Hi Curtis. I have a Dometic and the ignitor will not stop even after the burner has been lit for over 5 mins. Any suggestions?

If it is a newer fridge it is one if two things. The ignitor element or the circuit board it plugs into. I would go with the ignitor, especially if there are signs of heat damage to the wire near the ceramic part. The ignitor acts as a thermocouple and tells the circuit board the flame is lit. Basically the circuit board isn't getting the message from the ignitor but there is a chance that the circuit board can't receive the message too. The igniter is a $20 item and the circuit board around $75.

I have a 2014 Dometic RM2353 3 way fridge,all 3 ways that up and work fine. The fridge will get cold,and then warm up and stop cooling. The heating elements and the propane still work,but it stops cooling. Any tips?

If all 3 ways create heat the only thing left as I know it is lack of circulation. It would be rare, and unfortunate, for a fridge of that age to have its cooling unit plugged up. It might be the thermostat but you will need an RV tech to diagnose more accurately electronic issues.

Thank you for the response Curtis. I did take the fridge out and turned it over a few times,I could hear the cooling unit "gurgle ". I ran it for 3 days plugged into the 120 volt, and it was better than ever. I installed it back into my RV and ran it on propane for a day,and it was great. I turned it off for a day,and then it would get cool,and then stop cooling.

That pretty well confirms That the cooling unit has sludge in it and is plugging up stopping circulation.

Just wanted to say that this article saved me a lot of money. Turns out a mud dauber tried making a home in the burner. Problem solved in a matter of minutes. Thank you for the valuable information.

I'm really glad I was able to help! Happy travels!

I have a gooseneck living quarter horse trailer, brand new last year, with a Dometic fridge/freezer. I had issues with the furnace last fall and had to have the board replaced (under warranty) this spring. This past weekend I was camping off the grid, and the fridge will not work on propane. I turn it on, the gas light is lit, sounds like the pilot light is trying to light and then the check light comes on. Stove, water heater and furnace are working great, propane tanks are full, batteries are at a full charge. Works great on electric, ended up having to run the generator to keep the stuff in the freezer from thawing.
I have a email into the RV service center and am waiting to hear back, thinking I'll have to take it in for service, but wondering if there is anything I can check on my own. Thanks

I have a Domenic refrigerator of similar vintage That had the same issue. If you can hear the igniter going click click click odds are the problem is the probe that ignites the burner. It is a $20 item that is easily Replaced. The Gray wire that is attached to the probe seems to have a tendency to burn and char Where it enters the probe losing connection. It is likely you could get a replacement at any RV dealership and with nothing more than a philips screwdriver to open up the shielding around the burner you can easily replace said probe. If there is no click click click indicating that it is trying to ignite then the problem is likely the circuit board which is a More expensive item but is still available on eBay.

I'm thinking it should still be under warranty, the trailer is only 15 month old. It clicks once, that I can hear. I don't hear multiples. Thanks for your response, I've had a few issues with the trailer to date.. several, and a few recalls as well.

You are correct, if the refrigerator is less than 2 years old it is still under warranty.

Curtis, we purchased a 1971 Dodge Superior Coach a couple days ago. It needs some work but is in pretty good condition considering how long it has been sitting. The fridge is a Dometic. It works but the area where the seals meet the fridge and freezer has rusted and the seals are hard and have rust all over them. How hard is it to change out the seals and would we be able to paint that area after sanding and it seal right? Right now the doors will not close all the way. The previous owner duct taped the doors closed when it was in motion. Whatever latch was there to keep them closed is gone but I figure that is an easy fix. I'm just wanting to know basically if we can repair it or would we need a professional to do it and would that be cheaper than replacing it? Attached pics for reference. There is a place on the inside of the door that was broken also not sure if that would effect the working of the fridge at all or not. Thank you in advance for your advice. https://uploads.disquscdn.c...https://uploads.disquscdn.c...https://uploads.disquscdn.c...https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

The fact that a refrigerator that old is still functioning is a miracle in itself. Finding exact parts such as door seals May be impossible. The cost of labor to have a professional do the work would be exorbitant and quickly would go well beyond the value of the refrigerator. That said replacing the refrigerator is also going to be an expensive option. I recommend you take on the repairs as a do-it-yourself project. I see no reason why you can't Sand down the rust and coat it with a rust stopping chemical. Then repaint as you see fit. If the rubber gasket is not sealing the doors look for something that will do the job. Same with the door latch I'm sure you can find something at the hardware store that will function for you. It is very hard to judge how much longer the refrigerator will continue to function because the average life expectancy is maybe 15 or 20 years at the Max. It is already running on borrowed time.

we had the norcold on for a full day not level and now the refrig doesn't get cold. fuse ok, power ok gas ok. can we clear the ammonia that might be blocking the system?

Ammonia does not block the system. Ammonia is the coolant that circulates through the system. If you smell ammonia it means you're cooling unit has ruptured and your refrigerator is toast. If your RV was very unlevel there is the possibility that you damaged it. If it was running on gas the heat of the flame had to go somewhere and it may have Burnt something. If leveling the RV and trying to restart the refrigerator does not work you will need to take it to an RV dealer to have it checked out. If you smell ammonia don't waste your money, The refrigerator is toast.

A few months ago we bought a used Jayco and it has a 2016 Jayco Norcold811 refrigerator. We have been on two small camping trips with hookups and the fridge/freezer worked fine. We are now on a long RV trip on the coast in San Diego and are experiencing problems. We live in the desert, We started the fridge a few days before our trip and all seemed well. Now that we are settled in a very humid area, we are experiencing freezer problems. The bottom half of the freezer is keeping everything frozen. However, the top half (about 5 inches) is not keeping things frozen. Ice trays melted. There is a lot of condensation and frost along the back of freezer. Condensation is on roof of freezer and on door . Can you please advise?

It appears you may have a temperature control issue. Because the unit is newer it would be unlikely that the cooling unit is failing. Electronic issues are best diagnosed by a qualified RV tech.

We have a Domestic Rv refrigerator that doesnt get cold on neither electric or gas. The coil in the back gets hot and we can hear it gurgling, but fridge stays warm. We've checked the plug, it's correct. There's no punctures We kept it plugged in for overnight but no results. Any suggestions? I read below that someone turned their fridge upside down.

Yes if it is on older fridge, 15 plus years, likely the tubes have become plugged with silt. Sometimes turning the fridge upside down dislodged the silt and it may start circulating again. If it is a newer fridge it might be an electronic issue that an rv dealer can diagnose.

Curtis,

I need your help and diagnosis. My Dometic fridge is not working. It is a 2011 Wildwood. There is no light above the fridge that shows AUTO or CHECK. The fuse box is good, the AC and microwave works. Electrical appears to work in the RV so I can isolate it to just the fridge. For now I have the button setting to access the gas use since there might be an electrical issue with the fridge. What’s your thoughts?

First of all do you have the 12 volt battery hooked up and charged. You need 12v for the panel to lite up. It wont-work on gas or 110 V if there is no 12 volts present. Did you check the fuses with a test light or just look at them? If the fuses are good go to the back side of the refrigerator and check for both 12 V and 110 V with a Volt meter. Until you have done all this you have not isolated the problem has being the refrigerator. Note the 110 V circuits are protected by circuit breakers and 12 V circuits are protected by fuses. If there is No 110 V present at the back of the refrigerator be sure to check your ground fault interrupter breakers.

The batteries have been hooked up and charged for a few years and have not been disrupted. The connection to a landline electrical outlet has not been disrupted. I checked the fuse by looking at them since I don’t have any device to check for electrical currents. Is it possible that I may need a new 12V marine battery? This looks like I may need a technician to check it out since I don’t have any device to check the currents.

Does the furnice work? Does the water pump turn on? If those work odds are the battery is not the problem. I would recommend go find a buddy that works on cars he will know enough about 12 V to be able to determine if you have power. Rv technicians cost upwards of a $150 an hour these days. You should be able to determine if you have power to the refrigerator before you get involved with an RV technician.

Well, we did the upside down thing over night. Plugged it in. Left it all day. All it does is gurgle and run like its working...but still not cold. Any other suggestions?

Look for a replacement.

hello. we have a Dometic Fridge in our 2008 Mandalay and we had to replace the light switch in it, everything else was working fine. Until the 2 wires touched, then the lights across the top went out and we can not get the fridge to come back on. We have checked the fuses and they all are good. Not sure what else we can check. Any suggesetions?

More than likely it is a fuse somewhere. Besides the 12v fuse panel for the RV there may be a fuse located on the circuit board of the fridge. I can't tell you which models of refrigerators had such a fuse, but I do know it was common years back. you might also check the circuit breakers as there is also a 120v circuit in your fridge as well. There is also the chance that your RV manufacturer installed an inline fuse for the fridge possibly located on the back of the fridge accessed through the outside panel.

I have a norcold n 811, the freezer is working fine but the fridge is not working at all . ive tested the thermister with a ohm meter and thats fine. im lost on what to do next

On older refrigerators when they start to fail That is generally how they go. The freezer gets the coolant 1st and what is left goes to the refrigerator and if the refrigerator tubes are starting to become blocked Then circulation starts to fail. That said the same symptoms can happen with Electronic problems as well. The only way to find out is to have a qualified technician address the issue.

Hi Curtis,
I have a Norcold 3 way fridge for my small teardrop trailer (Littleguy T@B). When we purchased it 2 years ago, the fridge would work on 12v when we relocated to another location (i.e., while driving). The fridge works fine on shore power. In the last 3 months the truck does not seem to be generating enough electricity to charge the battery and keep it charged in the trailer to get us to the next location with a cold fridge. What should I be checking to see if I can get this capability working again?
Thanks...michaeljdsutton@gmail.com

12 V operation places an extremely high drain on the battery. Much better to run on propane while traveling. You're driving habits may have changed or the battery is aging.

Hi, I have a Dometic DM2652 fridge that is in our 2011 Keystone Bullet 230BHS. We purchased this used last year toward the end of the summer and everything worked great. AC worked (always used AC at sites) and Propane worked as well. The last camping trip that we went on, the Fridge and Freezer were working correctly when we left and then at the campsite the fridge stopped cooling, but the freezer keep cold. Since this was the last camping trip of the year, I thought I would deal with it the next year.

Flash forward to this year and the same issue. Checked all the components on the AC Board, 120 on board, 12VDC to the board, fuses in tact, 240 to the Heating Element, proper resistance on the heating element, also, when submerged in ice water, the thermister read 8-9K Ohms (which I read is correct). Element was hot to the touch, but the coils in the back of fridge would not heat.

I turned the unit to Gas after cleaning and everything worked fine. I switched it over to AC and it continued to work fine for a few days until yesterday. Switched it back to propane to get it cold again.

Any suggestions? Do I just need to run it on propane to get it super cold and then put on AC?

Thanks

It takes heat to create a percolating action in the tubes. Since you don't feel much heat I'm going bet the heating element is the problem.

Curtis,

Thank you for your response. The heater element would need to work in order for the propane to work still correct? The propane works and the heater element / coils do warm. Also, on electric, the heater element part / piece that goes up are extrememly warm when running on electric.

Thanks

1st as a qualifier I will say that I am not a technician just a knowledgeable many year RV owner. That said, The electrical operation has no bearing on the propane operation and a bad heating element would not prevent the fridge From working properly on propane. If the heating element itself is getting very warm... Hot, there is a possibility it has shifted somehow from its proper location or that something from above has dropped down and is interfering With where the heat should be concentrating . Just an educated guess because I have not personally disassembled that area of refrigerators. I Have not had a heating element go bad up to this point.

I have a 1971 Traveler Security camper, was bought, stored in a warehouse, with a refrigerator that was never used, ever. Its like brand new, no rust, no burn marks, inside immaculate, condensing unit looks like it was installed yesterday. However, i hooked up power 120vac which the camper never even had before also, and the refrigerator came on, https://uploads.disquscdn.c... Has very light gurgling sound BUT!! all it does is make everything warm. Inside and outside tubes/fins all just get warm. Let it run for 4+ hours, nothing got cold. Outside temps were 48 to 55

Gurgling is a good sound And heat on the Tubes/fins is also good sign. Sometimes it may take as long as 24 hours for a refrigerator to cool and A refrigerator with stuff in it cools faster. Try loading it up with bottled water or pop or beer and see what it does.

Hey Curtis, I noticed you mentioned you were diabetic. I am a type one diabetic who is completely insulin dependent. What is the best way to ensure an rv fridge continues to stay cool to keep my insulin cold? if living in it full time-Can i run it all of the time? is that doable? I am planning to get a newer model-most likely a 2012-2014 winnebago travato. any help is so appreciated, I have no idea what to expect/prepare for.

Absolutly, yes you can run your refrigerator continuously. I live full time In a 24' travel trailer and rely on my RV refrigerator to store my insulin. If you are staying in an RV park run the refrigerator on AC and if There is a power failure it will automatically switch to propane. When traveling it should be equally as reliable when running strictly on propane.

You insulin dependent diabetics might want to keep as much reusable blue ice pieces in the freezer that you can fit in, to move to the refrigerator section in case of a problem with it. Also, you can get wired or wireless dual refrigerator/freezer thermometers with audible alarms online (E-Bay or Amazon). I use 2 of the larger blue ice pieces daily during the near 100 degree California summer days. Into the refrigerator at noon, back to the freezer at bedtime. If you have a towable RV, you can even monitor the refrigerator/freezer temperatures in your tow vehicle with a wireless monitoring system when towing by moving the readout there when travelling.

That's a good idea for a backup protection for insulin.

I have a 1971 Traveler Security camper, was bought, stored in a warehouse, with a refrigerator that was never used, ever. Its like brand new, no rust, no burn marks, inside immaculate, condensing unit looks like it was installed yesterday. However, i hooked up power 120vac which the camper never even had before also, and the refrigerator came on,

Has very light gurgling sound BUT!! all it does is make everything warm. Inside and outside tubes/fins all just get warm. Let it run for 4+ hours, nothing got cold. Outside temps were 48 to 55 https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

Clean as a whistle doesn't mean much on a refrigerator that is 47 years old. Unfortunately the usual failure in older rv fridges is the coating inside the cooling unit breaks down and settles as a silt in the bottom of the coils blocking circulation. Without proper percolation there will be no cooling. Labor rates and parts cost make it impractical to repair such an issue. The cooling unit would have to be replaced. To confirm the cooling unit is the problem try both propane and electric operation. If you have similar results it is most likely the cooling unit is bad.

Any idea where I can get a cooling unit to over haul this one with.

It is unlikely you will be able to find a cooling unit for a refrigerator that old. Beyond doing a search on Google For remanufactured cooling units I would have no idea where to start looking.

Would this be why it gets warm outside and inside? seems to get warm on every tubing area, about 95 degrees in 48 degree outside temps. If you listen carefully, you hear it peculating / gurgling faintly. Not one ounce of corrosion or even paint flaking on the back coils, looking in the heating tube area with a camera its spotless too.

Clean won't help if the tubes are plugged from silt.

I took it out, turned it upside down, shook it a little, and then set it on the slab indoors and let it sit over 4 hours upright. After 2 hours plugged back in now its cooling. Freezer has frost in it now.

Great! The more you use it the better the chances are that the silt will not resettle. It may work for years or it may stop working tomorrow. It's hard to say, good luck I hope It keeps working for you.