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wrbaron · 11-04-2015, 04:23 PM

refrigerator is a dometic model2452 in a 2005 19" bambi.. will not cool in shore power mode, works great on propane. anything other than the heater to look at? I assume I can pull heater out and check to see if hot?? any suggestions?

TG Twinkie · 11-04-2015, 04:36 PM

Are you sure you have 120 volt power? Both at the outlet and at the terminals where the heating element is terminated.

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idroba · 11-04-2015, 06:09 PM

This is a job for a meter, not your hand. The heating element will get super hot super fast.

Find the wires to the heating element. Check to see you have 120 volts across them when the refrigerator is in electric mode. If it does, then turn off the power, disconnect the element and check the continuity of the heating element itself. If it is open, it needs replacement.

If there is no 120 volt power to the element, you will have to do further checking to figure out that problem.

verray1 · 11-04-2015, 06:43 PM

Order a new heating element

InterBlog · 11-05-2015, 11:48 AM

Dometic 2351 here... exact same issue. Runs like a champion on propane, at least most of the time (but not always), but will not run on shore power. Forget about using the "Auto" setting. We investigated everything, even pulling fuses off the internal workings and replacing two of the circuit boards / electronic parts (the board on the front face and square-ish electronics unit that is accessible via the rear). No dice - it still won't work, and we are no closer to knowing what's wrong now than we were at the outset of this misadventure. I don't trust it, so we bought a new one, same model but 8 years younger. It's sitting on our garage floor waiting to be installed this weekend.

sgschwend · 11-08-2015, 08:33 PM

The ammonia type frig. uses a heat source to drive the phase change from a liquid to a gas, which will transfer heat between the condenser and the evaporator, or something like that.

That means you could connect the electric heating element to 120VAC and the frig should run, just like the propane burner. The easy way to test the 120VAC heating element is with a ohm meter; unplug the power cord, disconnect one leg and measure across the element, open circuit is defective (I would guess a good value would be around 60 ohms).

wrbaron · 11-10-2015, 03:35 PM

could you please verify that testing process? what is it that I touched with meter probes to get a reading? confused about measuring across the element? thanks

sgschwend · 11-10-2015, 03:49 PM

There is a heating element wrapped and insulated on your refrigerator pipes. I will look for a image that you can use. It is just a resistive heater. By removing one connection the resistance can be measured.

Here is a link to the parts diagram. It is item 67 on page 8:
http://www2.dometic.com/ff92cd7f-1f9...498efe4a.fodoc

wrbaron · 11-11-2015, 07:42 AM

thanks from someone who has not clue on electrical issues.. will give it a try this afternoon . I was trying to measure both legs off and got 0

mimiandrews · 11-11-2015, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrbaron

thanks from someone who has not clue on electrical issues.. will give it a try this afternoon . I was trying to measure both legs off and got 0

Measuring with both legs disconnected is OK. The purpose is to isolate the heating element so nothing else is affecting your measurement.

If the resistance across your heating element reads zero, there's a short in it somewhere. That should have tripped a circuit breaker in the trailer's panel. Please realize that an analog meter reads "backwards" on the resistance scale--infinity is on the left on all of mine.

If it reads infinity, the element is bad--has an open circuit.

A good one should read some resistance, because that's how they make heat.

Siegmann · 11-11-2015, 09:15 AM

When my refer failed to cool on electric (but worked on gas), I just checked for 120v at the heating element connections at the board with my meter. It had power. Then I used the continuity feature on the meter to check the element. No continuity. Replaced it. Problem solved.

CDONA · 11-11-2015, 09:44 AM

I had a fuse failure, a cheap fuse that rusted apart, didn't blow, that kept my refer from running on 120. Lasted just over a year from new. Access from the back side.

InterBlog · 11-12-2015, 05:09 AM

I'd appreciate hearing where folks source parts for Dometic fridges. We just replaced our 2351 for this same reason as the OP - would cool on gas but not on shore power, plus it was old, plus it was not cooling on gas all the time, so we just said to heck with it, get a new one.

We bought the new one at a good sale price because it didn't come with its front panel. We figured we'd buy that separately. Well, we couldn't find a good supplier and there were apparently no front panels to be had. So we bought a metal kitchen backsplash at Lowes and cut it down to size.

The benefit there is that I now I have a magnetic fridge front which I prefer, whereas the Dometic OEM front is brushed aluminum. But for future reference I'd like ideas on where to hunt for Dometic parts.

n2916s · 11-12-2015, 07:03 AM

PPL Motorhomes sells a lot of Dometic parts.

Mike

wrbaron · 11-12-2015, 10:57 AM

thanks again, I originally did go to dometic site but did not find any parts list like this where is this on dometic site? and my refrig is a rm 2452 is the parts list for rm 2451 just a change in numbers?

ray

wrbaron · 11-12-2015, 12:57 PM

okay a big thank you to all who posted. again this is a dometic rm 2452 and will cool not on shore power . so I now have verified that I have power to terminal block. my electrician friend verified that the heating element is okay. I have seen on these posts some comments about fuses. but looking at the parts list and diagrams I do not see any fuses. so I am guessing problem must be up on control board or whatever is up there behind control panel which means I have to pull out refrig and then figure out from there. anyone else have an idea or have experienced this
thanks

wrbaron · 11-12-2015, 01:08 PM

okay a big thank you to all who posted. again this is a dometic rm 2452 and will cool not on shore power . so I now have verified that I have power to terminal block. my electrician friend verified that the heating element is okay. I have seen on these posts some comments about fuses. but looking at the parts list and diagrams I do not see any fuses. so I am guessing problem must be up on control board or whatever is up there behind control panel which means I have to pull out refrig and then figure out from there. anyone else have an idea or have experienced this
thanks

sgschwend · 11-12-2015, 02:13 PM

Here is an easy way to check your electrical measurements.

You say there is is power to the heater and the heater was measured to be good.

Then with the power on the housing where the heater element is (right side of the diagram) will become warm/hot to the touch.

Try it and let me know.
s

wrbaron · 11-13-2015, 08:23 AM

thanks for help,, but I did try that and the chimney area is cold. I think the problem is above on top of unit where all the controls are. I checked for power on the two leads returning to the terminal block which are the two leads right above heating element leads and there is no power. so power is not returning to terminal block and therefore to heater. so wherever those leads with power go to on top I assume the problem must be there or in some switch or something???

sgschwend · 11-16-2015, 06:04 PM

Here is another manual, your electric circuit is on page 15.

http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/operating/rm2453.pdf

The frig has a power cord, you should be able to plug a lamp into it and verify 110VAC is there.

The thermostat is the only other part; it has a single pole switch that switches the hot lead, the neutral is connected to the heater directly.

good luck.

steve