Need a fridge...anyone parting out a mid 80's Hilo?

TO

Tomrupp

Advanced Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Messages
32
Location
Fish Haven, Idaho
My 3 way Dometic only works on gas now. I've trouble shot the dickens out of it but can't figure it out. Heating elements good and all voltage is where it needs to be. It's a Dometic RM461.I usually run it on gas but it it is nice to plug it in before a trip electrically and cool it down ahead of time.
 
There's an inline 30A fuse that protects the DC power for it. And, I'm sure you've checked the 120V AC circuit breaker?

- Jack
 
Yes, both voltages good. Kind of frustrating as I put her to bed for the 23/24 winter just as I had done for the last 27 years and when I woke her up Spring of 2024 it only works on propane. No rodent damage, nothing. It always worked best on gas so I am not without but it is nice to run it on DC while driving to keep it cool. And pre cool it before a trip connect to the home power. Dometic makes a modern direct replacement 3 way unit, the RM2354, but it requires big dollars.
 
Refrigerator

Some look to the boating world to see what they offer. If you end up replacing your ref. Keep the shelves,drawer and freezer door and hinge parts. Iwouldn't get rid of it just yet as the propane works on it.
 
Thx Sam, I'll keep this in mind. Not going to get rid of it yet. Strangely, I just replaced the original hot water heater as the tank rusted through. Got the same size there but it is upgraded to direct spark ignition (no pilot light) and heats on 120VAC as well. In fact it will heat with gas and electricity at the same time to give you hot water quite fast. This was an easy install with great access. A new fridge will not be so easy due to much more limited access.
 
I'd guess then, that the problem is in the electrical heating coil in the fridge. I've never looked into this, but I wonder if that is a part that can be replaced?

- Jack
 
Yes, they can be replaced but I don't think the heating elements are bad. On this fridge there is one for AC and one for DC. I measured the resistance on them with my ohm meter and they were right in spec with what is called for. This fridge has controls on the bottom front that operate long rods to the circuitry in the back. These rods must have electrical connections to them (switches/thermostat, etc) I cant get to any of those without removing the fridge. Everything I can get to from the exterior vent plates meters out perfectly. I think that is my next option to remove it and see what is up underneath. Maybe I will try disconnecting the heating element from the rest of the fridge wiring and hook them straight to the associated power source to ensure they will heat. Oh, I did check for voltage on each element when the fridge was room temperature and should be calling for voltage.....didn't get 12 vdc or 120 vac on the respective heater element connectors. Pretty sure sign something else has failed.
 
Tom, your troubleshooting technique is superb! Good on you!. So, you've determined the problem is somewere in the control circuitry after it enters the fridge and before it reaches the heating coils. I can appreciate your frustration at not being able to get to that area with the fridge installed in the trailer. But, you're going to have to pull the fridge anyway if you have to replace it, so maybe you can find the problem and correct it once it's out.

In the meantime though, you can always just run the fridge on propane (that's the way I do it, even with a shore power hookup, because it seems to cool better on propane and I don't overload the electrical supply that way). The only thing you'd really lose is cooling while traveling and if everything is cold when you start, it should still be fairly cool on arrival. I know many members don't run their refrigerators on DC power when underway.

But, from your posts, I bet you'll be able to fix the problem once you can reach the problem area. And, you'll probably be able to make it more robust than it was when new.

- Jack
 
Jack...thanks for the compliments. Yes, it has to be something wrong under the fridge, such as a simple wire disconnect. I'll yank the fridge and look after our next camping trip. In the meantime it is propane only which is best anyway, just not while driving. I remember about 10 years ago I left it on in the 12 VDC position all night while connected to the tow vehicle and we slept in a mountain lodge. Both the trailer and vehicle batteries were full dead in the morning. RV companies are so cheap, they always use undersized wire for the current demands, which are high for a DC fridge. Once that happened I upsized a dedicated fused 12 volt line direct from the battery to the fridge to a 6 gauge wire. It was a 12 or 14 gauge and while I was getting 12.5 at the battery I was only getting 10.5 volts at the fridge while under load. After the wire upgrade I would get 11.8 volts at the fridge while under load. While still not the best it was vastly more efficient that the previous wiring.
 
Electrical wires in the HiLo.

DH says many things in the HiLo are on one circuit. Cheaper to use a lesser gague wire with longer runs. How did you get out of your cabin with every thing being dead? Kind of left us hanging off a cliff with out the conclusion of the problem.
 
sam said:
DH says many things in the HiLo are on one circuit. Cheaper to use a lesser gague wire with longer runs. How did you get out of your cabin with every thing being dead? Kind of left us hanging off a cliff with out the conclusion of the problem.
Click to expand...
Not sure what you meant by 'get out of cabin'. And I did conclude the problem by ignoring it for now as the fridge runs fine on propane. My fridge is on a dedicated circuit for both AC and DC.
 
Tomrupp said:
I had 6 gauge wire and connectors in stock. And it was a 60 mile round trip for me to get to a hardware store.
Click to expand...

That's perfect, Tom. I misread your post about the wiring and somehow thought you used 12 or 14 gauge. I see now, that was what you replaced. :eek:

Blame it on my fading mind at 83 years old.

- Jack
 
Clarification

Read your post again. You were stranded at a Mountain Lodge with two dead batteries. How did you get home? I am only 68 and sometimes my memory fails me.
 
On my 2006 Hi-Lo I had to replace control board in the Dometic refrig. The refrig was not cooling on any mode. I purchased the control board thru Dinosaur Electronic, Inc online. It was not hard to install and have had no problems since.
 
My Dometic 211 had a hidden blown fuse behind the function selector switch, it originally worked only on 120VAC. Access was a the rear vent opening on my 1681SLX, that was in need of complete overhaul (90% = cleaning of rust, cobwebs and 40yrs of general filth).

Propane bottles, regulator and supply hose were trashed. American water heater miraculously worked when externally & internally flushed. The burner was filled completely with dirt, rust & leaves.
Furnace eventually worked after 100% disassembly (wasp nest in plenum). Rewired brakes (40yr old brake shoes had never been broken-in). Rewire all external lights and top-umbilical & tow umbilical.
Moved axle from above spring to below (it was plowing furrows in my steep driveway to my backyard garage.
Resealed windows, repaired: cracked stone guard, replaced: converter/charger/maintainer, vent fans, toilet valve & base seal, sewer gate valve, et al.
Very busy year and it's finally ready for camping.
(I do have electrical and electronic engineering and mechanical repair experience from a lifetime repairing home appliances, cars, aircraft & submarines & now HI-LOs.)
Dave
 
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