Dometic Fridge Failure Repair

[TinLoaf]

As many of you know, I lost my previous trailer to fire and had no idea what caused it until I got a recall notice on the refrigerator four months after the fire. There's no way to prove it was the fridge that cause the fire, but there's a pretty good chance.

I replaced that trailer with my Airstream, which of course had a recalled Dometic fridge. I had the recall work performed and hoped for the best.

Well, lightning struck twice. After six years of use the fridge failed. Thankfully the safety equipment installed by the recall campaign worked. The heat-sensitive switch shut things down and I still have an Airstream.

[TinLoaf]

I researched my options and found that the dealership could replace my fridge with a new one for $2,066. The new fridge isn't even any different than the old one, so there would be no "upgrade" incentive. Just one digit difference in model number, 2652 vs. 2662.

I found the new fridge online and could get it for $1,099 shipped and do it myself. The weak weld in the burner tube that was causing failure and potential fires was supposedly fixed and "shouldn't" fail.

Another option I found locally, and the reason I'm writing this thread, is K&M RV Refrigeration in St. Elmo, IL. Ken and Mandy Berg run a small business taking your failed cooling unit and rebuilding it.

Ken beefs up the burn tube using hydraulically formed seamless tubing. No seam, no failure. The cooling unit gets thoroughly cleaned out, repainted and recharged.

With my common 2662 model, Ken already had a rebuilt cooling unit ready for me. I brought my trailer in at 10:00 and helped remove the fridge from the cabinet. By 1:00 I had a perfectly functioning fridge at a cost of $654.

[TinLoaf]

I want to stress that I didn't go with the rebuild option because it was cheapest. I went with it because I believe it was the safest option. I have a beefed up cooling unit PLUS I still have all my recall-installed safety equipment in place as a backup. A new fridge doesn't have that backup.

Here you can see my cooling unit and all the yellow escaped coolant.

In the second photo you can see the beefed up seamless burn tube.

And finally my finished installation.

[TinLoaf]

So the point of this thread is that there are options out there. I had no idea there was a small, family-owned business out there repairing failed RV refrigerators, and I wanted to make sure everyone knows about them. Good folks.

K&M RV Refrigeration
618 N Main St.
St. Elmo, IL 62458
618-829-3745

K & M RV Refrigeration and Repair

[lewster]

As many of you know, I am NO FAN or RV type gas/absorption refrigeration!

There are many viable alternatives that work far better, use NO PROPANE and cost a similar amount as a standard RV fridge. While I'm sure that there are some folks out there that can build a slightly better mousetrap for RV refrigeration, the use of a highly combustible mixture in a gas/absorption fridge no longer makes sense!

Some of the viable alternatives are:

• Indel Webasto:*Fridges & Freezers
• Vitrifrigo America
• Nova Kool, refrigerators, freezers, Marine, RV, Truck
• Tundra Refrigerators for Boats

IN fact, I just finished installing a large solar charging system on a week-old FC/30 and the owner wanted nothing to do with the Dometic LP/AC fridge! We replaced it with this: Indel Webasto:*CRUISE 195 (Classic)

What a nice unit!!!!

It gets cold quickly, has 2 Danfoss compressors so it has many options for use as a fridge/freezer combo, a single fridge or freezer, or you can use only one of the compartments if you like. Very efficient and VERY well insulated.

[Del Gurney]

This seems to me to be an important thread: Mine is a 25' '05 safari so I may have something to worry about though I only test my Dometic on propane from time to time.
Steve: The improved model is a 2662? and the 2652 is the recall? (I'll check next I see the trailer) I'm the 4th owner so I've no idea if changes were made.
Lewster: The "all DC volt" refer looks nice.. I like the freezer on the bottom (makes sense). My question concerns boon docking. Is running on DC a serious drain on the batteries (I'm in Washington state after all where sun is scarce).
Thanks for the info.

[bunni]

Originally Posted by lewster

IN fact, I just finished installing a large solar charging system on a week-old FC/30 and the owner wanted nothing to do with the Dometic LP/AC fridge! We replaced it with this: Indel Webasto:*CRUISE 195 (Classic)

What a nice unit!!!!

It gets cold quickly, has 2 Danfoss compressors so it has many options for use as a fridge/freezer combo, a single fridge or freezer, or you can use only one of the compartments if you like. Very efficient and VERY well insulated.

That's me. I love my new fridge. We don't need the freezer this week so I turned it off today and we're just running the top refrigerator. Solar is working great, too. Thanks!

Meribeth

[lewster]

Originally Posted by Del Gurney

This seems to me to be an important thread: Mine is a 25' '05 safari so I may have something to worry about though I only test my Dometic on propane from time to time.
Steve: The improved model is a 2662? and the 2652 is the recall? (I'll check next I see the trailer) I'm the 4th owner so I've no idea if changes were made.
Lewster: The "all DC volt" refer looks nice.. I like the freezer on the bottom (makes sense). My question concerns boon docking. Is running on DC a serious drain on the batteries (I'm in Washington state after all where sun is scarce).
Thanks for the info.

I have installed many solar charging systems in your area, and I lived in Hood River, OR for 10 solid years………….so I know the weather. If you find yourself in an area of limited sunshine, a small Honda or Yamaha generator (converted to LP if you don't like carrying gasoline) and a quality converter would also keep your batteries charged.

While the Danfoss compressors are rated at 5 amps, they will not be running constantly! We estimated that the fridge with both compressors running would draw in the neighborhood of 65-75 amp/hours from your batteries daily.

We also increased the battery bank in this rig to 600 amp/hours using 4 Lifeline GPL-6CT golf cart batteries. That also helps quite a bit.

[TinLoaf]

Originally Posted by Del Gurney

The improved model is a 2662? and the 2652 is the recall?

The recalled fridge in my Airstream is the 2662. The recalled fridge in my previous trailer was a 2862.

The brand new replacement for my 2662 is the 2652. Yeah, I don't get it either.

[guskmg]

I had a similar rebuild experience with Wick at RV Cool, Toll Free: 1-800-515-6823. Local: 1-501-679-2537. Web site: <www.rvcool.com>. He is located in Greenbriar, AR, about 9 miles north of Conway, just north of Little Rock, AR. Real family operation. Occasionally he has units on sale. Mine was $425 plus installation. His units carry a 2 year warranty. He also ship units.
He replaces all tubing not just repairs that would soon cause new leaks. He said he has never had one comeback in his 19 years. The is a large day care parking lot across from his place that let me spend two nights the in freezing rain. No hook ups.
Gus Gustafson
"Space A"
WBCCI 4428

[crestonrv]

I'm with lew.
40 years I have been fight with absorbsion refers , why ?
for the cost of a NEW absorpsiobn unit you can put in an a/c refer , inverter / charger and add to the battery bank . xantrex has the freedom hf which is great for this purpose , also has built in 30 amp transfer switch . you can run the whole trlr without a gen ( no air conditioner though) and a very sophisticated charging system .
I have 1 cust , a carriage fth with3 x 240 solar panels , 2x 8d agm batts and a 2000 watt magnum inverter . he dry camps all winter and the only time he fires his gen up is for the ac . most of us don't boondock enough for it to be a problem.

[Aage]

Originally Posted by lewster

Indel Webasto:*CRUISE 195 (Classic)

What does the CRUISE 195 (Classic) sell for, Lew?

[SeeMore]

The Cruise 195 (Classic) 6.7 cubic foot model has a MSRP around $2,800 but can be found via the web for ~$2,250.

[blkmagikca]

Originally Posted by crestonrv

for the cost of a NEW absorpsiobn unit you can put in an a/c refer , inverter / charger and add to the battery bank . xantrex has the freedom hf which is great for this purpose , also has built in 30 amp transfer switch . you can run the whole trlr without a gen ( no air conditioner though) and a very sophisticated charging system .
I have 1 cust , a carriage fth with3 x 240 solar panels , 2x 8d agm batts and a 2000 watt magnum inverter . he dry camps all winter and the only time he fires his gen up is for the ac . most of us don't boondock enough for it to be a problem.

In theory it sounds good, but there are some issues that you would need to consider. My Excella has 3x75-w solar, 4 AGM's and the Xantrex Freedom 3000 inverter/charger. Because only 2 batteries are externally vented (in battery boxes, the other two are inside the cabin, behind the gaucho. Thus the batteries have to be AGM.

One thing I've learned about AGM batteries is that they don't like any rapid draw-down and that if they drop below a base voltage (I believe it is 10-volts), they are caput. Here was my lesson: I was camped in the bright sunshine in Nevada 2 weeks ago when I decided to heat up a bowl of soup. Instead of heating it on the stove, I switched on the inverter and heated it in the microwave for 3 minutes. I saw that the net draw-down was 134 amperes (approximately 140 amps less the 6 amps solar charging). The level did not drop below the baseline, and within a couple of hours the batteries were fully charged, or so said the Xantrex control panel. That night I was awakened at 11:00 pm when my CPAP machine stopped, only to find that there was insufficient battery reserves for the inverter to work. By 3:00 am, all DC activity in the trailer stopped - no LED lights, no refrigerator control. The battery level was down to 3.7 volts, too low for the Xantrex to allow the generator to provide power - I needed to back up the truck and connect the Bargman plug to bring the batteries up enough for the generator to work. The cost of replacing the AGM betteries was just shy of $1,200.

[lewster]

There must be other issues with your system to have a system failure from a fully charged battery bank in the situation that you described. The high amperage draw that you saw is a transient one, occurring only when the heavy load was placed on the batteries by the microwave and inverter.

Your batteries should have recovered significantly several minutes after the inverter ceased drawing power from the batteries. I test my new solar/battery/inverter installations with the same type of deep draw to be sure that all of the systems are working properly together.

Sounds like you have a bad battery, or your charging sections in the solar charge controller or inverter are possible not charging properly.

[Jim Lee]

I had a horrible experience with a 'rebuilt' dometic purchased through a company in Conway AR. It was my own fault, I was too cheap to spend the extra $500 for a new dometic.

Anyhow, cash up front, the unit arrived 3 months after promise date, wasn't complete and looked like they just rattle canned the wire shelfs with silver paint.

Unit would not work on gas, couldn't get the knob to turn, it was too still, I called the shop and was told to get some brake cleaner spray and spray the contacts and then turn the knob --it should loosen up.

I guess I should have unhooked the battery. I liberally sprayed the contacts, went inside and started turning the knob, whooosh. The spark from the automatic lighter ignited the cleaner, which started the wires burning and insulation burning.

I'm still inside the trailer wondering where all the smoke is coming from..... then it hit me. Luckily there is an outside hydrant with a hose hooked up close,

I run out and start spraying water in the refrigerator access door and get the fire out. Because I was standing in wet grass and the trailer was wet and all the electrical wires, including the 110 plug in for the box, I got the living sheet shocked out of me when I touched the trailer.

Shelter insurance bailed me out. I am so glad I have full coverage on that trailer!

[handn]

Originally Posted by crestonrv

I'm with lew.
40 years I have been fight with absorbsion refers , why ?
for the cost of a NEW absorpsiobn unit you can put in an a/c refer , inverter / charger and add to the battery bank . xantrex has the freedom hf which is great for this purpose , also has built in 30 amp transfer switch . you can run the whole trlr without a gen ( no air conditioner though) and a very sophisticated charging system .
I have 1 cust , a carriage fth with3 x 240 solar panels , 2x 8d agm batts and a 2000 watt magnum inverter . he dry camps all winter and the only time he fires his gen up is for the ac . most of us don't boondock enough for it to be a problem.

It is hard to find a new motorhome with an absorbtion fridge. They have double door residential type fridges, inverters and a bigger battery bank. The generator automatically fires up if the batteries get low. The only downside to the above set up is the cost and finding a place for more and bigger batteries. A small electric fridge doesn't draw that many amps. I have no room for a big one in my small trailer. Two 8d's would handle a small fridge and give me lots more furnace time than my two group 24.s I could double the size of my 200 watt solar charger and keep things mostly charged except on cloudy days.
My Dometic failed prematurely on my 2004 Safari. I wish I had spent the 2k it cost to replace it with an electric fridge, bigger batteries an inverter and a bigger solar charger.

[lewster]

Originally Posted by handn

It is hard to find a new motorhome with an absorbtion fridge. They have double door residential type fridges, inverters and a bigger battery bank. The generator automatically fires up if the batteries get low. The only downside to the above set up is the cost and finding a place for more and bigger batteries. A small electric fridge doesn't draw that many amps. I have no room for a big one in my small trailer. Two 8d's would handle a small fridge and give me lots more furnace time than my two group 24.s I could double the size of my 200 watt solar charger and keep things mostly charged except on cloudy days.
My Dometic failed prematurely on my 2004 Safari. I wish I had spent the 2k it cost to replace it with an electric fridge, bigger batteries an inverter and a bigger solar charger.

For the capacity of an 8D (2255 amp/hours), you would be better off with a pair of Lifeline GPL-6CT golf cart batteries ( 300 amp/hours) that. Are easier to handle, half the weight each and are more versatile in the way they can be positioned in the trailer. They are also the 'sweet spot' in the Lifeline selection, as they are the lowest cost per amp/hour. We use more of these in our solar. Installations than any other battery.f

[lewster]

That's 255 amp hour capacity for the 8D

[handn]

This is an interesting thread. After reading it over, I have a couple of points to add.
Absorbed glass matt batteries do vent gas, not as much as flooded cell but some. They should be vented or at least placed a long way from any source of ignition.
I have a combination 24 volt d.c./125a.c. refrigerator in my boat. It is compact. They make the same refrigerator in 12v/125v. One of these would enable one to ditch their dometic, and leave out the inverter.
I appreciate the point about the golf cart batteries having almost as many amps as the 8d's. Probably 4 of them (2 banks) would be smaller and less weight than 2 8d's
I am going into my 7th year on the agms on my boat. Their care and feeding is totally in the hands on my Xantrac inverter/charger. It is a very good charger.
I ditched my Paralax for a 3 stage converter charger but am not getting the battery life that I hoped for. I suspect my no name solar system is overcharging my batteries particularly when I am plugged into a.c. My next project is to upgrade the solar charger regulator. Does anyone have a suggestion for a good unit?