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04-23-2010, 06:34 PM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
1963 24' Tradewind
St Louis
, Missouri
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 28
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Replacement parts for '63 Dometic fridge....
Hi everyone.
Went to run my fridge in my '63 Tradewind, and got the the pilot lit. While holding the pilot button to heat the Klixon, a small flame shot out near my finger and slightly toasted my fingertip. After the initial freekout, I checked for leaks, found none, and restarted the pilot. Held the pilot button in with a pencil, and waited at least a minute, but the pilot went out after I released the button. Not easily deterred, I lit the pilot again(pushing the button with a pencil and watching for the errant flame to return....it didn't) and waited a good long couple of minutes for the Klixon to heat up. as I lay prone on the floor of the camper, I looked away from the polit light to relieve the fatigue in my neck, and when I looked back at the pilot flame. I noticed that my Klixon had melted! So obviously my thermocouplethingy is in need of replacement, along with a Klixon thingy. I looked around the interweb to no avail for the parts. Any feedback on a repair solution? The fridge is definitly worth repairing.
Thanks!
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04-23-2010, 06:49 PM
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#2
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Restorations done right
Commercial Member
1962 26' Overlander
1961 26' Overlander
Vintage Kin Owner
Currently Looking...
Baltimore
, Maryland
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,545
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straight up... you have an obsolete item. As cool as they are you will find no one to be able to work on it. Please prove me wrong, for I am still storing my 1962 Dometic in hopes of fixing it someday.
My 18th call lead to a guy saying "stop wasting your time and pick out a new fridge."
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04-23-2010, 06:56 PM
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#3
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2 Rivet Member
1963 24' Tradewind
St Louis
, Missouri
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 28
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Yeah, that's what I'm getting fom all the pros.
I may just put a modern pilot and burner assembly in it, if I can find it before the Rend lake rally. I think I'll be using the "five day cooler" while I save up for a fridge tho......
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04-23-2010, 07:05 PM
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#4
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Restorations done right
Commercial Member
1962 26' Overlander
1961 26' Overlander
Vintage Kin Owner
Currently Looking...
Baltimore
, Maryland
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,545
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I pursued that option too. You will strike out on the retro fitting a new burner also.
Not trying to rain on your parade, I have just come to grips with the reality of not having my B50 any longer.
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04-23-2010, 07:10 PM
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#5
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2 Rivet Member
1963 24' Tradewind
St Louis
, Missouri
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 28
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what was the problem with the retrofit?
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04-23-2010, 07:36 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
Commercial Member
1957 30' Sovereign of the Road
1959 28' Ambassador
1949 24' Limited
Peru
, New York
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 745
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My 59 fridge (not sure of the model #) still works & i've fiddled with it & others quite a bit & learned a lot over the past 9 years, so i am familiar with your dilema. Everything is servicable if you're creative enough. I had a client some years ago with a 62 GT with the original fridge. It had a burner on it that was somewhat newer than the fridge. It worked fine but the installation was very crude & unsafe. Oddly enough I had a dead fridge from a 63 TW with a good burner so i installed it for him & it's still running fine today. Bottom line, it is possible to install an updated burner in those "cool" old fridges.
Colin
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04-23-2010, 08:19 PM
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#7
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2 Rivet Member
1963 24' Tradewind
St Louis
, Missouri
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 28
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Colin;
I definitly think a retrofit would be worth doing research on. I think the newer burners and parts are mainly refined and more efficient versions of the origional. My goal is simply to heat an ammonia mixture to produce refrigeration. I guess I'll start with that pilot and burner assembly.
Thanks.
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04-24-2010, 06:24 AM
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#8
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Restorations done right
Commercial Member
1962 26' Overlander
1961 26' Overlander
Vintage Kin Owner
Currently Looking...
Baltimore
, Maryland
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,545
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Well there ya have. Colin says it can be done, so I say go for it...
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04-24-2010, 08:07 AM
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#9
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Rivet Master
2006 25' Safari FB SE
1972 23' Safari
Houston
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,355
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Dometic Service Manual
Don't know if this will help in any way but I got this service manual last year when I tried to resurrect the Fridge on my 72. There are parts out there and people who rebuild the cores. Wound up replacing with a new Dometic that is slightly larger in size with less space inside. Had to rebuild the counter/cabinet to make it fit.
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04-24-2010, 08:39 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
1974 Argosy 26
Morrill
, Nebraska
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,014
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Can you post some pics of what you have? I just completed repairing the Dometic in my '74 Argosy. Did not have too much trouble finding parts. What is the model # of your fridge. Is the Klixon the piezo electric device to light the pilot? Do you light it from the front of the fridge or the back?
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04-27-2010, 07:06 AM
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#11
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2 Rivet Member
1963 24' Tradewind
St Louis
, Missouri
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 28
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Twinkie;
My frige is the old dometic that has a goofy metallic toungue that serves as a polit control. I'm talkin old.
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04-27-2010, 07:59 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
Corona
, California
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,497
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Modifying any LPG system, takes on a huge liability.
Accordingly, a good dealer won't touch that stuff, and many times will refuse to sell parts for the modifications.
Andy
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04-27-2010, 08:15 AM
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#13
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Rivet Master
1977 Argosy 24
Currently Looking...
Milltown
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,087
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We have a 1969 Mallard camper with a still working Dometec fridge with the old Klixon burner. I see no reason why it could not be retrofitted with a newer burner and gas control system as long as the ammonia cooling system is still intact. In fact I bet you could put the 110 volt electric heater in the chimney or replace the entire chimney with the electric heater from a newer Dometec unit.
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04-28-2010, 07:01 AM
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#14
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2 Rivet Member
1963 24' Tradewind
St Louis
, Missouri
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 28
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Andy,
As a fellow company man, I understand the liabilty. Being a hands on guy and wanting to be safe(family in the camper, and all that), This idea will go thru quite a bit of research, and testing. Heck, I plan on taking it out and attatching to a tank out in the feild of dreams to test it properly without fear of property damage.
But then again, if it is deemed too radical or unsafe, I'll just get a new one.
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04-28-2010, 07:06 AM
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#15
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2 Rivet Member
1963 24' Tradewind
St Louis
, Missouri
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ventport
We have a 1969 Mallard camper with a still working Dometec fridge with the old Klixon burner. I see no reason why it could not be retrofitted with a newer burner and gas control system as long as the ammonia cooling system is still intact. In fact I bet you could put the 110 volt electric heater in the chimney or replace the entire chimney with the electric heater from a newer Dometec unit.
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VP;
You are followimg my train of thoght on this one. The key would be flame control for maintaing the proper temp to move the ammonia solution at the proper rate.
Lemme take some notes on the modern controls to see what they are spec'ed to.
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04-28-2010, 08:22 AM
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#16
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Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
1955 22' Flying Cloud
2021 27' Globetrotter
Gulfport
, Mississippi
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 824
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Dometic Service Manual
Here is a copy of a Dometic Service Manual for older Dometics, which should include your model. I know finding a Klicon Safety Valve that works for these models is very difficult. I have found only 1 out 4 that I purchased used that worked. Working old burners are a little easier to find. If you could find modern burners & safety valves to work on these older Dometics, we would all benefit. Good Luck
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04-28-2010, 10:04 AM
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#17
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Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
Corona
, California
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by my1ststream
Andy,
As a fellow company man, I understand the liabilty. Being a hands on guy and wanting to be safe(family in the camper, and all that), This idea will go thru quite a bit of research, and testing. Heck, I plan on taking it out and attatching to a tank out in the feild of dreams to test it properly without fear of property damage.
But then again, if it is deemed too radical or unsafe, I'll just get a new one.
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Bench testing is great.
But, and that's a huge "BUT" will you also test it for the vibration and pounding it gets, when installed in the trailer?
That's when the liability kicks in, should it fail.
If a customer buys a exact replacement part, and messes up the installation, then they buy the farm.
If a customer buys a "should work" or a "substitute" part that was spced by the dealer, then the dealer buys the farm.
Personally, I have no need to by "any" farm.
Andy
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04-28-2010, 04:48 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
1955 22' Flying Cloud
2021 27' Globetrotter
Gulfport
, Mississippi
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 824
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Klixon safety valve & burner
Would all of this need to be replaced?
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04-28-2010, 05:29 PM
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#19
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4 Rivet Member
1963 24' Tradewind
San Diego
, California
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 360
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I have a "63" TW with the og refer. propane only. The ceramic piece at the pilot light was broken, along with other issues. I found a trailer repairman in the area who had the parts I needed.. Also the og water heater parts as well. I will try to find his ph# when i get home today and post it. He has many parts. He is known here as "The Old Fart With The Old Part" Worth a try!
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04-28-2010, 07:05 PM
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#20
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4 Rivet Member
1963 24' Tradewind
San Diego
, California
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 360
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I found the ph# to the person I purchased all my og water heater and refer parts. His name is Leonard 619-449-6231 the last time I talked to him was 1.5yrs ago Good luck
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