Fridge Won't Run on Electricity

[Cujonaut]

Hello, my Wife and I are full timers and we recently had to make a last minute trip and had to leave the 5th wheel behind. We turned off all non essentials (AC, hot water heater, etc). We left the fridge running on auto because we had food we didn't want to spoil. While we were gone our neighbors said the park lost power a few times, once for over 12 hrs. It also got stupid hot (110 degrees F). When we got back the fridge was cool, but was running on propane in the auto setting. I tried turning the frdige on and off and switching from gas to auto, but it won't switch to electric mode. I checked the breaker panel in the 5th wheel and nothing was tripped. The plug the fridge is using still has power and i checked all the fuses behind the fridge in the access panel (visually inspected each fuse and used a voltmeter on them and they're all good). Did a little research online and it looks like the circuit board might have gone out. The fridge is a 2 way dometic m1350, any ideas?

[Scottenj]

Originally Posted by Cujonaut

Hello, my Wife and I are full timers and we recently had to make a last minute trip and had to leave the 5th wheel behind. We turned off all non essentials (AC, hot water heater, etc). We left the fridge running on auto because we had food we didn't want to spoil. While we were gone our neighbors said the park lost power a few times, once for over 12 hrs. It also got stupid hot (110 degrees F). When we got back the fridge was cool, but was running on propane in the auto setting. I tried turning the frdige on and off and switching from gas to auto, but it won't switch to electric mode. I checked the breaker panel in the 5th wheel and nothing was tripped. The plug the fridge is using still has power and i checked all the fuses behind the fridge in the access panel (visually inspected each fuse and used a voltmeter on them and they're all good). Did a little research online and it looks like the circuit board might have gone out. The fridge is a 2 way dometic m1350, any ideas?

The service manual has a trouble shooting flow chart and what to check:

https://myrvworks.com/wp-content/upl...ual-RM1350.pdf

[RedHorse1]

Another possibility is the heating element has failed.

[Cujonaut]

Originally Posted by Scottenj

The service manual has a trouble shooting flow chart and what to check:

https://myrvworks.com/wp-content/upl...ual-RM1350.pdf

Thanks for the manual. I did a diagnostic check and under the AC heater settting it kept flashing "AC" indicating AC heater off or not available. Tomorrow I'm going to check the AC heating element as recommended by RedHorse1. If that checks out it must be the circuit board.

[Scottenj]

Originally Posted by Cujonaut

Thanks for the manual. I did a diagnostic check and under the AC heater settting it kept flashing "AC" indicating AC heater off or not available. Tomorrow I'm going to check the AC heating element as recommended by RedHorse1. If that checks out it must be the circuit board.

If you have an ohmmeter you can check the element resistance. See page 5 of this document:

http://https://myrvworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Dometic-Refrigerator-Performance-Testing.pdf

[Mopar_Earl]

If you have 120v to the element(s) it's not the board but the element(s) bad. You can ohm them out and compare them to spec to confirm.


Earl

[Cujonaut]

Originally Posted by Scottenj

If you have an ohmmeter you can check the element resistance. See page 5 of this document:

http://https://myrvworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Dometic-Refrigerator-Performance-Testing.pdf

The heating elements are good since they're within 10% of 34.3 ohms. Not sure what else to try, at this point I'm thinking it's the circuit board.

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by Cujonaut

The heating elements are good since they're within 10% of 34.3 ohms. Not sure what else to try, at this point I'm thinking it's the circuit board.

So you're not getting 120v to the elements?


Earl

[Cujonaut]

Originally Posted by Mopar_Earl

So you're not getting 120v to the elements?


Earl

I knew I forgot to do something when I was in there. I'll check tomorrow to see if there is 120V at the control panel heating element plugs. Thanks for looking out.

[RedHorse1]

I’d also verify you’re getting 120v to the fridge.

Sorry, I see you’ve already checked that.

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by Cujonaut

I knew I forgot to do something when I was in there. I'll check tomorrow to see if there is 120V at the control panel heating element plugs. Thanks for looking out.

I assume you confirmed there is 120v at the outlet, and the end of the cord and to the board? Those outlets are typically on a shared GFCI circuit.


Earl

[Radar57]

Try shutting off all power (reboot). I had a similar problem with a dual source water heater before and that seemed to resolve the issue. Worth a try anyway.

[Cujonaut]

Update - Finally called out a mobile RV technician to check out the problem. He confirmed that the 110V side of the board is dead. Now the next step is to get Jayco to send me a replacement board. My efforts thus far have been met with resistance by Jayco. They say that I must take my RV into the dealer I purchased in order to receive warranty repairs. I told them that was out of the question since I'm currently living in it and the turn around time at my dealer is something like 2 weeks. Has anyone had any success with getting Jayco to pay for a repair under warranty without having to take their RV to an RV service center?

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Cujonaut

Update - Finally called out a mobile RV technician to check out the problem. He confirmed that the 110V side of the board is dead. Now the next step is to get Jayco to send me a replacement board. My efforts thus far have been met with resistance by Jayco. They say that I must take my RV into the dealer I purchased in order to receive warranty repairs. I told them that was out of the question since I'm currently living in it and the turn around time at my dealer is something like 2 weeks. Has anyone had any success with getting Jayco to pay for a repair under warranty without having to take their RV to an RV service center?

Have you called your dealer? How did you find the Mobile Tech?

Normally the Mobile Tech has to make contact with JAYCO to get it authorized. It would have been best to have him call when he found the problem. That's how it always worked for me anyway.

[Cujonaut]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

Have you called your dealer? How did you find the Mobile Tech?

Normally the Mobile Tech has to make contact with JAYCO to get it authorized. It would have been best to have him call when he found the problem. That's how it always worked for me anyway.

The dealership didn't want anything to do with me unless I brought the whole RV in for service and they didn't have any recommended mobile techs.

I found the mobile tech by doing a local area google search. In hindsight I should of had him call Jayco.

Here's the process for getting warranty repairs without taking it in to a dealer, got this from a buddy of mine. I'll let everyone know how it goes. This was from Jayco last month:

W-9 for the business of the mobile tech. We only need this the first time to have them set up in our system, if they have already done this it will not be needed again.

· Preliminary estimate showing an estimation of hours needed, the hourly rate charged, parts needed. The preliminary estimate MUST be reviewed and approved before any work is performed on the unit.

· Jobber repair form needs to filled out by the mobile tech. Complaint, Cause and Correction needs to be done on a separate line for each issue that needs to be fixed. I have attached this form to the email.

· Pictures of the issues or damage to the unit. ( I have noted the pictures received in your case already)

· Serial and model numbers off parts.

· I will place the order for the part and have it sent to your location. Our warranty process and vendor guidelines are extensive. This is the best way for us to ensure these are being met and gives us the opportunity to communicate the requirements for that job at hand to the repair service.

· Completed invoice with completion date and the customer’s signature showing approval of the work being done in order for us to file the claim for the reimbursement. Proof of payment if we are reimbursing the customer. The reimbursement normally takes 6-8 weeks to process after we have all the information we need.

· Any and all part returns are required to be received by our parts return department for the reimbursement to be processed and the payment to be sent out to you.