Dometic door latches

Topic: Dometic door latches (Read 1898 times) previous topic - next topic

Dometic door latches

October 13, 2016, 04:02:38 pm

Need to replace my Dometic Model RM2820 door latch because the dinky little spring went west--AGAIN!! This time the price is above $45. Was $12 four years ago.
Our local dealer says part no longer made. Part SKU#2931600023
He couldn't even find the part number in the Dometic section in his catalog. I went on line and did locate the part number, but prices are asininely high, and all because of the puny, lousy spring design!!

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #1 – October 13, 2016, 06:18:45 pm

This may help.

John
Dometic 2931600023 Refrigerator Beige Door Handle

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #2 – October 13, 2016, 06:25:23 pm

Quote from: J. E. Smith Sr. – October 13, 2016, 06:18:45 pm

This may help. ]Dometic 2931600023 Refrigerator Beige Door Handle[

What a rip-off for a cheap piece of junk! We are on our fourth Dometic, and, I KNOW those stupid latches will fail on the current one, as well.

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #3 – October 14, 2016, 10:20:23 am

The plastic parts and the pivot shaft are just fine, like new. The dinky little spring breaks and then the latch doesn't function properly. Lousy markup for something that chintzy of a design!!
And Dometic has got you by the cojones with their design. Nothing else will fit.
But, give me some time. I WILL figure out something!!

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #4 – October 14, 2016, 10:40:58 am

Quote from: nitehawk – October 14, 2016, 10:20:23 am

The plastic parts and the pivot shaft are just fine, like new. The dinky little spring breaks and then the latch doesn't function properly. Lousy markup for something that chintzy of a design!!
And Dometic has got you by the cojones with their design. Nothing else will fit.
But, give me some time. I WILL figure out something!!

Can you get a measurement on the spring? Compression or expansion? I have thousands of small springs in the shop I have collected over the years.

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #5 – October 14, 2016, 10:47:15 am

Quote from: nitehawk – October 14, 2016, 10:20:23 am

The dinky little spring breaks and then the latch doesn't function properly. But, give me some time. I WILL figure out something!

You figure out something, and the R.V. world will beat a path to your website!

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #6 – October 14, 2016, 12:45:27 pm

You should be able to find a spring that works at any hardware store. Time to get creative.

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #7 – October 14, 2016, 12:58:28 pm

Our newer Dometic seems to have a different latch than our older ones, but it still has what appears to be the same dumb design. If there's a secret to longevity, it's to hold the latch open when closing, and GENTLY close. The new ones have "travel latches" and it's easy to lock them in if your not carefull. They are not the "Sherman Tank" latches we all grew up with where a backwards kick or a forehand slam would seat them!

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #8 – October 15, 2016, 01:13:50 am

Kind of hard to get measurements of a broken spring, but I will try.
Just now we are tied up with 18 month old great grandson's dental issues, in that we are kid sitting the two older brothers.

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #9 – October 18, 2016, 03:05:54 pm

Here are two scans of the dinky, expense causing Dometic door latch spring.
The other half of the coil and leg are missing so only half the force is generated by the spring. These springs seem to break with use. Seems like a fatigue point is built-in during manufacture.
Wonder if a flat spring steel band work? Like the old ignition points spring? They seemed to last almost forever.

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #10 – October 18, 2016, 03:51:15 pm

Value Brand Torsion Spring, 90 Deg, 0.848 OD 3HPN1 | Zoro.com

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #11 – October 18, 2016, 06:40:39 pm

Any chance of seeing what the whole spring looks like? Post the part number and maybe there is an image available of it.

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #12 – October 18, 2016, 07:32:46 pm

Unfortunately the spring for the Dometic door latch is a whole lot smaller!!
Wire diameter is .0225" (in other words, about halfway between 1/64 and 1/32)
The outside diameter of the coil is .18" or 3/16"
The spring fits over a .096 diameter shaft (just over 13/64")
The straight legs (2) are about 135 degrees from the "u-shaped" connection.
The bottom of the "U" is .206 wide and each leg of the "U" is .34" measured from the center of each coil to the outside bottom of the "U"
Looking at my picture--the one where the "U" is visible, there is a missing coil and leg that if it were there, on the other end of the "U", would make the spring complete and double the torsional force.
The "U-shaped" part fits in the plastic fastened to the Dometic door by two screws. The two straight .44" long legs (measured from the coil center) fit up in the latch part that moves/actuated by a hand to unlatch/open the door.

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #13 – October 18, 2016, 08:03:57 pm

Wall-Ah
Miniature Springs
Found this too
Dometic Refrigerator Door Handle RM2820 - Airstream Forums
And this
door latch
I just saw the post,we had same problem with the door latch. I guess after thousands of latch cycles the spring broke. Took the door latch apart and found remnants of the latch spring, spring material .025" diameter. Went to the local hardware store and purchased ".025" music wire" 24"long for less than $2.00 made a new latch spring out of it. Took a little trial and error (prototype , field engineering), now ready to go again

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #14 – October 18, 2016, 08:33:56 pm

Stump, you da man!!!

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #15 – October 18, 2016, 09:03:05 pm

With this video you will know all you need to know about making springs!!
My work is done.lol

Making Springs At Home - YouTube

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #16 – October 18, 2016, 11:13:35 pm

My Dometic refrigerator door latch spring broke years ago and I thought the door would come open while I was driving, but as long as I push the latch in all the way, like the spring did, it stays closed... for several years now.

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #17 – October 19, 2016, 04:08:30 pm

We went to our local lumber company store (in this case, Menard's) and bought three of the double roller cabinet latches shown on a recommended site. $00.89 each. I ground off the rivet heads, dismantled the assembly until the spring was free on each one. I then slid the spring onto a finishing nail that just fit inside the spring. I then used a vice grips to clamp all but one end onto the nail. I then unwound that end until the spacing to the other spring leg was about 135 degrees. I did cut the unwound "leg" shorter by 1/8" so it would go up into the plastic cavity on the latch.
Putting everything together was a bit harder. I used a 3" piece of hard steel that fit inside the spring. Fed this in the bottom end and into the spring. Before putting the latch together I mashed the end of the pivot pin that came with the latch. Had to do this as the pin would slide on out the bottom of the latch. I then fed the pivot pin thru the fixed plastic and one end of the actuator, then carefully thru the spring while backing out the piece of spring pin. Then on thru the bottom end of the latch. The darn thing works absolutely fantastic!!! AND for only $00.89/piece!! (plus labor/aggravation)
(and to think--prices for complete door latch ran from $26.99 on up to $46.99 plus shipping!!)

Thanks again Stump!!

Replaced the spring on the fridge door latch, replaced the spring on the old door latch I saved, and have a spare spring ready to go when the freezer door latch fails.

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #18 – October 19, 2016, 04:34:24 pm

I need to order a lattch for my door.
The plastic is busted.
Can I order this piece 1993 Dometic frig in my U280
Rick Maddox
509-939-0740
rlmlimited@comcast.net

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #19 – October 19, 2016, 04:36:49 pm

I need to order a lattch for my door.
The plastic is busted.
Can I order this piece 1993 Dometic frig in my U280
Rick Maddox
509-939-0740
rlmlimited@comcast.net

Re: Dometic door latches

Reply #20 – October 19, 2016, 04:47:20 pm

Riker what refrigerator do you have? Model #

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