You lost me on this comment....
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Old 05-21-2014, 06:26 PM   #11
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what is the proper temp in the freezer ? and the refer? My wife claims refer doesn't seem cold enough yet it has a temp of 40 deg and freezer is 32 deg.
Here ya go "
The ideal freezer temperature is 0 Fahrenheit (-18 Celsius) for storing food. And -10 Fahrenheit (-23 Celsius) is recommended when freezing food.


For every five degrees Fahrenheit above zero, the recommended storage time is cut in half. Food stored above 0 Fahrenheit loses more nutrients and loses quality faster than properly frozen food.




The faster food freezes the smaller the ice crystals. The smaller the ice crystals the smaller the change in texture and better quality when thawed."

Meanwhile the reefer box should be held around 34F if possible.
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Old 05-21-2014, 08:24 PM   #12
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I find the tube being partially clogged a interesting problem in itself. . Also I have done a dollar bill check the gasket thing, it's o.k. I'm a hvacr licensed tech. but ammonia systems intrigue? me, if that's the right word? SOOOO... anyway, I ran it on gas...now at -2 freezer, 36 fridge... with thermister hooked up. I guess the electric elements weak?
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Old 05-21-2014, 10:03 PM   #13
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I find the tube being partially clogged a interesting problem in itself. . Also I have done a dollar bill check the gasket thing, it's o.k. I'm a hvacr licensed tech. but ammonia systems intrigue? me, if that's the right word? SOOOO... anyway, I ran it on gas...now at -2 freezer, 36 fridge... with thermister hooked up. I guess the electric elements weak?
Dave
I've never heard of a partially failed calrod but maybe. Certainly the gas has much more "power". I attach a very good primer on Ammonia system. Basically it uses a small flame for heat compared to the heat of compression real reefers use. You'll have a much better understanding of these systems. Written years ago by Dometic for aid in trouble shooting their systems. I think Fred Flintstone had something to do with Ammonia development. Hope its useful to you. They may even discuss how the tubing can plug with rust and components of refrigerant break down.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Dometic.pdf (2.25 MB, 52 views)
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Old 05-29-2014, 06:16 PM   #14
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Smile

Well, changed out the element and all is well. temps are down ehere they belong, actually same gas or electric. Thanks for the education on ammonia systems, simplicity at it's best. Sure different than dealing with seer18 a/c!
Dave
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