Propane RV refrigerator issue

[ChuckN]

I have a Dometic gas(+electric) refrigerator in a PU camper that does not produce cold. It seems to work properly from the outside as the gas/flame is working properly and heating the element just fine, but no cold on the inside of the fridge.

Can these be repaired?

[sparcebag]

Have you let it sit after lighting it say 2 hours? Mine takes 45 min-to a hour to start cooling.

[eyebjim]

This is going to sound weird but it works. On these camper fridges if they wont cool but the heating element is working you can remove the fridge from the camper and flip it upside down for about 2 hours. This causes the refridgerant to come out of the bottom and somehow, don't ask me but it works. I have seen it done 3 times on different motor homes and work. I am in need of doing it to mine right now but I have not had time.

[Macgyver55]

Chuck, I have had this same issue a few times with our "shack" fridge. One time, mice had plugged up the "flu" on the back. The other times I loaded it up and brought it home only to find that when I got home it worked fine. I talked to a friend that owns an RV shop who told me this is not uncommon. If its not too difficult, take it "for a ride" and try it again. He said something about the liquid in the system "settling" and not able to get the process going on its own and a bit of movement was all it took. Now when we fire it up, if it doesnt work right away, we give the whole thing a shake and it seems to be fine after that.

It may sound bogus, but whatever, it worked!

[ChuckN]

Yes, I have had it running several times....all day, all night for the last week. I was told to let it run for several hours and turn it off, start up again and it may come back to life. Didn't work.

eyebjim- Doesn't sound strange at all and I haven't heard of it. I will give it a shot!

Mac- I was hoping that would work also, but I just returned from a 500 mile round trip with the camper and it still didn't work.

Thanks!

[IFallsRon]

Is it a fridge/freezer? Dometic has recalled some two-door refrigerators manufactured between April 1997 and May 2003.

[ChuckN]

It's around a 1993 model, one primary door with a small freezer section on the top of the unit. Thanks.