Dometic 1402 problem

[aubie]

Anyone still having problems with this beast? Repair/refab #7 coming up. Aubie

["007"]

aubie, this problem has been around since MFG's decided to place refridge in slides and turn them to sidewalls for different floor plans.SIDEWAY TO WALL

Not enough or to much room behind refridge:
ONE MANS FIX

Or GaryKD's fix when he had no fans:
DOMETIC FIX



These are the fans you will see at the top of your coils in a Norcold refridge. They are there for a reason to move the hot air generated by coils in back of fridge and gas operation. Without them you will have fault codes warm box temps yet have plenty of ice for your cold drinks.
When Gary was trying to fix his problem on his Dometic we found out he had no fans or they didn't move out that hot air. As you can see he has those side vents which I think will not suck in enough air to even to cool the coils with a fan.
Than you add refridge in slide with no roof vent, natually, we have another problem.
MFG's overlooked the need for a baffle to steer the hot air out of rear vent chamber and heat would get trapped in space above refridge.
When I first got my coach my refridge did not cool and they were going to pull it out I said no thanks and tracked down a blown fuse for fans. There have been other problems with fans where the thermal switch would be defective and refers were pulled, new coils added only to have same problem a defective thermal switch.
What I'm going to suggest make sure you have fans, the rear chamber is open to top of top vent and a baffle is in place to force the heat out of chamber.
As to Dometic you may have to add fans maybe even three of them because of your vent setup, side vents???, not sure what you have for top vent configuration, have not seen a picture of vents on slide.
Not sure where you want to go with this but will stick with it to try and help.

[aubie]

Hello 007, About a year ago it seems there were many post about the 1402 and mods that Newmar and Dometic were doing. Newmar just completed #7. Both are very willing to work on the problem. I just wanted a little feed back from other members who have had the same problem as to whether or not the problem was finally fixed. My repairs work great for a few months then we are off to the races again. Aubie

["007"]

aubie, what have they been doing that only works for awhile?? Someone is going to get tired of running around or coming up with new designs.

["007"]

After spending time looking for diagrams for 1402 I came up with 1402 manual it shows the operation and parts within the refridge. Does not show any info on fans of this setup;

The operation of your fridge with auto defrost and heat buildup every time it defrosts will heat up the outside cooling coils more than a Norcold 1200.
The compartment fans are only for the interior defrost cycle and have nothing to do with the boiler and coils of it. They need there own cooling fans for your fridge to work correctly.
If someone can post a picture of the rear interior chamber from top vent just to see if there are these fans would appreciate it.

["007"]

I came across this parts list for 1402 PARTS LIST which shows a diagram of the rear of your 1402.
Myself looking at it did not find any info on fans at the top of the coils in diagram also there is double bank of coils that will create more heat behind the 1402 than the Norcold 1200.
Granted the 1402 is a larger refridge but no cooling fans????
One item listed"100" mentions "cooling unit type 948,w/thermal fuse" not switch as on the Norcold.
Even if you have these fans you have another problem with side top vent where the heat is getting trapped at top of the rear coil chamber. A baffel was designed for the Norcold refridge because of this problem, a picture of this is what I have been looking for stay tuned.

Ok we found something on this LINK NORCOLD VENTING travel down 1/2 way you will see the detailed instructions on venting the rear of the refridgerator, roof vents and sidewall venting on a slide for MFG's to follow for proper operation of Norcold.
Your Dometic deserves the same consideration for venting if not you will be making many trips back to MFG or Dometic.
The Norcold owners have gone thru the same problems Dometic owners are going thru now with this 1402 larger refridge.
I have found other info on flame outs while traveling and it does not matter which refridge you own or size they are all related when it comes to proper operations.

[aubie]

007 I don't know why I feel compelled to answer your post its as if my original post is in question as to truthfullness. Please see csx 4350 topic dated 12/11/08. All of the repairs in that topic have been tried on my unit.I now have 3 full time fans behind the refg and a temp control fan in the freezer. You are corect that someone will get tired of running around making fixs that don't work. The owner is already tired of someone running around making fixs that don't work. The reason for my OP is my warranty expires 8/6/09 and it would be nice to know if a solution to the problem has been discovered prior to that time.I thought this forum would be a good place to ask that question maybe not.

[Route 66]

The 1402 does indeed come with 2 cooling fans as my 1402 was replaced for a cooling unit failure and I saw both the old and new units.

My installation has a roof vent and I have never had any cooling problems, other than the cooling unit failure.

The double sidewall vent installations have the problems. The venting and baffling is critical as not all double sidewall vent installations have the problem.

Not all double sidewall vent installations are in slides. Highline Newmars use the double sidewall vents as the roof mounted awnings preclude the use of a roof vent.

["007"]

I have no question of your truthfullness you all have been putting up with much from MFG's but if they do not follow their own instructions for installations of these refers we are going to pay.
With all your fixes they are still over looking something and all I want is for everyone to have as much info at your disposal.
I have had same problems and RV friends also by working together we have no problems with our refrig's.
I'm glad you have three fans but do they have baffle in place to direct the heat out of top of vent opening or is it getting trapped at top of refridge, non of what I have been talking about has to do with interior of your refridge, the three fans should have a thermal switch for themselves outside.
If you all want to close this thread I will move it to the 1402 fixed Topic above, I can only give you all the info that I feel you need to get this problem resolved.

[aubie]

007 Thanks I believe we are now on the same page and lets work together. Yes the first mod was the baffling in the upper part of the cabinet and two temp control fans. Next were new thermists in the ref and freezer,next new insulation behind the baffling and temp control fans in the bottom of the cabinet, then a small fan in the freezer to aid defrosting, 3 full time fans in upper cabinet and the 3 temp control fans taken out, new ice maker, new heat pads in freezer several manual defrosting. When I say cabinet I mean the out side vents. Those are the repairs I know of. We have reach the point that Dometic is saying it's an installation problem and Newmar is saying it's vendor problem. Each time they readily make some type repair. But I think we know whose problem it will be 8/7/09 Aubie

["007"]

Thanks aubie for your info sounds like they are up in the air if you have kept records of fixes they should still be taking care of you after your warranty expires.
The space in back of your refrige is large if you looked at the sidewall vent installation on Norcold you will notice a baffel was installed, lets say should be, up back side of coils to direct more air flow thru the coils, does your refer have such.
With all the fans you have top and bottom??? of cabinet would think you would have plenty of air flow.
When we checked to see if fans would work we would place heating fan in lower vent faced up and you will hear fans come on and off indicating they work and thermal switch was shutting off and on.
If you did this and checked air flow out of top vent to see if when you placed a card board baffel up between coils and sidewall of cabinet and see if increased air flow would help and keep temps correct in your refridge and maybe even lower your control setting.
Just a thought.

["007"]

I should have said that the cardboard is only temperary if it helps we will use sheet metal maybe two sections to cover the two coil groups in back and able to get them thru your vent opening. Just make sure you keep cardboard away from burner and burner chimney.

["007"]

Reading the fixed topic above in this forum "Oh One" mentioned that the baffel has to be a smooth bend out the top of "vent opening" not on top of vent or to roof of chamber the least resistance the better to get hot air out of the cooling coil chamber.