Dometic RM2862 Fridge ****SOLD*****

billr · 03-03-2013, 05:42 PM

We are changing out our fridge in the Mobile Suite for a residential unit. So, the Dometic 8cuft Gas/Elec single fridge model # RM2862 is for sale. 2005 unit. Has been trouble free since new. Works fine. Recall mod was done when it came out.

Has Maple wood finish raised door panels. Auto switch for Elec/Gas ops. 100% complete with manuals. Will fit in any RV that has a 2 door fridge/freezer unit, 24" wide, 60" high.

Located approx 60 miles north of Tampa Fl. Must be picked up. Will be there until sold. No issue on time.

It would be a good value if you need to replace a faulty fridge.

$500

Gemstone · 03-31-2013, 12:27 PM

So Bill...how did the swap out go ? Real curious, as I have often said that when our 12 cuft side by side Dometic quit, it would be replaced with a residential fridge...we do absolutely no boondocking. Well, we woke up this AM...Easter morning no less, with no lights on the display panel at the top of the fridge...found the 3A fuse blown....always a cause for concern...what the hell caused the fuse to blow ? Replaced the fuse, I have lights now, but I don't hear any fans running on either electric or gas and the fridge does not appear to be cooling. Not a huge issue of urgency, we are at our winter home in Yuma, and we have a fridge and freezer in the house that I can transfer the food to....

Anyone else make the change to residential ? What brand/size? Any issues?

We have the "L" island kitchen and I'm thinking our choice of residential units may be limited to those referred to as "counter depth", but would love to get into the 18-20 cuft range...

Regards
Gemstone

terry and jo · 03-31-2013, 01:50 PM

Gemstone,

I don't know if you keep up with posts over on SOITC's website, but last summer, we changed out our Dometic for a Samsung 18 cu. ft. French-style residential fridge. It came about because I had seen some photos of other Suites owners that had put in the same model, but in different colors.

If you are interested in a lot of reading to see what we found others had done and what we had done ourselves, check out the link below. It is to an SOITC thread that I started that basically provided the saga of the research and actual modifying of the coach and installation.

As far as pictures, I have more of the modification process than are in all the links at the below site. Many of those links go to my blog where I was able to put in more pictures than I could have in the SOITC forums.

If you go the residential route and want to see more pictures, let me know via private message with your e-mail address and I'll send them to you. There are a bunch of them, so I'd have to send them in numerous individual e-mail messages.

http://www.suitesowners.com/forums/s...l-Refrigerator

Terry

billr · 03-31-2013, 05:44 PM

I would look at Terry's info as it relates to the larger fridge and then the counter issue.

Ours works out great though. I will post here in a new post what I put on the SOITC forum

Bill

terry and jo · 03-31-2013, 07:33 PM

OK. I apologize. I forget the differences between the older and newer Suites models. I thus forgot about the older ones being smaller fridges.

Terry

Gemstone · 03-31-2013, 10:02 PM

Thanks Terry, I spent the morning going over your very detailed post....for the second time....and again, thanks for sharing your knowledge and process.
Not sure just what ails our fridge, but I do know it needs new fans...try to find those on Easter! I did replace the 3A fuse, and manually started the fans, but I suspect that due to old sleeve bearings, they are drawing too much current, and popped the fuse again. I did cut the fans out of the circuit, replaced the fuse and placed an external fan to blow into the upper compartment...hoping that'll get me by until the shops open on Monday.

And no, I have an aversion to that other web site you mentioned, they just got off on the wrong foot with me.....so Bill, any info you could post here would be most appreciated. So far, it looks like the 18 cu ft Samsung may be the only unit that will fit.

Regards
Gemstone

Gemstone · 04-02-2013, 07:47 PM

So....on Monday, I found generic fans for the fridge for $20 ea at Radio Shack, vs. the $80 ea for a Dometic replacement at the RV shops. I shopped on line to no avail....seems no one makes a 4"x4"x1.5" fan but Dometic and Radio Shack...even a fan supply house agreed it must be a special size. And using a smaller fan would have meant modifying the mounting bar on the back of the fridge...no small feat due to the restricted space.

Just finished, so far so good....no need for a new res. fridge today.

Regards
Gemstone

**wingnut60** · 04-02-2013, 09:05 PM

When my one fan went out, got two new ones at Frys Electronics--they had lots to choose from. Also, put in a single throw switch to cut them off when not needed.
Joe

golf_bears · 04-02-2013, 09:20 PM

Gemstone, Wingnut60, do you guys have pictures of your fixes?

Gemstone · 04-03-2013, 09:57 AM

In my case, I did nothing but change out the fans...they were an exact duplicate, so no modifications were required to accommodate the Radio Shack fans. I did add a screw type terminal strip on the lip of the access door frame to allow for future ease of changing fans, rather than making crimp splices, I can merely use crimp screw connections.
Any future fan modifications will entail making a new fan mounting bracket to accommodate a smaller fan. It seems that fans are sized in mm, not inches, the common sizes are 92mm square, or 120mm square...the size used by Dometic on our rig are 101.6mm or 4" square, by 1.5" (or 38mm) thick. The reason I would change fans is for durability. The fans used by Dometic (and Radio Shack) are cheap (no surprise), with sleeve bearings made to last maybe 30,000 hours. There are fans available for not much more money that are fluid bearing that are designed for 300,000 hours MTBF....like these slightly larger fans from New Egg.

These folks Excess Solutions sell fans for $4.00 each....the trick is finding the size that will fit with minimal modifications.

I can post a photo of the access compartment, but it is likely not different than yours.

Regards
Gemstone

**wingnut60** · 04-03-2013, 01:31 PM

I will try to get a pic, but my 2 fans are mounted across the upper vent opening just inside the cover. I used perforated angle brackets placed across the opening and put the fans on those brackets. Used the same wire that ran the original fan, but extended down to the lower opening and put the switch in the line.
I originally had 2 problems with the fan--it was worn out and I first just replaced the 1 fan--and it was a problem getting to it. Then the inline temp control on the coil began to fail. Looking it over, and noting new units had 2 fans, I opted to change out where they were for ease of replacement when they go out later, and no longer depend on the temp control. I just turn them on when it begins to show a temp rise in the fridge.
Joe

golf_bears · 04-03-2013, 03:04 PM

Thanks for the replies guys.

I also put two fans in the upper vent area and it has helped with the cooling.

I think the 12v fan midway between the upper and lower vents is out. Wanted to get it replaced but was wondering how to get at it and what fan did you guys use if you replaced that particular one?

Gemstone · 04-03-2013, 06:02 PM

On our rig, there are only 2 fans that are mounted about 5-6" below the upper access panel....just hard enough to get to to replace the fans, and almost impossible to get to the mounting bracket screws so the bracket could be modified to accommodate smaller fans...as the mounting holes are different. My belief is that they are positioned correctly to bring air up from the lower access panel, so if and when I go to smaller fans, I'll make a bracket to drop down to about the same horizontal level and fasten it to the lip of the upper access panel. I will note that on our rig, the fan mounting bracket will accommodate 3 fans, the center position is vacant.

Regards
Gemstone

BillK · 04-03-2013, 09:30 PM

My cooling unit went out last summer. After it was replaced I did a similar addition as Wingnut60. I mounted an aluminum angle across the inside of the upper vent and added two fans to it that blow outward. I wired the new fans to the same thermostatic control the originals were wired to. The 4 fans have worked fine and cooling has improved immensely.

Gemstone · 04-04-2013, 10:16 AM

BillK....so you now have 4 fans in operation at all times ? On the same 3amp fuse ? Do you know the amp rating of the fans you used? Were they the $80 Dometic fans or just generic brand ?

Thanks
Gemstone

billr · 04-04-2013, 11:40 AM

Gents,

A few things on the fans and the ducting on these beasts. Most any fan will do the trick, radio shack, or online order 12V computer case fans. I ran two on ours with the Dometic fridge. It had one stock that failed and then the thermostat failed too. They are prone to this. So I put two standard cheap fans (less the $10 ea!! ) in a bracket I fab up down inside the opening near where the original was. Wired both to 2 separate switches inside the cupboard in kit. I controlled them manually. No fans in cooler temps, one in warmer and two when above maybe 75 or so. Or is full sun on fridge side. I really only had to change config once and a while. Was not that big a deal. Helped a lot on the fridge temp.

Later a friend that is an RV tech told me the opening at the top was too large and created a turbulence effect causing bad air flow. So it needed a duct installed inside nearer to below the upper panel to restrict the flow to create a type of venturi. Also needs a duct at the very top of the opening by roof to direct the air out. Stopping it from tumbling. With help from another good friend we had this done. He did it on his DRV with a double fridge and tracked the temps inside the compartment and it made a huge diff. He then moved one of the fans (or you can add another) to the upper panel on the inside. It is attached right to the panel with a bracket to angle the fan. It helped as well. He is very pleased with the results.

The Tech told us that Dometic stopped giving out new cooling units to him until he showed them the fridge install was done according to their instructions and the ducting was critical. He had to send pics. They said the trailer manufactures ignore what they tell them. Of course they do!!!

I did have to increase the fuse size for the extra fan.

So.....if anyone needs a good single fridge I think I know where one is for sale!!

Bill