A power surge took out our converter. We replaced it and the Dometic refrigerator worked on LP only for about a year. Not always consistently. We have cleaned out lighting element, replaced fuses (the fuses were blown but now are still good since replacing). It fires right up and gets hot but heat doesn't seem to move passed the lower point of the coils. Should we take it apart and flip coils upside down? We have moved it to level ground to make certain that was never the issue. We can get over it if it does not work on a/c but we at least need LP. No ammonia smell ever. Model DM 2650. Is it worth getting a diagnostic? Shop says without seeing it that it sounds like the board. Refrigerator is not even 3 years old. Interior light on fridge works. No clicking and no check light on. Please help....
Dometic Refrigerator worked on LP after surge but not a/c now neither work. Help
- Thread starter Zinger
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Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Just about everything in the fridge works on 12v DC power. Since LP mode works, that is probably OK. The 120v part is simply the electric heater element(s), a fuse on the circuit board part that feeds them, and the relay that turns the electric on/off for the heater. Replacing the circuit board is a blind attempt at a fix, but obviously it would replace the fuse and relay components. Few RV shops do much in the way of real diagnosis - just a quick guess and sway out a part. If that doesn't work, try a different part. They are spending your money, so no need to be very clever.
An LP mode cooling problem wouldn't be related to the "surge" or converter problem once the fuses were replaced. And inverting (burping) seldom helps a recent model fridge, though as a last resort it can't hurt. Nor will replacing the circuit board make it cool better. Can you better describe what you mean by "Not always consistently"? MAybe we could help if the clues were more specific.
An LP mode cooling problem wouldn't be related to the "surge" or converter problem once the fuses were replaced. And inverting (burping) seldom helps a recent model fridge, though as a last resort it can't hurt. Nor will replacing the circuit board make it cool better. Can you better describe what you mean by "Not always consistently"? MAybe we could help if the clues were more specific.
My husband is the one that usually handles all this so it was my mistake. Apparently it worked fine for a year but the "not always consistently" was just because we would hook up and it would automatically try and default to the a/c which I thought meant it wasn't working consistently. Sorry for confusion. I take that back, it did work consistently for about a year after the surge on LP only. This year we tried to fire it up right out of the gate, it would not work. Thank you so very much for your help. We truly appreciate it. 
Alfa38User
Well-known member
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- Oct 4, 2007
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I'm a little confused : Nothing new there heh heh.
I am not familiar with the DM2650 model specifically..... But are you trying to operate on 120V or start it on propane. The key in either case lies in the Auto key (if equipped). If the auto key is operated, the Auto light should be on and and you are connected (hooked up) to 120V then the electric heater should work. If you are not hooked up then the fridge will try to start on propane. If the Auto key is not operated then the fridge will try and start on propane regardless of being plugged in or not.
If the Auto key is operated AND you are hooked up, if it jumps to the propane mode right away, then the fridge is not recognizing the fact you are hooked up and the cause for this is often a small fuse that has blown. The 5A glass fuse is located in back of the fridge in a small plastic box attached to the back. It can be found by looking in the access door outside. Take the cover off the box and Voila!!
If you are trying to start in the propane mode and the fridge fails to light, the 'check' light should come on. Does it?
So a little better explanation might be helpful to our suggestions....
Nothing new there heh heh. I am not familiar with the DM2650 model specifically..... But are you trying to operate on 120V or start it on propane. The key in either case lies in the Auto key (if equipped). If the auto key is operated, the Auto light should be on and and you are connected (hooked up) to 120V then the electric heater should work. If you are not hooked up then the fridge will try to start on propane. If the Auto key is not operated then the fridge will try and start on propane regardless of being plugged in or not.
If the Auto key is operated AND you are hooked up, if it jumps to the propane mode right away, then the fridge is not recognizing the fact you are hooked up and the cause for this is often a small fuse that has blown. The 5A glass fuse is located in back of the fridge in a small plastic box attached to the back. It can be found by looking in the access door outside. Take the cover off the box and Voila!!
If you are trying to start in the propane mode and the fridge fails to light, the 'check' light should come on. Does it?
So a little better explanation might be helpful to our suggestions....
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Back to basics: When in Auto mode, the fridge will always switch to AC mode whenever it detects 120v power at its circuit board. If not, it switches to LP mode. You have no doubt been manually switching to LP to overcome the fact that it wasn't cooling when in 120v AC mode.
You said the outside (cooling unit) gets hot at the bottom (that's good - heater is working) but were concerned that the rest did not? The rest should be at least warm to the touch, but not as hot as the area just above the boiler. Does the interior get cool at all in AC mode? Is perhaps the freezer cold but the rest not as cold as desired? How does the AC mode compare with LP mode?
If the cooling unit works ok in LP mode, it is working properly and inverting it (or whatever) won't help. Everything in LP mode is exactly the same as AC mode except that the heat is generated by electric heating element instead of a LP flame.
You said the outside (cooling unit) gets hot at the bottom (that's good - heater is working) but were concerned that the rest did not? The rest should be at least warm to the touch, but not as hot as the area just above the boiler. Does the interior get cool at all in AC mode? Is perhaps the freezer cold but the rest not as cold as desired? How does the AC mode compare with LP mode?
If the cooling unit works ok in LP mode, it is working properly and inverting it (or whatever) won't help. Everything in LP mode is exactly the same as AC mode except that the heat is generated by electric heating element instead of a LP flame.
Sorry for the confusion. After it blew our converter it never worked again in a/c at all. However it worked fine in LP. (Disregard auto mode situation my husband knows how to override that. It was just my misunderstanding. He did override from a/c mode to LP and it did work for an entire year after the bad power.) He tried to start it up this year and despite overriding a/c mode to LP it does not work. )
We have replaced the fuses after the bad power as they were blown and they have not blown since. The freezer nor the refrigerator get cold at all now in a/c or LP. We live in a rural area where it gets dusty so as I type my husband is trying to clean the jet and see if dust got in there causing the issue. He did clean burner and tube and cleaned rust and cobwebs out. There was no yellow powder... That still did not get the LP working again. We are okay if it doesn't work on A/C. Anything is better than no fridge. If LP worked last summer fine and now does not could it be a simple fix like LP pressure or regulator or Thermistor? Not getting proper 12 volt power? Yes, it is warm at the bottom but not as warm at the top and the fridge and freezer are both room temperature. You guys are so awesome for taking your time to help us. Bless your hearts!
I'm crossing my fingers it is as simple as a dirty jet... :-\
We have replaced the fuses after the bad power as they were blown and they have not blown since. The freezer nor the refrigerator get cold at all now in a/c or LP. We live in a rural area where it gets dusty so as I type my husband is trying to clean the jet and see if dust got in there causing the issue. He did clean burner and tube and cleaned rust and cobwebs out. There was no yellow powder... That still did not get the LP working again. We are okay if it doesn't work on A/C. Anything is better than no fridge. If LP worked last summer fine and now does not could it be a simple fix like LP pressure or regulator or Thermistor? Not getting proper 12 volt power? Yes, it is warm at the bottom but not as warm at the top and the fridge and freezer are both room temperature. You guys are so awesome for taking your time to help us. Bless your hearts!
I'm crossing my fingers it is as simple as a dirty jet... :-\
well of course its going to be room temperature if the LP burner is not firing and the ac quit a year ago.If your getting a digital display on your fridge front showing LP.on ,ac etc and your interior lite works??etc then your 12 volts is fine.It sounds like the circut control board has expired .usually u will get a error code on the digital display on the front of the fridge where u read lp,ac,temp# etcZinger said:Sorry for the confusion. After it blew our converter it never worked again in a/c at all. However it worked fine in LP. (Disregard auto mode situation my husband knows how to override that. It was just my misunderstanding. He did override from a/c mode to LP and it did work for an entire year after the bad power.) He tried to start it up this year and despite overriding a/c mode to LP it does not work. )
We have replaced the fuses after the bad power as they were blown and they have not blown since. The freezer nor the refrigerator get cold at all now in a/c or LP. We live in a rural area where it gets dusty so as I type my husband is trying to clean the jet and see if dust got in there causing the issue. He did clean burner and tube and cleaned rust and cobwebs out. There was no yellow powder... That still did not get the LP working again. We are okay if it doesn't work on A/C. Anything is better than no fridge. If LP worked last summer fine and now does not could it be a simple fix like LP pressure or regulator or Thermistor? Not getting proper 12 volt power? Yes, it is warm at the bottom but not as warm at the top and the fridge and freezer are both room temperature. You guys are so awesome for taking your time to help us. Bless your hearts!
I'm crossing my fingers it is as simple as a dirty jet... :-\
If it was that simple why does it now not work on LPG? two separate systems, same control board and as u said it never worked on AC for a year.You said it gets warm at the bottom??(quote)It gets hot until the heater part shown on the diagram. How does anything get warm if your LPG quit and the AC has not worked for a year.Your discriptions of whats what are confusing. it may be as simple as the control board and as bad as a bad cooling unitZinger said:
Sorry for the confusion... Since the power surge it never worked on A/C but it did work on LP for the past year. When I say it does not work on LP, what I meant to say is the fridge does not get cold. On LPG it still lights and the metal cover over the flue area is warm. We are trying to start it up now so I can give better details. If it were the board would it have worked the entire year on LP but now all the sudden not work on LP? Are there separate parts of the board for both the LP and A/C or if one part of the board is compromised will it not work for either LP or A/C? Thanks so much for trying to understand my horrible explanation...
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
OK, I think I have it now. The fridge doesn't work in either LP or AC mode. The "heaters" in the picture are AC mode heaters, so not relevant to the LP problem. They weren't working before and still aren't working.
I gather that the LP flame lights and the lower right (boiler) area gets hot, but nothing much above that gets warm? Sorry, but that indicates there is no coolant fluid in the boiler to circulate as it boils. It only takes a tiny pinhole somewhere in the metal tubing to let it escape. Often you see yellow powder when that happens, but not always. The only fix for that is a replacement cooling unit. Unusual in a 3 year old fridge, but it does happen.
I can't think of any other explanation as to why the fridge gets zero cooling and the rear tubing doesn't get hot even though the LP flame is burning.
You can replace the cooling unit yourself - it's not real difficult. No soldering or anything, basically just remove and replace. Here is one source:
http://rvcoolingunit.com/
I gather that the LP flame lights and the lower right (boiler) area gets hot, but nothing much above that gets warm? Sorry, but that indicates there is no coolant fluid in the boiler to circulate as it boils. It only takes a tiny pinhole somewhere in the metal tubing to let it escape. Often you see yellow powder when that happens, but not always. The only fix for that is a replacement cooling unit. Unusual in a 3 year old fridge, but it does happen.
I can't think of any other explanation as to why the fridge gets zero cooling and the rear tubing doesn't get hot even though the LP flame is burning.
You can replace the cooling unit yourself - it's not real difficult. No soldering or anything, basically just remove and replace. Here is one source:
http://rvcoolingunit.com/
Not trying to count my chickens before they hatch however after cleaning the jet/orifice and making certain fuses were clean and in there tight it appears that the fridge has engaged. The coils are getting warm as high up as I can reach. I also hear the noise it makes when the fridge has kicked on... ;D
I also hear the noise it makes when the fridge has kicked on... ;D
