Dometic Freezer Icing Over

[Hudgen]

We have a 2017 Forest River Surveyor 251RKS with a Dometic refrig mod #DM2652 and seem to be having an icing issue. The freezer door top starts icing first then everything in the freezer starts frosting over. It takes about 3 days and everything has solid frost.

Refer to attached pic on how freezer door top starts icing over. Does anyone have a solution or a suggestion?

[Hudgen]

Also forgot to ask, is there any adjustment that can be made to the door to make it close tighter . . . Anyone know?

[madmaxmutt]

You can look in your manual and see if your model has a 12V DC and 110V AC door heater/defroster. The switch could be off, a fuse could have blown for that or it could be disconnected behind the light fixture.

[Mountndream]

following as I have the same issue

[kayo]

I would check the gasket on both the freezer and the refrigerator. If you hold piece of paper on the gasket in several places, and close either one of the doors . you should not be able to pull the paper out. If so, just replace the gasket. Not a big job.

[Walholler]

I would think that you have a gasket problem also. Our Dometic fridge does not have the heater, but we never get an icing condition either.

[KayleysMom]

Originally Posted by Hudgen

We have a 2017 Forest River Surveyor 251RKS with a Dometic refrig mod #DM2652 and seem to be having an icing issue. The freezer door top starts icing first then everything in the freezer starts frosting over. It takes about 3 days and everything has solid frost.

Refer to attached pic on how freezer door top starts icing over. Does anyone have a solution or a suggestion?

I am so glad you asked this question. We have a 2017 Forester Class C 2861DS with the same refrigerator model and ours does the same thing. We just returned from a 3 day trip and the picture you posted looks just like ours after 1 day. By day three the entire back wall of the freezer was covered with frost. We turned the fridge off when we got home but I was going to start it again and get pictures to post here along with the same question you asked . You have saved me the trouble - thank you!

I did as Kayo suggested and tried the paper test and the paper pulls out easily on both the freezer and refrigerator doors.

I have sent an email to Dometic and will update this thread when/if I receive a reply.

[KayleysMom]

I heard back from Dometic. This is their response:

Sandy,

Thank you for contacting Dometic. There may be an air leak with the gaskets, We would recommend closing a dollar in the door, if it slides out easily there may be an air leak which is allowing moisture and air inside increasing the frost that builds up. I have attached information for rejuvenating the gaskets. If this does not resolve the issue, a service center would need to inspect that unit. Local service centers/dealers may be located at www.dometic.com or if you would like to provide a city and state we can provide a list for you.



We appreciate this opportunity to address your situation and hope all of your future travels are trouble free. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time to order parts or for further assistance.

[Hudgen]

Sandy - I just received the same email from Dometic. I tried the paper/dollar bill test with no resistance at all on both doors. Guess I need new gaskets and this refrig is only 6 months old!

[KayleysMom]

Originally Posted by Hudgen

Sandy - I just received the same email from Dometic. I tried the paper/dollar bill test with no resistance at all on both doors. Guess I need new gaskets and this refrig is only 6 months old!

Same results here on the dollar bill/paper test. We picked our unit up in January and used the fridge (other than a brief testing for the PDI) for the first time earlier this week. We are trying the "rejuvenation" process now.

[Hudgen]

What's the rejuvenation process? Haven't read about this . . .

[KayleysMom]

Originally Posted by Hudgen

What's the rejuvenation process? Haven't read about this . . .

It was suggested in the email I received from Dometic. Please see post #8 in this thread above.

I'll post back whether it makes any difference or not......

[Hudgen]

Am I missing something? I did read " I have attached information for rejuvenating the gaskets" but that's all I see. Was this process discussed somewhere because I can't find the attachment?

[SidecarFlip]

Originally Posted by KayleysMom

I heard back from Dometic. This is their response:

Sandy,

Thank you for contacting Dometic. There may be an air leak with the gaskets, We would recommend closing a dollar in the door, if it slides out easily there may be an air leak which is allowing moisture and air inside increasing the frost that builds up. I have attached information for rejuvenating the gaskets. If this does not resolve the issue, a service center would need to inspect that unit. Local service centers/dealers may be located at www.dometic.com or if you would like to provide a city and state we can provide a list for you.



We appreciate this opportunity to address your situation and hope all of your future travels are trouble free. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time to order parts or for further assistance.

Your link does nothing but direct you to their general site. However, I learned a trick some years back with loose gaskets on a fridge allowing air inside..

You buy some small diameter closed cell foam pipe insulation and insert it between the gasket and the fridge door and let it sit a few days (fridge off of course) and then remove it. The foam will cause the gasket to 'pucker up' and seal the fridge again and it's doable more than once.

The gaskets take a 'set' after a while so the foam pipe wrap 'rejuvenates' the gasket so it will seal. Done it more than once over the years.

Works for your home fridge too.

I've even left the foam in place under the gasket (if you can fine small enough diameter pipe wrap and shut the door.

I looked all over the Dometic site and could not find zip about gaskets or rejuvenation.

[KayleysMom]

I'm sorry Hudgen, when I look at my post #8 I see the actual directions for rejuvenation, not just a link so I thought everyone could see them. That is weird.

Can you see this one?

[KayleysMom]

SidecarFlip, thank you for this additional information. When you use the pipe insulation and insert it between the gasket and the fridge door and let it sit a few days, do you leave the doors open or closed?

We tried the rejuvenation process. We did not have cotton balls so used paper towels folded over several times and placed them in several spots between the gasket and the refrigerator and freezer door and then closed the doors and left them closed overnight. We removed the paper towels and have restarted the refrigerator and will post back with the results.

In case the Gasket Rejuvenation instructions I received from Dometic still didn't show, I have typed them below:

1) Defrost the refrigerator completely.
2) Use a hair dryer to warm the problem areas. Squish the gasket using your hand as a guide to prevent melting.
3) Once the gasket is pliable, pull away from the frame and push cotton balls into the valley you have created.
4) Shut the doors and leave closed for 4 to 5 hours, allowing the magnet to pull back close to the frame.

[SidecarFlip]

I leave the door open (fridge is off) and it's warm inside (fridge and camper). My gasket is not magnetic far as I can tell. I have a single door Dometic 3 way.

[KayleysMom]

Well, the Rejuvenation Process as instructed by Dometic was a failure. Frost reappeared along the inside top of the freezer. I'm going to try again using SidecarFlip's method of leaving the doors open.

I'll be back with results!