One of the most important and coolest things – quite literally – to have in your RV is the refrigerator. It helps keep your drinks cold, food fresh, and belly happy!
That’s why it can be a pretty troubling experience to have your RV Dometic refrigerator acting up when you’re on a road trip. There’s nothing worse than having to throw away food that went bad because your refrigerator wasn’t working properly.
When that happens, it’s not just the food that goes bad; your RV too reeks and smells like something died in it. Most RV users don’t realize that you can solve many problems with your RV refrigerator by simply resetting it.
The simple act of resetting your refrigerator might help save you from a ton of trouble and repair costs. So let’s get right into how and when to troubleshoot and reset your Dometic RV refrigerator!
When Does Resetting Your Dometic Refrigerator Help?
A simple reset can work miracles on a seemingly non functioning RV refrigerator and bring it back to life. It can help solve many problems, and the process is so easy that it’s always worth a shot.
The Refrigerator’s Burner Fails
The problem with two-way RV refrigerators is that most people appreciate having the option to choose between propane and electricity. But they fail to understand which one to choose and when.
It’s recommended to use normal electric power if you’re above an altitude of 5,500 feet. Propane’s properties vary according to the height, and using propane at such a high altitude may cause your burner to fail.
Thankfully resetting your refrigerator can be an easy fix if you’ve made the same mistake. Keep this valuable bit of information in mind if you plan on making a trip to the mountains.
The Pilot Light Fails
Another case where resetting might help is when the RV refrigerators pilot light fails to trigger the burners. It might happen because of air being stuck in the gas pipes.
To fix this common issue, just reach for the gas valves inside the refrigerator, turn them down and reset them. Some newer models perform this process automatically by simply pressing the reset button.
The First Step to Resetting Is Finding The Reset Button
The hardest part is often the first step. Finding the location of the reset button can prove to be much more difficult than you’d expect because each refrigerator model has it in a different place.
Life would be so much easier if only you could reset the refrigerator by turning the power off for a couple of minutes. Alas, RV refrigerators don’t work that way, so finding the reset button is almost always necessary.
Thankfully, most models have the reset button inside the RV refrigerator itself, so they are easier to find. If your model doesn’t seem to have it in this usual spot, instead of looking all over the unit, try a quick google search.
Reset Procedure Depends on the Type Of RV Refrigerator You Own
Sometimes, RV refrigerators come with two-way and three-way settings, and resetting them can differ from other models. Two-way generally implies that the fridge can run on either 120V electricity or propane. In addition to running on 120V electricity and propane, three-way refrigerators can also run on 12V power.
Perhaps your RV’s fridge isn’t functioning right because of a circuit breaker that may have tripped. Traditional two-way refrigerators rely on a similar type of electrical circuit found in our homes.
Resetting a fridge with a tripped circuit is as simple as just flipping the tripped breaker back on. The refrigerator should start working normally after doing so
Sadly though, sometimes the problem goes much deeper and isn’t quite as easy to fix. Maybe some parts of the refrigerator have become faulty and no longer work properly. A broken heating element is usually the common culprit.
If the refrigerator’s main components have become faulty, there are usually no cheap alternatives other than paying for new replacements. Most probably, you’re going to have to run up a hefty bill in trying to fix the issue.
The Exact Process
Now once you’ve found the reset button on your RV refrigerator, there’s a series of steps you should follow to ensure the process goes smoothly and safely. The steps are easy to follow and are outlined below.
- Disconnect the main electricity before starting the process.
- Take away the control panel cover if it’s covering the reset button on the fridge.
- Press and hold the reset button for at least 10 seconds.
- Release and wait for 10 seconds.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 once.
- Fit the control panel cover back into place.
- Switch the electricity back on.
If you’ve never dealt with the electric system in your RV before and don’t know how to disconnect the power, then it’s probably best to call an RV technician.
How to Set Temperature On an RV Dometic Refrigerator
Many apparent signs tell you that the temperature of your refrigerator is not set correctly. Water dripping from the fridge or the formation of ice inside are two obvious signs of a problem.
Ice formation means that you need to increase the temperature, and dripping water indicates you need to lower the temperature.
In most Dometic refrigerators, you can easily find a fin that has a lever on it. Sliding the lever across the fin will adjust the temperature accordingly.
Additionally, you can use a thermometer to find the exact temperature that’s best for your fridge.
How to Prevent Your Dometic Refrigerator From Freezing Everything – The Takeaway
Does your refrigerator freeze everything inside it? The most common culprit for your fridge working overtime is most often the thermistor. Usually, when it’s faulty or turned up high, the refrigerator will start freezing everything inside.
If the thermistor is malfunctioning, you almost always have to replace it. Replacing it with a new functioning thermistor should help solve the freezing issue.
Another potential cause could be a defective door seal on your fridge. When there isn’t a tight seal, moist and warm air can enter and increase the chances of freezing inside. Ensure the seals are intact and, if needed, repair the seal to solve this problem.
