Dometic Fridge hookup?

remimcc · 06-06-2018, 01:36 PM

Hi, I recently purchased a 1979 T1350. The fridge worked when I inspected upon purchase. It was hooked up to electricity. Now that I have it, and am hooked up to electricity, I can't seem to get it to work. Is there a plug I should check? If so, where might I find it?

Thomascine · 06-06-2018, 02:31 PM

Do you have circuit breakers? Of so, are they turned on?

mainah · 06-06-2018, 05:34 PM

Is it turned to elec.? They will operate on gas or electric it is controlled by a knob on the panel just below the fridge door. The gas part is the same drill turn to gas then push and hold to pilot button then push in the lighter button it works like a gas grill when you push it in it will snap do that a few times and look at the small window in the panel and see if it glowing blue then release the pilot button. Look in the bath there maybe a gfi make sure that is not tripped but it would cause other outlets not to work also.

**JohnB** · 06-06-2018, 07:50 PM

If you are still having issues trying to get it going, tell us your model number. The older ones are different then the newer ones and knowing the model really helps give you better info for your exact fridge. And someone may have changed it along the way too. The one mainah is describing sounds like he has one of the older ones with the controls on the bottom.

mainah · 06-07-2018, 08:16 AM

Yes I do and his is a year older than mine so I'm guessing it's the same. If mine went south I would replace it with the same thing I'm really into simplicity! If the OP has never dealt with a absorption fridge I'll add it does takes a good while to cool off there is no instant gratification it can take hours to get cold. First thing is open the outside door and feel the chimney if it's warm it's trying to get cold then wait and see if the freezer is cooling off if it is then it heading in the right direction.

remimcc · 06-13-2018, 12:17 PM

Answers to Questions above: yes, circuit breaker is On. It is set to electric. In the area where the circuit breaker is, there is a coaxial cable that looks like it should hook together, and possibly goes to the fridge. However, I can't get the two cables to hook together -- the pin doesn't seem to insert, so I can't screw the two cables together. Does it make sense that the fridge hookup uses coaxial cables? The fridge with the previous owner, who was hooked up to electricity (like I am).

j52wf · 06-13-2018, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remimcc

Answers to Questions above: yes, circuit breaker is On. It is set to electric. In the area where the circuit breaker is, there is a coaxial cable that looks like it should hook together, and possibly goes to the fridge. However, I can't get the two cables to hook together -- the pin doesn't seem to insert, so I can't screw the two cables together. Does it make sense that the fridge hookup uses coaxial cables? The fridge with the previous owner, who was hooked up to electricity (like I am).

Try and send a picture of what you are seeing.

mainah · 06-13-2018, 04:06 PM

The fridge has an outlet of its own in the compartment that you access from outside with a very short cable. Coax cable in a camper goes to the TV antenna. Make sure it's plugged in then turn the fridge on in a few minutes the large round tube ( accessed from the outside door) should get quite warm.

**JohnB** · 06-13-2018, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remimcc

In the area where the circuit breaker is, there is a coaxial cable that looks like it should hook together, and possibly goes to the fridge. However, I can't get the two cables to hook together -- the pin doesn't seem to insert, so I can't screw the two cables together. Does it make sense that the fridge hookup uses coaxial cables? The fridge with the previous owner, who was hooked up to electricity (like I am).

The coaxial cable is "not" part of the fridge. Has nothing to do with the fridge actually. It would be for a satellite hook up or to have cable TV at the campsite if the jack is "outside" the camper. If it is "inside" the camper, it could be part of the roof TV antenna or the inside part of getting satellite to cable into the camper to the TV set.

This is all assuming the prior owner did not do something really strange with that cable.

remimcc · 06-18-2018, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mainah

The fridge has an outlet of its own in the compartment that you access from outside with a very short cable. Coax cable in a camper goes to the TV antenna. Make sure it's plugged in then turn the fridge on in a few minutes the large round tube ( accessed from the outside door) should get quite warm.

For the life of me, I cannot find the access from outside. I'm trying to insert images to give a bit more visuals, as there is some sort of odd outlet thing near the fridge on the outside, but I can't imagine that it really is an outlet. I took a picture, but I don't know how to upload. When I go to photo icon, it asks for a URL, but pic is on my desktop (I'm really not this much of a Luddite, I swear!).

Aside from the outlet-type thing mentioned above, the only other thing I see on the outside near the fridge looks like the area for the fan, louvered, and screwed on.

mainah · 06-18-2018, 02:52 PM

Open the access door and look inside that's where the outlet is.

Thomascine · 06-18-2018, 03:43 PM

I think this is a 1350 not sure but it should still help. This is the access door that Mainah is speaking of. The white panel to the right of the front window. I have a 1550 and this is where the electrical outlet is on ours for the frig.

j52wf · 06-18-2018, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remimcc

For the life of me, I cannot find the access from outside. I'm trying to insert images to give a bit more visuals, as there is some sort of odd outlet thing near the fridge on the outside, but I can't imagine that it really is an outlet. I took a picture, but I don't know how to upload. When I go to photo icon, it asks for a URL, but pic is on my desktop (I'm really not this much of a Luddite, I swear!).

Aside from the outlet-type thing mentioned above, the only other thing I see on the outside near the fridge looks like the area for the fan, louvered, and screwed on.

I don't know how to upload pics from my phone either. It's much easier to upload pics on the pc.

Thomascine · 06-18-2018, 04:27 PM

To upload an image from your computer:
Click reply and scroll down to bottom of text box.
Click "go advanced" add text to message window and then scroll down.
Click "Manage attachments" A separate window will pop up.
Click "browse" Then select the file to be uploaded. Be sure that the photo is appropriately sized. You may select several photos to upload at the same time by repeating the last step.
Click "Upload" After pics have loaded close the pop-up window
Click "submit reply" to mount the text of your message - photos will automatically appear at the bottom of your post.

For more "how to":
http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f1...ics-11235.html

I use the Tapatalk app to load pictures from my phone.
Although I have not tried this, I assume you can follow the instructions above from the browser on your phone if the pictures are on your phone.

Hope this helps.

mainah · 06-18-2018, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j52wf

I don't know how to upload pics from my phone either. It's much easier to upload pics on the pc.

OK if fit's screwed on it's the vent. Somewhere there is a hatch with the same sort of handle that's on the compartment doors it too will have vent louvers.

remimcc · 06-22-2018, 09:07 AM

Regarding the white panel, I found it after I got offline (not a lot of internet access at the moment). The fridge is plugged in. I tried another device in the outlet to make sure the outlet isn't dead, and it is not.
Could it possibly be a fuse?

mainah · 06-22-2018, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remimcc

Regarding the white panel, I found it after I got offline (not a lot of internet access at the moment). The fridge is plugged in. I tried another device in the outlet to make sure the outlet isn't dead, and it is not.
Could it possibly be a fuse?

Not on AC that is on the 15 amp breaker for the rest of the outlets. now that you have found the hatch try again and after a few minutes see if the round vertical tube on the right hand side is getting warm.

remimcc · 06-23-2018, 06:19 AM

Hi Mainah, I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "try again" -- unplug fridge and plug back in again? I have done that, if that's what you mean.

mainah · 06-23-2018, 02:01 PM

Put the fridge on electric again wait a few minutes open the hatch and see if the galvanized vertical tube is getting warm. It's on the right hand side maybe 2" in diameter. This is the chimney for the boiler yes I know it sounds crazy to have heat to make things cold but that is how an absorption fridge works. If it's not getting hot then it won't cool. If it doesn't try it on gas, same drill and see what happens then.

krazedave · 06-26-2018, 05:28 PM

Good advice from mainah. RV fridges are different than home ones and most people do not realize that it takes a couple hours for them to cool. Maybe it was plugged in and started up some time before he saw it at where he bought it. That could be why it was cold when he looked at it.