My 1992 Dometic RM2310 Fridge Stopped Working

[JulieB888]

Hello Kindly Folks,
I having serious trouble because I am full-timing and boon-docking and my propane fridge just stopped working completely. The light still comes on and stays on and it still gets really hot in the back but it won't work at all either on gas or electric. The propane light seems orange but it has always seemed orange (I've been using it for two years now without much trouble).

Now from what I read it seems that I may have damaged it by using it while the RV was un-level. However this is pretty odd because it was literally half a millimeter unlevel for 24 hours. It was just a few hairs over 4 degrees. Dometic have themselves told me that 4 degrees is still safe and i run it on 4 degrees many times without any problem. However I have also had it perform poorly after being just slightly unlevel before and it has always bounced right back after being leveled out for 12-24 hours. This time its different and I just don't understand it or are just unwilling to accept that it is permanently damaged and am hoping that there is cheaper solution out there than having to replace the whole fridge.

This bring me to my next problem. Someone old me that he pump the coolant out of it and replace it. That sounds kind of dangerous and I am not sure if I trust this person. Has anyone heard of this procedure? Is likely to help? Is it dangerous for someone who is not a professional mechanic to try and do?

Any and all input will be highly appreciated.

Thanks so much!

[Traveler7]

I only fixed it last week and tested it again this week so sorry, no idea how long it will last.....

[JulieB888]

Thank you for the tip traveler 7. Unfortunately I already ordered a new fridge but I still hope to maybe get my old one out and working by burping it. It would be nice to sell it but I would to tell the potential buyers what happened and give them some idea of how long it would last. They say its a temporary solution but that could mean that it could last anywhere between hours and decades. How long has your fridge lasted?

[Traveler7]

Hi Julie- my fridge is a three way and it quit working this summer- same symptoms. When I drained my water holding tank recently I stood inside the van and rocked it heavily from side to side repeatedly to makes sure the tank was fully drained by the water pump to the sink. I had plugged into house power and the fridge was set on AC. I was amazed that a couple of hours later I saw that my fridge temp was dropping (I have a wireless temp sensor in it)! The fridge also worked on propane again. I think the rocking I did dislodged a clog. Maybe you could try this first before taking it out and inverting it or burping it as a last resort?

[JulieB888]

Oh my God they are SO expensive. Now, I know that you say that turning the fridge on its head is only a temporary solution, but if it last another two years then its worth doing, as far as I am concerned.

Any idea of how long a fridge could last after such a procedure? I am sure that it depends on the severity of the blockage and mine must be pretty severe because its not working at all, but if someone does have an idea of how long you may be able to extend the life of fridge, i would love to hear about it.

[Old-Biscuit]

JulieB888 wrote:
My friend keeps telling me that if the burner was the problem then, the fridge would work on electricity and the fact that it won't work on either gas or electric means that the problem is something else - like the cooling unit must be broken. He says electricity should by-pass the burner and the flu and that heat ammonia via element. Does that sound right?

Sounds like you need a new fridge

[JulieB888]

My friend keeps telling me that if the burner was the problem then, the fridge would work on electricity and the fact that it won't work on either gas or electric means that the problem is something else - like the cooling unit must be broken. He says electricity should by-pass the burner and the flu and that heat ammonia via element. Does that sound right?

[mkguitar]

on most B's you only need remove a panel and everything is right there in front of you.

this is easy- easy as cleaning jewelry...remove the jet, drop in some rubbing alcohol for awhile.
there is a fine hole which is precision- do NOT try to poke through this with a pin or any tool. an old toothbrush is good

the baffle pulls up out of the stack, I used the rest of the rubbing alcohol from the dish and a scotchbrite pad to clean it up.

then used the pad on a piece of stiff wire to clean the stack...kinda like a bottle cleaner...

and a shop vac to suck out the stuff I loosened.

try the easy and "free" stuff first



mike

[JulieB888]

That manual is helpful but it still leaves so many questions. I am looking though youtube videos to find exactly where those parts are and what they look like. I think I just figured out where the orifice is and what it looks like. Do I have remove the fridge to do these tasks?

[Old-Biscuit]

JulieB888 wrote:
I have been running it on MAX continually for two years. Is that bad? It has worked fine. Not as cold as a household fridge in the summer heat here in California but good performance overall -- until now.

I have never cleaned any of it and have never had it serviced. Do you really think that could be the problem?

Its kind of scary trying to work on it considering the explosive chemicals. Is it dangerous to clean out the burner? I guess I should turn off the propane before I do that and not have flammable chemicals near by, anything else that I should know?

Also, do you guys think that it would help to take it out and turn it on its head for a while? Or is that only for fridges older than mine, its a 1992.

Running it on MAX for 2 yrs.........then you have been having cooling issues for those 2 yrs.
MAX is highest flame available w/o thermostat control.......means that it continuously cools regardless of temps. SO items in food compartment should have been frozen just like freezer.

Taking it out, turning it upside down, flipping it, rounding down a hill does NOTHING to resolve blockages inside cooling unit tubing. Blockage is permanent.It does NOT go away, dissolve etc.
Flipping/turning upside down has become an internet myth....because it has allowed some fridges to return to cooling after doing so.

BUT they die/quit cooling later on. Depending on about/severity of blockage one might extend usage -----only as a band-aid fix.

Cleaning of burner components is a routine YEARLY normal maintenance item.

It is safe to work on/clean up.
Chemicals are inside the cooling unit......IF they have leaked out you would have smelled the ammonia and seen a yellow residue all around the burner.

Turn propane off either locally at fridge or at propane supply.

Open the link to service manual I previously posted............print it out and with it in hand CLEAN

IF after cleaning and getting a good flame the fridge still has cooling issues you will probably have to get new fridge cause it has blockage that is permanent

BUT CLEAN First.....its cheap, easy and most times is what is needed.

[JulieB888]

I have been running it on MAX continually for two years. Is that bad? It has worked fine. Not as cold as a household fridge in the summer heat here in California but good performance overall -- until now.

I have never cleaned any of it and have never had it serviced. Do you really think that could be the problem?

Its kind of scary trying to work on it considering the explosive chemicals. Is it dangerous to clean out the burner? I guess I should turn off the propane before I do that and not have flammable chemicals near by, anything else that I should know?

Also, do you guys think that it would help to take it out and turn it on its head for a while? Or is that only for fridges older than mine, its a 1992.

[mkguitar]

You can find a manual for dometic fridges online-
search for:

"newdometicrefrigeratormanual"

even if it doesn;t cover your exact model it will help with cleaning the jet, and other simple tasks which may help such as cleaning the baffle in the stack and checking the door seals.


from what I gather from dometic- if the coach is comfy enough for people, then it should be level enough to operate correctly.


also I have found that added cooling fans help the fridge cool greatly.
my many experiments in August showed that I can expect cooling of 55º below ambient temps

Mike

[turbojimmy]

Never heard of anyone pumping the coolant out of it and replacing it - sounds kind of sketchy. The problem is that sediment from the tubes corroding from the inside settles in the bottom and the coolant can no longer circulate. I can see how pumping out the old stuff, and maybe some sort of flush, could help but I've never heard it being done in the field so-to-speak. You can buy refurbished cooling units but I don't know what to what extent the old tubing is used. My 31-year-old Norcold has a refurbished cooling unit in it and it works great.

I would either look at replacing the fridge completely or replacing the cooling unit.

[Old-Biscuit]

Coolant is a mixture of ammonia, sodium chlorate/water (rust inhibitor) and hydrogen gas under 300 psi.
Even professionals don't recharge ....complete rebuild of cooling unit YES but not just recharge

When operated off level (even points as little as 20 mins) the cooling unit can overheat which causes the sodium chlorate to foam crystals that attach to inside of tubing. This is like a 'plaque' that can build up (kinda like old galvanized water pipe). It is permanent and accumulative....so over time all those periods of off level operation build up enough to block coolant flow/process. DEATH!


That propane flame..........orange. That is NOT proper color and does not generate enough heat so that the correct amount of heat can be transferred to make cooling unit function.
The heat has to be sufficient enough to cause the ammonia to boil/turn to vapor so it can condenser into cold liquid and absorb the heat from freezer/food section.

SO.......

Clean up that burner area. Clean orifice with alcohol, clean out burner tube, clean flue and flue baffle.
Adjust flame so that it is BLUE

Have you been running it with thermostat turned up close to MAX setting......or even tried it on MAX (full out continuous operation)?

There is also a filter on inlet to thermostat....if clogged it will resist gas flow.

HERE is service manual that will help you out.