Dometic AES fridge freezer (1 Viewer)

[jezport]

My fridge doesnt keep cold when running on gas. If I use 12 or 240v it gets cold and keeps cold.

I have inspected the burner and it has a nice blue flame. I dont see any sooty marks on the grill or bodywork.

As the 12 and 240v work fine I am suspecting soot or debris inside the flue,. I know how to dfop the burner down from its mounting
oint but I was wondering if anyone could tell me how do I clean the flue? I have the 2 large outer grills so wont need to remove the unit from the van.

Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

 

[DavidG58]

when did you last have it serviced?

Just had mine done, first thing they did was take the vent off, remove a component and passed a drill through a hole to clean it, I was just coming out of office and asked what they expected to find and apparently they block with soot

Can't help you with what bit to look for, but I suggest maybe you should put it in the hands of an expert, and or buy new batteries for your CO monitor

 

[TheBig1]

Broken Link Removed

extra long bottle brush and a vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment

withdraw the baffle from the top of the flue and give it a good brush, clean baffle and return where you found it. can be done through the vent holes without removing the fridge

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[Dazzlin]

This was done by quite a few of us in Morocco with gas probs. Mine was not cooling on gas so:-
Turn off fridge. When cooled, remove the T piece from the top of the flue. Should just lift off, may be screwed. Carefully remove the "wind chime" from the top of the flue. This is a spiral of thin metal hung from the top of the flue on a hooked piece of wire. (Don't drop it down the chimney as I did) Then I use a narrow bottle type brush taped to a metal coathanger. Make sure it is secure. First hold it up to the outside of the vents and guestimate how far you can plunge before damaging the burner, and don't go that far! Then sweep. Once clean I use my tyre compressor to blow down, up and clean the soot away! Replace everything and fridge serviced!
Not the way the pro's do it I am sure and no guarantee but it works for me.
Good luck.

 

[jezport]

This was done by quite a few of us in Morocco with gas probs. Mine was not cooling on gas so:-
Turn off fridge. When cooled, remove the T piece from the top of the flue. Should just lift off, may be screwed. Carefully remove the "wind chime" from the top of the flue. This is a spiral of thin metal hung from the top of the flue on a hooked piece of wire. (Don't drop it down the chimney as I did) Then I use a narrow bottle type brush taped to a metal coathanger. Make sure it is secure. First hold it up to the outside of the vents and guestimate how far you can plunge before damaging the burner, and don't go that far! Then sweep. Once clean I use my tyre compressor to blow down, up and clean the soot away! Replace everything and fridge serviced!
Not the way the pro's do it I am sure and no guarantee but it works for me.
Good luck.

Will give it a go tomorrow.
Cheers

 

[jezport]

Does the flue go straight through? Meaning if I remove the jet assembly and push a brush through am I going to hit anything in the way through and damage it?

Can any kind of cleaner be used on the brush for a better clean?

My gas flame is blue which I know is a good sign. But how tall should the flame be?

For those worried about messing with gas. I will only move the gas jet assembly to the side and cover it. I will not disconnect it.

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[TheBig1]

the baffle hangs down inside the flue from the top, so that needs removing first. if you find the soot is really greasy as it is with some gases then use a little petrol on the brush. it goes without saying make sure it has dried and evaporated before lighting the flame again.

i prefer to remove the burner before cleaning, but you could cover it over and vacum up any soot or rust flakes as you uncover. otherwise its a straight through flue pipe. brush from both ends. surprising how much crap comes out if you haven't done it before

flame height will vary but generally only reaches the bottom of the flue

takes longer to explain how to do it than actually do the job

 

[dpsuk999]

Will give it a go tomorrow.
Cheers

Where abouts in West Yorkshire are you? Have you checked the jet isn't blocked? I had exactly the same problem with my Dethleffs and it wasn't until I dismantled it fully that I found the jet was blocked. Blasted it with compressed air and works perfect now, freezer goes down to -23!

You have to be VERY careful with the jet as the hole is precision size and even a micron difference to the manufacture size and it won't work.

It COULD be a sooty flue but I doubt it unless you can smell a acrid smell from the top vent when running on gas.

I don't profess to be an expert but could certainly look at it for you if your not confident.

Regards, David.

 

[jezport]

Where abouts in West Yorkshire are you? Have you checked the jet isn't blocked? I had exactly the same problem with my Dethleffs and it wasn't until I dismantled it fully that I found the jet was blocked. Blasted it with compressed air and works perfect now, freezer goes down to -23!

You have to be VERY careful with the jet as the hole is precision size and even a micron difference to the manufacture size and it won't work.

It COULD be a sooty flue but I doubt it unless you can smell a acrid smell from the top vent when running on gas.

I don't profess to be an expert but could certainly look at it for you if your not confident.

Regards, David.

Hi David
I'm in Ls17
The flame is good a shape and blue. I don't know how big the flame should be. I kave nobad smell but was of the oopinion that even a small coat of soot can reduce cooling on gas.

If your local and don't mind taking a look I would be grateful.

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[jezport]

Update.

Flue fully cleaned. It had a bit of grime but not much.

Fridge still wouldnt cool on gas.

We changed over gas bottles from a 13kg to a calor lite bottle during our last trip, the boiler worked fine also the hob was fine. I went out this morning and got my 13kg bottle filled. Changed over and the fridge is now dropping in temperature but still not far enough.

I have now removed the jet assembly, It had some rust flakes inside. I dont have an air line to blow it through but I blew it by mouth and it was clear. I am now waiting to see if it has done the job. In 25 minutes the feezer has dropped from +2 to -2.5 so its looking better

 

[jezport]

Looking good
Now down to -7 after about 30 minutes, and dropping fast.

The gas jet is definitely a lot easier to hear from outside the van and it indicates to me that it was not working properly.

The cause of the blocked jet may gave been the condensation trap fills up and overflows over the valve. I noticed it a couple of years back when the fridge wouldn't light as it had water on the burner assembly. I connected a small lenght of tubing taking the water out and dripping it outside, the damage had possibly been done , but luckily I think we are now sorted as we are now at -9.9 and dropping

 

[jezport]

Thanks to everyone who took the time to help me with this, it shows what a great and knowledgeable lot the funsters really are :thumb:

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