Hello all,
I just wanted to share my experience trying to revive the Dometic RM 100 in my 1976 Airstream
Sovereign.
I could light the refrigerator, and see a nice blue flame, but the frig wasn't really cooling all that well. I had the trailer level, so I decided to locate a service manual (attached), and found these links helpful:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f425...ing-60724.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f425...dge-38313.html
http://www.rvmobile.com/Tech/Trouble/burner.htm
http://www.rvmobile.com/Tech/Technical.htm.
I tried to clean the spiral baffle that hangs in the flue, but in order to remove it, you need to have access from the top of the frig (none provided in my Airstream). I decided a good compromise was blowing compressed air through it, and it did clean up nicely. (I verified that it was clean with an inspection mirror and a flashlight at night.) I also decided to take my leaf blower and blow air through the refrigerator access door on the outside of the Airstream up through the plenum and out the roof - also got out a lot of debris. I lit the frig and let it cool overnight - still not very cool.
Now I was getting mad
. I decided I needed to have a peak at what was going on above the refrigerator. I drilled a 1" access hole through the gel coated fiberglass plenum on the right side of the frige. I then inserted my inspection camera through the hole and looked around. I thought "hmm, this is interesting". I couldn't see the aluminum cooling fins I expected to see that allow for the heat transfer up the plenum. (I could see a few mouse carcasses, though.) This called for drastic measures. I took out my utility knife and carefully cut a U-shape in the side of the gel-coated fiberglass plenum. I vacuumed out the dust and debris, then reached in. You won't believe what I found (attached).
It appears to be a long, aluminum angle piece that I believe was originally intended to be secured to the underside of the cabinet - probably to direct heat. Apparently it was secured only with two-way tape. I pulled the whole thing out (no way to reattach it - and low heat exchange through the plenum anyway), lit the burner, and now the RM-100 is nice and cool!
In addition, I added an extra fan - now it is so cold I need to turn the frig down to keep it from freezing. (Ordered from Ebay - search for Dometic Refrigerator Fan w/ON-OFF switch).
I sealed all the cuts I made w/ silicone, and need to make a custom cover, because now it's a bit ugly, but it does function!
Anyway, hope this helps someone!
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