Dometic RV Refrigerator Troubleshooting Tips

Check the Basics First:

Well, before diving in straight to the refrigerator’s technical stuff, let’s check the basics first.

1. Ensure RV Refrigerator’s Level:

Make sure that your RV refrigerator is always level. As being an absorption refrigerator it depends on gravity to function properly. Moreover, its tubing is specially designed to be sloped to allow the liquefied ammonia to circulate continuously. Hence, if the RV refrigerator is not level, its circulation will decrease which in turn leads to the cooling loss.

Therefore, level the fridge if it is not functioning properly. Whenever you park your car for a longer time, remember to use RV’s leveling system.

2. Ensure Adequate Ventilation:

In order to cool properly a refrigerator requires proper ventilation. There should always be an air gap between the walls, back, top, and ventilation grills. The more the air gap, the better it is for a refrigerator to function efficiently. Hence, if your Dometic RV refrigerator is not cooling properly, provide adequate ventilation to it.

In addition, check the ventilation grills for any dirt and dust and clean them regularly. Besides this, don’t over pack your refrigerator; allow the air to circulate around the food.

3. Ensure to park your RV in shade:

Well, it is an irrefutable fact that the functioning of RV refrigerator is affected by the external temperature. Hence, in order to increase the efficiency of your refrigerator, try to park your RV in shade.

 

4. Check the Fuses:

Make sure to check the fuses by unscrewing the back panel of your refrigerator’s vent present outside the RV. It is often seen when your van is parked for a longer duration; many insects, birds, and wasps tend to build their nest in the refrigerator’s vent. Hence, be cautious while opening the vent.

Check the Technical Stuff Now

Now that you are done with the basics it’s time to dig into the technical stuff now.

1. Check the LP Gas (Propane);

First of all, switch your refrigerator from LP system to auto while hooking up to the AC or shore power and check if it is working.

Now, by turning off the refrigerator remove the vent’s cover and check the propane if it is strong enough? Also, make certain that during this process your refrigerator will be on gas mode rather than auto mode. Then ask someone to turn it on while you hear the propane igniting sound. Observe the flame when it ignites; there should be a strong blue flame.

In case, if you don’t observe a strong blue flame there are chances that an air bubble or dust has blocked the burner unit. Hence, look for the dust or debris and remove them by using a vacuum. Now, ignite the flame again; if you experience a weak flame again it means that there is still any debris in the burner unit so clean it thoroughly.

2. Check the Electrical Element:

To check the electric element default, switch your refrigerator from the 120V system to the LP system. Also, don’t forget to cut off the shore power so that it only utilizes the 12V DC power and propane. Check now, if it is working.

Now by turning the refrigerator off, switch it back to auto mode. Make certain that it is connected to the AC/shore power.

Later turn it on again and test if the boiler of the fridge gets warm. In case, if it doesn’t you need to replace your electric element. Besides this, you can choose to always run your refrigerator on the LP system.

3. Check the Control Board:

Any defect in the control board can also prevent your Dometic RV refrigerator from functioning properly. To check that first of all turn off your refrigerator and LP system. In addition, make sure to cut off the 12V and 120V power.

After that, take the plug of any appliance that is no longer in your use and connect it to the wires that supply the power to the electric heating element. Here, you don’t need to panic about the polarity as it doesn’t matter.

Now, when your refrigerator is having a direct plug that doesn’t need a control board, connect it to the 12V and shore power. If your refrigerator started functioning properly now, you need to replace your control board.

4. Check the Cooling Unit:

One of the Dometic RV refrigerator troubleshooting tips includes examining the cooling unit.

Check if there is any crusty yellow satin or liquid anywhere on the backside of the refrigerator. If so, then the ammonia is leaking from your cooling unit. Hence, in order to function efficiently, the cooling unit needs to be replaced.

5. Check the Thermistor:

The thermistor is a sensor within the thermostat that is responsible for regulating the refrigerator’s temperature. If it is broken you can experience two outcomes; either your refrigerator will always be in a frozen state or it will stop after cooling slightly. Thus, you need to replace the thermostat in order to keep your refrigerator working properly.

To check the thermostat; remove it from the control board and turn the refrigerator on. It should be cold enough within 6 hours.

Conclusion:

To conclude, one should know these basic Dometic RV refrigerator troubleshooting tips in order to secure their road trip from any kind of mishap. Sometimes the issue is not as big as it seems, you can easily resolve it yourself without taking the help of any professional.

I hope the above-described troubleshooting tips may help you to resume your traveling.

Have a happy and safe traveling, may your drinks and food always stay chill.

To get some more information, check the link below:

http://techsupport.pdxrvwholesale.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Dometic-Refer-Model-RM4291-Installation-User-Manual.pdf