Another Dometic 2350 issue.
Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 27, 2015 at 21:54
ThreadID:
110892
Views:
2263
Replies:
3
FollowUps:
4
This Thread has been Archived
woollyfree
Evening all.
We recently purchased a 2011 Jayco Eagle outback to replace our elderly Jayco Flight.
Apart room the extra room, the Eagle came with a larger 3 way fridge so that meant we could pension off our 30 year old Companion chest fridge or so we thought.
The first trips were great, fridge worked very
well through all temps and conditions, then it became a bit,
well, flakey. Sometimes it would work, then not. After a week sitting powered up in our driveway, it finally failed all together. At first I thought it was the thermostat, but that wouldn't explain why it wouldn't work on 12v as that doesn't come into play unless it's on 240 or gas.
A call to Jayco put me on to a Dometic service agent who diagnosed a loss of gas meaning a total cooling unit replacement! Basically cut the back of the fridge off and silicone on another one.
The cost was going to be somewhere north of $800 but Dometic have offered a $300 discount on the replacement part.
Has anyone else had one of these die completely?
My previous Jayco fridge is still going strong as is my Companion chest fridge.
It just seems weird that something with no moving parts can fail totally after such a relatively short time.
Reply By: oldtrack123 - Wednesday, Jan 28, 2015 at 00:22
Wednesday, Jan 28, 2015 at 00:22
Hi
Yes ,It does happen .
Usual indication is an Ammonia smell inside or at the back of the fridge
Sometime a greasy green deposit forms ,if the leak is near aluminium
It can be due to:
corrosion
Cracks due to vibration
mechaical damage due to rubbing ,abrasion .or damaging the sealed system .
usually occurs within the fridge
AnswerID:
544976
Follow Up By: oldtrack123 - Wednesday, Jan 28, 2015 at 00:27
Wednesday, Jan 28, 2015 at 00:27
Hi
just a further note
If you can get it repared for $5OO you are doing good
It usually means replacing the entire sealed system with either a completly new unit,'usualy a 12M warranty or a reconditioned unit [3Mwarranty]
PeterQ
FollowupID:
832440
Follow Up By: Erad - Friday, Jan 30, 2015 at 18:40
Friday, Jan 30, 2015 at 18:40
I had a similar problem with our fridge - same model. I tried the usual tricks - take it out, turn it upside down and leave it for a day, then stand it up again and leave it for a few hours and start it up again. Still no workies, so eventually ordered a new fridge - $1180 + delivery. Ouch! I had already replaced the 240 V element a few years before, so I took it and the 12 element out, and only then did I find the cause of the failure - the gas had leaked out and there was a lot of yellow caked powder around the base of the heating area - hidden by the insulation. The new fridge works brilliantly now - hope it continues to do so.
FollowupID:
832585
Follow Up By: Erad - Friday, Jan 30, 2015 at 19:35
Friday, Jan 30, 2015 at 19:35
I had a similar problem with our fridge - same model. I tried the usual tricks - take it out, turn it upside down and leave it for a day, then stand it up again and leave it for a few hours and start it up again. Still no workies, so eventually ordered a new fridge - $1180 + delivery. Ouch! I had already replaced the 240 V element a few years before, so I took it and the 12 element out, and only then did I find the cause of the failure - the gas had leaked out and there was a lot of yellow caked powder around the base of the heating area - hidden by the insulation. The new fridge works brilliantly now - hope it continues to do so.
FollowupID:
832589
Reply By: bill m - Thursday, Jan 29, 2015 at 12:33
Thursday, Jan 29, 2015 at 12:33
Don't know where you are but I had a similar problem with a Dometic van fridge while I was at Huskisson on the NSW south coast. The van park put me on to a. "Dometic service agent"( I'll explain this further on) and he diagnosed a solenoid that had failed and in his words is a common fault. He fitted a new one and it worked perfectly and has continued to do so for the last 3 years or so.
My problem was that he wasn't a certified Dometic guy, and when I went for reimbursement from Dometic (it was under warranty) Dometic told me that they had sacked him 12 months previous so began the battle for my money back. They eventually paid me, slapped me on the wrist and told me not to deal with this guy again ( doesn't matter now as it is out of warranty).
So what I am saying you should get a second opinion before you fork out that amount of money. This guy was spot on with his diagnosis and it only cost me a couple of hundred dollars, ( and a bit of a clip in the ear from Dometic).
Cheers
BillM
AnswerID:
545018
Follow Up By: woollyfree - Tuesday, Feb 03, 2015 at 18:34
Tuesday, Feb 03, 2015 at 18:34
Thank you all for your replies.
BillM, thanks for the info, but I'm wondering where the solenoid might be? In these fridges I thought there was no moving parts? I'll delve a little further into their workings I think.
There was no smell, or any suggestion of a gas leak in the time prior to it's failure. It was intermittent, then failed all together.
I also have had no response from Dometic apart from the initial offer of a discount on the part, You would think they would at least have the courtesy to reply.
FollowupID:
832838
Reply By: Jim G5 - Tuesday, Feb 03, 2015 at 22:13
Tuesday, Feb 03, 2015 at 22:13
I highly recommend you watch the series of Youtube videos by Fords RV Training and Service. These are very informative and will greatly help in understanding the operation and troubleshooting of 3 way fridges. There are some 19 videos all together.
The link to the first video is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIJYx5j2nPQ
I hope this helps.
AnswerID:
545310