Fridge freezes everything when in elec. mode

[bhutch74ly]

I've got a 25 foot 1974 Tradewind that has the original Dometic
refrigerator. It works great on propane but freezes up on elec. regardless of the thermostat setting. Any suggestions on what I need to do to get the thermostat fixed would be appreciated.

[idroba]

Sometimes the knob on the electric thermostat itself slips, and is not actually turning the control. The other thing that you might check is the thermostat bulb clamping, which could have come loose. Right now I cannot even tell you where that is, it may be buried in the cooling system on those older models. If you are sure that neither of these is not the issue, a replacement thermostat itself is most likely in order. That is not a real easy, or inexpensive thing to do, as Dometic parts are very high priced and it can be difficult to thread the control bulb into the proper location.

Considering the age of the refrigerator, and the cost of repairs, I would consider just using it on gas only. The propane cost vs. the cost of repairs is not much. A 30# tank will usually last me about a month, running on propane all the time.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by bhutch74ly

I've got a 25 foot 1974 Tradewind that has the original Dometic
refrigerator. It works great on propane but freezes up on elec. regardless of the thermostat setting. Any suggestions on what I need to do to get the thermostat fixed would be appreciated.

That is a reaction to a bad electric thermostat.

Most likely, on the back of the reefer, you will find the thermocouple lead broken.

That happens from vibration.

Andy

[bhutch74ly]

Originally Posted by idroba

Sometimes the knob on the electric thermostat itself slips, and is not actually turning the control. The other thing that you might check is the thermostat bulb clamping, which could have come loose. Right now I cannot even tell you where that is, it may be buried in the cooling system on those older models. If you are sure that neither of these is not the issue, a replacement thermostat itself is most likely in order. That is not a real easy, or inexpensive thing to do, as Dometic parts are very high priced and it can be difficult to thread the control bulb into the proper location.

Considering the age of the refrigerator, and the cost of repairs, I would consider just using it on gas only. The propane cost vs. the cost of repairs is not much. A 30# tank will usually last me about a month, running on propane all the time.

Great suggestions. I hadn't thought about the plastic knob slipping on the shaft although I've had it happen several times with old radios and other devices. I hope this is the culprit. If so, it should be an easy fix. As for just running on propane, that is what I've been doing for a couple of trips and it really is not a problem except for the small amount of gas that is used. Thanks for the help. I'll let you know what I find out.

Bob

[bhutch74ly]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

That is a reaction to a bad electric thermostat.

Most likely, on the back of the reefer, you will find the thermocouple lead broken.

That happens from vibration.

Andy

Andy, thanks. I'll be sure to check this out.

Bob