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Old 10-27-2016, 05:46 PM   #1
Irish Mist
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Refrigerator freezing

I have the refrigerator turned down to #1 the warmest setting . And I have tried moving the thing on the fins down and to other fins.... Still freezing and the freezer is really freezing .....Ice cream is like a rock.. It is below freezing out side but we are living inside so it is heated. Is there a way to test the fin thing or the control that is on the outside of the fridge door ? This is running off electric. Fridge is a 2010 ( manufacture date ) Dometic DM2862RBFX or any tricks that have worked ?
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Old 10-27-2016, 07:17 PM   #2
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Re: Refrigerator freezing

Here is a link to the repair manual for your refrigerator:
http://www.dometic.com/QBankFiles3/E...nual_17606.pdf

On page 4 is a list of probable component failures for a "freezing" refrigerator: I'd suspect that since you've already attempted to move/adjust the thermistor on the cooling fins, you may have a bad thermistor and you can get a replacement at most RV dealer parts stores. The next most likely failure would be the lower control panel. It's the "control board" that's located outside, in the lower vent space, under the black plastic cover. My suggestion would be to not purchase a Dometic replacement, but to order the Dinosaur control board. Dinosaur Electronics produces aftermarket control boards that are significantly more reliable than the OEM components. Pricing is competitive so cost shouldn't be a factor in improving your reliability.

As for "what happened" ??? Who knows, but if it's not the thermistor, then it appears that your refrigerator is in the "limp" mode and the control board is calling for continuous cooling because of a circuit failure on the control board. To ignore the problem will likely cause your refrigerator cooling unit to fail because of the continuous operation of the heating unit.

Also, as an unrelated side note: Realize that absorption refrigerators work by heating the sulfur/ammonia mixture which turns to gas and then condenses to absorb heat from the inside of your refrigerator box, causing it to be cooler than outside. That process, heating the sulfur/ammonia must occur "in the chimney" which is exposed to the outside elements (behind the lower vent opening Once the ambient temperature gets to a "certain point" the gas flame and/or the electric heating element can not produce enough heat to cause the mixture to turn to gas and the refrigerator operation will cease. That "problem" will occur once the outside temperatures drops below about 15 or 20 degrees. Each refrigerator is an individual unit and some may work in temps down to 10 degrees while the one in a trailer sitting beside it may stop working at 15 degrees or may continue to work down to 5 degrees. So, don't expect your refrigerator to consistently operate once the cold weather drops below freezing and remains there. Some people have better "cold temperature luck" than others, but there's a "bottom line temperature" below which your refrigerator will cease to cool.
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Old 10-27-2016, 07:53 PM   #3
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Re: Refrigerator freezing

Thanks John that's a great reply.. I'll do some checking and testing in the morning. Thanks so much for taking the time to type all that out.. Over all we where pretty lucky with our purchase . Just a couple of these items which I anticipated with the unit being used . I enjoy fixing these things and appreciate all the help received on this forum .
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Old 10-28-2016, 03:17 PM   #4
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Re: Refrigerator freezing

Update.
After having the fridge switched off since last night .. Things are still frozen.. I went outside and removed the cover and pulled the plug..the cylinder that I'm guessing cools by heating was warm... Indicating power was still flowing in my mind.. The fridge should start to warm up now.. So although the fridge was turned off and front panel is off and dark..seems fridge was still on.. Going to try testing as suggested tomorrow ,..I did test all the fuses and they where fine .. For now I will just pull the plug and let it rest every 4 hours or so so as not to burn it out..I tried the fridge with the gas mode and I can hear it turning on and off with the thermostat.. ?
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Old 10-28-2016, 04:01 PM   #5
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Re: Refrigerator freezing

The AC cord does nothing but supply voltage to the heating element in the "stack". If you want to determine if the element is always on, you can take the cover off the control board. Then look for the two leads at the bottom of the board. Easy to use a volt meter and test for voltage. If you have a clamp on amp meter, it should work too, and you don't need to remove the cover.
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Old 10-28-2016, 04:37 PM   #6
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Re: Refrigerator freezing

I will test that tomorrow I just felt the fact that after being turned off for 12 hours and there was still ice on the fins in the fridge and the thing in the back was hot had me pretty much convinced.. Once unplugged within an hour the ice was melting off the fins . I am going to do some testing tomorrow to see if I can determine anything.. I'm pretty limited in my electronics ability.. Hoping possibly the unplugging reset something and it fixed itself..
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Old 10-28-2016, 04:48 PM   #7
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Re: Refrigerator freezing

I'd consider two possibilities: First is the power switch on the eyebrow control panel (top of the refrigerator, inside the camper) it may be inoperative. Second, and likely the problem is the main control board in the back of the refrigerator, outside, behind the lower vent.

You can check the eyebrow switch by turning on the refrigerator, opening the door. The interior light should be on. Then push the eyebrow panel power switch to off. The interior light should immediately go out. If it doesn't, then the eyebrow switch is defective. If the light goes off, then I'd "speculate" that the problem is an A/C power relay on the main control board.

It may well be something else, but those two would be my first and second suspects.....
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Old 10-28-2016, 05:40 PM   #8
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Re: Refrigerator freezing

Light goes out.. Surprisingly I have had it in for a while in #3 and fins are wet but not frozen.. I'll leave it in all night and see what the morning brings .. Going to test tomorrow to see if I get amps when thermostat is turned up ..
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Old 10-29-2016, 12:12 PM   #9
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Re: Refrigerator freezing

I checked the thermister and it has proper ohm reading as well it seems to work fine on propane.. So for now I just am leaving it on propane and will see about ordering a new board on Monday . Hopefully that should be it.. Although going to work on bearings and brakes next week so might be some more fun there yet
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