Dometic refrigerator freezing food when on propane mode

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garyb1st

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This only happens during cold evenings.  We have placed the temp control device to the left, to the right and both high and low in the refrigerator.  The position doesn't seem to have any effect on the temp.  When the outside temp gets in the low 40's everything in the refrigerator freezes.  It only happens on the propane setting so I'm guessing it's not the thermostat.  The unit was probably built in 2007.  Any suggestions. 
 
That ''thingie'' you are moving around on the inside fins is called a ''THERMISTER'' and I will bet that it has gone bad.  Go to your friendly RV dealer that sells parts for your refrigerator and buy a new one.  They are not very expensive and you can put it on yourself. 
First.  turn off the refrigerator.  Turn off all electricity to it including 12 volt and 120 volts
Second.  Reach inside and remove the ''Thermistor'' and take a trusty pair of wire cutters (did you turn off the power first?) and cut the housing and the two wires inside the housing.  I cut mine back about a foot from the Thermistor and did so on the new one also. 
Three.  Peal back the insulation on the two wires that go Thur the upper back of the refrigerator and do the same on your new thermistor.....
Four.....  Take small wirenuts or ''crush clamps'' and attach the ''like colored wires''' together and tape the complete mess up neatly.
Five.  Take the thermistor and slide it on the FIRST FIN ON THE RIGHT about half way to the top.  Make a note of the temp inside the ''refer'' and go away for about an hour after you turn the power back on.....
Six.  See if this solves your problem. 
This costed me 85 dollars to learn and I give it to you for ten cents and if it don't work for you I NEVER KNEW YOU........

Some vets died for you to be free.    think about it.......cj....
 
If your fridge has a LAT switch, try turning it on.

However.. I don't have that problem.. I do admit from time to time I have to re-set the temp though.. I think I run it on it's coldest setting in the summer, and turn it down a notch in winter.  (That is the front panel control)

 
I suspect Seajay is right. If the thermistor isn't working, most late-model fridges go to maximum cooling mode.  And moving it around on the cooling fins should have a noticeable effect if it was working.
 
The Thermistor is only a "Transducer", it sends a signal to a control board that causes things to happen to the temperature control system. What if.... the thermistor never moved by itself, and is ok, then the signal it is sending to the control board is useless unless it the circuit board is functioning properly.l... same problem.

Just a thought.

Carson

 
Thanks for all the suggestions.  Before I attempt a DIY fix, I want to make sure we're placing the thermistor in the right spot. 

I'm going to try Gary RV Roamers suggestion first.  The DW, claims the manual says to place the device on the drip tray beneath the fins which is where it's been attached.  The picture on the inside of the refrigerator says to move the device from top to bottom in order to adjust the temp.  But it can only be moved from side or side while on the drip tray and moving it one way or the other doesn't do anything.  So hopefully Gary's suggestion will work.  We'll will see.     

Gary
 
If the thermistor were bad why does it only freeze up on propane??
 
If the thermistor were bad why does it only freeze up on propane??
Here is a couple of answers..... If his ''refer'' is like mine it has two  ELECTRIC UNIT ''heaters'' that work when the unit is on electirc.  It is very possible that one of these electric units is unplugged or has stopped working at all and this would account for the difference when the unit is on propane.
Two.  The thermister can get moved around on the first fin easily.    My lovely wife Willa had the habit of REMOVING THE THING WHEN SHE DEFROSTED THE UNIT and then just ''sticking it back on'' the fin without regard as to where it should go so the ''refer'' would cool properly.  When I got ours working properly I took a magic marker and marked the location of the thermister and warned Willa that if she goofed up again I would have to ''spank her''......  So far she has put the thermister in the wrong place four times and then she smiles at me ....... Hummmmmmmm?  One rainy day I noticed it hanging on the outside of the door........... Hummmmmm??????
 
I think we got it.  At least the water hasn't turned to ice.  I'll let the DW determine if it's the right temp. 

Thanks again for the help.

Seajay, the magic marker is a good idea.  I'll mention that to my wife. 

Now if I can just get my keyboard to unfreeze.  Quartzsite is great but the cold evenings work havoc on old bones and computer keyboards.   

Gary
 
I've never heard of having the thermistor placed on the drip tray - - it is usually placed on the fins and can be slid up/down or moved to an adjacent fin.  I haven't had a Dometic fridge in several years - perhaps a current Dometic fridge owner could enlighten us about where their thermistor is located?
 
Gary RV Roamer  We have it on the 3rd fin per your suggestion and that appears to have done the trick.  The freezer was beginning to defrost a bit which tells me, the only thing now is finding the sweet spot on the fin.

Thanks for the help.

Gary   
 

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