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Old 10-21-2009, 05:52 AM   #1
simonsrf
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Possible Refrigerator Problem

I recently noticed that food was going bad quickly in our Dometic model RM 2862 refrigerator.

I placed an internal thermometer in the refrigerator and found that it was at 49 degrees (after opening the door several times during meal preparation) when the coldness selector was set at 3 and on electricity. I advanced the selector to 5 (coldest) and waited overnight. The temperature is only at 35 degrees, which is acceptable, but does this mean something is going out, or something is wrong here?

According to Charlie's website, I can purchase a new cooling unit for $490. Is this something that is easy to replace?..or, do I need a skilled technician?

Any suggestions on whether or not this is a problem?
 
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Old 10-21-2009, 06:44 AM   #2
Tom S.
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When you say 35 degrees, are you talking about the refrigerator or the freezer? For the fridge, that's plenty, for the freezer, it's not. We leave ours at the highest setting all the time. Someone else noted here that each opening of the door causes the refrigerator to have to work an extra hour to re stabilize the temps, so that may have been your problem. Also, where is the white plastic slide gizmo (technical term!) on the cooling fins? Up is colder, down is warmer.
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Old 10-21-2009, 07:04 AM   #3
simonsrf
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Tom S.

When you say 35 degrees, are you talking about the refrigerator or the freezer? For the fridge, that's plenty, for the freezer, it's not. We leave ours at the highest setting all the time. Someone else noted here that each opening of the door causes the refrigerator to have to work an extra hour to re stabilize the temps, so that may have been your problem. Also, where is the white plastic slide gizmo (technical term!) on the cooling fins? Up is colder, down is warmer.
Tom,
I'm talking about the refrigerator. The freezer seems to be working fine, the food is frozen. My understanding is that the best temperature is between 33 and 40 degrees...or at least that is what the internet told me.

Yes opening the door could very well be a big part of the problem. We have been using coldness level 3 for 3 years, that is the dillema I am trying to figure out...wonder if it is going bad?

Here is a picture of the white plastic gizmo thing on the fins. It looks pretty low, and I don't see any way of getting the white wire to extend to be able to put the gizmo any higher on the fin. (?)



Right now, the cooling is within specs, but I wonder if it is going bad.
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Old 10-21-2009, 08:34 AM   #4
Drifty1
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Are you running on gas or elect? My refer works a little better on gas. I installed a indoor out thermometer and mounted it by my furnace thermostat. This way I can watch whats going on inside.
Photos link http://picasaweb.google.com/Drifty1/...59208783394066
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Old 10-21-2009, 08:50 AM   #5
SlickWillie
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I put very little faith in moving that plastic up or down to make a significant change in temperature. In fact, if I slide ours, the plastic moves, and the thermistor stays in the same position, just sliding in the plastic clip. I'm not gonna call BS on it yet, as I have seen that all over the RV forums. I do intend to do some testing on that theory tho. I think the aluminum fins will be colder nearer the bottom of the freezer, which makes me believe moving the thermistor up will actually raise the fridge temperature if anything. I know the top area of the fins is what forms ice first.

Dometic has a trouble shooting guide in their PDF instruction booklets. If the fridge is running at higher temps, in basically the same type outside temp, something has undoubtedly changed. I don't think that indicates cooling unit failure though. From what I have seen, when the unit goes, it goes, with no cooling at all. Might take a look at the PDF for that unit and look at the trouble shooting guide.
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Old 10-21-2009, 09:22 AM   #6
simonsrf
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Larry, I use a digital remote thermometer in my freezer very similar to yours, we do lots of boondocking, and the thermometer is a must to be able to monitor the freezer. I just moved the sending unit from the freezer to the refrigerator.....it says 36* in pic below, but that is when the fridge is set to 5, the coldest available.



I have tried both propane and electricity in the last couple of days, and there is no significant difference as far as I can tell....yes, we still have to open and close the door...so, getting something accurate is next to impossible without eating or drinking.

Will, that is pretty much what I thought, once it goes, it goes and there is no cooling. I will look into the PDF and see if their troubleshooting advice helps. If anyone else wants it, here is a link to the manual...LINK

Thank you all for your help.
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Old 10-21-2009, 09:24 AM   #7
Tom S.
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I know as much about refrigerators as I do brain surgery, so take that in to consideration when reading my post!

Having said that and thinking about your post, food doesn't normally spoil in a day, which would rule out the opening door too much unless you were doing it constantly around the clock. How is the seal around the door? If you notice any moisture near the seal, it's an indication it is not sealing properly. Also, have you put the setting back on #3 and checked the temps with thermometer?

EDIT! I do know that low refigerant will cause warmer temps too. Maybe it has a small leak?
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Old 10-21-2009, 09:33 AM   #8
SlickWillie
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If it operates the same on gas and electric, that rules out most of the troubleshooting tips. What about the roof vent? Suppose some way a critter has tried to nest in there? Seems I saw a post one time where insulation had fallen down blocking vent air flow. What I am thinking is the symptoms sound very similar to operation in extremely hot weather, where a fan in the roof vent helps.
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Old 10-21-2009, 09:33 AM   #9
Drifty1
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I have see mine run up to 40-42 when we put some new items in the refer, But I think our runs in the 34-36 range most of the time. I have RM2852 and the temp is factory set as far as I know. My plastic gismo is set in the middle of the fins. Have you checked the exhaust stack to make sure something isn't nesting in there?
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Old 10-21-2009, 10:08 AM   #10
ole dude
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For whats its worth, my ref was acting up recently, a little too warm in the ref section. Slid the sensor up a bit, did no good. Had always had the selector on 3, soooo, moved up to 4 for a few days, no improvement, sooooo, moved up to 5 for a few days, not much better.. Now have the selector set on 2, yes tu, er two, holding 38 degrees unless door is opened a bunch. Go figure, no, I don't have a clue why. A buddy of mine went through the same senario and ended up on 2 also. Just my 2 cents. I guess if a question were asked, is the fan outside in the ref section coming on some times, and/or do you have a fan ?
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Old 10-21-2009, 02:23 PM   #11
8.1al
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A couple good points there Robbie, if your fridge is in the slide they depend on a fan for good air circulation when temps rise so make sure this is working and make sure there are no obstructions. Just a spider web can make a difference
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Old 10-21-2009, 05:55 PM   #12
8.1al
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http://www.rvcoolingunit.net/servlet/StoreFront
Claims you can do it yourself with no special tools and say they will email you the instructions to read before you decide to try it. If I remember correctly someone on the forum did this themselves and said it wasn't too bad. They also offer troubleshooting help. Hey Robbie, if you can limp along till Quartzsite we can all learn on your fridge. What a great show & tell
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Old 10-22-2009, 05:16 AM   #13
Rondo
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Robbie-- Didn't read all of the posts here but in your picture the slide whatchamacallit was low on the fin so that would mean it will not cool as well as it could! Slide the slide up to the top of the fin and see if that takes care of it! As posted by others I'm not refer expert but that's what I had to do to get mine to cool down better also. Let us know what comes out of this!
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Old 10-22-2009, 08:49 AM   #14
IAMontana
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The fan is a possibility and so is the thermistor its self it could be going bad. there is a way to test it. but for a $12 part I would just replace it.
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Old 10-22-2009, 11:28 AM   #15
skypilot
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Not sure if your refer is in the slide or not but on my rig (with refer in slide), insulation had fallen down from the top and blocked the little fan. The RV dealer removed / replaced the insulation where it needed to be and actually added a larger fan (went from what looks like a 1 inch CPU fan to a 5 inch computer case fan - still 12 volts). Now the unit will freeze stuff in the refer side.
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Old 10-22-2009, 05:44 PM   #16
firetrucker
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Robbie, make sure the low ambient switch has not gotten turned on. It will cause the light to stay on when the door is closed so that the refrigerator will not freeze up on you when you're in low temperatures. That could cause the temperature to be higher and the fridge to take longer to cool down.

Bob
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Old 10-23-2009, 04:02 AM   #17
SlickWillie
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by firetrucker

Robbie, make sure the low ambient switch has not gotten turned on. It will cause the light to stay on when the door is closed so that the refrigerator will not freeze up on you when you're in low temperatures. That could cause the temperature to be higher and the fridge to take longer to cool down.

Bob
We have the same fridge as Robbie, and I don't think it has the low ambient switch on it. It apparently is on some of the other models. I looked over the schematic, and didn't notice one, but perhaps it has a built in sensor somewhere. Might pull the bulb to check and see if that could be the problem.

I checked the temperature of the aluminum fins on the evaporator in our fridge, and there is no difference in temperature in the upper and lower part of the fin. I see no way that sliding that plastic clip is going to make any significant change in temperature in the fridge (even if the thermistor slides with it). Only way it would make a difference is if you slide it to a warmer area that would make the unit run longer. I'm gonna call BS on that theory until I'm proven wrong. JMHO
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Old 10-23-2009, 04:46 AM   #18
Tom S.
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by SlickWillie

Quote:
quote:Originally posted by firetrucker

Robbie, make sure the low ambient switch has not gotten turned on. It will cause the light to stay on when the door is closed so that the refrigerator will not freeze up on you when you're in low temperatures. That could cause the temperature to be higher and the fridge to take longer to cool down.

Bob
We have the same fridge as Robbie, and I don't think it has the low ambient switch on it. It apparently is on some of the other models. I looked over the schematic, and didn't notice one, but perhaps it has a built in sensor somewhere. Might pull the bulb to check and see if that could be the problem.

I checked the temperature of the aluminum fins on the evaporator in our fridge, and there is no difference in temperature in the upper and lower part of the fin. I see no way that sliding that plastic clip is going to make any significant change in temperature in the fridge (even if the thermistor slides with it). Only way it would make a difference is if you slide it to a warmer area that would make the unit run longer. I'm gonna call BS on that theory until I'm proven wrong. JMHO
You are correct about the fins, but I think it is working off the ambient air temp. Since warm air rises, sliding the gizmo up puts it in warmer air - at least in theory - and tells the refrigerator it needs to be cooler.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it...
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Old 10-23-2009, 05:24 AM   #19
SlickWillie
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[quote]quote:Originally posted by Tom S.

Quote:
You are correct about the fins, but I think it is working off the ambient air temp. Since warm air rises, sliding the gizmo up puts it in warmer air - at least in theory - and tells the refrigerator it needs to be cooler.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it...
Tom, I agree with you on the theory, but...the coldest air in the fridge is right around the fins. You might make .5 or even a degrees difference by moving the thermistor, but nothing of significance.

Firetrucker brought up something that interests me with the ambient temperature switch. DW once decided a nice place for a stick of margarine would be on top of the light. Well, you can guess what happened. Margarine all down the side of the fridge, plus in the light. I thought we had failed to close the door good, but I'm wondering if the model we have has a sensor somewhere to detect cold outside air, and turned the light on. We have stayed in the RV in East TX in temps below 20*. I'm gonna have to look farther into that.
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Old 10-23-2009, 05:58 AM   #20
simonsrf
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Ok, to further the mystery, yesterday morning before leaving for the day, the thermometer said it was 38*. We left for the day, came back in the evening and opened the fridge just a couple of times. This morning, I checked the thermometer, it was at 33*...Yikes! I put it back to temperature selector level 4 from 5. Now, I hope it was just all in my imagination, and leaving the door open to much....not sure.

Where we are parked, the weather has been in the 70's and 80's, so I don't think the temperature is part of the factor. I checked the insulation near the fan, it all looks like it should. The gizmo on the fan.....on mine, there is no way to move the gizmo, the wire just isn't long enough.

Bob, I don't know where the ambient temperature switch is located...looked at the schematic, did not see it on my model.

I'm pretty sure there isn't a problem with the thermister, there is no problem with it starting or running. It is on and working whether on electricity or propane.

Old Dude, I'll keep playing with the temperature selector, maybe, I'll get brave and move it to 2....will be a while though.

Charlie, will limp or crawl to Quartzsite, we'll have a "MOC (moke) family" gathering and discuss this problem and others....like always, we'll get it fixed, and another show-and-tell for all.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and insights.

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