*UPDATED FIX* Dometic Sidewise (NDA1402) Owners

[CSX4350]

As I suspected, when I took my coach to Newmar two weeks ago for refrigerator problems they adamantly swear that there is no known issue or even other owners with problems with these refrigerators. I knew better than that, but I didn't have the information to start throwing at them to prove to them that they weren't being truthful.
After they worked on my reefer for a week, not fixing it, they worked on it for another week and finally replaced it. The new one works worse than the old one did. Now I'm back home, almost 1400 miles from Nappanee, with no better refrigerator than I had before I drove up there and lost two weeks of my vacation (they swore they would have me out in two days). I called today and informed them the new reefer has the same problems as the old one, they promised to call back but never did.

So, now what I want to do is compile a list of owners with problems with a Dometic NDA1402. This needs to be a problem that Nappanee is aware of. Instead of posting your information here I would prefer if you would PM or e-mail the information to me. What I would like is the specific problem you're having, your name and coach number (if you know it), how many times it has been in for repair including approximate dates, and what was done when they attempted to repair it. I will track this information in an MSWord format and can make it available to owners for their own attempt to get Newmar to fix theirs too.

My e-ail address is CSX4350@gmail.com

Thanks

[CSX4350]

As I suspected, when I took my coach to Newmar two weeks ago for refrigerator problems they adamantly swear that there is no known issue or even other owners with problems with these refrigerators. I knew better than that, but I didn't have the information to start throwing at them to prove to them that they weren't being truthful.
After they worked on my reefer for a week, not fixing it, they worked on it for another week and finally replaced it. The new one works worse than the old one did. Now I'm back home, almost 1400 miles from Nappanee, with no better refrigerator than I had before I drove up there and lost two weeks of my vacation (they swore they would have me out in two days). I called today and informed them the new reefer has the same problems as the old one, they promised to call back but never did.

So, now what I want to do is compile a list of owners with problems with a Dometic NDA1402. This needs to be a problem that Nappanee is aware of. Instead of posting your information here I would prefer if you would PM or e-mail the information to me. What I would like is the specific problem you're having, your name and coach number (if you know it), how many times it has been in for repair including approximate dates, and what was done when they attempted to repair it. I will track this information in an MSWord format and can make it available to owners for their own attempt to get Newmar to fix theirs too.

My e-ail address is CSX4350@gmail.com

Thanks

[rebelsbeach]

John, as this is what I would consider to be an issue we ought to keep on the top of and in the eyes of our Newmar Forum members I am going to "feature" it so there's no chance it will slide off the page.

As I mentioned, my '07 Essex had this unit and I myself endured first a cooling unit change and then a complete replacement.
The "proud" owners of my old coach have been through something like three or four refrigerators since I owned it.

Good luck my friend.

[Trehcub]

What is the problen you are having. I have one of the sidewise refrigs.

[William Willard]

We have the side-wise in our 07,Monaco Camelot -- The frig is in the road side slide-out, with top & bottom side vents (no roof vent)-- In hot weather & when traveling, it will not stay cool -- I had to buy dry ice once to keep the food from spoiling -- I put the fans on switches, & added another one at the bottom, but no improvement -- The freezer frost up -- We`re in cool weather now (Clear Lake IA )in the 70`s & it`s ok -- Heading to Elkhart for a visit with friend`s-- MAYBE, I can find someone to check this monster out -- I`m thinking Monaco didn`t install the frig to spec`s -- Bill Willard

[CSX4350]

That's the exact same problem I and others are having. It's interesting that your vent system is the same also, I firmly believe the vent configuration has everything to do with the failing to cool.

At this point Newmar insists that they have techs coming from Dometic to study the install and vent system on a unit identical to mine. Supposedly Dometic will tell them that either the coach design is OK or they think it's the problem.

Also William, Dometic is in Elkhart. It could be interesting to let them look at your install also.

[CSX4350]

I just wanted to give a not so quick update, Newmar had the Dometic engineers come down and look at the installation of the refrigerator and the design of the cabinet. Dometic gave it their seal of approval. Dometic then had me take the coach to their number 1 service center, which happens to be just North of Dallas. They had it for two weeks and told me to come get it, it was fixed. They found the airflow to be wrong, and fabricated up a guide to make the air flow more efficient. It was working fine when parked, but they didn't take it on a test drive.
I left and stopped two hours later to get something to eat. When I looked the temperatures were already skyrocketing. I called the service center and the owner told me that if it still wasn't working he was stumped, there was no reason for it. I called Newmar and they are really freaking out now, they told me they would call me back next week.
So, I'm back to square one.

UPDATE
I got a call from Carl at Newmar Monday morning after he had a meeting with Dometic. I have two Dometic factory techs flying in next Tuesday, intending to stay three days to fix the refrigerator. I hope they realize it will take day long test drives to check their attempts at repairing it.

[William Willard]

While in Elkhart, MasterTech RV worked me in -- Monaco had installed my refer as tho it would have a roof vent, so the tech removed the baffle directing the heat to the top -- He added another fan at the top side vent to exhaust the heat -- He found that the door gaskets was leaking air, & since the doors have no adjustment, he was gong to install a gasket seal kit from Dometic, but they were not available at that time, so he used 1/8 inch foam weather stripping behind the gasket -- All went well,& the ice maker even made ice, except when we got home in AZ, with 105 temps, the ice maker would not work - I was put in touch with a tech at Dometic,& he informed me of a fan kit for the freezer compartment, & that is what I needed -- Will have to have a Dometic Service Center install it -- I purchased a battery operated fan & put it in the freezer, just to see if that indeed, a fan is what I needed - It is -- The ice maker works, even in these high temps -- The door seal kit is Dometic # 385133501 -- & the fan & door seal kit is Dometic # 385130901 -- My repair was both Monaco & Dometic problems, & the owner of MasterTech RV (Tim)got them to split the cost --I hope to have the fan installed at the Monaco Rally, IF, the parts are available -- Bill Willard

[CSX4350]

First, William this fix was already tried on mine and did not do anything.

Now, a big update with pictures today. I had to trim the pictures down for the forum, if anyone wants high resolution pictures I can send them to you. The pictures should give you some help in seeing if you too have the obvious problems I had.



This is the first problem, one that I pointed out to Dometic and they admit they need to address ASAP. This fuse holder is for the fans, and it contains a 1 amp fuse. As each fan draws .7 amps and there are two fans, a 1 amp fuse is not sufficient. The wiring is capable of handling a 3 amp fuse, so the fuse needs to be swapped out.



This is the open bottom vent, notice the charring on the stickers over the burner cover. This is the first indication that something is getting way too hot inside of there.



This is the burner assembly. The gas tube comes in from the right, goes through the solenoid, then the gas is shot through an opening into the next part of the tube. You can see the holes in the top of the tube on the right end of that tube, this is burner, it's right behind the ignitor. Above the burner you can see the bottom of the chimney just above the holes, where the flame would be.
Notice the burned ignitor wire above the opening in the tube. Obviously it was getting really hot to burn that wire and singe the decals on the cover. Dometic felt that there was air coming in the top vent and being forced down the chimney, which was making the flame blow around and could not do its job (especially since the air was flowing the wrong way through the chimney). It would seem that the flame was then igniting gas as it passed through the opening in the tube, which is what caused the burned wire and discoloring of the decals. The Dometic techs fabricated a shield to guard the top of the chimney to keep the air from blowing down it. I wasn't able to get any pictures of this shield, sorry.



This is the last picture, of the top vent. They removed the fan assembly from the back of the refrigerator and put it up here. The metal shield that you see was part of what the Dometic service center North of Dallas fabricated up to try and fix the problem. It was (and still is) designed to direct the airflow past all of the coils and the top cooling fins, and not allow air to go out the lower two vents and bypass those top fins.

It would be nice if you didn't see a beige piece of metal through the vents on a black & grey coach...

The Dometic guys drove the coach on Wednesday, putting 500 miles on it. They saw the reefer temps spike driving with the reefer on propane. They then drove it today (I don't know how far) and said that the temps stayed fine, in fact they got colder and the burner cycled on and off as they drove.

So, Dometic claims this is the fix, at least for mine. Considering it will be November before I go anywhere the outside temps won't be hot enough for the problem to show up. It will be spring now before I can truly test their fix.

[kayjay]

I have commented several times on this board about having the same problems with my Dometic unit with temp spike while underway. However, I never run my unit on LP gas, only AC, so there has to be more to the problem than what Dometic believes they have discovered.

[CSX4350]

You might want to try what William Willard suggested, putting some foam weatherstripping behind the door seals to give them a firmer seal. If this is the problem, it's usually from about a foot above the "zig" in the doors to about a foot below it. The doors on some units flex and allow air to escape while moving. I talked to William on the phone and he assured me that this weatherstripping fixed his problem perfectly. Try some about 3/4" wide and 1/8" thick, you can get it at Home Depot for a few dollars for 10'. It can't hurt.

[newc]

hi ,I'm a new member to this forum .This is the first time I have joined any forum although I follow this and many other rv forums.I am and rv tech and owner of a 2008 mtn aire. I just had to come on to say the refer problem everyone is having is very common with the new refer models especially venting them through side walls.Keep putting presure on manufactures to correct problems. good luck

[William Willard]

Is Newmar having problems with the refers that are not in the slide-outs, or is this a side venting problem only? -- Bill Willard

[Route 66]

The problem is with the 2 side wall vent installation, slide out or not.

My 1402 has a roof vent and works fine.