Dometic DM2882 Refrigerator not getting cold

[wirly1]

I have a 21 Imagine 22 MLE with a Dometic refrig that won't get cold on gas or electric. All the panel control lights are on and it will switch to either with no problems. I've checked fuses, replaced lower control board, replaced thermal fuse, checked ohms on thermister which seems to be ok. Doesnt get the slightest bit cold. I can feel heet at the back where the element is and burner. Don't see any signs of coolant leak. Havent replaced the eyebrow board since everything is lit and seems to switch over fine. Wondering what else I should try before taking it somewhere. Maybe cooling system is shot even though its less then 2 yrs old???

[Second Chance]

You may have an air bubble or chemical membrane in the coolant system. I'm pasting this in to save time, so time references may seem odd:

I originally posted this some years back (when we were in our Reflection 337) after problems with our Norcold 1210. A very good tech taught me about the absorption refrigerator "reboot." Perhaps there's something in here of use:

Our absorption fridge quit cooling last winter (had been in one site without moving for a couple of months). I called our trusted RV tech for advice... I posted the following after that experience:

RV techs call it a "refrigerator reboot."

When your absorption fridge quits cooling (cooling unit less than two years old) and an experienced RV technician tells you to do a "fridge reboot," listen to him/her. Late last week and over the weekend our Norcold 1210 fridge started not maintaining proper temperatures. I tracked it with a fridge/freezer thermometer and my infrared thermometer and got an ever-tightening knot in my gut. First thing Monday morning I contacted our favorite technician here in Las Cruces, NM, Richard's RV Service, fearing the worst. He asked the following questions:

• Is it the same on AC and propane? Answer: Yes.
• Did the problem come on suddenly - like flipping a switch? Answer: No.
• Did you smell ammonia? Answer: No.
• Do you see any yellow residue around the boiler, coils, or any of the other tubing on the cooling unit? Answer: No.
• Do you hear the cooling fans in the back cycling on and off? Answer: I haven't noticed them like I usually do - but the weather has been cooler.

Richard's instructions: Turn the fridge off for at least five hours and let everything get down to ambient temperature in the back. Using a rubber mallet, periodically tap on all the pipes, tubes, and other refrigerant conduits I can reach, both while it's cooling down and after it's completely cooled. This process took until about 2:00 Monday afternoon. I then turned the fridge back on and continued to do the "rubber mallet frappage" periodically while the fridge was warming up/cooling down. I turned the fridge back on mid-afternoon and by the time we went to bed Monday evening, both the fridge and the freezer were getting back down in normal ranges and the infrared readings on the fridge fins and the back walls of the freezer compartments were very good.

I kept a log and updated Richard a couple of times on Tuesday and he dropped by yesterday (Wednesday) to check. His diagnosis... an air bubble or chemical membrane in the refrigerant system. He said, "Congratulations!" and pronounced the fridge healthy. We both think the issue occurred because our RV hasn't been moved since we pulled onto this site on 10 November and the jostling an absorption refrigerator gets bouncing down the road helps keep the refrigerant stirred up and moving.

Rob

Edit/PS: Welcome to the forum. You can create a signature block with your RV and tow vehicle information (see mine below). That way you won't have to repeat that information whenever you post or ask a question - and others won't have to ask. You can create a signature by going to:

Forum Actions (on menu bar) -> Edit Profile -> Edit Signature (under My Settings on the left)

[wirly1]

Im trying the reset and rubber mallet "technique" and at least now it sounds like something is happening with the refrigerant in the tubes, before I had nothing, no cooling, no sounds, nothing going on. I'm not sure if mine has a fan, it looks like some do and some don't with this model, according to my manual.

[Tigger1]

Our 2020 22mle also has the DM2882 and the only fan it has is just below the upper vent. Here’s a photo looking down from the upper vent. I replaced the loud original with two quiet ones.

[wirly1]

Thank you for the fan info, I was planning on getting a ladder to see what was in the upper vent but hadn't got that far yet!

[wirly1]

Where did you get the fans and what did adding another improve for you? Thank you for the help, much appreciated!

[Second Chance]

Where did you get the fans and what did adding another improve for you? Thank you for the help, much appreciated!

@wirly1 - a couple more forum tips (besides adding a signature with your rig information):

1) If you use "Reply With Quote" (to the right of "Reply") as I have here, folks will know to whom you are responding and that person will get a notification.

2) You can also tag folks using the "@" symbol and their user name (as I have done yours) - they'll also get a notification that way.

Rob

[Tigger1]

Where did you get the fans and what did adding another improve for you? Thank you for the help, much appreciated!

Here’s a link
https://www.amazon.com/quiet-Case-Fa...00IOIKG68?th=1

The 92mm size fit into the existing holes on my unit. These were a little tricky in that they are 3-wire fans; hot, ground, and speed control. Only hot and ground are used for the refrigerator application; speed control gets taped off.

These are just desk-top computer fans and you should be able to find 2-wire ones. The important thing is that they are lower RPM than the original that came with the trailer.

Here is a comparison between the original in my trailer vs. the new ones:
ADDA vs. Pure Wings 2
25dBA vs. 18.6dBA
30CFM vs. 33.15CFM
2500RPM vs. 1900RPM

These new fans are very quiet plus adding a second draws more hot air out of the fridge compartment. On hot summer days with the fridge vents facing the direct sun it helps. There are other solutions to keep the fridge cooler in the summer if you do a Search in the upper right of the page.

[Jerryr]

I have a 21 Imagine 22 MLE with a Dometic refrig that won't get cold on gas or electric. All the panel control lights are on and it will switch to either with no problems. I've checked fuses, replaced lower control board, replaced thermal fuse, checked ohms on thermister which seems to be ok. Doesnt get the slightest bit cold. I can feel heet at the back where the element is and burner. Don't see any signs of coolant leak. Havent replaced the eyebrow board since everything is lit and seems to switch over fine. Wondering what else I should try before taking it somewhere. Maybe cooling system is shot even though its less then 2 yrs old???

I believe Dometic Fridge has a 2 year warranty.

https://epi.dometic.com/globalassets...ref=FB05987CF2

[wirly1]

Thank you for the fan info again!!