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Topic: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working (Read 3632 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #20 –
Installing a new cooling unit can be challenging, here was my experience.

Five years ago, early in 2012, I bought a new cooling unit from RVCOOLINGUNIT (Amish)for my Dometic RM7832 and installed it myself, it failed after 5 weeks. RVCOOLINGUNIT send a replacement unit at no charge, but it failed after only 5 days. After many phone calls, RVCOOLINGUNIT was unable to provide advice to me that resulted in a working cooling unit.

In desperation I phoned a Canadian propane fridge expert, Steve at Hillside Propane in Enderby, BC, Canada. I relayed to Steve the boiler, tank, and coil temperatures experienced and his immediate question was "Is the horizontal freezer U pipe level?" I said "no" because I had noticed that it was not perpendicular to the back of the fridge and bent it up as far as it would stay but it was still 1.25 inches low on the right and .75 inches low on the left. Steve said "the cooling unit will not work if the horizontal freezer U pipe is not level". I used a 6 foot 2x2 and a crow bar to get enough force to level the horizontal freezer tube and attached aluminum angle iron to the side wall of the freezer to keep it level. I then cycled the cooling unit on and off twice before it started working. The fridge has now been working since 2012 March 23rd.

The horizontal freezer tubes in both of the RVcoolingUNIT cooling units I received were not perpendicular to the back. The second one was farther off level than the first one, and I believe, that is why the first one lasted 5 weeks while second one lasted 5 days. In addition to this, there is no warning in your instructions to assure that the horizontal freezer tubes are level.
 
The RVcoolingUNIT folks were so wrong about "propane is not hot enough" and that was my intuition. Their advice kept focussing on "propane not hot enouigh". Steve just asked me, "Can you hear the propane flame from outside the coach and did you make sure that the chimney diffuser was in place?" He told me that he did not believe that this cooling unit was not working because propane was not hot enough and he was right.
 
The inability of RVcoolingUNIT to determine the real problem with their cooling unit cost me at least 100 aggravating hours over a period of a month. 

Adding to this confusion in 2012 was an intermittent "eye brow board" which would leave the fridge off intermittently. After months of a cold, warm, cold fridge, I replaced the "eye brow board" with a new one - problem solved.

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #21 –
After reading Wyatt's posts for several years, it's obvious he is a pretty detail oriented guy with a lot of DIY ability. His post above shows the problems you may run into when you do a major renovation to an appliance like a refrigerator even when you are very knowledgable. The most successful companies make a YouTube video that shows exactly how their product should be installed. A lot of frustration can be avoided if you research the availability of installation instructions. I remember a HID headlight kit that had an instruction book so small you needed a microfiche reader to decipher. Even then, the translation from another language made it very difficult.

I expect others have experienced the same problems as Wyatt. Unless you are prepared to possibly spend a lot of hours troubleshooting and have a lot of patience, fitting a new refrigerator may be the best option. Even then, the older coaches should have a refrigerator compartment remodel.

Pierce

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #22 –
Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart –
  Unless you are prepared to possibly spend a lot of hours troubleshooting and have a lot of patience, fitting a new refrigerator may be the best option. Even then, the older coaches should have a refrigerator compartment remodel.
X1.....We had one go bad, but we were not close to anyone who could work on it. Pulled it out, loaded it in my truck and blew the day taking it to a shop. Fixed?, "Yup", back to pick it up $$$, blew another day and re-installed it. Worked fine "FOR A YEAR!"
That was the last time I took the "short path" on any appliances.  ^.^d

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #23 –
I am posting this info just for that reason-info. I have been doing some re modelling work at a neighbours and today I had to finish a bit of drywall mudding. The owner showed me the new 'fridge for this kitchen ( a small suite for student) and I measured it and it would fit in a coach as a direct replacement for a single wide RV type if you wanted. It does mention it is for "stand alone" use only but seems identical to the Whirlpool model we (and others) have installed years ago and continue to operate well.
measurements are just under 24" width and height 59".

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #24 –
Didn't someone mention that not all residential refrigerators could handle an RV environment...Something about compressor not being stable enough for the movement.

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #25 –
Have built a boat, an airplane and  participated in 25+ habitat builds My wife would say I'm handy.

Absorption went out in my 1989 11 years ago.  Set out to replace cooling unit as DIY. Took refrigerate out of coach. Removed cooling unit. Decided above my desire and pay grade to install rebuilt cooling unit.
Trashed old refrigerator and put in new absorption refrigerator in that coach Motor blew 6 weeks later OREG. Sent away on new tires with new batteries and refrigerator, and a junk motor

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #26 –
My tech buddy mentioned hearing the fore and aft mounted compressors run oil through the system they were not designed for while driving.

Does not seem to be a big issue here.  Or does it? 

Plus the refer was designed to be in a temp controlled area and exhausts to the interior

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #27 –
Scroll style compressors are in almost all heat pumps, geothermal units, AC compressors, refrigerators, freezers, you name it in last 20 years. They do fine in pitching seas, turning trucks and all manner of mobile applications.

Keep positive gravity of 1G or so and spend your worry dollars elsewhere.

Copeland scrolls are at about 70% market share worldwide

http://www.emersonclimate.com/en-US/about_us/news/news_releases/Pages/emerson_climate_celebrates_shipment_of_its_150,000th_scroll_compressor_to_the_global_refrigerated_marine_container_industry.aspx

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #28 –
So a Samsung residential refer has/had a scroll style compressor?

Buddy mentioned hearing the compressor making banging and knocking noises while being driven from the lubricating oil going though the compressors piston.  Obviously not a scroll?

Normally the oil settles and does not directly go through the piston in a non moving use.

Interesting that the transport industry changed their design to work in a moving use.

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #29 –
Recips and rotary compressors not as energy efficient, few in use today. In general what you'll find is either a scroll compressor or an inverter based system into days newer refrigeration units.
Easiest thing to do is look in the manual for the specifications or parts list you can figure out if it is scroll or not from parts list description or specifications

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #30 –
Scrolls were developed in the 80's to deflect, in order to prevent damage from slugs of oil or liquid from poorly installed ref piping commonly found in residential installations or under adverse operating conditions or in a moving RV. The ultra efficient inverter units are back to rotary compressor in a/c units.

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #31 –
It appears that recips are still in significant use in appliances (freezers and refrigerators) since the tend to be about as wide as they are tall and that packaging is efficient in a refrigerator design , but I can not find any reference that a Hermetic recip compressor  should not be used in a mobile application.
I suspect the roof airs in our RVs are recip, since scrolls tend to be taller vs their width.  They seem to survive linear and non linear g forces in everyday use.
Have had no issue with my residential, thousands others on the road.  I would suspect of problems or showing up manufactures would stop putting residential refrigerators in RVs.
Does your buddy have any documentation relative to his concern regarding acceleration forces in residential refrigerator applications. This has piqued my curiosity.

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #32 –
Other than he can hear the oil going through the piston while driving customers coaches?  My memory of his comments were that some newer compressors are mounted horizontally while some older ones were vertical.

The horizontally mounted ones package better and can result in more internal refer volume.

No household refer was designed to be a non climate controlled moving application.

Why would you as a appliance manufacturer? 

He mentioned the coach heating issue as they vent inside.

I think he mentioned some kind of refer venting into the bays on some SOB brands because of the additional interior heat loading otherwise?





Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #33 –
Quote from: Caflashbob –
He mentioned the coach heating issue as they vent inside.

I think he mentioned some kind of refer venting into the bays on some SOB brands because of the additional interior heat loading otherwise?
In my opinion, "heat loading" is a non issue.  We've enjoyed our Samsung for several years, in warm and cold weather.  Our original fridge vents are both closed, so our Samsung does its thing in a "closed environment".  Heat coming off the fridge is never noticeable in any way.  If it adds a little heat in the summer, so what?  We are probably running our A/C units anyway.  Heat gain from the windows, roof and walls of the coach are a much bigger factor.  In the winter, any extra interior heat generated by the fridge would be welcomed.

Lots of Samsung installs out there - very few problems.  As stated above, make your fridge choice based on your camping lifestyle and what works best for you.

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #34 –
Bob

Every luxury boat and most luxury coaches today go out the door with Residential Appliances. IF it was unsafe or not good for the appliance, manufacturers would simply void all warranty if used in a mobile application AND PUT NOTICE NOT TO USE IN SUCH APPLICATIONS IN ALL CAPS (and bold) LIKE THIS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL AND INSTALLATION GUIDE.  :-)

(We used to tell customers about our services agreement, if it is in BOLD face, don't bother to bring it up for negotiation - pesky lawyers wouldn't let us change a comma - but I digress!)

I am not the least about heat load in the coach or house. IS there more heat load transferred from an open flame (vented to the outside but producing heat in the proximity of the interior of the coach) vs. the small amount vented when the compressor is running in the residential? Who knows, neither is a significant factor in real life.

Sounds like your GURU doesn't like residential - no problem there - but there are hundreds of thousands of these units in mobile applications, RV's, boats, Blood labs, you name it, without significant problem other than they don't burn propane, which for many is a benefit and for some a disqualifier. I fall on the benefit side of that spectrum.

Now if your GURU buddy could just find that pesky air leak I have!!!!

Does he work independent? What part of CA?

Your buddy may be a GURU - but he has this one wrong re residential refrigerators.

BTW, studied more diagrams/parts lists out of curiosity last night - only saw vertically  mounted compressors in the ones I looked at - most of the form factors were such that the Hermetic recipe compressors were about as tall as they were in diameter - so there would not seem to be an incentive to lay it on it's side for packaging purposes.

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #35 –
All I said was that he commented about possible future damage to SOME refers from the oil going through the compressor motor.

He is a purist and was Vogues quality control guy when in ca. And designed their heating and a/c systems and was one of the three original founders of coach net.

He walked me up to a older vogue and opened the electrical boxes lid and his signature was on the inspection plate

17 years at his ca. location.

I understand that there are thousands of refers out there.

If the info is not a help or you do not agree ignore it.

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #36 –
When I had my cooling unit replaced in 2009, I asked the guys at the shop that had the remaned cooling units what they charge to install it- $80.00 .  I was there the next day, 2 guys took out the old unit, installed the remaned unit, checked my electrical, etc.  We have been using it non stop since then and very happy with it.

Someone asked me who the remanufacturer was and when we looked in our records and called found they are no longer in business.  A shame but I am glad I have my unit with ARP & fan.

Cya down the road..................... ^.^d

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #37 –
The only problem I've had with our Dometic 1492 Amish cooling unit is ice build-up on the fins, which was easily fixed with the fans pictured.  I run our unit on setting #3 in 90 degree weather and my beer is ice cold.

We spent around $70.00 for the door hinge kits which is cheap insurance that one or more of the hinges won't break
out of the plastic door and make the reefer obsolete.  I painted the hinge kit and spacers the color of the reefer trim. 
I also keep the chimney and LP orifice clean, and when the box isn't level or in use it is shut it off, and we couldn't be happier
with our Dometic/Amish 1492.

Re: Dometic Refrigerator Not Working

Reply #39 –
Quote from: Travelin' Man –
We spent around $70.00 for the door hinge kits which is cheap insurance that one or more of the hinges won't break
out of the plastic door and make the reefer obsolete.

What is the source for the hinge kits? Thanks!