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Topic ClosedDometic 8501 Refrigerator Problem

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elko.mike View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Dometic 8501 Refrigerator Problem
    Posted: 04 Jun 2012 at 10:56pm
When I try to start the refrigerator, whether on 120v or 12v the red indicator light, the energy source light, and the temperature light all flash.  The "most helpful" manual says that this is an indication that the power source is low. 
The 120v is an umbilical to the house and it is just fine.  I put a meter on the batter and it is fully charged.  I'm thus skeptical about the indicator.
Oh, I should mention that the trailer was hooked to the umbilical and the refrigerator was running on A/C power.  Then we had a power glitch at the house.  I went out to the trailer to find the refrigerator was off.  I tried to restart it and I am here.
Does anyone have a suggestion? 


Mike, Linda & Doxies
2013 Hood River Edition r-pod 171
Tow Vehicles: 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 (Linda's) and a 2003 Dodge Dakota (Mike's fishing truck)
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furpod View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2012 at 11:08pm
What happens on LP? Ours will flash, when we unplug from shore power without switching to one of the other sources, but stops as soon as we select an available source...

Have you checked the fuse (12v) and the breaker (120v)?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2012 at 11:32pm
Originally posted by furpod

What happens on LP? Ours will flash, when we unplug from shore power without switching to one of the other sources, but stops as soon as we select an available source...

Have you checked the fuse (12v) and the breaker (120v)?

I did switch all of the 120v breakers on and off; I couldn't figure out which 12v fuse (nothing labeled in the panel) went to the refrigerator.  As my fingers aren't good enough to pull the 12v fuses to check them, I put it on the back burner. 
I didn't try LP, which is a good suggestion.  I'll go take a look at it.


UPDATE:  The symptoms have changed.  The refrigerator now runs on battery power.  The fault light for the 120v remains.  I tried the A/C unit and it doesn't run, which indicates there is no 120v inside the trailer.  I checked the power plug into which the umbilical is plugged and it has power. 
So I'm delivering 120v to the trailer and there is some problem with the distribution.  I've flipped the main breaker on and off and unless it is fried the problem is not there. 
So that's progress of sorts.  It's not clear to me where the problem would be if not in the main breaker.

UPDATE II: There seems to be no 120v.  I checked the GFI and I think that's the source of the problem.  It is a model I'm not familiar with, but the test bottom doesn't change anything and the reset button doesn't have a positive click that accompanies a reset in other GFIs that I have.  So I'm leaning towards the power glitch taking out a weak GFI.  More testing waits until tomorrow.

Mike, Linda & Doxies
2013 Hood River Edition r-pod 171
Tow Vehicles: 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 (Linda's) and a 2003 Dodge Dakota (Mike's fishing truck)
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jun 2012 at 9:45am
They make a little tool for getting at those darn little fuses.. handy thing to have. My truck came with one in the fuse box. If a 12v fuse is out, you should see a red LED indicator next to it.

Since it is a 2013 model, is it far to the dealer? They have guys and gals that fix this stuff for a living... Wink

I was going to suggest you make sure the fridge is plugged in well, but if ALL the 120v is down.. that's not it. How hard is it to get to the back of the inverter/converter/distribution panel in a 171? It's four screws and a lid lift on a 177.. easy to get a multi tester back there.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jun 2012 at 5:36pm
I was about to suggest checking the GFCI outlets if your circuit breakers aren't tripped, but it looks like you've arrived at that.  You can open the suspected bad outlet and check for 120 volts coming from the converter on the incoming line.  You can also disconnect your battery and if you can still run 12 volt appliances then you are definitely supplying 120 volts to the converter (and the converter is working properly) so the problem is downstream from the converter.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jun 2012 at 6:04pm
Originally posted by techntrek

I was about to suggest checking the GFCI outlets if your circuit breakers aren't tripped, but it looks like you've arrived at that.  You can open the suspected bad outlet and check for 120 volts coming from the converter on the incoming line.  You can also disconnect your battery and if you can still run 12 volt appliances then you are definitely supplying 120 volts to the converter (and the converter is working properly) so the problem is downstream from the converter.


I'm 6 hours into a 1 hour job, but I finally figured out that a pin was pushed in the umbilical cable that entered the trailer.  Gads.  All that's left is to put a new female twist-on 30A connector on the umbilical cable and I'm finished. 
Your advice helped me to advance my diagnostics, as when I disconnected the 12v there was no power to the trailer.  When the GFI didn't reset, I was pretty sure I had a cable problem.  etc.. 
Mike, Linda & Doxies
2013 Hood River Edition r-pod 171
Tow Vehicles: 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 (Linda's) and a 2003 Dodge Dakota (Mike's fishing truck)
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