REFRIGERATOR DOMETIC cools exellent on electric but not on gas. Why?
HOTSIEKNOTSIE said
09:49 PM Oct 12, 2010
This is my first time. I am from Holland, have my own camper and travelling a long time severall months per year through CA and the USA. So I have to introduce myself and the name HOTSIEKNOTSIE which I also have on the back of the camper. The wordt means Rumbling and Shaking (with my Adventure over checkerboard roads)
But, I have a strange problem with my fridge Dometic (actualy many strange problems ) It cools exellent on electric but not on propane. Checked the flame, adjusted the flame to nice blue, on high and low, is on all the time, and does not cool and heats even the fridge!? The exhaust on electric is nice hot and also on gas. Well it slows the heat build-up but eventually I have to switch off the gas. What can I check more. Any debrie, the turbulent generator may be? Any suggestions?
Thanks
Ton
53 Merc said
07:54 AM Oct 13, 2010
Most often failure to cool on gas is attributed to soot buildup in the flue. There is a "twisted metal insert" in the flue that causes better heat transfer. Sadly, the insert also allows soot to build up and restrict flow. Often it can be cleared using an air compressor to blow upward above where the flame would be. Failing that, the flue can be cleared from above with a small brush on a long rod. Good luck and welcome to the best forum on the net. People here will offer assistance in just about any situation. (not too good about loaning money though) LOL
RVKevi said
07:56 PM Oct 13, 2010
Welcome!!
HOTSIEKNOTSIE said
12:18 AM Oct 14, 2010
Thank you. Yes cleaning is the last option I have. The reason I did not think that the problem is in the exhaust pipe, is because the wokkel, the hot airflow reducer, is situated above both heating elements (gas and electric) So electric would be effected as well. I will keep you advised on my progress. (Over 7 months when I return!)
TON said
03:26 PM Jun 12, 2011
Nobody ever give me the right idea. Not with Dometic sales, factory, forum etc. Talking to so many people but nobody had the hint in the good direction. And it is so simple. Its in the book. But because I had a flame I never thought it could be that problem. It is as simple as turn on the the light switch when in the dark or fill the tank. Solution: Clean the gas nozzle! The small hole was clogged a little bit. I unscrewed it and cleaned the hole. Be careful because there is a small Rubidium crystal, the same stone as in your watch with a calibrated hole. The flame is much greater now, stable and the fridge works perfect. Problem solved. And I am so happy!
I also cleaned the chimney with a thick cable from underneath but nothing showed up. From above, to take out the retarder is impossible because the flame retarder is fixed with a wire.
I hope I helped many others.
53 Merc said
04:27 PM Jun 12, 2011
Another thing to consider, install a small fan to assist in the cooling air flow in the back of the frig. This fan can be a small computer case fan, and can be screwed to the wood fram behind the heating elements. As a test, take a small box fan and place it to blow into the louvered opening. Saw one that was duct taped to the outside of the frig. Redneck ingenuity at it's best. If that helps, then the installed fan will probably work well.
RVPAINTER said
07:26 PM Jun 12, 2011
There is an article in Motorhome magazine for June - 2011 that has an article on RV refrigs. Could be helpful
DrMarkFlies said
04:28 PM Aug 11, 2013
If your gas/elec Dometic fridg works on electricity but not on gas, and your burner has a flame.... One more possibility after you check the flue and clean the precision-drilled ruby gas jet (carefully with soap an water and a soft brush and dry completely, perhaps with an acetone wash).... The galvanized metal box that holds the burner on mine had almost invisible splits in the corner so the jet and the burner were not lined up and things were floppy.
Have a look at the gas jet and the burner... they should be directly in line with each other. If not, they should be. Look for hairline cracks in the galvanized steel box that holds the burner, especially in the corners and around the screws. Without time to wait for a new one to arrive, I welded the splits back together and reassembled. Everything is lined up and the fridge works perfectly now.
Terry and Jo said
09:02 PM Aug 11, 2013
Mark,
First of all, welcome to the RV Dreams forums. It is a great site with a lot of folks that appreciate RV'ing and that lifestyle.
However, this thread is over two years old, so I suspect that the original poster has already resolved their refrigerator issue. When preparing to comment on a forum thread, look to the left under the poster's username and avatar and you will see a date. That date was the date the comment was posted. On occasion, it is a good thing to bring one back up-to-date with a comment, but with regard to good "forum etiquette," once a thread gets more than a few weeks old, the only one to update their status would be the original poster.
Please don't take this as criticism, as it is not meant to be that. My comment was to simply help educate folks about forums and how one can tell if it is an old thread or not. We do look forward to additional comments from you and sincerely hope that you jump into the idea of becoming part of this family of folks that are dreamers and livers of the RV lifestyle.
Terry
DrMarkFlies said
01:04 PM Aug 12, 2013
Terry:
TON's old post helped me out because it was searchable. Hopefully my added solution will help someone else, even if they never post a comment.
Mark
Terry and Jo said
02:49 PM Aug 12, 2013
Mark,
I'm positive that your comment will be helpful to folks here that may be having issues with their refrigerators, so I did nothing in the way of removing your comment. However, many times we see people make comments that add nothing to the information that would be beneficial to the "conversation" on the thread. A lot of times, Howard would prefer that we start a new thread with the information rather than "revive" an older one. I guess part of the reason could be that a new comment brings back an old thread and many folks never look at the dates of the postings, thus out of date information can be brought back to the attention of readers that could actually confuse them.
However, we are glad you are with us and willing to help all of us with your knowledge and ideas. It is a great thing because we all tend to learn from each other. For that reason, I thank you for your comment about the refrigerator. If others are like me, they are "copy and pasting" information from the forums into a document to store on the computer for future reference.
Terry
sunshells said
07:30 PM Aug 29, 2013
Thank you so much for this posting. We have a 2006 Dometic 2652 that died after a work trip over a very rough oilfield road breaking the welds on the back of the fridge and losing it's coolant. Bought a used 2652 off Kijiji. Got it installed and it cooled fine on electric but not on propane. After 3 days of confusion trying to figure it out, taking parts off the old fridge and swapping them with no result, I found this forum and your posting. Had the man read it and he followed your instructions with not a lot of hope. This morning he reinstalled the jet and away she went. You were so right. Thank you.
DrMarkFlies said
10:00 PM Aug 30, 2013
Terry... understand. Thanks for the validation.
Sunshells... cool (literally).
The wordt means Rumbling and Shaking (with my Adventure over checkerboard roads)
But, I have a strange problem with my fridge Dometic (actualy many strange problems ) It cools exellent on electric but not on propane. Checked the flame, adjusted the flame to nice blue, on high and low, is on all the time, and does not cool and heats even the fridge!? The exhaust on electric is nice hot and also on gas. Well it slows the heat build-up but eventually I have to switch off the gas. What can I check more. Any debrie, the turbulent generator may be? Any suggestions?
Thanks
Ton
And it is so simple. Its in the book. But because I had a flame I never thought it could be that problem.
It is as simple as turn on the the light switch when in the dark or fill the tank.
Solution:
Clean the gas nozzle! The small hole was clogged a little bit. I unscrewed it and cleaned the hole.
Be careful because there is a small Rubidium crystal, the same stone as in your watch with a calibrated hole.
The flame is much greater now, stable and the fridge works perfect. Problem solved. And I am so happy!
I also cleaned the chimney with a thick cable from underneath but nothing showed up.
From above, to take out the retarder is impossible because the flame retarder is fixed with a wire.
I hope I helped many others.
If your gas/elec Dometic fridg works on electricity but not on gas, and your burner has a flame.... One more possibility after you check the flue and clean the precision-drilled ruby gas jet (carefully with soap an water and a soft brush and dry completely, perhaps with an acetone wash).... The galvanized metal box that holds the burner on mine had almost invisible splits in the corner so the jet and the burner were not lined up and things were floppy.
Have a look at the gas jet and the burner... they should be directly in line with each other. If not, they should be. Look for hairline cracks in the galvanized steel box that holds the burner, especially in the corners and around the screws. Without time to wait for a new one to arrive, I welded the splits back together and reassembled. Everything is lined up and the fridge works perfectly now.
Mark,
First of all, welcome to the RV Dreams forums. It is a great site with a lot of folks that appreciate RV'ing and that lifestyle.
However, this thread is over two years old, so I suspect that the original poster has already resolved their refrigerator issue. When preparing to comment on a forum thread, look to the left under the poster's username and avatar and you will see a date. That date was the date the comment was posted. On occasion, it is a good thing to bring one back up-to-date with a comment, but with regard to good "forum etiquette," once a thread gets more than a few weeks old, the only one to update their status would be the original poster.
Please don't take this as criticism, as it is not meant to be that. My comment was to simply help educate folks about forums and how one can tell if it is an old thread or not. We do look forward to additional comments from you and sincerely hope that you jump into the idea of becoming part of this family of folks that are dreamers and livers of the RV lifestyle.
Terry
TON's old post helped me out because it was searchable. Hopefully my added solution will help someone else, even if they never post a comment.
Mark
Mark,
I'm positive that your comment will be helpful to folks here that may be having issues with their refrigerators, so I did nothing in the way of removing your comment. However, many times we see people make comments that add nothing to the information that would be beneficial to the "conversation" on the thread. A lot of times, Howard would prefer that we start a new thread with the information rather than "revive" an older one. I guess part of the reason could be that a new comment brings back an old thread and many folks never look at the dates of the postings, thus out of date information can be brought back to the attention of readers that could actually confuse them.
However, we are glad you are with us and willing to help all of us with your knowledge and ideas. It is a great thing because we all tend to learn from each other. For that reason, I thank you for your comment about the refrigerator. If others are like me, they are "copy and pasting" information from the forums into a document to store on the computer for future reference.
Terry
Thank you so much for this posting. We have a 2006 Dometic 2652 that died after a work trip over a very rough oilfield road breaking the welds on the back of the fridge and losing it's coolant. Bought a used 2652 off Kijiji. Got it installed and it cooled fine on electric but not on propane. After 3 days of confusion trying to figure it out, taking parts off the old fridge and swapping them with no result, I found this forum and your posting. Had the man read it and he followed your instructions with not a lot of hope. This morning he reinstalled the jet and away she went. You were so right. Thank you.
Sunshells... cool (literally).
Mark