Refer Problems!!

[Montana_3840]

Has anyone else had problems with Dometic refrigerator? Maiden voyage with 348RLS. Fridge worked fine for 2 days on 110 AC, then when I put slides in the refer kicked over to gas. I turned it off and on in auto posn a couple of times and each time it went to gas....then the lights on front went dark and it would not operate except on gas. Checked main fuses and breakers. Can't find the problem. Anyone with similar experience??
Thanks, BL

[stiles watson]

Here a while back, I got this huge knot in my stomach. The reason, I thought my refrig was going out. Couldn't get it to work consistently. Then I took the rig out for a weekend and couldn't get the propane to work either. Gloom and doom. Turns out there was nothing wrong with my refrigerator, it was my battery. The battery must be putting in excess of 12-volts to get the refrig to work. While in storage, I had moved the slides in and out a couple of times and used current for some other things which discharged my battery. Recharged and all was well in River City.

This may not be the issue with your rig at all, but it happened to me.

[Montana_2785]

quote:Originally posted by blyle

Has anyone else had problems with Dometic refrigerator? Maiden voyage with 348RLS. Fridge worked fine for 2 days on 110 AC, then when I put slides in the refer kicked over to gas. I turned it off and on in auto posn a couple of times and each time it went to gas....then the lights on front went dark and it would not operate except on gas. Checked main fuses and breakers. Can't find the problem. Anyone with similar experience??
Thanks, BL

Well, I have no problems with the referigerator, but when I bring my slides in with the ceiling fan light on, it blinks.

I'm assuming that I have a loose wire somewhere (the rig does shake during slide movement) but the light always works after traveling down the road which is MUCH more shaking than the slides do. Not sure just what the problem is yet.

The fact that your panel lights to out is WIERD. Not sure what to think.... I would think that if the panel lights are out that you don't have 12V delivered to the refrigerator and that it would quit working. If it really is still working, then I have no idea. Have you checked to see that the gas burner actually has a flame when this happens?

Eric

Eric

Eric

[sreigle]

Eric, it's hard to tell without actually seeing it happen but yours sounds like the slide rails need lubing. When ours get dry the slide will kind of hop as it moves in. Spraying dri-lube spray for slideouts takes care of the problem. I'm wondering if yours is dry enough it's causing the pump to draw extra current which in turn is affecting the lights. Just a thought. Might be way off base.

Blyle, when you put the slides back out again does the fridge again work on electric? If not, maybe an electical connector got pulled apart in the slide movement, a wire catching on something perhaps. There may be an electrical box or two under the slide with screws in the cover. You might check those.

Otherwise, you may have a bad control board in the fridge. I just looked and you can get Dometic's 800 number and customer support email address at this url - http://www.dometicusa.com/contact/support.htm .

[Montana_2785]

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Eric, it's hard to tell without actually seeing it happen but yours sounds like the slide rails need lubing.[...]

Nope. Them rails is slicker 'n oiled ice

Besides, the pump is 12V and the fan light is 110v.

I think there is a loose connection to that bulb somewhere....

Eric

[CountryGuy]

Eric,

I got to say, I read your post earlier about the rig shaking when you run the slides in and my reaction was somewhat like that of Steve R. I just asked Al again, and he and I agree, we have no shaking when we move the slides.

Now the short/loose connection is one thing, but, we have NO shaking when our slides move in or out.

Just thought I would mention that.

Carol

[Montana_3840]

Thanks for the responses and inputs so far. A few things for me to check out. Has anyone ever heard of a switch that would automatically switch the refrig to gas when the slides are pulled in (as if to travel)??? Doesn't make sense to me as I would like to pull in the slides and run refrig on elec when we leave the 5er for a day or two. Thanks All.

[sreigle]

Blyle, these refrigerators automatically switch to gas when you unplug from shore power and automatically switch back to electricity again when you plug in again. I am not aware of any kind of switch to gas when the slides come in. It sounds to me like you are lowing electrical power to the fridge when the slides are in and that shouldn't happen, assuming you're still connected to shore power.

Our rig is in the factory service center. Yesterday they replaced our fridge with a brand new one (Dometic-authorized warranty procedure). We entered the rig tonight to get some clothes as we're staying in a hotel tonight. I looked at the fridge. It was running on electric with the slides in. They have the propane bottles turned off while it's in the shop and have us hooked to shore power. So I know the current fridges work the same as our 2003 model did.

Yours may have a bad connection in the wiring under the slide or perhaps a bad control board in the fridge. I think I'd turn this one over to the dealer, if it were me. You mentioned it was a maiden voyage so I assume it's under warranty yet. Good luck. Let us know.