Got this question back in January and it has taken some time to track down the information on what has been done and then getting in touch with a Dometic refrigerator technician. Here is the start of the thread back on January 9.
Dear Dave,
The refrigerator on propane mode will, all at the same time, shut off flame, click motherboard and check light comes on beeping continuously. When on auto, the refrigerator will beep and motherboard clicks. —Steve, 2022 Jayco 22RB
Dear Steve,
The first thing I would do is contact your dealer, as the refrigerator should be under warranty and you want it documented. Next, the beeping and lights should be giving you a code. Check your owner’s manual for the refrigerator, which I believe is Dometic, and let me know what codes you are getting. —Dave
*****
Ready to dump the RV
January 12, 2023
Dave,
Lol… nothing with codes with what I have. I have worked with a mobile tech guy from Show RV, Phil, and with RV Country service manager. We are all baffled. I have been constantly talking to Dometic and Jayco. I’m ready to dump this RV and lose my money. I can’t even dry camp. —Steve
Steve,
I agree, it can be frustrating. Can you give me the model number of the refrigerator and who you are working with at Dometic? I’m heading to Tampa next week and will be in contact with them there. Maybe we can get something going. It sounds similar to the situation the CA RV Show manager had with his Dometic smaller refrigerator in a Class B. Started as a beeping sound that a phone tech diagnosed as the door open warning and told him to unplug something. After that it quit working and after several trips to a local dealer a new control module was installed which cost almost $2K! He was not in warranty. —Dave
*****
January 12, 2023
Dave,
DM2672RBf4. Dolly at Dometic, and Brenda at Jayco. Phil with Show RV Mobile and Kyle here in Laughlin, NV, at RV Country. I have replaced the motherboard and control panel twice. Hooked refrigerator to shore power direct and the propane works, then out with the clicking of motherboard and check light coming on with continuous beeping. There is even metal ash under the flame burner. —Steve
I was not able to get any answers from the technicians at the Tampa Super Show as they had almost 80K attendees for the show. Needless to say, everyone was doing triage with customers. I did, however, get a contact from them that I got a response back from.
Response from Dometic
David,
The beeping is just simply there to let the customer know the Check Light is illuminated since the check light is now behind the freezer door on the Americana II units. If the main lower control board has already been replaced and the problem is still present, we can rule out the lower board as being the issue. The following would be the next things to check and verify…
- Measure the incoming DC voltage to the fridge at the terminal block on the bottom rear. Check light will be present if the voltage is below (or drops below) 9.6VDC.
- While at the fridge 12V terminal block, flip the multi-meter to check for AC and see if there is any AC voltage on the DC terminal. Anything more than 2-3 VAC could cause the issue and if that is the case, the RV convertor is bad.
- Disconnect, strip, and ensure a tight reconnection of the following ground wires… Main 12V negative ground post at the bottom rear of the fridge – Gas Valve ground – RV’ Converter ground. Many times a weak or loose ground can cause this issue as well.
- If the problem is still present after doing all of the above, completely deaden the RV (disconnect 12V and unplug from shore power), bring an alternative 12V source to the back of the fridge, and run the fridge isolated like this for a time to see if the problem persists. If it does, there is a RARE chance the new lower board is bad, or the upper control (eyebrow) is bad. If the problem does not appear in this isolation test, the problem is RV. Most likely RF (radio frequency) from some other appliance that is confusing the fridge controls.
Hope this helps.
What was the final fix?
I called Steve to find out if the refrigerator was still DOA or if he found a fix, and that I had a list of items that the Dometic tech recommended. He told me that he attended the Quartzsite show and the first vendor he saw was Dometic! He talked with the technician that was there and showed pictures, videos, work orders, and parts. The technician stated that the foaming agent was not working with the cooling unit and he needed a new refrigerator… under warranty! His comment was: “After 6 months, $2K in parts swaps, and no refrigerator, I have to go the desert to get something done!”
What is a foaming agent?
My question is… What is a foaming agent? Hydrogen, ammonia, water, and sodium chromate are used and contained in a tank known as the absorber vessel. This rich solution gets heated by the flame on propane or heat element on 120-volt power and it turns to a vapor as it rises up the tube. Here is a diagram from Dometic of the operation.
The various components change from a liquid to a vapor state and back again through a series of chemical reactions, which I don’t pretend to know about. But I do know that they all make their way back through the zigzag tubing to the absorber vessel by gravity and continue the cycle.
I have never heard of a foaming agent and do not understand how that would work in a system that needs liquid or vapor to flow down pipes by gravity. Sounds a little like the advice to “refill blinker fluid” or “rotate the air in tires” back in the days I was working at the gas station that actually pumped gas, washed windows, and checked all the fluids!
Glad Steve got a new fridge and hope to get a response from Dometic on what the foaming agent is.
You might also enjoy this from Dave
My brand-new Dometic fridge won’t stop beeping!
Dear Dave,
I have a problem with my Dometic fridge. I have replaced the eyebrow or control panel with a new one. It gets 12v to the back of the fridge. I have had a technician inspect it and he said it was the control panel but it still continues to beep. When it does, it switches back and forth from propane to electric like it’s confused. This fridge is new and has been used for only one month. The beeping all the time is killing me! It’s a Dometic DM2672RBf4. —Steve, 2022 Jayco 22RB
Read Dave’s first attempt to help Steve with his Dometic refrigerator.
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
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Yeah, I made the mistake of not reading the Dometic owners manual which stated that the Dometic 8501 refrigerator wouldn’t operate above 3,250 feet….
Check your owners manual and find out…. some can go to 5,500 feet…
Ah, the learning curve…it’s pretty long and steep with RVs…if you’re just on 12 volt battery power with a 3 way propane refrigerator….. the battery operated system is designed to just hold your current temperature….at least ours was…..
Now, we removed the old refrigerator and have a 12 volt Danfoss compressor refrigerator….. easier….no leveling, no altitude or special handling….
Make your own choices…..
had a Dometic RMD8555 in my trailer, it failed totally, wouldn’t turn on, parts availability for this model was unobtainable. replaced it with a Norcold N2175 DC compressor fridge, which was an exact fit for the opening, and couldn’t be happier. freezer compartment stays stone cold frozen, fridge compartment stays a nice 36-38F regardless of weather, and it just works. I have sufficient lithium battery capacity to dry camp well over a week with no solar, and I have enough solar that one sunny day charges 50% of my battery total capacity.
Sounds like the technician at the Quartzsite show wiz bangled him with if you can’t dazzle them with delight then you baffle them with B.S.-LOL. Good Steve got a new refer, but here’s the million dollar question, does it work??
Snoopy
We’ve seen instances where the RV manufacturer connects lights and other 12vdc loads to the same circuit as the refrigerator. As these other loads are activated it causes the refrigerator to experience a momentary voltage drop. The fix is to run a separate 12vdc feed to the refrigerator.
I had the “Norcold or No-Cold” fridge until the propane component caught fire and luckily didn’t burn down my Montana. Converted to a DC fridge/freezer with JC refrigeration and could not be happier! Unless you like a fire hazard and soft ice cream, I highly recommend a DC conversion. IMHO.
We had a Norcold fridge in our 97 Nash and never had a problem with it in the 16 years we owned the trailer. We bought a brandy new 2012 Arctic Fox and it too had a Norcold fridge. But it failed in 2022 and we replaced it with a Haier ac fridge that fit perfectly in the slot left by the failed RV fridge. Unable to find a replacement RV fridge of any brand at the time, we opted for this replacement out of necessity. It was only $450 compared to the cost of an RV fridge which was well over $1000. There are many plusses with this new fridge (interior space, ice cubes that stay separate, and COLD beer). It is run easily by our 2000w inverter when traveling, and our solar system handles battery charging when needed. So, the disaster turned into a blessing in disguise. We can still boondock to our heart’s desire, which is what we normally do.
My 1st rv had a Dometic fridge. First on AC it quit working. While at the shop A/C issue was fixed. Then quit working on propane. When shop pulled unit it would work on propane. Installed it wouldn’t work. Technician couldn’t figure out. He contacted Dometic and they told him to replace Fridge. Since It worked on A/C I used it the rest of the season. Then bought a new TT. Making sure it didn’t have a Dometic Fridge. Now I won’t buy an rv that has anything Dometic in it.
In other words you’ll never buy another RV..
Did you check the seal on the compensating fletter valve where it feeds into the coax diverter assembly? If you can see the foaming agent, which shows up as a pale yellow under UV light, replace the seal. Change to summer air in your tires and check that seal again. Easy peasy.
Makes as much sense as any “remove and replace” technician.