Electrical Dometic fridge not working??

[Drover]

Nope, my small spirit level will do the job and funnily enough many moons ago with van nice and level I cross referenced levels through out the rig, so my nice and easy position on draw bar is calibrated to give optimum level for shower drains, fridge and stop blood running to head whilst in bed at 27ft overall length a little bit out can feel like a lot and running back wards and forwards to the jockey wheel, well ...... Mrs D confirms this with the tried, true and all round beaut way, by laying a can of baked beans on its side and seeing if it rolls no need for fancy dancy equipment, science works to the KiSS principle......... this way we are set up and sitting back with drinks in about 15 mins..................caravan parks then 3 mins....KiSS also applies to my Sat Dish set up best is 1 min worst about 5 min, no gizmo other than a gravity driven inclinometer and magnetic compass............... takes me longer to get gear out of bag............ I don't like stuffing around when I'm on holiday.

Just checked at 6 deg the Baked Bean Can launches across the room and out the door.

 

[Roadhouse]

Ok at the park (Wow how’s that drive down kings hwy from Braidwood to Batemans bay ) and nice and level. Tried fridge on AC and no joy After a couple of hours.

clicked over to gas and will see if any good. not holding my breath as tried yesterday only quickly and thought it was working but I don’t think so.

if it doesn’t work on gas or AC, then is it a bung element??

 

[poor but proud]

Ok at the park (Wow how’s that drive down kings hwy from Braidwood to Batemans bay ) and nice and level. Tried fridge on AC and no joy After a couple of hours.

clicked over to gas and will see if any good. not holding my breath as tried yesterday only quickly and thought it was working but I don’t think so.

if it doesn’t work on gas or AC, then is it a bung element??

Don't think that gas is connected to element in any way , seperate heat scource, will take some time for gas to prove itself,check again about midnight or tomorrow morning

 

[poor but proud]

Don't think that gas is connected to element in any way , seperate heat scource, will take some time for gas to prove itself,check again about midnight or tomorrow morning

Go over to the camp kitchen,tell your tale of woe there is bound to be a crusty 181 or a Drover there who will offer expert advice good luck

 

[Roadhouse]

Go over to the camp kitchen,tell your tale of woe there is bound to be a crusty 181 or a Drover there who will offer expert advice good luck

Yes normally someone with superior knowledge lurking around! Will try and work my charm...

 

[Drover]

If it was running on 12v from your tug when you stopped the flu would have felt hot, exhaust vent maybe not but it would take a good few hours to get cool from a hot start.................. Gas works with a flame at bottom of flu, a very small flame about the size of a pilot flame which you can only see if pulled apart...
Gas requires bottle turned on as well as a tap either under van on in cupboard near fridge, standard metal gas cock usually with a red handle, just like the one for the stove.... If it doesn't work on anything then it more than likely a switch failure...What model fridge is it...label inside door usually.

PS I hate the Kings Hwy..

 

[Roadhouse]

Ok appears to be working on gas. Slowly cooling down.
So if not working on AC but working on gas, what’s the fix?
Just a standard dometic 3 way around 5 years old. 150l. RM2553

 

[Roadhouse]

Reading the manual again and says if the fridge is operated when not level the circulation of gas can slow or be blocked. No mention of how to rectify though.

Or, perhaps the”heater” is rooted. There is one for 240v and one for 12v that heats the gas on the system so it cools. Perhaps this heater is stuffed hence not working on 240?

 

[Boots in Action]

Nope, my small spirit level will do the job and funnily enough many moons ago with van nice and level I cross referenced levels through out the rig, so my nice and easy position on draw bar is calibrated to give optimum level for shower drains, fridge and stop blood running to head whilst in bed at 27ft overall length a little bit out can feel like a lot and running back wards and forwards to the jockey wheel, well ...... Mrs D confirms this with the tried, true and all round beaut way, by laying a can of baked beans on its side and seeing if it rolls no need for fancy dancy equipment, science works to the KiSS principle......... this way we are set up and sitting back with drinks in about 15 mins..................caravan parks then 3 mins....KiSS also applies to my Sat Dish set up best is 1 min worst about 5 min, no gizmo other than a gravity driven inclinometer and magnetic compass............... takes me longer to get gear out of bag............ I don't like stuffing around when I'm on holiday.

Just checked at 6 deg the Baked Bean Can launches across the room and out the door.

Great alternative @Drover! Just shows how much 6 degrees from vertical across the van is at the max of "within the limits" of operation .

 

[Boots in Action]

Reading the manual again and says if the fridge is operated when not level the circulation of gas can slow or be blocked. No mention of how to rectify though.

Or, perhaps the”heater” is rooted. There is one for 240v and one for 12v that heats the gas on the system so it cools. Perhaps this heater is stuffed hence not working on 240?

Two separate electrical heating elements @Roadhouse, so if working on 12 volt when you travelled, definitely suspect 240 volt heating element or switching control. If you have it operating on gas and the exhaust is hot, then you still have a working fridge of some sort. It will take overnight to pull down to any extent. Remember, the freezer takes precedence in the cooling process and until it reaches around minus 12C or better, you will see little if any cooling into fridge area.
If freezer is freezing contents, that will confirm operation of some sort. If the fridge has been operated outside limits frequently and for long periods, it may be as per the attached. Removing fridge, turning it upside down and sideways for a while a few times SOMETIMES fixes the problem. It is called "burping the fridge" and there is a video on that if it gets to that point. Keep us all informed as I am sure you will get experienced advice from members on this forum, rather than an "unknown" person in the park. Refer back to my picture of how an absorption fridge works for a better understanding.

 

[Roadhouse]

Thanks Boots. FreeEr is indeed first cab off the rank and it’s nice and cold. Rest of fridge starting to cool down so gas it is next 2 weeks.
Will try burp the baby when I get home to get the mains source working. Fingers crossed...

 

[Boots in Action]

Thanks Boots. FreeEr is indeed first cab off the rank and it’s nice and cold. Rest of fridge starting to cool down so gas it is next 2 weeks.
Will try burp the baby when I get home to get the mains source working. Fingers crossed...

@Roadhouse , good to hear some progress is being made. I would place my bets on 240 volt heating element as most likely (around $50.00 or $60.00 from RV Warehouse). Next would be the selector switch. Removal of fridge and "burping" is a last resort!!!

 

[Drover]

Morning, So if the gas is working the plumbing at back of fridge at the top will be bluddy hot to touch and it should be cold inside......... So works on gas then nothing wrong with the juice in the coils, so a check of the 240 elements connections and heating element is required which requires a multi meter.........a simple test will show if its dodgy....... with the switch it can be as simple as a loose terminal or the contacts have worn down, lost tension....

If its not hot at back then its stuffed, hot is the thing, not hot then its not the refrigerant, it needs heat to run or nothing happens...

This link will download a troubleshooting manual which includes your model, shows the testing parameters for the elements and switches...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwilg_ei6tXtAhWIwjgGHTPDCogQFjAQegQIIxAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.caravansplus.com.au%2Fpdf%2Frm2453%2520rm2553.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3EOkfACya9HLUF7SQ_Jo1P

 

[Roadhouse]

Thanks everyone. Cooking (cooling!) with gas and will investigate the 240 issue when I get back home early Jan.
Appreciate all the help and enjoy your Xmas and new year

 

[Drover]

You too, glad the gas is working and you can forget about it all and enjoy your time away.....

 

[mikerezny]

Hi,
here is a video which gives a reasonable explanation of how an absorption fridge works. In particular, exactly why the fridge must be operated in a "reasonable" horizontal position. One, to allow condensed water to flow back down the dimpled tube at the top of the fridge into the boiler and two, to allow fluid to flow correctly down the absorber pipes into the reservoir.

Credit to Searle's RV Centre in Bundaberg.

As can be seen, the fridge needs to be in a position to allow these tubes to allow liquid to be gravity-fed in order for the fridge to function correctly.

Here is a excerpt from the Dometic RM2350 manual regarding horizontal positioning:

take care
Mike

 

[Boots in Action]

Hi,
here is a video explaining which gives a reasonable explanation of how an absorption fridge works. In particular, exactly why the fridge must be operated in a "reasonable" horizontal position. One, to allow condensed water to flow back down the dimpled tube at the top of the fridge into the boiler and two, to allow fluid to flow correctly down the absorber pipes into the reservoir.

Credit to Searle's RV Centre in Bundaberg.

As can be seen, the fridge needs to be in a position to allow these tubes to allow liquid to be gravity-fed in order for the fridge to function correctly.

Here is a excerpt from the Dometic RM2350 manual regarding horizontal positioning:
View attachment 66183
take care
Mike

Good one @mikerezny. I went back to an earlier post I had made showing a great picture of how the Absorption fridge works only to find now not able to connect. Sorry to all those that attempted to retrieve image. Mike's link is a great alternative.

 

[mikerezny]

Hi,
this old fridge manual has the most comprehensive description of absorption fridges I have found.

Well worth a read. Covers the old Electrolux / Dometic models.

take care
Mike

 

[Roadhouse]

Hi,
this old fridge manual has the most comprehensive description of absorption fridges I have found.

Well worth a read. Covers the old Electrolux / Dometic models.

take care
Mike

cheers mike great read. will do a few of the tests to see what's going on...

 

[MDS69]

cheers mike great read. will do a few of the tests to see what's going on...

So if you do use a multimeter to check the element as suggested by @Drover please make sure the 240V supply is disconnected from the van. Set the multimeter to ohms and place your probes on either terminal of the element. If the reading is zero then your element is open circuit and requires replacing. You ‘may’ need to disconnect the element from the wiring as there may be resistance in the circuit but I reckon @Drover or @Boots in Action may have done this a few times and can offer advise.