DBK
LIFE MEMBER
An alternative title to this Thread could be "Convince me I don't to spend £150" .
Here's the problem. One for the fridge experts.
Anyone who has followed my trip reports over the last couple of years might recall we have had intermittent problems with our Dometic RM3510 manual three-way fridge when running on gas. The initial problem was getting it to stay alight once lit. We worked out if we let it cool down for twenty minutes after running on electric it would light and stay lit.
Then on this trip we have experienced three occasions when it wouldn't work properly on gas. It would light and stay lit but it didn't cool things effectively. The top of the flue was hot but the fridge temperature wouldn't go much below 16°C. The fault was not permanent and cleared itself if we left it switched off overnight. The first two times this happened we were on aires so were unable to use EHU.
Two days ago I made a sort of diagnostic breakthrough by discovering the flame was lighting but only staying at the low level state. My understanding is the thermostat controls the temperature by switching between a high and low flame.
Further evidence is the last two times I have lit it after an overnight rest I can distinctly hear a gentle roar from the flame which I couldn't when lighting it in its failed state. The fridge would then run perfectly on gas. The first two times also happened after a day of driving on very rough roads and steep hills making me wonder if the fault might be the refrigerant was getting "mixed up" somehow but the last time it failed it was after a day of gentle driving and it began to work as soon we were on EHU and the fridge switched to mains. So I think the failure after the rough roads was just coincidence. The fridge was also level on each occasion.
My suspicion is the gas thermostat valve is failing. This is a picture of the beast.
There is a little electrical meter on the front of the fridge with a needle which swings across into a green zone when it is operating on gas. It may be relevant to the fault diagnosis that when we first bought the van the needle shot across very quickly into the green zone. These days it only moves very slowly and only just into the green zone.
Now to the alternative title for this thread. . I've found a UK supplier of this valve but it is (gulp) £150 although a German supplier is offering them at €140 so if the shipping cost is reasonable I know who I will go to.
It is now running well on gas after a night on EHU - I intend to keep it on gas until we board the ferry! We also have an electric coolbox so we have not suffered from warm beer while the fridge was playing up.
So, here's the question: Do you think replacing this valve is the way forward or can anyone think of any other cause for the faults we have seen?
Here's the problem. One for the fridge experts.
Anyone who has followed my trip reports over the last couple of years might recall we have had intermittent problems with our Dometic RM3510 manual three-way fridge when running on gas. The initial problem was getting it to stay alight once lit. We worked out if we let it cool down for twenty minutes after running on electric it would light and stay lit.
Then on this trip we have experienced three occasions when it wouldn't work properly on gas. It would light and stay lit but it didn't cool things effectively. The top of the flue was hot but the fridge temperature wouldn't go much below 16°C. The fault was not permanent and cleared itself if we left it switched off overnight. The first two times this happened we were on aires so were unable to use EHU.
Two days ago I made a sort of diagnostic breakthrough by discovering the flame was lighting but only staying at the low level state. My understanding is the thermostat controls the temperature by switching between a high and low flame.
Further evidence is the last two times I have lit it after an overnight rest I can distinctly hear a gentle roar from the flame which I couldn't when lighting it in its failed state. The fridge would then run perfectly on gas. The first two times also happened after a day of driving on very rough roads and steep hills making me wonder if the fault might be the refrigerant was getting "mixed up" somehow but the last time it failed it was after a day of gentle driving and it began to work as soon we were on EHU and the fridge switched to mains. So I think the failure after the rough roads was just coincidence. The fridge was also level on each occasion.
My suspicion is the gas thermostat valve is failing. This is a picture of the beast.
There is a little electrical meter on the front of the fridge with a needle which swings across into a green zone when it is operating on gas. It may be relevant to the fault diagnosis that when we first bought the van the needle shot across very quickly into the green zone. These days it only moves very slowly and only just into the green zone.
Now to the alternative title for this thread. . I've found a UK supplier of this valve but it is (gulp) £150 although a German supplier is offering them at €140 so if the shipping cost is reasonable I know who I will go to.
It is now running well on gas after a night on EHU - I intend to keep it on gas until we board the ferry! We also have an electric coolbox so we have not suffered from warm beer while the fridge was playing up.
So, here's the question: Do you think replacing this valve is the way forward or can anyone think of any other cause for the faults we have seen?
Last edited: