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Topic ClosedDead Dometic RM8501

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pgoelz View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Dead Dometic RM8501
    Posted: 02 Aug 2017 at 10:02am
Hi all,

Well, here we are camping with our three year old Rpod 171.  And the refrigerator just died.  Electronics and flame are fine.  Just no cooling.  After research and calls to Dometic, it looks like it is clogged.... and therefore permanently deceased.  To the tune of about $1500.  It has ALWAYS been run exactly level except for cooldown periods in the driveway prior to trips.  Not sure what that slope is but I plan on measuring it when we get home.  

But here's the thing...... NOWHERE IN THE DOMETIC OR RPOD MANUAL DOES IT MENTION DAMAGE IF RUN NON LEVEL.  The Dometic manual does not mention level AT ALL and the Rpod manual only mentions that it might not cool if non level.  It says nothing about how far off level is too much. How the h3ll are we supposed to know that running non level will PERMANENTLY DAMAGE the fridge if NEITHER manufacturer bothers to warn us??????

We are camping right now but I intend to pursue this further when we return.  Seems to me that this lack of information borders on deliberate fraud, since it creates a lovely and MAJOR cash flow replacing dead refrigerators.  

Note that I did call Dometic from the camper and they basically told me to pound sand..... after being unable to show me where it warned me in the manual (again, it does not).  I spoke with a very firm and unpleasant person who talked over me and would not let me talk to anyone else.  

Just venting here.... and warning others.   There is plenty of information on this issue on the web, but you have to know it is an issue before you know to do the research, right?

Paul
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 2017 at 11:12am
Here something that might shed a little light on the problem.  I have also posted some problems with my   refrigerator RM8501. I found one problem with the propane regulator, it was full of oil.  I ordered a new one but it hasn't arrived yet. I hope this is the problem I'm having. Were did the oil come from, will google it and your going to fine that it is a big problem. It is coming from the propane tank. So  you might  check your regulator. I hope this helps you out.  
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 2017 at 11:58am
Which means that the propane being pumped into the tank is contaminated. I noticed that with one of the recent tank fills I got that seemed to have some soirt of moisture in it as my propane line to my Coleman grill-stove had what looked like water in it and it was causing the grill-stove not to burn properly. I think that is why the Mr. Heater specifies to put a filter inline when using 20 lb tanks instead of the 1 lb cylinders. I wonder if one could be easily put inline for the R-Pod.
StephenH
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 2017 at 1:26pm
Unfortunately that is not the problem here. The Propane Supply is fine and the stove Burns clean and strong. The exhaust coming out of the boiler in the refrigerator is too hot touch as is the refrigerant tube coming out of the top of the boiler. However, the refrigerant tube becomes room temperature by the time it reaches the first set of fins and there is very little cooling action on the fins inside the refrigerator.

Pardon the weird capitalization and punctuation. I'm doing speech to text on my phone while we're camping. I will have a great deal more to say to Dometic when we get home. I am very angry.

Paul
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 2017 at 3:11pm
Have you tried tapping the lines beyond where you believe the obstruction might be to maybe break up the crystals (if that's what it is)?

Probably not much you can do if the crystal build up is too severe. I've never had a problem running my fridge on 1/2 to full bubble slope, but I have read of folks who do. Not sure why I knew not to run it sloped cuz it depends on gravity for the ammonia to condense and fall back to bottom and prevent it from pooling in lines. Prolly from this forum.

fred


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Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!
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pgoelz View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 2017 at 3:34pm
Interesting idea about tapping the line I can try that and it certainly can't hurt. It's raining right now but when it stops I'll fire it up and give the line some wax and see if maybe I can revive the refrigerator enough to at least use it for the rest of the trip. Thanks for the tip.

Paul
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 2017 at 3:35pm
That should have read "whacks". Again I'm using Text to Voice while we're in the trailer camping.

Paul
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 2017 at 3:36pm
In the vintage world, many a dead refer has been restored to life with a light tapping of the lines. If it's not a leak, the "coolant" is still in there. Tapping, or even pulling the fridge and inverting it, has, again, saved many vintage fridges, including ours in the 'stream.

and, the general consensus seems to be 3 degrees off level is the max it will still function..
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fwunder View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 2017 at 3:38pm
Jeez furpod, now I got figure how much of a bubble is 3 degrees! Wink

fred
2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6
Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Aug 2017 at 8:31am
Good luck getting a new part. We waited three MONTHS and then bought a new Norcold fridge. Dometic's service was pathetic.
2015 R-Pod 179
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"It's a good thing we are going slowly because we might be going in the wrong direction." Ashliegh Brilliant
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