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Old 06-16-2010, 06:37 AM   #1
Dave Nowlin
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Savannah
Posts: 270
M.O.C. #7253
Bad experience with Dometic trained servicemen

O. K. Where to begin. We bought our 06 3295RK used from a dealer in Nashville in June of 07 and it is an 06 model. In October of 07 while camping in Narvarre, Florida the electric heating element and the fan thermostat went out on the refrigerator. We called a mobile repairman recommended by the campground. He came out and told me what was wrong. We installed a jumper so the fan could run and with the unit on gas got it running. He told me he would order the parts from Dometic and come back and do a warranty repair when the parts came in. He had a very hard time getting the heater element out of the sleeve it was inserted in. In fact he had to use some penetrating spray to get it out. He returned a few days later and put the new element in the sleeve he had removed the old one from and he replaced the thermostat and he had me sign some paperwork so he could get paid for the warranty repair and he also had us write him a check for around $150 for the 2 trips he had made. Prior to our camping trip in May of 2009, I noticed the refrigerator wasn't working and found the element had failed and the refrigerator had also used all the gas in both bottles. An RV repairman I go to church with came out and had a hard time getting the element out and replaced it. He put it in the sleeve he had taken the old one out of. Just before our May trip this year I noticed the refriberator wasn't working. This time I had valved the gas off when we returned home so all the gas wasn't used up. I removed the element this time and went and bought one from the guy I go to church with and put it back in the same tube the old one had come out of. That night I went out and checked the temp in the refrigerator and found it to be -10 and turned it off. I called my friend and told him what had happened and he sid the thermisistor is probably bad. He said that controls the temp. He came and replaced it and all worked well. We camped from May 1st to the 15th and returned home. I hooked the camper up to 50 amp service when I got home and left the refrigerator on. I went out a little over a wek ago and found the new heater element had failed. I called my friend and he said he didn't understand why I had so many elements fail. I actually had to bend the element to get it out. I had checked it with a meter and knew the element had failed so I had to get it out to replace it. I took it to him as he said the elements have a warranty. When he saw it was bent he said it didn't have a warranty as it was bent. I couldn't get it out without bending it. I tried for over an hour and a half. Monday I called Dometic and they suggested I take it to a Dometic trained repairman as they had no idea why I had so many elements fail. I said Mam' 2 diffent factory trained repairmen have worked on it and I have this problem. I told her I was tired of dealing with their technicians. I finally got them to tell me what the problem is. If you look very carefully behind and just below the sleeve the original element sits in, there is another sleeve hidden back there in the insulation. This is the one the replacement element is supposed to be put in. The original element was soldered in place. That's why it was so hard to get out. The solder in the tube can't be removed and will cause subsequent elements to fail if you use the original tube. They claim they tell the repairmen in their schools not to reuse the original tube. They claim it is also in their repair manuals. So why don't the repairmen know this? Why do I now have my fourth element on the way for me to replace? This one will go in the proper tube. You can bet on that.
 
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