| Author |
Message |
FAST FRED (67.75.106.59)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 6:33 am: | |
Am attempting to get a Dometic 1303 fridge functioning but have a strange symptom.
The freezer gets nice & cold , but the fridge does not get cold.
The unit was transported on its side , so it could be airlocked?
Any recomendations of proper rotation to unblock this,
Or any other sugestions welcomed.
FAST FRED |
Bill Gerrie (216.185.72.14)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 7:23 am: | |
Fred
We were in South Carolina a few years ago with the same problem. We went to the Camping World store and the refridgeration mechanic told us that as a fridge gets older the small oriface in the refrigeration line gets pluged with the small crystal like deposits in the ammonia. Sometimes you can clear it by putting the fridge upside down and gently tapping the lines. Stand it back upright and leave it a day before use to let the ammonia return to the accumulater. He said that this will sometimes work and sometimes not. Hope this helps you. Bill |
FAST FRED (67.75.113.126)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 10:12 am: | |
I'll give that a try , although this unit is NEW , so only suffers from not being used for a few years .
FAST FRED |
tfones (Chapter7) (159.49.254.12)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 12:05 pm: | |
Fred,
Lack of heat or charge is most likely the problem.
If you put a thermometer in the freezer you will find it's not cold enough.
Same results on gas and electric? If not...it's a heat problem.
Look for yellow deposits in the hot box(Silver cover over the flue)This is the most likely place for a leak on the outside of the unit. When welding on the electric element holders they sometimes undercut into the metal and with 350psi in the unit it doesn't take much to expose the weak areas.
If you do not have the hot box cover on...it will have the same results you are seeing.
The 1303 model does not have the 1/4" tube that would plug with sodium cromate as stated in earlier post. |
FAST FRED (65.59.78.241)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 3:35 pm: | |
"If you do not have the hot box cover on...it will have the same results you are seeing."
The cover for the burner is in place , what is the "hot box cover" called in the 1303 parts list?
Its NEW so I have the literature.
Would 5 hours on its side in a bay have upset anything?
FAST FRED |
tfones (Chapter7) (159.49.254.12)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 5:48 pm: | |
Fred,
"If you do not have the hot box cover on...it will have the same results you are seeing."
On the 1303 the cover is about 36" tall metal cover that holds the fiberglass insullation around the flue and vertical piping going to the water seperator (Fins across the top)
The laying the fridge on the side only applies to compressor type (Home) the oil drians from the bottom of the compressor and can cause hyd. lock.
The easiest way to tell if your unit is properly charged: Start the fridge and let run for 1 to 2 hours. On the coils directly above the tank, if the lower 2 or 3 coils are warm the unit is properly serviced.
tf |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (208.186.37.105)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 8:19 pm: | |
Now I was always told the other way around. You had to stand an ammonia fridge upright for at least a day to let any air bubbles rise.
The oil in a compressor fridge settled really quick.
Peter. |
jmaxwell (66.42.92.5)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2003 - 1:14 am: | |
Peter, there are no air bubbles in an absorber, or shouldn't be. They do form Hydrogen bubbles though and that can "bind" them, making them not work. |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (208.186.37.105)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2003 - 1:29 am: | |
Jim,
I don't know what bubbles they were refering to but that was what I was told to do after transporting an ammonia fridge on its side.
Peter. |
Bill Gerrie (216.185.72.14)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2003 - 1:47 pm: | |
Tfones
What is different in the 1303 system that there is no oriface. I thought that the principal way a refridge worked was the gas going through a tube and suddenly released through an oriface into a larger tube caused it to cool things. Maybe you could set me straight on how it is done if this 1303 system is different. Thanks. Bill |
FAST FRED (67.75.106.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 - 5:51 am: | |
Still no joy,
I turned the unit upside down and was rewarded with the sound of liquid in the pipes gurguling from end to end.
Same on returning it up right , lots of liquid sounds.
Took of f
the heat shield "hot box" and was unable to find any sign of a leak.
When operating , it turns on & lights with propane operation .The pipe that goes up gets very warm to the touch , but only for a foot or two. I think from heat conduction on just the metal of the pipe.
Its cool to the touch before getting to the top set of cooling fins.
Interestingly the lower 3/4 inch circuit ( what I assume collects the liquid on return)gets warm to the touch starting in the middle of the coils.
Does anyone have any sugestions for the next step in troubbleshooting?
Incredable to see it automatically light , yet NOT work.
FAST FRED |
tfones (Chapter7) (159.49.254.12)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 - 12:36 pm: | |
Fred,
Gurgling is normal about a half gallon of liquid in the unit. The vertical tube from the hot box should leave a mark on your hand after one hour of operation, it's approx. 312F degrees if working properly.
Make sure the baffle is in the flue, which is a welding rod that hangs from the top of the chimney with the baffle attached to the end. You may also take a look under the cap at the service port for any signs of leakage. When you take-off the service cap you will see a valve, they fill the valve with solder and can leak. The solder is the safety relief incase of fire.
We must ensure we have enough heat, meaning on gas the flame is strong (sounds like a blowtorch) and baffle is in place with the hot box cover on.
When testing a cooling unit, I always use a known good heating element wired directly to a cord with a plug. This way I'm sure that the cooling unit is either good or bad. If the unit works, I then look at the thermostat or circuit board. |
FAST FRED (67.75.113.79)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 18, 2003 - 6:07 am: | |
The pipe comong out of the "hot box" is very hot , however by time it does an S bend and gets to the fins on top reat its easily touchable.
Unfortunatly since the 24 hours upside down & 24 Reating up right , the freezer too does not get cool.
Looked at the flame & its very strong and really does heat the pipe.
Wondering why there is no heat going to the fins on top , and whu the coil on the lower half
seems to heat in the center first?
After the unit is on for a couple of hours I can hear a very quiet Bloop , Bloop as if something were boiling.
Any home brew schemes for geting this NEW unit into service?
May just have to find a Dometic repair station here in CT if all else fails.
But that would turn a FREE windfall into another $$$ project.
FAST FRED |