Dometic fridge not getting cold

[Foldbak]

Hey guy's. I need some advice. We're getting ready to leave for the weekend. Turned on the fridge and it's not getting cold on shore power. I can hear the fans running and the freezer seams to be cooling but not the fridge. I just switched to propane to try that.

[Skw774]

Depends on ambient temperature but ours takes up to 3 days to get cold after sitting.

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by Skw774

Depends on ambient temperature but ours takes up to 3 days to get cold after sitting.

It's 100 outside. I've never really checked to see how long it takes to get cold. I typically turn it on and DW packs the food. I'll keep an eye on it. How can I tell if the pilot light is on?

[Carl n Susan]

It takes at least 24 hours or more in 100 degree heat. You should be able to hear the burner running if it is cooling. There is no pilot light; the burner is ignited when needed.

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

It takes at least 24 hours or more in 100 degree heat. You should be able to hear the burner running if it is cooling. There is no pilot light; the burner is ignited when needed.

Thanks Carl. The freezer is freezing. No change in the fridge. I opened the board covers and checked the fuses. The burner is hot. I found what looks like the temp probe wires and unplugged one. I'm hoping it's the fridge probe. Don't know if this will engage the fridge or not. Have an E4 error right now.

[Carl n Susan]

There is no control to engage the refer. The freezer has the cold and shares it via the fins in the refer. It takes air circulation around those fins to cool the lower compartment. I have a fan in the lower compartment just to help circulate the air and the coolness.

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

There is no control to engage the refer. The freezer has the cold and shares it via the fins in the refer. It takes air circulation around those fins to cool the lower compartment. I have a fan in the lower compartment just to help circulate the air and the coolness.

Again thanks Carl. I put everything back together and will hope for the best.

[Foldbak]

I texted me service manager and he said the cooling unit is shot. He's check for a warranty replacement. Got up this morning and the display says 43.

[jimcol]

As already said if the freezer is freezing the refrigerator portion will follow but in a 100 degree weather it will take some time. Also if it is freezing on electric switching to gas isn't going to help much. Best advice I got from the manufacturer rep with Amish RV was to pack the freezer with frozen product once it starts to cool down. Fill the fridge with cold product and leave the door closed overnight.

[Carl n Susan]

Foldbak: It sure seems a little early for a refer failure. What temp is the freezer?

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

Foldbak: It sure seems a little early for a refer failure. What temp is the freezer?

COLD! 32 degrees. It took the refer all night to cool to below 50. I'm going to keep an eye on it this weekend. I'm also going to add fans.

[Carl n Susan]

Is that 32 degrees in the freezer or the lower refer? Definitely not cold enough for a freezer. I am going to guess that is the lower refer temp. I normally start the refer 2 days before I think I will start to load it, and even then I load it with already frozen (freezer) or cold (lower compartment) goods.

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

Is that 32 degrees in the freezer or the lower refer? Definitely not cold enough for a freezer. I am going to guess that is the lower refer temp. I normally start the refer 2 days before I think I will start to load it, and even then I load it with already frozen (freezer) or cold (lower compartment) goods.

The ice in the freezer is frozen. The bottle of Champaign in the frig is 45 degrees this morning at 65 degrees outside. Should I consider adding fans? What would be more beneficial? Exterior exhaust fan or interior fan?

[AZ Traveler]

Tony,

Recommend fans both in the reefer and outside in the rear. An ARP mod is the way to go.

I do not load anything inside until it has cooled down and then only load frozen or cold goods.

[Carl n Susan]

Sorry, I forgot about this. I use a 12V fan in the refer over the fins. No extra fans outside. My refer stays around 35 degrees all the time although I do have to kick it up to 6 when it is hot outside.

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

Sorry, I forgot about this. I use a 12V fan in the refer over the fins. No extra fans outside. My refer stays around 35 degrees all the time although I do have to kick it up to 6 when it is hot outside.
Attachment 15121

Wow looks cold in there. I'll try that. Thanks Carl. Is that Gray Poupon? My fav!

[Carl n Susan]

Gray Poo Poo is one of my favs.

[MuddyPaws]

Generally it is better to put fans near the hot air exhaust and suck air through the heat exchanger rather than trying to push it. I put 4 120mm computer muffin fans right inside the exhaust vent. They are controlled with a thermostatic button switch that turns the fans on at 130F and off at about 110. (IIRC) If you have room use bigger fans - bigger is quieter but still moves more air.

My refer had serious problems and never kept things cool enough. After this mod it stays at 34F in the refer and -18 in the freezer. It also cools from 80F to 34 in about 12 hours,on average.

[Foldbak]

Update. We camped in 95 degrees and the items in the fridge were cold but not cold enough IMO. My laser thermometer read different items between 41 and 50. We just returned home and I was was looking online for fans, external and internal. I decided to open the top vent and see what fans it had built in. I was surprised. It has 4! But only 3 were working! See the pics. The third fan had a wire tie preventing it from spinning. I pushed it down and now it works. I hope it doesn't pop back up. I'm not sure about installing an internal fan connecting to the light as the light shuts off with a switch. Guess I need to remove the light and see if it has a constant power and ground.


I must say that I was pleasantly surprised that Dometic stepped up the exhaust fan game.

[Carl n Susan]

Tony: The inside fans used to connect to the light back when there was a constant hot side to the light. You could tap into it and be good. But the new gas/electric refers don't use that system. They turn the light on and off by contacts in the door. Consequently there is no hot in the light all the time (only when the door is open which doesn't do much good).

The good news is that it is easy to feed the fan 12V wire down the drain tube line and hook into constant 12V in the back of the refer.