Fridge runs on gas but not electric

Paul_W

Member
I am out for the first trip in our new Sundance 285BH. Our Dometic 2652 fridge works fine on gas. We switched over to electric last night and woke up this morning to a luke warm fridge. The unit is plugged in to a live outlet and all fuses on the circuit board of the controller as well as the 12V fuse check good. The GFI outlets are not tripped, as indicated by the live outlet in the fridge compartment. I'm worried that the unit did not automatically cycle back to gas when it did not work electrically. Any suggestions or similar experiences to relate? Obviously, I am not crazy about uprooting in the middle of a vacation just to get to a Dometic dealer for warranty repair but I'm also not too crazy about the idea of running on gas for a week straight. Has anyone had any luck getting Dometic to cover a warranty claim for an on site service call?
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Paul:
Relax. You CAN run it on Propane, it isn't totally inop. I've heard that they will run on 1 bottle of propane for over a week. Just peek at the status lights occasionally, check the propane switchover valve daily to keep you from running out of propane.
I would guess you have a circuit board or heating element problem. Best to use your warranty and get it fixed when it is convienent to you, not when on your relaxing, fun, vacation time.
If, as you say, the outlet supplying power to the refrig is live, then the unit's not switching over automatically to gas would be normal as the circuit board IS sensing good AC power. It just isn't delivering this power to the heating element or the heating element can't use this power to make heat. RV ammonia adsorbsion refrigerators are essentially powered by heat.

Enjoy your time off!!
The circuit board does not self check and report on all of its many functions.
 

branson4020

Icantre Member
Depends on the weather, usage and model, of course, but I've run my 9 CU FT Dometic for almost 3 weeks on a 30lb propane bottle.
 

TedS

Well-known member
I leave mine on auto. When plugged into electric it auto selects electricity. When no electricity it selects propane.
 

Paul_W

Member
Thanks all. On gas it seems to be coming back down to temperature slowly but surely. The coils are warm so it's definitely working. Tomorrow morning will tell the tale as to the final operating temp. I guess we'll keep our eye on the propane this week.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Don't know if it will help, but here are the user and installation manuals for Dometic refer's. The install manual has the circuit schematics in it. You should call Dometic and see if they have an authorized mobile tech in the area to come to you. The refrigerators have a 3 year warranty on them.
 

Paul_W

Member
Thanks John. Fortunately I keep all of my manuals in the trailer for just such an occasion. I poured over both of these manuals before I posted earlier this afternoon. I found the warning NOT to attempt to restart the unit particularly useless while camped in the mountains on a Sunday. We'll hope for a good outcome.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Thanks John. Fortunately I keep all of my manuals in the trailer for just such an occasion. I poured over both of these manuals before I posted earlier this afternoon. I found the warning NOT to attempt to restart the unit particularly useless while camped in the mountains on a Sunday. We'll hope for a good outcome.

I have a large binder in the trailer with every manual and info sheet I find (well, most anyways). But we're at home, 200 miles from the trailer and I found I did not have these two on my computer file. So, your question got me off my duff to look them up and update my own stuff.

It looks like your rig is pretty new, but if you notice at the back of the manual it mentions having the refer inspected annually by an approved technician to maintain the warranty. Don't know how legal that is, but I have mine inspected during our "off" season by the dealer and keep the receipt on file. It stays on from May to late September and this is it's third season with no problems.
 

Paul_W

Member
It's fairly new. I picked it up from the dealer A WEEK AGO SATURDAY! LOL. Gotta hate it when the thing won't even work within a week of delivery. The good news is that it is ice cold this morning on gas.
 

sgtbigb

Well-known member
Paul my frig did the same thing, when I pick it up from the dealer brand new. It quit completely when it was 105 degrees in Dallas. Had it check out and the dealer reset the thermal reset button which is located somewhere in the rear of frig. I still get better proformance when using LP. I found after cooling it down with LP then switch to electric it sometimes holds depending what the outside temp is>
It's fairly new. I picked it up from the dealer A WEEK AGO SATURDAY! LOL. Gotta hate it when the thing won't even work within a week of delivery. The good news is that it is ice cold this morning on gas.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Gang:
IF YOU HAVE COMPUTER INTERNET ACCEESS, YOU HAVE MOST OF THE MANUALS, HERE ON THE HOG SITE!!! (Boy, I like using the term HOG!)
Click on the "Tools" tab at the top of any forum page (like this one), click on "Heartland Owners Manuals", and follow the submenus to get to the manuals for the device you are interested in.

If you know of a manual that is not listed there, and have an online link to it, or have it in digital format, contact Jim B. or one of the webmasters to add it.

I have a large binder in the trailer with every manual and info sheet I find (well, most anyways). But we're at home, 200 miles from the trailer and I found I did not have these two on my computer file. So, your question got me off my duff to look them up and update my own stuff.

It looks like your rig is pretty new, but if you notice at the back of the manual it mentions having the refer inspected annually by an approved technician to maintain the warranty. Don't know how legal that is, but I have mine inspected during our "off" season by the dealer and keep the receipt on file. It stays on from May to late September and this is it's third season with no problems.
 

Paul_W

Member
Paul my frig did the same thing, when I pick it up from the dealer brand new. It quit completely when it was 105 degrees in Dallas. Had it check out and the dealer reset the thermal reset button which is located somewhere in the rear of frig. I still get better proformance when using LP. I found after cooling it down with LP then switch to electric it sometimes holds depending what the outside temp is>

OK Gene. Now you've got me really curious. I didn't see any reference to a reset button in my manual. I will definitely pull the cover again and have a look. I can't say it was terribly hot outside. Infact, we are in a heavily wooded, river front sight. I do love reset buttons though. Thanks!
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Gang:IF YOU HAVE COMPUTER INTERNET ACCEESS...

That be the operative phrase. If you're using a campground WiFi and the kids next door all have their electronic toys going, you ain't seeing the internet for a while. You could even download them to a USB thumb drive, as a ready backup. Personally, though, when I'm up to my elbows in alligators, I prefer having a hard copy to reference. At least you can roll it up and smack them bad boys away...maybe.
 

slbarch

Member
Had the same problem with my 2012 Big Country 3250TS from the moment I picked it up. Gas only, did not work at all on electric. Turns out it's the mother board in the Dometic refrigerator.
 

TTEDGEM21

Member

Thank youJohn & Darlene for posting the PDF file... this may help me get myrefrigerator operating on LP GAS! The Dometic Manual for the RML 8555REFRIGERATOR I have stated in sect. 4.3.2 - "open the shut-offvalve for gas supply to the refrigerator". It didn't mention where exactlythis valve was and did not include the diagram contained in the PDF file youposted. Tomorrow in the daylight I'll see if I can figure out if my gas valveis open or closed... I sure hope it will resemble the diagram you posted. I'll let youknow if I can get it operating on LP GAS tomorrow.

 

jimtoo

Moderator
Hi TTEDGEM21,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and Family. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge if needed.

I need to ask,, does your stove work OK? Make sure the burners work good, sometimes if the valve on the propane tank is opened and the safety flow valve can activate and shut the propane off. If the stove works, then look behind the fridge for the propane line to make sure the valve is open.

Let us know what you find and enjoy the forum.

Jim M
 

Paul_W

Member
Update to original thread.

I dropped my Sundance off at the dealer upon my return from vacation only to find that it worked perfectly for them on both electric and gas. I would feel really embarassed if I hadn't had the same model fridge in my previous trailer. I know this fridge inside and out and how to use it correctly. We'll chalk it up to Murphy's Law Part B: "If it's broken, it will almost certainly work perfectly when the service technician tests it." It worked all this past weekend too. <eye roll>
 

rick_debbie_gallant

Well-known member
Hi TTEDGEM21,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and Family. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge if needed.

I need to ask,, does your stove work OK? Make sure the burners work good, sometimes if the valve on the propane tank is opened and the safety flow valve can activate and shut the propane off. If the stove works, then look behind the fridge for the propane line to make sure the valve is open.


Let us know what you find and enjoy the forum.

Jim M

Jim, thank you for mentioning the "SAFETY FLOW VALVE" and how it shuts off the propane. I have been trying to make that point to several people, but to no avail. Good Day
 

TTEDGEM21

Member
Hello Jim,
Yes I am able to cook with the stove. I'm including a photo of "behind the fridge" and I don't see the screw with a slotted head to open or close the copper tubing (where I believe the LP Gas is flowing???). Is the correct area? Could the brass fitting with the HEX nut be what i'm looking for? Thanks.
Photo562.jpg
 

KENNY COCHRAN

MCNEESE STATE COWBOYS #1
The large hex nut could be it. Worth a try, any writing on it? I would unscrew it a few turns and see if you get gas.
 
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