Dometic Refrigerator Problem

[Dowman]

My Dometic model DM2862 refrigerator in my Montana 3075 works fine when we are hooked up to an RV park power supply. When we are on the road the refrigerator won't run on battery alone. Anyone have any suggestions on what it will take to get it up and working on battery power? Thanks for your replies.

[tomd]

When travelling, it will switch to propane.
Make sure the control is set on automatic
Make sure you have propane and it is on.
I had to replace the propane regulator recently because it would not switch to propane. Not expensive or hard to do.

[dieselguy]

Unless this fridge is a 3 way fridge (gas / 110VAC / 12VDC) You willl have to run it on propane while on the road. The 12VDC battery power only runs the contol board and propane ignitor. The electric heater element is 110 VAC.

[Dowman]

Propane tanks are full, kitchen range burns, refrigerator switch set to auto. Does the refrigerator have a separate regulator from the one on the propane tank?

[Bama Camper]

Be sure your battery is in good shape. The control board needs 12 volts, not below. Check it with the shore power unplugged.

Can you hear the propane igniter click when you unplug from shore power? After it ignites the propane you will hear a "whoosh" as the propane ignites. The igniter will click several times, then if the propane doesn't ignite, it will pause a moment then click several more times. After about three tires it will stop. Listen outside the refrigerator vent panel.

If the propane does light, then it's possible it's getting blown out as you travel.

[Art-n-Marge]

When your fridge is running on battery, it also needs the propane to be turned on just as Bama Camper explains. The battery operates the brains (i.e. thermostat and fan) of the circuitry (i.e. thermostat and fan) and needs the propane to do the "absorption" type of the actual cooling (removal of any warmth) of the fridge. It uses all the same stuff like all the other propane devices in your rig (furnace, stove/oven, hot water heater). If something was wrong with the propane supply, plumbing, etc., then it should affect the other propane devices.

If the propane IS turned on, and the fridge doesn't cool, there is probably something wrong with the propane parts that cool the fridge when it's in this mode and you are driving. Try using the propane mode at a campground even when connected to shore power. Good luck with this one.

[psomers]

I just had the same problem with my Norcold. I would turn it to LP it would fail. I would re-cycle it several times and sometimes it would light and sometimes it wouldn't. The failure code was a flashing NO-FL which is a no flame. I removed the burner expecting to see something like a spider. Looked clean but went ahead and flushed burner tube with alcohol and blew it out with compressed air. Has worked like a charm ever since.
Having the propane line open I thought it would have to be cycled several times to bleed the air out. To my surprise the first cycling it lite.

[jimcol]

psomers is right on. Use a small wire and compressed air to clean the orifice. Hard to believe but even a cob web you can't see will prevent flow and ignition.

[Larry]

Pull the outside door off. Look at the line where it enters the flue, there should be a small knob that turns the gas on and off. Make sure that knob is open so the gas can flow.

[Eagleback]

I'm a little lost my Norcold only has 110 and propane. You said that a fridge that has propane, 110, and 12 volt to choose from, how does the 12 volts work then, my understanding there is a heating element that runs on 12 volts alone. if not and you need the 12 volts to run the propane setting and that is understandable. Then why have the 12 volt selection available in the first place on the controls? unless there is a 12 volt element in the burner area.

[jimcol]

Boy it would take one hell of a battery to run a DC heating element hot enough and long enough to make the refrigerator work. I guess I need educated as I have not seen that arrangement.