Dometic Refridgerator stopped cooling

[Celticman]

Dometic Refridgerator
Model # RM3862
Pr3oduct# 92114659
Ser# 20900070
2.7 amp
Just wondering if I have to buy a new unit or is there something I can do to breathe life back into it? Fuses are good. I have power. Nothing burnt or smelling like it.
We got a lot of rain and the fifth wheel became 1/4 bubble off level according to the fridge level. Thanks for any ideas.

[slomark]

I found their customer service beneficial in troubleshooting the problems with mine.

[Celticman]

Possibly? I checked the connections and they looked okay.
Well, thanks again to everyone for the input.

[Ski_Pro_3]

Sounds like it's fixed then. Intermittent problems are usually bad electrical connections. Maybe something like Corrosion-X sprayed on connections will keep it from returning.

[Celticman]

Temperature for the fridge was 50's-60's. Freezer was 30's.
Now fridge is 30's and freezer is 0*- 10*

[jkwilson]

Celticman wrote:
Well, I don't know.... Everything is working. Everything checked okay. I went ahead and replaced the 2 fuses but the fridge had already started cooling down.
Perhaps a cooling unit blockage?
Thanks again for the input.

Hard to guess without some info about what was happening. Both compartments not cooling or not cooling enough? What temperatures were you seeing?

[Celticman]

Well, I don't know.... Everything is working. Everything checked okay. I went ahead and replaced the 2 fuses but the fridge had already started cooling down.
Perhaps a cooling unit blockage?
Thanks again for the input.

[Old-Biscuit]

Celticman wrote:
Power cord is hot and fuses are good.

Lower circuit board.....bottom right side are 2 black leads that are for the heater element
They connect at J7 & J8
One is 120V AC HOT and other is Neutral/Common

Typically 'odd' are HOT and 'even' are Neutral/Grounds
So with Fridge in 'AUTO' and temp warm enough for thermostat to call for a cooling cycle....J7 should be HOT

Check resistance of element when measured at the 2 leads 44 ohms

Should have continuity when measured at the 2 leads


Dometic 3850644422 Heater Element


On Edit:
Flue warm.....element is 325W and should generate 350*F temps in order to boil the liquid ammonia into a vapor

IF element checks good
Then unplug fridge temp sensor leads (Thermistor)
Left side P2 connector....2 White leads

Run fridge for 12 hrs and check temps in freeze & food compartment.
Should be 10*F/lower in freezer and 38*F/lower in food compartment

This will test that cooling unit is functioning

[Celticman]

The flue is warm to the touch, so I'm unsure about the heat element being bad. I may take it out to have a look see. Maybe I'll change the fuses anyway. At this point I'm thinking control board.

[Celticman]

Power cord is hot and fuses are good.

[YC_1]

It is not going to cost much to test it on propane and they don't use a lot anyway. The hot water heater and floor heaters use far more.

[Old-Biscuit]

OK ....
So the 120V AC is NOT working

Have to start at outlet fridge power cord is plugged into
Does it work? (plug ANY 120V AC item into it and verify it is hot)
If NO..check for tripped 120V AC Circuit Breaker
IF YES
Then need to check the AC Fuse on the lower circuit board
Glass Fuse....5a most likely
Is fuse Good....120V AC on Both sides of fuse?
If NO...replace fuse and replace heat element
If YES...then need to check that you have AC Voltage on circuit board where the Electric Heat Element leads connect.

Typically when no cooling on AC
It is bad heat element

[Celticman]

I'm no refrigerator guy so I'm somewhat out of my area, so forgive me if I don't know proper terminology. I took the access panel off again. The pipes are cool above the "bottle"; I'm guessing the refrigerant. The pipes below the "bottle" are a little warm as is the "bottle" itself as is the rectifier (ammonia exchange).

[Celticman]

All display lights work as does the interior light. Wires and fuses are good. No ammonia smell. Was working well until yesterday. The Fridge is original to the unit, it is a 2002 fifth wheel.

I haven't tried it on gas as propane is expensive here. I was wondering if control board or relay.

My multi meter has a broken wire so I've not been able to check things as I'd like.
Not much daylight when I get home from work.

[Fulltimers]

New units can be very expensive unless you are thinking about a residential unit. As stated earlier if there is/was no ammonia smell and there is no yellow powdery residue around the gas burner (indicates a cooling unit leak) than a repair will be A LOT less expensive and less invasive than a replacement. Even if there is an ammonia smell or yellow residue it will still be a lot less expensive to repair.
If the cooling unit is ok then there isn’t much else left.
Control board, Blown fuse, Rodents ate wires, all fairly inexpensive.