Another Dometic fridge problem!!!

[Bonkers the Dog]

Hi Folks,

I'm looking for some advice on my 3-way Dometic fridge/freezer. Its about 5 years old and is mounted in a Pilote.

It works on shore power and 12v.

I am having problems with the gas side.

I have cleaned it thoroughly, there is a good spark and flame, I've checked all the electrical connectors I can see, I've blown through the burner and nozzle.

I fired it up today on the gas and it lit first time, so far so good. However, its only cooling the freezer compartment, not the main fridge compartment which is just stumping me!

I had thought a re-gas but then it works on the other options...

Any suggestions would be greatly received.

Ta in advance.

 

[DavidG58]

I had a gas leak, these fridges can't be regassed, total replacement only

but my understanding is they need gas to work on all three power sources, so that at least isn't your problem

has it been serviced in 5 years ?

 

[SandraL]

If it works on 240 and 12v but not gas , then the gas is not putting as much heat into the flue as the electric side does. So either low lpg gas pressure or jet orifice, that ll be the hole, partially blocked is my guess. Can you try a different regulator or check pressure with manometer? Perhaps buy a new jet? as I see you are not from yorkshire.......

 

[Richard n Ann]

I had a gas leak, these fridges can't be regassed, total replacement only

but my understanding is they need gas to work on all three power sources, so that at least isn't your problem

has it been serviced in 5 years ?

The "gas" you're talking about should be referred to as Refrigerant really. It's always in it's gas phase at atmospheric pressure so that might be why we call it gas.

 

[Lenny HB]

I fired it up today on the gas and it lit first time, so far so good. However, its only cooling the freezer compartment, not the main fridge compartment which is just stumping me!

In theory that is not possible as there is only a single coolant circuit. A single pipe which carries the refrigerant to the back of the fridge and freezer. If one is working the other must be too.

It is possible the thermal transfer paste may have dried out on the pipe where it contacts the back of the aluminium fins, or screws that hold it in place have worked lose . Unscrew it and have a look.

Another thought, have you checked the temperature of the freezer to make sure it's getting down to temperature.
Maybe you think it's works but not getting that cold. The fridge & freezer use the same size cooling fins but the freezer volume is only 20% of the fridge so it freezes while the fridge only cools.

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[Tireecamper]

Hi,
Just following on with this thread, Im new to this site, but I’m just wondering how you can tell/chose which power source to use? When we are plugged into the mains power the fridge and freezer seem to function fine. However once we go “off grid” nothing appears to happen. Is there any way of telling where the fridge freezer is trying to draw power from.
FYI or model is a Dometic/Electrolux AES II RM6505.

Many thanks

 

[mitzimad]

Hi,
Just following on with this thread, Im new to this site, but I’m just wondering how you can tell/chose which power source to use? When we are plugged into the mains power the fridge and freezer seem to function fine. However once we go “off grid” nothing appears to happen. Is there any way of telling where the fridge freezer is trying to draw power from.
FYI or model is a Dometic/Electrolux AES II RM6505.

Many thanks

aes is auto energy source and should go to gas if stopped and not hooked upif it isnt you need to check you have gas getting to the burner select gas manually to test

 

[mitzimad]

I had a gas leak, these fridges can't be regassed, total replacement only

but my understanding is they need gas to work on all three power sources, so that at least isn't your problem

has it been serviced in 5 years ?

have you removed the baffle and cleaned the flue?

 

[autorouter]

When we are plugged into the mains power the fridge and freezer seem to function fine. However once we go “off grid” nothing appears to happen.

This type of fridge does not have a compressor like a standard house fridge. It has a system of pipework in which a complex gas/liquid refrigerant mix circulates. A heat source powers the circulation and magically produces cooling.

The heat source can be 240V mains, 12V battery or gas flame. There is a control board which switches between the three heat sources, either automatically or manually.

If the fridge works fine on mains power, then there is nothing wrong with the pipework and refrigerant circulation. The problem is either in the gas flame or supply, or the control board that is supposed to switch it on.

First, it takes quite a long time - several minutes at least - for any change in the heat source to start making itself felt. In fact it can even take a few minutes for the air to flush through the gas pipes if the fridge hasn't been used on gas for a few weeks. You can feel if the gas flue outlet outside the MH is warm or not. The usual thing is for the automatic ignition spark to make a 'click - click - click' sound as it tries to ignite the flame. One of the panel lights will flash as it does this.

Most MH fridges only work from 12V when the engine is running, so switching to 12V any other time might not have any effect. Just be careful though, because if it is one of those that does work from 12V with the engine stopped, it will flatten your battery in a very few hours. That's why there's usually no way to do that.

The fridge 12V power is taken directly from the starter battery, usually via a 20 amp fuse near the battery.

Another thing is that if it's running on 12V while driving, the 12v will switch off when the engine stops, but the gas will wait for 15 or 20 minutes before it switches on automatically. That's to prevent the gas flame lighting up immediately when you stop for fuel.

 

[Off da Grid]

Check the connections that plug into the control box located behind the outside bottom fridge vent.
We had dodgy connections, I rewired the connection using computer power plugs, these connections are basically signal wires so use very little current. After a service and a new gas nozzle it works on gas ok

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