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Old 07-22-2016, 09:11 AM   #61
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I am amazed we have the same trailer and ( ? the same Dometic fridge?) yet mine seems configured so different from yours. I pushed my little plastic hose straight up until it clearly hit the top of the ...Baffle/flue "T" cap?... a few times, and never sensed anything potentially wrong with wires.
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Old 07-22-2016, 09:40 AM   #62
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I am amazed we have the same trailer and ( ? the same Dometic fridge?) yet mine seems configured so different from yours. I pushed my little plastic hose straight up until it clearly hit the top of the ...Baffle/flue "T" cap?... a few times, and never sensed anything potentially wrong with wires.
Hi: MyronL... Is it time for a cold sarsaparilla YET? Alf
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Old 07-22-2016, 09:52 AM   #63
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Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
I am amazed we have the same trailer and ( ? the same Dometic fridge?) yet mine seems configured so different from yours. I pushed my little plastic hose straight up until it clearly hit the top of the ...Baffle/flue "T" cap?... a few times, and never sensed anything potentially wrong with wires.
I know. Yours looks 20 years old
There are 2 styles (old and new) of the 8551 but both have the same refrigeration circuit. The main differences are location of control board, connections, and fans.

You have the same baffle. You can see the wire it hangs on coming out of the back of the flue cap. It just hangs inside the flue pipe so you probably pushed the tube you inserted up beside it without catching on it.
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Old 07-22-2016, 10:44 AM   #64
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Roger that.

The really good news is this morning fridge on 5 dots propane all night, 33°F at 9 AM.
Real question is why does it cool on propane now if there was no actual blockage? I made no adjustments to pressure, etc., put Piezo right back where it was.
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Old 07-22-2016, 10:56 AM   #65
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Good question. My guess would be something shook loose in the burner assembly or orifice when you took everything apart. It don't take much to mess up a small propane system. The orifice hole in these systems is so small you can hardly see daylight through it.

Orifice is another thing to be careful of if you ever take it apart. Ask me how I know.
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Old 07-22-2016, 11:17 AM   #66
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I did not know this. Very interesting. Got me wondering if I dodged a bullet by using a 1/4-inch hose instead of something larger.

Where's Alf when you need him?
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Old 07-22-2016, 11:31 AM   #67
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Interesting you have a diagram that shows the external flue vent that they don't sell in North America. Too bad, getting rid of excess heat from the back of the fridge would probably improve performance. At least the rest of the world must think that way because they use it.

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Old 07-22-2016, 11:35 AM   #68
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I got that diagram off the link in Tom's post #55. Now that you mentioned it it's from the UK and in German. Saw it was on the wrong side of the fridge but figured that was a Brit thing.
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Old 07-22-2016, 11:42 AM   #69
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It was the first parts list I found. They are all the same.

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Old 07-22-2016, 11:46 AM   #70
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I did not know this. Very interesting. Got me wondering if I dodged a bullet by using a 1/4-inch hose instead of something larger.

Where's Alf when you need him?
Hi: MyronL... "I know nuthing"!!!
My RVTech uses his air hose to blow the dust/rust and cobwebs out of there. He usually does it while servicing the bearings and brakes. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 07-22-2016, 01:11 PM   #71
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It was the first parts list I found. They are all the same.

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Except Dometic NA denied any knowledge about it when I tried to buy one.

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Old 07-22-2016, 01:30 PM   #72
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Except Dometic NA denied any knowledge about it when I tried to buy one.

Ron
Hi Ron , I also tried to buy those parts especially the extension pipe Didn't know what I was talking about even though it was right there for my refrigerator on my accessory page with a price . Easier to just dump all their mistakes on us . They even today are selling the same 6.7 series 8 at our camping world and saw recently in a new exspensive , sorry Brian , what we call them here new class B Van . Pat
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Old 07-22-2016, 02:03 PM   #73
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Except Dometic NA denied any knowledge about it when I tried to buy one.

Ron
That's because Dometic no longer has knowledge of anything!
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Old 07-22-2016, 02:39 PM   #74
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I had read a while back that they were getting rid of overhead when times got bad for them, which meant cutting engineers. From what we've all been running into, I believe it.
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Old 07-22-2016, 02:53 PM   #75
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I think a big part of it is that Dometic just has too much of a product lineup. Rather that specializing in just a few areas, they seem to have their fingers in most aspects of outfitting an RV.
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Old 07-26-2016, 05:57 PM   #76
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Fred, I await your findings with the greatest interest.

Meanwhile to those with suggestions thanks a lot, but trailer is level, I said blue Piezo flame is constant, and I sure don't want to be driving using the battery to cool the fridge, be restricted to campsites with shore power hookups, paying primo for something I shouldn't need, plus (Ohmygod) taking away a spot from one of them more needy super busses.
Brought the trailer home from the RV service shop. Owner told me that the burner was dirty and rusty. There was flame, but about 25% of what it should be. The tech cleaned the system thoroughly then did a LP pressure test and a leak test. All good. Tested the fridge and it was cooling. Now I am doing my own test and in abut 2 hours the thermometer has dropped from 80F to 60F inside the fridge. I will leave it on and see how quickly it gets down below 40F. Looks like LP system should be inspected at least once a year. This is a quote from the "manual":

"It is recommended that the gas burner be
inspected and cleaned as necessary at
least once a year. When using liquefied
petroleum gas (tank or refill cylinders) the
maintenance interval is reduced. Keep the
evidence of maintenance work carried out on
your refrigerator."

At the same time I had them repack the bearings and check and clean the brakes. They found one bearing had some score marks and so replaced it. As I am the second owner thought it would be a good idea to have this done to establish a "base line". In other words knowing all was good. We head to Calgary on Monday to do some camping with the grandchildren.

Fred Alexander
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Old 07-26-2016, 06:28 PM   #77
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Good news and good report.
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Old 07-26-2016, 06:52 PM   #78
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Sounds like you did a great tuneup on your trailer, Fred.
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Old 07-26-2016, 06:59 PM   #79
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Excellent Fred! Head out with confidence and enjoy those grandkids!

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Old 07-26-2016, 10:07 PM   #80
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