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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3336 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: New Fridge - no power
    Posted: 21 Jan 2021 at 7:06am
Just received a new 3.5 cubic foot Dometic to replace my 10 year old one that died.  First thing done out of the box was to plug in to 110 and make sure everything works before the install.  Unfortunately nothing works, the light doesn't even come on when the door is opened.  Checked the continuity of the plug (all good) and everything appears to be wired correctly and tight.  All plugs and sockets are plugged in and tight as well.  Ideas?
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'11 model 177
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2021 at 8:35am
Good idea to test it on 120vac before going through the whole install and finding the fridge to have a refrigerant leak or something. But, You need 12v to the control boards for the fridge to work. Try connect that too and see what happens.
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2021 at 9:15am
Yep, gotta have 12v on the control board...the 120v supply only powers the heating element, and only when the control board calls for cooling. With no power to the control board, nothing will work.

For testing, make sure to feed 12v to the control board input, NOT the 12v heating element input.

Also be sure to check, then double check, polarity as you do your testing. You dont want to fry that new control board!
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riotkayak284 View Drop Down
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Posts: 162 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2021 at 12:45pm
Hey Jato, mine is going bad. Where did you order it at?
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3336 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2021 at 1:38pm
It is with red-face and embarrassment I write this reply.  I FORGOT (don't get old honeyEmbarrassed) about hooking up the 12 volt to the fridge, of course the control panel wouldn't function w/o it.  Ahhhhhhh!

So I go out to the back 20 acres where our 177 is safely 'hibernating' out of the elements.  Glad to have 4 wheel drive going through the snow.  Brought out a 12 volt battery with me and hooked it up, yahoo!! everything works as it is supposed to.  So now I will have to go to the hardware store and purchase something to drill into the 2" x 2" wood that the fridge gets screwed into so it doesn't move.  Getting the old one out was a bugger, had to take a hacksaw blade by itself and cut through 3 of the 4 bolts as they just turned and turned w/o coming out.  I figure on some kind of 'receiver that can be pounded in a drilled hole that a machine screw can go into will work.  Any other ideas?
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'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3336 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2021 at 1:50pm
Originally posted by riotkayak284

Hey Jato, mine is going bad. Where did you order it at?


Call Lacey Stutsman at Forest River 574.642.3119 option 4.  Most likely you will leave a voicemail and hope for a return call.  Best way is to e-mail, she usually gets back within a couple hours this route.  Her e-mail is :    lstutsman@forestriverinc.com

Be prepared for sticker shock as mine came to a smidge over $ 1100 with shipping.  Be sure to let them know right or left hand swing as I found out the hard way you cannot switch doors as you can on the ones in your home. 

I was told that 10 years was really good longevity for this fridge.  I disagree in that this only gets run on the average 30 - 40 days/year.  So after 10 years it has been running for about 1 year!  If the refrigerator in my home only lasted 1 year there would be trouble.

Best wishes
God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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riotkayak284 View Drop Down
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Posts: 162 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2021 at 2:30pm
Whew, $1100 dollars.... that is crazy.... My home fridge was less than that....
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3336 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2021 at 6:00pm
Originally posted by riotkayak284

Whew, $1100 dollars.... that is crazy.... My home fridge was less than that....

Yes, mine was a LOT less and instead of 3.5 cubic feet, the LG at home is 22 cubic feet.
God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2021 at 6:29pm
Don’t compare an RV absorption fridge to your home fridge. If you do it will just irritate you. Totally different technologies, manufacturing volumes, markets, etc. it is what it is,

Ditto on longevity. Be happy with the 10 years. The refrigerant in your RV fridge is ammonia. It is corrosive and will be eating through the fridge tubing from the inside out whether you’re using the fridge or not. In comparison, the refrigerant in your home vapor compression fridge is essentially an inert material. If your home fridge fails it will be the compressor more than likely. Again, totally different technologies
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
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TimK182G View Drop Down
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Posts: 46 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Feb 2021 at 11:37am
Offgrid any thoughts on what may be wrong with my fridge?  It's a dometic 3 way and it works perfectly when hooked up to shore power and if propane.  When I switch to 12 volt, it just won't work.  I thought it may have been the battery since the previous one I had was junk so I got a new one toward the end of the summer.  Fully charged, it still won't work.  All of my other 12 volt systems perfectly.  Checked all the 12V fuses, nothing blown.  Not sure why it isn't working.
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