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Dometic Fridge Freezer Brand new not working

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Dometic Fridge Freezer  Brand new not working Empty Dometic Fridge Freezer Brand new not working

Post by markwhittam Fri 30 Dec 2016 - 13:56

Just thought I'd throw this one out there as it seems more likely I'll have to go back to the dealer but just in case I'm missing something here goes. 

We've had a great few days so far in our new Malvern stopping off one night wild camping then the next in a proper caravan site around Devon. 
On our first day everything was working as it should until yesterday when I topped up with lpg at a shell garage. Then the fridge stopped working and the heater is now playing up. 

I've checked the gas supply and all seems well as I can cook no problem/boil the kettle etc the heater, heats but as temperature is reached the heater (truma combi) cycles down as it should and at the point it switches off the control panel registeres a fault, E202H or E212H. I have checked the gas valves but it's all fine. All this means is that I have to manually clear the code and the heater works again so not too much of a problem. 
The worst is the fridge as again I switch it onto gas I can hear the ignition and then hear a flame. The top external vent blows warm air out and has now deformed from the heat whereas I don't feel any heat or blow from the the lower vent outside. The fridge inside actually gets warmer regardless of temp settings. I have tried with the vent covers on as it's a bit chilly outside and with the vent covers off. No difference. 
Am I missing something? 

We have taken to putting stuff in the outside locker at least that keeps it cool. 

Have to say apart from this we're  having a great time but looking to cut it short due to issues. Have called the supplying dealer but it seems their closed. 

Thanks Mark

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Post by gef Fri 30 Dec 2016 - 15:58

Hi Mark
The lower vent for fridge is air intake the top exit, it sounds you have a serious problem as fridge is warm and air exit is to hot, back to dealer.
The heater problem can occur if you do not switch heater panel off when you depart site before disconnnecting mains but I also had a simular problem as the wrong card was in the heater unit 
All the best
Gef
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Post by markwhittam Sun 1 Jan 2017 - 16:32

gef wrote:Hi Mark
The lower vent for fridge is air intake the top exit, it sounds you have a serious problem as fridge is warm and air exit is to hot, back to dealer.
The heater problem can occur if you do not switch heater panel off when you depart site before disconnnecting mains but I also had a simular problem as the wrong card was in the heater unit 
All the best
Gef

Hi Gef,
Sorry for the slow reply and thanks for posting. I get the vent thing now so that makes sense, in at the bottom, out at the top.
Since my frustrated post we travelled a further 30 miles to our next stop and the Fidge/Freezer now seems to be working again. I have no idea why except that we may have been on a slope at our last stop however it wasnt enough to worry us about sleeping at that angle so didnt think it would affect the fridge!!!
The heat damage is still there and will report it to our supplying dealing over the next few days and see what they say. As for the heater I get what you say about the disconnection but we were not connected to anything and was running on gas all the time. Any way, once again after clicking the gas valves round a few times (on/off) this also seems to be working over the last 2 days so all seems okay at the moment. 
Just arrived back home and had for the most part a great holiday week around the Jurassic Coast with some great weather for the time of year so quite happy at the moment.
Cheers Mark.

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Post by gef Sun 1 Jan 2017 - 19:37

Hi Mark
I would not mention the slope to your dealer just fein ignorance.  Fridges do not like slopes hence blocks and a good level.  Normaly fridge should have cut out
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Post by inspiredron Mon 2 Jan 2017 - 0:15

Just a very vague possibility which might explain no heater and heat damage to top fridge vent!
You said that the problems came after filling up with gas. The age of your van indicages that it has a gas tank rather than bottles.
IF the 80% cut off vslve is defective so that the tank was over-filled or the tank of mounting angle is severely wrong you MIGHT have had liquid gas get to the burners resulting in the symptoms you describe. The problem could be exacerbated by your having been on a slope.
I think my diagnosis is unlikely but just possible.

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Post by markwhittam Mon 2 Jan 2017 - 8:30

Thanks Ron,
You are right in thinking we have a gas tank. I did fill it up with as much lpg gas as I could get in (why wouldn't I? shrugg) It's just that the gas hob was working fine and the heater would also work fine until it shut off. At the exact point of shutdown the error on the panel came up which meant I had to clear the error before the heat would ignite again. Not so pleasant at 5c in the middle of a frosty night....

I also checked the shut off valve and pressed the reset button but as gas was getting into the MH I didn't think this would make a difference still worth a try.

I will use it for 6 months to see what faults occur and see what can be done by the dealer. 

Here is a picture of what happened to the fridge vent...

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Post by inspiredron Mon 2 Jan 2017 - 11:03

Did you have winter covers on?  The localised nature of the warping indicates that you probably did. I had exactly the same thing happen on my previous van when we parked on somebody's drive in Germany for a couple of days while staying in the house.  My wife put our fridge on gas and I connected the EHU, neither of us communicating with the other - I think that I may have had winter vents on as well.  It was an old Dometic fridge which did not automatically select its power source so it was running on gas AND mains for those couple of days. I was surprised that the damage was caused but it was very similar to yours (a bit worse!) and I had to buy a new vent.  I presume that your fridge is auto-select for its power source.  Obviously as a big model yours will work harder to cool anyway and perhaps you should regard the winter covers as just that and to be taken off in operation - Peter Brown might advise on that as he has a Malvern.
The slope might have caused the fridge to have to work very hard (but probably only if it needed to overcome a coolant "airlock" if the slope was not enough to cause sleeping discomfort) and with winter vents on the heat would build up.
It is quite possible that your different issues are not connected.  Travelling would clear the "air lock" from the fridge and normal operation of cooker would eliminate my thoughts of a liquid gas flare - you would have noticed that at the hob!
I have no suggestions regarding the heater.

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Post by markwhittam Mon 2 Jan 2017 - 11:18

All your points make perfect sense Ron and yes I think I did have the vent covers on as it says in the instructions to do so if the temperature outside drops below 10 degrees. I think I will only use them when cleaning the MH.
Still a lot to learn when running these systems I suppose, just trying to eliminate any future issues.
M.

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