Dometic rm1350 - need help!

[Dave012]

Hi Ray,
My feelings are hurt that I was not included in you comment about Kenny being patient with Dometic.

I'm not sure why you'd be hurt. I suspect Ray was directing his comments to Kenny because of his recent problem and posts. You haven't posted to this thread since October so it seems reasonable for Ray to just respond to Kenny.

Safe travels to everyone.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Well, Kenny was the original poster so I guess that's the reason I directed my post to him. I am sorry

though Steve for not including you in my post. I must say you both have been pretty informative when relaying each of your trials and results in the thread. I really wish Dometic and or the techs would figure out some way to resolve the problems folks are having with this model. Best of luck to you both. By the way, were you able to find any residential units with dimensions that would be usable?

 

[KENNY COCHRAN]

Hang in there steve, we both know you have had more problems with your fridge than me. i'm still on my original unit. even though it has not worked much since last november of 2010!!!!!!!!!

KENNY

 

[aatauses]

Another suggestion that may help. When we were in Prosser, WA last summer I purchased a small solar fan. I mounted the fan near the heat coil of the refer and put the cord out the vent and the solar collector just sitting on top of the slide--it helped us quite a bit to keep the refer cold.
al

 

[KENNY COCHRAN]

Our fridge came with 2 - 4" computer fans on the back to keep them cool. Dometic had us add 2 - 8" fans and removed the 4" fans. It did help, for a while. Since november, they can't keep the fridge on, or, they are waiting on parts.
Steve dagro has had 3 brand new units installed on his big horn. They all 3 worked fine sitting in the rv shop floor. However, when they were installed in the rv, they don't work worth a flip. Now what?

 

[sdagro]

Just trying to put a little humor in to the situation to reduce the steam building up in me. Steve

I'm not sure why you'd be hurt. I suspect Ray was directing his comments to Kenny because of his recent problem and posts. You haven't posted to this thread since October so it seems reasonable for Ray to just respond to Kenny.

Safe travels to everyone.

 

[KENNY COCHRAN]

Just got my bighorn out of the rv shop, again. The fridge is now working like it should. The computer board (where you program it) had a part that was not soldered or either it was a broken solder joint. Rv tech finally found it and soldered it and it is now showing 32' when set at #5, the coldest setting. Hopefully it will now work for a while. Has been in and out of shop since november, this time.

 

[Bob&Patty]

Kenny, thats good news...but why didn't they just replace the board if it bad a bad solder joint. The boards must be made in China or India.

 

[KENNY COCHRAN]

1. They did change the board a while back. Worked about a weekend and was out again. 2. Next we waited weeks and weeks to get the wiring harness in from dometic. They then changed it. 3. It worked for about another week or so. 4. Brought back to dealer, told me they found a plug in on the board that had a crack in the solder joint,(i'm getting 2nd had info from the dealer and did not get to talk to the mechanic that fixed the fridge, could have been anything close to the board that was cracked) fixed that and has worked for a week or so. Will use rv soon and see if the trip down the Louisiana roads can shake it loose again!!

 

[KENNY COCHRAN]

Guess what? My dometic rm1350 is not working, again, again, again, again........................................
Has anybody replaced theirs with a regular home type unit? If so, what make and model do i need to look for?

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Guess what? My dometic rm1350 is not working, again, again, again, again........................................
Has anybody replaced theirs with a regular home type unit? If so, what make and model do i need to look for?

Oh man, that really bites. IF you are set on going with a residential type reefer, measure the rough opening of the enclosure width, height and front to back depth. Easiest thing is to go on line and shop. I'd start with a 12 or 14 cu.ft. frost free and see how they measure up. The biggest obstacle may be the depth but if it can "protrude into the coach a bit, you should be able to find something. Good Luck Kenny!

 

[Invizatu]

Kenny... If you go with a residential type unit, won't you lose the LP option? How about a different brand. Our North Trail came with a NORCOLD unit and it has worked fine ( I hope I didn't just jinx myself!)

 

[KENNY COCHRAN]

Yes i would lose the lp option, but i lost that 2 years ago when i bought the bighorn with the "works only above the mason dixon line" dometic rm1350. So, that part really won't bother me. We don't travel more than 4-5 hours away from home 90% of the time. I have a generator for the long trips. So frustrated with the dometic rm1350................... Can't write it on a public forum!

 

[lwmcguir]

We are going to go with a counter top depth 120V when the 1350 bites the dust. No way are we going to pay that much for the dual fuel. I agree with Kenny.

 

[boatto5er]

Our RM1350 is problematic also. Left on a short 90 minute trip last Friday at 1:30pm. Set reefer to run on propane. At 3:30 the freezer compartment was at 30degrees. Reefer compartment was at 60. We were in a very shady site, but outside temp was in the 90's. At 6:00pm reefer temp was 55. Finally around 11:30 pm reefer was down to 40 and we were able to move cold stuff from ice chests we had brought into the refrigerator. Had to restart a couple of times over the weekend when the temp started rising. Just can't get any consistency from it. Sometimes it'll get cold in a hurry, sometimes it takes forever. Will continue to play with it for awhile, then maybe replace with a counter depth home model also, unless dometic decides to step up to the plate and admit this is a bad design.

 

[KENNY COCHRAN]

unless dometic decides to step up to the plate and admit this is a bad design.

DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH. ME AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING IT FOR 2 YEARS. YOU WILL GET TIRED OF PLAYING WITH IT.

 

[sdagro]

Man Kenny!!!! You sound like I did a few months ago. Maybe I need to take a pic of how they modified my baffle and send it to you. Mine may go out tomorrow but this weekend at Cajun Palms it worked fine....even after the door came open on the way over and the temp was at 45 degrees. By that evening it was back down to 33. Is at 35 right now.

 

[57chevyconvt]

Steve,
Can you please upload picture(s) of the modified baffle arrangement for our viewing. I have the troublesome unit and would like to make the baffle mods to see if that will help. Anything in the way of improvements will be a help.

 

[cookie]

I don't know how Steve did his baffle, but here are a couple pics of how I did mine. This I did when the trailer was two days old and have not had a problem cooling. Maybe I just got lucky, but I knew there were problems with the RM1350.
It is important to get some air moving across the top cooling fins. With the refer in the slide this is not possible without the baffle.

Peace
Dave

 

[KENNY COCHRAN]

the baffle i had done (from dometic info) was to block the bottom 3/4 of the top exhaust or top grill. fans were moved from the bottom of the unit to the top and were increased in size. they work when the outside temps are below 80 or so, but don't work all the time when the temp climbs above 90.