Refrigerator Fan

[DennisZ]

Scott
Is the cooling fan for the refer coils a Dometic item or is it a Bighorn Item, Mine quit running on the first trip out and I hav had to put a fan in the refer area to keep the temp down. When it is working the interior temp is around 37 F and it goes up mto 50+ F without the fan.

 

[mike]

Dennis, not to jump in but we have had the same probler with our 3655rd w/side by side ref, ours worked fine for 9 months or so and then we noticed that the temp inside frig went up to over 50 degrees. Dometic's so called fix was to have the cooling fans hot wired or put a couple of toggle switches on the fans so I could turn them on as needed. I told them that's not going to happen, it needs to be fixed correctly or replaced. I think my problem is a sensor on the left side of the fins at the top back of frig. You problem may be the control fuse for the fans.. Today while waiting on parts from Dometic I have the two colling fans hotwired to run all time...


Mike

 

[DennisZ]

Mike
I checked the fan fuse and it is good. I'm thinking the sensor is bad or a wire got disconnected during travel. The unit had been working OK until this weekend (I think), but that is when I noticed the problem. I'm going to give Dometic a call today.

 

[Scott]

Dometic

Sorry guys, just got back into the office today. To answer your question, it is a Heartland issue first and foremost, though it is a Dometic product that is causing the problem. So we (Heartland) will do our best to make sure the problem gets rectified as quick as possible. To do that, I am going to give you two means: 1) is to call our customer service guys at 574.262.8030 and have them work to get you into a Dometic authorized service center asap.
or 2) you can call Dometic direct at their 800# in your owners manual and they can help you find the nearest Dometic authorized service center asap.

We will assist or you can go direct.

ST

 

[mike]

Scott, thanks for the reply right now I am working with Family RV center and Dometic and waiting on parts. To be honest after speaking to Dometic a few times during this deal I was not impressed with their knowledge of their own product..

Mike

 

[DennisZ]

Scott
I already tried Dometic, they weren't much help. Asked if they would send me a new thermostat (it would close at over 160° F, S/B about 100° F per Dometic, from the number on the switch, it looks like the range is per the rating, may be a wrong part number), and they said if I worked on the unit it would void my warranty. The nearest service center that could take the unit is an hour away. For a $7 item, it isn't worth $60 worth of diesel. Found a new switch locally and will install it tonight.

Thanks

 

[mike]

DennisZ, Did the thermostat slove your problem..?


Mike

 

[DennisZ]

Mike
It sure looks like that die the trick, when I came home from work the next afternoon, the refer side of the trailer had the sun shinning on it and it was about 98° outside, and the refer temp was down to about 35°. I also added a switch to turn the fan on all the time as well as off completely for when the unit is in storage.

 

[mike]

Well, the dealer came out and replaced both fans and thermostat sensor and also put in a manual switch in case this happens again i can turn them on manual... Looks like it may be fixed...

Mike

 

[phranc]

Mike I checked my fan, only have one, and it does not run.. Where is you fan and sensor? My fan is located about 1 foot below the top reefer vent hatch, mounted on a metal brace. Is that where yours is ? The wires that feed the fan start at the bottom and run up inside and the reappear from the top of the reefer and go down to the fan.there are 2 wires to the fan . one is larger than the other . The larger owire carries 12 V . at least at the bottom where I checked it..Not sure what the other wire is for..
Can you shed some light on this ?

 

[DennisZ]

Phranc
The thermoswitch is located at the top of the unit, mounted on a heat sink for the evaporator coil. The power wire goes past the fan to the switch and then back to the fan (2 red wires). The fan has a blue ground wire that is grounded near the bottom of the unit. I put in 2 switches, one to turn the fan on all the time, and one so the fan won't run even if the thermoswitch was to turn on, as the fan will run even if the referigerator is set to off.

 

[phranc]

Ok.. thanks .. I see some light ..Where did you mount the switches..??

 

[DennisZ]

I put the switches down by the 110 volt outlet, but I'm going to move them out to the docking station area.

 

[phranc]

Say Dennis, do you think there may be a way to run the wire so the switch could be brought inside ?? It would be pretty handy to have it mounted near the reefer..

 

[DennisZ]

Phranc
I don't see any reason you couldn't do that, Don't know what you have under the frig, but mine has a removable panel for the heater that I could put the switches in.

 

[phranc]

Dennis , I found a good way to add the switch, In my 2600 there is a cabnet next to fridge accessible from the top vent opening, and I put a small hole in the rear of that cabnet and brought wires into the front of the cabnet that way. Bought the bracket and switch and will mount them on top left of cabnet door opening. Open cab door, flip lighted awitch on,close door.. I had one fan in back and thermo switch was right where you said it would be. Thermo switch is apparently bad.I'll have to contact my dealer or Dometic for that . I added a second fan that will be controlled by the switch in the cabnet. Also a in-line fuse. I get to try it out this weekend
Thanks for the tips .....