Dometic Stopped Working Via 12v

[Long Truong]

So my Dometic was acting weird when plugged into 12v (intermittently turning off). Well it has stopped powering at all via the 12v plug. I even got a new 12V plug off Amazon and the fridge won't turn on when plugged in. Battery is fully charged. Fridge works fine when plugged into 110v. Any ideas on where I should start for troubleshooting?

 

[JohnC]

I'm guessing it isn't covered by warranty, but you still might want to contact Dometic customer service. They might be able to help.

 

[Vince G]

I would think if works on 110 but not 12v then it could be an internal transformer. If not under warranty maybe take to an electronic repair shop.

 

[Sweeney]

3 things;

1. Check the fuses on the fridge. There may be 2 - check the body of the fridge itself, as well as the tip on the plug assembly.
2. Check the voltage on the battery at the socket - plug it into another vehicle as well.
3. In the menu in the fridge, there is a "Hi/Med/Low" for cutoff voltages. Set it to "low"

I've had mine set to "high" and the fridge stopped within just a few hours on a slightly weak battery.

I bought a CFF35 to replace mine, it seems of much higher quality overall than my older one. There could be confirmation bias -- because buying anything with a dometic does come with an "Implied Consent" sticker on it.

The good news is, there are other options including 1 I found on Amazon which was a cf35 clone. My finger was hovering over the buy it now, but I decided (perhaps foolishly) that dometic at least has an appearance of a warranty.

Then there are more respectable names like BougeRV | Solar Power | Explore Glamping Gear -- They seem to be a respectable company.


Good luck

 

[Long Truong]

3 things;

1. Check the fuses on the fridge. There may be 2 - check the body of the fridge itself, as well as the tip on the plug assembly.
2. Check the voltage on the battery at the socket - plug it into another vehicle as well.
3. In the menu in the fridge, there is a "Hi/Med/Low" for cutoff voltages. Set it to "low"

I've had mine set to "high" and the fridge stopped within just a few hours on a slightly weak battery.

I bought a CFF35 to replace mine, it seems of much higher quality overall than my older one. There could be confirmation bias -- because buying anything with a dometic does come with an "Implied Consent" sticker on it.

The good news is, there are other options including 1 I found on Amazon which was a cf35 clone. My finger was hovering over the buy it now, but I decided (perhaps foolishly) that dometic at least has an appearance of a warranty.

Then there are more respectable names like BougeRV | Solar Power | Explore Glamping Gear -- They seem to be a respectable company.


Good luck

Already tried a new plug, plugging it into another 12v, and the cutoff setting. I'm going to call Dometic tomorrow but I'm not optimistic. I bet something on the PCB was fried. There was a lightning deal for a Bouge RV unit so I just got that for $280 out the door under the assumption that anything but an absolutely minor repair of the Dometic would cost at least half that.

 

[SethB]

No down side! My sister & her hubby are running two, one as a freezer and one refer in their long travels.

 

[Sweeney]

Already tried a new plug, plugging it into another 12v, and the cutoff setting. I'm going to call Dometic tomorrow but I'm not optimistic. I bet something on the PCB was fried. There was a lightning deal for a Bouge RV unit so I just got that for $280 out the door under the assumption that anything but an absolutely minor repair of the Dometic would cost at least half that.

Hope you can get help....nice to have a backup! I have a monster sized ARB fridge based on the same danfoss compressor -- its great being able to take more than a weeks worth of beef^H^H^H^Hbeef with you, especially when your in places like South Dakota and the "close" store is 30 minutes away....and the prices there make the prices at 7-11 look pretty appealing.

That siad, I hope they can help. The "thermistor" on mine CF35 -- while it was a SHOCKINGLY easy repair dometic just said it wasn't fixalbe and wished me a nice day. I HATE that attitude.

Lets just say ebay was more helpful than dometic to find the right part, unless you want to get down to board level repairs...which sometimes isn't bad -- but Dometic encases the boards in a rubbreized plastic material....not a lot of fun to try.

 

[fernlane]

Already tried a new plug, plugging it into another 12v, and the cutoff setting. I'm going to call Dometic tomorrow but I'm not optimistic. I bet something on the PCB was fried. There was a lightning deal for a Bouge RV unit so I just got that for $280 out the door under the assumption that anything but an absolutely minor repair of the Dometic would cost at least half that.

I'm curious to know if you got anything from dometic about this issue. Our 8 year old cf35 is exhibiting similar symptoms - when plugged into 12v it acts like it's set on the hi cutoff setting even when it's set to lo. With the trimetric I watched it repeatedly cutoff when the startup surge pushed the voltage temporarily down to 11.9.

This unit has been rock solid since we bought it 8 years ago so I guess we ought to be happy it's lasted this long. It still works great on 110v so it'll be a great place to keep auxiliary beverages.

 

[Long Truong]

I'm curious to know if you got anything from dometic about this issue. Our 8 year old cf35 is exhibiting similar symptoms - when plugged into 12v it acts like it's set on the hi cutoff setting even when it's set to lo. With the trimetric I watched it repeatedly cutoff when the startup surge pushed the voltage temporarily down to 11.9.

This unit has been rock solid since we bought it 8 years ago so I guess we ought to be happy it's lasted this long. It still works great on 110v so it'll be a great place to keep auxiliary beverages.

LOL I was going to post about this but I was too embarrassed to say the solution. I had a blown 15A fuse in my trailer. The clue was when I got the new fridge and it didn't work on 12V either . So check your trailer fuses!

 

[Sweeney]

LOL I was going to post about this but I was too embarrassed to say the solution. I had a blown 15A fuse in my trailer. The clue was when I got the new fridge and it didn't work on 12V either . So check your trailer fuses!

Happens all the time! I enjoy Billy Bob Thornton's films..."Sling blade"

I can not tell you how many times I went out looking for complicated solutions...9 times out of 10, if it worked yesterday it as easy as plugging it in...

 

[fernlane]

LOL I was going to post about this but I was too embarrassed to say the solution. I had a blown 15A fuse in my trailer. The clue was when I got the new fridge and it didn't work on 12V either . So check your trailer fuses!

I checked all the fuses but, alas, they are all good. I tried the fridge on 12v this morning and after it shut down once continued to run without problem until I needed to disconnect it after a dood while. I'm not sure I can trust this thing for a dry camping trip ...

 

[Long Truong]

One cheap possible fix is to get a new 12v power cord, since it could be the power cord. I got a knock-off power cord for like $20 on Amazon.

 

[Van_and_Terri]

Happens all the time! I enjoy Billy Bob Thornton's films..."Sling blade"

I can not tell you how many times I went out looking for complicated solutions...9 times out of 10, if it worked yesterday it as easy as plugging it in...

Funny! One of my employees just had his son’s supposedly broken down car towed over a 100 miles to their house just to find out it was out of gas!

 

[Sweeney]

I checked all the fuses but, alas, they are all good. I tried the fridge on 12v this morning and after it shut down once continued to run without problem until I needed to disconnect it after a dood while. I'm not sure I can trust this thing for a dry camping trip ...

Sounds like a cord problem as previous stated. Amazon has knock off cheap. Search "Dometic power cord" and they will pop up. I do not like the red-tip models persoanlly --- the power cord included with the new one I just got --- I like a lot better.

I did a quick search but don't have time to go deeper....

Dometic 80-T2-2000NG2 and Intertek 5018832 are printed on a tag....

Cigarette lighters are notoriously finicky...this is not necessasriy a dometic problem --- the ARB I have suffers the same finicky fit problem.

 

[Sweeney]

Funny! One of my employees just had his son’s supposedly broken down car towed over a 100 miles to their house just to find out it was out of gas!

I'd NEVER do anything like that!!!! Umm-ha...

Billy bob so amazingly disapears into every roll. This is one of his best. Another role is in Tombstone. I saw that movie probably a dozen times before I realized he play Jonnhy Tyler...then it becomes obvious.

I seriously love his work though he personally is a nut job. Just watch him in a live interview...

 

[Sweeney]

Tryna figure out what is on and off as the sun and salt air has made the plastic dim/unreadable ...
Flipping switches until I realized it was the GFI button in the CI galley was tripped..."look for the little green light"...

"My pronouns are D'oh and Derp"...

Don't feel bad...I've done that too Take you one better --- flipping that and it still not working, start running around in a tizzy trying to get things going....battery dead from long travel day, AC needed becuase it was hot, and no "tv" to watch movie to unwind after a travel day...

After what felt like an hour of frenzy...when the camper across the road who had been watching me strolled over and said "Powers out...whole campground is without power"

2 things to check:

1. Don't forget to check you GFCI on the power outlet in the galley.
2. Power is good at the pole

One of these is a cheap investment. Can't tell you how often hot and neutral are reversed, or the ground is floating. Campground power SUCKS.

https://www.amazon.com/Receptacle-Tester-Klein-Tools-RT210/dp/B01AKX8L0M/ref=sr_1_20?crid=1I7JFZTRK6LA&keywords=wall+power+tester&qid=1652980694&sprefix=wall+power+test,aps,525&sr=8-20

 

[fernlane]

LOL I was going to post about this but I was too embarrassed to say the solution. I had a blown 15A fuse in my trailer. The clue was when I got the new fridge and it didn't work on 12V either . So check your trailer fuses!

here's one more thing to check - the tip of the plug end that goes into the trailer socket was a tiny bit loose. It unscrews, of course, to allow access to the small inline fuse. I tightened it up and now the fridge is running nicely.
I really do wish there was a better connection than the cigarette lighter style plug. A nice bayonet connection would be good.

 

[Lipster]

here's one more thing to check - the tip of the plug end that goes into the trailer socket was a tiny bit loose. It unscrews, of course, to allow access to the small inline fuse. I tightened it up and now the fridge is running nicely.
I really do wish there was a better connection than the cigarette lighter style plug. A nice bayonet connection would be good.

 

[clarkk08]

Check if your fridge sits level. An unlevel camper can cause the fridge to malfunction on electric or gas. Avoid tilting, as it risks cooling system damage. The front can be slightly higher, but keep the sides level.

 

[Steven Park]

So my Dometic was acting weird when plugged into 12v (intermittently turning off). Well it has stopped powering at all via the 12v plug. I even got a new 12V plug off Amazon and the fridge won't turn on when plugged in. Battery is fully charged. Fridge works fine when plugged into 110v. Any ideas on where I should start for troubleshooting?

I had exact same problem. After few years using it in my van, 12V started working intermittently so I bought a new cable but it was same. In my case, little metal plate on the back of DC socket, it is connected to 12v power line via tiny metal rod and that connection came undone from few years road vibration. So I fixed it by scratched the metal plate with sandpaper first and then, soldering the two connection together also check the 15amp fuse inside the socket because it was blown. #20 in diagram below is the socket.