refrigerator not cold on gas
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Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
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Printed Date: 20 May 2026 at 10:53pm
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Topic: refrigerator not cold on gas
Posted By: Bucky Dutchman
Subject: refrigerator not cold on gas
Date Posted: 16 Jul 2024 at 1:28pm
| Dometic RM 8501 in our 2017 RP 172 cools fine on shore power but does not cool on gas. Gas tank is plenty full and gas is getting to the unit. I blew compressed air through the burner tube and flue and have a "textbook" flame. The back side of the unit (including fins, everything) and vents are clear of any debris. The entire trailer is in complete shade (although it has been warm here, but I did have it run all through the cooler night) and level fore-aft and laterally. The thermostat is on maximum cool. Any thoughts as to what is going on and how to fix it? |
Replies:
Posted By: gpokluda
Date Posted: 17 Jul 2024 at 8:22am
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So that is odd since the principles of how an absorption fridge works are basically the same whether on gas or electric. The only thing I can thing of is there is a thermal breaker located somewhere near the exhaust vent on an absorption fridge. I would check that and make sure it is reset. I can't see how that would make a difference but I'm stumped as well especially with all of the correct troubleshooting you have already performed. ------------- Gpokluda 2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Honda SCL500 |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 18 Jul 2024 at 7:42pm
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Are your 1 or 2 muffin fans going on and off during this process? If not, move the bi-metal switch (locate by looking for 2 red wires leading to it) which is normally located about 6 or 7 fins to the left of the cooling stack and move it to within 1.5 to 2" away from the chimney. If chimney is hot, the switch will turn the fans on within a minute, and the cooling process will commence. ------------- 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." |
Posted By: BikeFlagAZ
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2024 at 10:45am
| Did you actually remove and clean the jet? I had identical symptoms and resolved it by cleaning the jet. The flame looked adequate, but it was not. |
Posted By: Bucky Dutchman
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2024 at 11:33am
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First off, thanks to all. There is no thermal breaker switch. I moved the bi-metal switch closer to the chimney, and the fan never turned on for over 15 minutes of me watching it. I brushed the burner with fine sandpaper and blew it out with 100 psi air before all this. The flame looks like it did when it was working, but I will remove and clean it next.
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Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2024 at 3:11pm
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I had my 8501 fridge not cooling on gas a couple of years ago. The flame "looked" good but you could not hear the flame when you were on the inside of the trailer. I cleaned the chimney and blew out the gas line going from the gas flow valve to the orifice in the burner. Nothing seemed to help until I connected the gas orifice/burner head to the gas line from the gas flow valve and blew out that with compressed air. It sounds like you have already done that. If so while using the compressed air did you get any air flow through the orifice? When I was dealing with this problem there were some posts on the forum indicating that other people have found black gooey substance in the gas lines from the all the way back to the gas tank. What I remember is that the burner has to have a substantial flame. Hope this helps. ------------- Jay 179/2019 |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2024 at 10:51am
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I did a lot of work over several years trying to make our Dometic RM8501 work properly on propane. Cleaning the orifice is a good start-soak it in alcohol for 30 minutes. clean the chimney and take out the interior swivel stick and clean it also clean the burner with a brass tooth brush and alcohol make sure the igniter is properly positioned put it all back together and use compressed air on the small pipe from the gas valve to the burner The final thing to check is the regulator-make sure it is mounted in the correct orientation (with vents pointing down to drain) remove the hoses from both sides of the regulator and check for oily black residue in the hoses. Replace hose if necessary check your ventilation fans with a hair dryer-they"should" come on fairly quick on a high setting of the hair dryer. If they don't activate, replace the thermo switch ( available on amazon). Good luck travel often and safe Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2024 at 2:21pm
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[QUOTE=Bucky Dutchman]First off, thanks to all. I moved the bi-metal switch closer to the chimney, and the fan never turned on for over 15 minutes of me watching it. [QUOTE=Bucky Dutchman] If that fan (or fans) don't turn on, that is one major problem with the issue you have. Either the switch is bad, the connection is bad (check both spade connectors at the switch and also the wires coming out of the fan(s) with a multimeter and check for continuity, or the fan(s) are bad. If nothing gives, do the test that Pod People wisely gives, run a hair dryer over the switch, it should come on fairly quickly. I just tried this on mine, with the heat set on 'high' and all 3 of my muffin fans came on within 10 seconds.
------------- 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." |