rv fridge not working on gas or electric
First up, just in case you were not aware, gas/elect fridges are only ever … I’ve owned, used, and repaired almost every class and style of RV ever made. Dometic Refrigerator model RM1350SLMX - was working fine on both gas & electric picked it up from storage will not cool on gas or electric unit is level fuses working & circuit breaker are ok. On pane … read more It can freeze up, clog up, or become damaged. RV refrigerators use a cooling solution out of water, liquid ammonia, and hydrogen gas. The solution is heated in a boiler to separate the chemicals. When an RV (absorption-type) refrigerator will not function on propane:1. Air gets into the gas line section to the fridge and has to have a chance purge and be replaced with propane. See when to repair versus when to replace your RV refrigerator…. To speed it along, you can use a hairdryer, but don’t use anything like a chisel, screwdriver, or anything else that could damage the interior. It can be a huge problem with these fridges when folks run them on 12V. It’s cheap and easy to replace. This is at no extra charge to you. There are 2 brands of refrigerators commonly found in RVs: 1. A good visual inspection will let you know if any critters have been squatting in there by knawed wiring or nests. There are a number of indicators to help you determine if you have a coolant leak: To test this, place a glass of water in your refrigerator and freezer with a non-electric thermometer. As RV refrigerators age, the ammonia liquid can create sediment that settles to the bottom of the cooling unit. I do all of my own repair work. The manual should have a step-by-step guide to walk you through it. When you are on the road on your RV trip, you might be worrying about food kept cold during your travels. To date, I’ve shared my RV knowledge in over 300 articles here at The Fun Times Guide! Verify that you do have 12+ VDC to the back of the refrigerator-- the PC board requires 12 VDC to operate on propane as well as on 120 VAC.2. This panel is your refrigerator vent cover. You will need a volt-Ohm meter to check the resistance or open circuit on the heater element. ALL ELECTRIC VS. ALL GAS. To date, I've shared my RV knowledge in over 300 articles here at The Fun Times Guide! The propane may have a weak flow and allow air to backflow into the lines. This fridge can run off of shore power (or a … You need to check the electric heater element for the fridge. But here is where the problem comes in…. Dometic dm2652lbx refrigerator not cooling. Also, try resetting the check on lights. Keep the interior and the exterior vent cover space clean. Combined with the labor required to remove a bad cooling unit and install a new one, the cost of the project will be at (or above) the cost of buying an entirely new RV refrigerator. Behind this panel are the inner workings of your fridge. Honest technicians will make you aware of your options before they get too far along. Hello world! My other interests include cooking, living with an aging dog, and dealing with diabetic issues. This sediment will hinder the ability of the ammonia to circulate properly through the cooling unit. What are your options? On the exterior of your RV, you’ll see a removable panel with three-wide slits running horizontally. At the end of the article you can decide if it is right for you, or if you will stick with a conventional RV refrigerator. For optimal operating function, Thetford advises running the Norcold refrigerator on AC power when … If your RV sat in negative temperatures over the winter, the cooling liquid might be frozen. Tip 3: Try Operating the Fridge in All Operating Modes. In your RV refrigerator, the controls for temperature and for power source get power to operate from the 12V system at all times. Behind the vent cover, you’ll find the following: It’s always a good idea to run a wet/dry vacuum through the vent cover bi-annually through this space to clean out any debris, bugs, or anything else. If you have problems with these appliances, that’s your issue. How to Troubleshoot and Fix an RV-Refrigerator, What’s Behind the RV Refrigerator Vent Cover, The Best Travel Trailers and Motorhomes for Show Dogs, Full-Time RV Living: 9 Benefits and Challenges. Your RV’s refrigerator doesn’t like imbalance either. The most important appliance in your RV is the refrigerator. At the camp site, it works fine on gas. Check circuit breakers and refrigerator fuses. Norcold problems, freezer working on gas and propane, fridge not cooling on either. This sediment is blocking the cooling liquid from flowing and what liquid there is may be escaping.`. Try running the fridge on gas. It usually comes down to how long the electric wiring keeps up. The second vent is either a rectangular roof piece or a higher side vent. Use a carpenter’s level or bubble level stickers at strategic points in your coach. Double-check your RV’s balance. If there is a buildup of carbon or the piece is cracked, the sensor won’t detect the flame correctly and will shut off the gas. RV refrigerators have a light with the word “check” over it. The Working Principle Of The Dometic RV Refrigerator Check Light. Many large RV refrigerators can cost well over $2,000 new. Check circuit breakers and fuses, but most importantly you need to check the outlet at the back of the refrigerator to make sure voltage really is there. RV refrigerators last, on average, between 15-20 years. It may be a simple push of the Dometic or Norcold RV refrigerator reset button or turning the fridge off and on. If you suspect the thermocouple is the problem with your malfunctioning It's also important to note that this article is for gas absorption Norcold model refrigerators, not AC/ DC models. If you can combine a grease monkey with a computer geek, throw in a touch of information nut and organization freak, combined with a little bit of storyteller… you’ve got a good idea of who I am. A new refrigerator can be installed in about 1 hour. The amount of time required to remove an old refrigerator, disassemble the cooling unit, reassemble it with a new cooling unit, then reinstall the refrigerator can take a full day’s work — which could be pretty pricey at $100 an hour! Unfortunately, whether from age, misuse, or just a plain ol’ case of bad luck, the components of your fridge can stop working. If the reading is nowhere near these readings, and you see those indicators behind the vent cover, more than likely you have a cooling leak. Now that we know why it doesn’t work, what can be done to fix it?…. Remove the refrigerator access panel on the outside of your RV. If the refrigerator has electrical problems, a certified professional needs to look at it. When it boils, it perks the coffee. If the fridge is not working on gas, after you’ve made sure that your gas system is … Before you give up the RV lifestyle, here are some troubleshooting fixes for camper refrigerators to keep you on the road. The lower panel allows fresh air to come in to cool the hot components. The number one RV refrigerator troubleshooting tip is to make sure your coach is completely level. A sealed cooling element is heated — either with a gas flame or an electric heating element. There’s also an electric heating unit and a gas flame within. Turning on the stove helps a lot but does not always clear the section of the line towards the fridge burner. If your RV isn’t level, the cooling mixture can’t flow through correctly. Just know, if the problem lies in the cooling unit, you may be better off buying a new RV refrigerator instead of repairing your old one. But what if the refrigerator in your RV seems to have lost its cool? Typically, these problems can be repaired at a reasonable cost. When electric mode is active, 120v power goes direct to an electric heater element in lieu of a gas flame. Hopefully, you’ll have enough cooling time to get back home deal with the problem without losing all of your food. https://rv-roadtrips.thefuntimesguide.com/rv-refrigerator-repair 120 V … read more If you need a copy of your manual, you can download a copy from their websites. At first it stopped working on gas when I was out camping, I could get it to try and light but it wouldnt stay lit, the check light didnt come on till the next day after being left on overnight. April 18, 2020. 2022 keystone Sydney been sitting for 2 years. To fix this problem, you have to turn your refrigerator off. An alternate method, if you can work safely with electricity, is to disconnect the electric heater element and wire it directly to 120 Volt cord and plug it in and let it operate overnight. Don’t worry we won’t get to complicated here. If you suspect the thermocouple is the problem with your malfunctioning fridge, you can test the thermocouple with just a screwdriver and millimeter. There are 2 brands of refrigerators commonly found in RVs: Both operate under the same principles.eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'thefuntimesguide_com-box-3','ezslot_11',699,'0','0'])); When an RV refrigerator starts failing (not cooling as well as it should), it means the fluid is no longer circulating properly through the cooling unit. Visually look for damaged wiring from corrosion or small animal chewing. Testing is best done with two people, one in front of the fridge and one observing outside as the start sequence is very short. It will again cool as good as a new refrigerator. Thank you all for your responses. If you’re staying in one place for weeks at a time, check your level every few days as your RV settles. The main refrigerator cools as the air flows through the rest of the interior. We’ll start with simple solutions that solve most problems. Snowbirds that full-time are an excellent example. So my Dometic 2way RM2652 (2932770.01) fridge stopped working all together. No signs of yellow dust behind it. If your RV fridge isn’t working on electric, a visual inspection of the wiring and a multimeter are your best tools. At this point, contact an RV dealer to determine which option will be the most cost-effective. I have a 2011 Puma travel trailer. All the work is done simply by heating liquid — like in your coffee pot. If the fridge still doesn’t get cold then the problem could be a blockage in the coolant system. Use the multimeter to test the refrigerator’s power outlet. At the camp site, it works fine on gas. One last thing we wanted to point out is the issues people are finding with their residential refrigerators in their RVs. Caravan fridge not working … If you can combine a grease monkey with a computer geek, throw in a touch of information nut and organization freak, combined with a little bit of storyteller... you’ve got a good idea of who I am. There are a few reasons behind this. That being said, the check light should not go on in the case you set the refrigerator in AUTO mode and there are available electricity. They handle the road, and their use of propane while traveling is more efficient for power needs. There are no pumps to wear out, and no compressors either. A refrigerator that is used once or twice a year over a period of 5 or 6 years is much more likely to plug up than one that is in continual operation. If it’s possible, you can pull your refrigerator out, turn it upside down for a few minutes. Gas absorption models are found in RVs while AC/ DC models are found in trucks and boats. There are many reasons for this, but the core difference comes from RV fridges using absorption refrigeration. Two-way refrigerators use either AC current or propane. I think the best place to start is to look at some comparisons: Starting with the obvious, conventional RV refrigerators operate on both LP gas and electricity, whereas all-electric models need a 120-volt source all the time. (The fridge is NOT at fault, it is a very common fitting fault!) To learn more about your refrigerator, it’s always a good idea to read through the owner’s manual. When you gave up tent camping, putting the ice coolers away in the garage for good was a moment to enjoy. If your RV fridge isn’t working on electric, a visual inspection of the wiring and a multimeter are your best tools. Take a disposable aluminum foil pan and place it under the freezer. The refrigerator has to have 12 volts power to run on propane, or 120 volt power to run without propane. Norcold gas absorption refrigerators operate off of 12V DC power (battery power). This refrigerator uses either propane gas or electricity for power. Norcold is one of the most popular and best brands out there in the world that are making these RV refrigerators. Once they’re in liquid form, they flow back to the boiler to start the process over again. We are in high altitude but it … Only a certified professional can let you know if it’s cheaper to replace the parts or buy a new refrigerator. Again to have not moving parts an absorption fridge is still very complex as far as chemical reactions go. A “3-way fridge” usually refers to an absorption RV refrigerator that can run off of AC Power, LP gas, and DC Power. The coach batteries must be fully charged. The heat has to radiate throughout the entire system. At the end of the article you can decide if it is right for you, or if you will stick with a conventional RV refrigerator. Your owner’s manual will tell you where this sensor is located. Hello world! The pilot light in the boiler is the cause of the light turning on. Once sediment exists, you may dislodge it for a period of time — but as soon as the refrigerator sits again for a period of time, it will again settle and plug up the tubes. Everything must be level, in order to evaluate the operation. I’ve been involved in RVing for over 50 years — including camping, building, repairing, and even selling RVs and motorhomes. The refrigerator works on electric, but does not get as cold as it should. Replacement cooling units are expensive. Now this is what I have tried so far, gas burner lights and stay on a very low pilot flame, nothing changes when I … This is one time when a refrigerator that is working a little bit may actually be worse than one that is not working at all. The first step is understanding how your fridge works. Specifically, the evaporator coils have a shallow downward angle. Refrigerators are one of the backbone amenities for living the RV life. Others that move around every few weeks will find few problems with an RV refrigerator. Some install a fan behind the vent cover to increase the airflow. Many of them have over 25K shares. Getting to it may require unscrewing your refrigerator from the cabinetry inside and the anchor points within the vent cover area so you can give yourself some room to get to it. norcold rv refrigerator not working on electric. This tube channels excess moisture out of the refrigerator. An RV refrigerator must have a good 12V-dc power supply for it to be able to work from either 120V-ac or from propane. I’ve never personally used that method, but the theory behind it is only marginally acceptable. If your Norcold or Dometic refrigerator is not working at all after you pulled it out of winter storage, check the cooling components behind the vent cover. Whichever version of refrigerator you choose, make sure you keep up with the maintenance. I do all of my own repair work. The AC plug that you see in the back is only powering your AC Heater/s that will cool the refrigerator when running it on AC or Auto Mode. Most Refrigerators that one can find out there are about AC only and need a quite high supply of current to make it work for them. The yellow sediment is the ammonia turning into its solid-state. Long-term storage can cause issues with the operation of your RV refrigerator. The refrigerator works on electric, but does not get as cold as it should. If your RV fridge works on gas but not on 110v AC, then try this: The first step is to verify you have 110v AC at the refrigerator.