RMD8555 fridge stopped working on propane :(

[Chris R]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

ouch. any idea how that was diagnosed? thats way too expensive to buy as a shotgun attempt at repair.

oh and thats the MES version, I have the newer AES version, with a completely different control panel. All the service manuals I've been able to locate for the RMx8xxx series don't even show my panel or wiring diagram

Does this work https://www.manualslib.com/products/...5-4262040.html


The manuals match my RMD 8555.
A couple of years ago our fridge was intermittent running on propane and the RV service tech said that one of the connectors going to the eyebrow board (under freezer) was loose. Easy fix and the fridge has worked fine ever since.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Chris R

Does this work https://www.manualslib.com/products/...5-4262040.html


The manuals match my RMD 8555.
A couple of years ago our fridge was intermittent running on propane and the RV service tech said that one of the connectors going to the eyebrow board (under freezer) was loose. Easy fix and the fridge has worked fine ever since.

At that link (which was one of the first I found) there's a variety of operating manuals, one service manual, and a couple inustallation manuals. the one service manual shows an different style AES control panel. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/12...page=28#manual

every other service manual I found was for the same version, which I assume is older.

mine has a single row of pressure membrane switches, with backlit blue indicators.

[California Dreaming]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

ouch. any idea how that was diagnosed? thats way too expensive to buy as a shotgun attempt at repair.

oh and thats the MES version, I have the newer AES version, with a completely different control panel. All the service manuals I've been able to locate for the RMx8xxx series don't even show my panel or wiring diagram

My guy used a diagnostic tool and code came up motherboard. I contacted Dometic directly for assistance. The reason I opted for repair was that a new fridge shipped from Germany costs nearly as much as the unit itself. I did a fairly extensive search to find the exact model state-wide and couldn't find one.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Chris R

A couple of years ago our fridge was intermittent running on propane and the RV service tech said that one of the connectors going to the eyebrow board (under freezer) was loose. Easy fix and the fridge has worked fine ever since.

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

..the one service manual shows an different style AES control panel.

Originally Posted by California Dreaming

My guy used a diagnostic tool and code came up motherboard.

Can anyone enlighten me to why Dometic opted to make the newer fridges more complicated with control boards? I ask because the older, manual RM2510 fridge in our trailer has been flawless (after some tweaks unrelated to the fridge design). Is the only thing gained with the control boards the auto changeover feature (which you have to be careful using anyhow if boondocking)? What am I missing? I try to subscribe to the K.I.S.S. principle.

[John in Santa Cruz]

the autochanger on this fridge will only switch between 120VAC and propane, it will not switch to 12VDC, you have to do that manually.

all controls are on the front panel. the propane ignites automagically on demand, no pilot light to blow out.


this specific fridge, the RMx8xxx series, are actually an Electrolux product that Dometic acquired en route to world domination of the RV supply industry. Mine is made in germany.

re the control panel board, I just figured out how to remove it, and there's only 2 connectors, a 14 pin ribbon cable, and a 2 pin separate connector, both were fully seated, and I carefully reseated them, reinstalled the board, no difference.

some pics...

control panel:


back of control panel:


connectors that plug into control panel:


model and serial number plate:


this is a 6.7 cubic ft (190L) unit, including a 1.2 cu ft freezer (35L).

[Little Richie]

I use a small air compressor and wand to blow out what I cannot reach. Works for a range of similar problems.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Can anyone enlighten me to why Dometic opted to make the newer fridges more complicated with control boards? I ask because the older, manual RM2510 fridge in our trailer has been flawless (after some tweaks unrelated to the fridge design). Is the only thing gained with the control boards the auto changeover feature (which you have to be careful using anyhow if boondocking)? What am I missing? I try to subscribe to the K.I.S.S. principle.

Hi Dave can you give me the link to Ron in BC refrigerator ‘s chase he made for his 19 and someone made a extension for the flue pipe which none of us can buy but it shows a kit in our manual for the series 8 fridges . Have been searching and can’t find for a fellow forum member . Thankyou in advance , Pat

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

Hi Dave can you give me the link to Ron in BC refrigerator ‘s chase he made for his 19 and someone made a extension for the flue pipe which none of us can buy but it shows a kit in our manual for the series 8 fridges . Have been searching and can’t find for a fellow forum member . Thankyou in advance , Pat

This isn’t the original thread but this post shows Ron’s work
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post217628

[fudge_brownie]

I had a RMD 8555 fail about four years ago while traveling. It would not work on gas but would work on shore power. So no travel possible with a working refrigerator. When in NC I contacted a remote RV service company. In conjunction with Dometic service personnel, via a phone call, they diagnosed the problem as the main circuit board. The board was ordered and arrived in a week. After installation of a new main board the unit would still not work. Now we ordered an eyebrow board, no credit for the main board. We were wanting to travel home so had the eyebrow board delivered to our home. Installation was easy and it did fix the problem. Cost about $1,100 for the fix.

The refrigerator has run since the repair. It still was a crappy refrigerator. In my situation it would blow out the flame when traveling. Now the unit was never installed by Escape in an insulated cavity. I pulled the unit out and super insulated the cavity. The key to making it work was a metal flame guard around the burner inside the outside access door.

I still have a main board that I think is still functional. In conversation with another forum member with the same problem the solution was the eyebrow board.

[John in Santa Cruz]

by 'eyebrow board', do you mean the board on the back of the control panel, or something else ?

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

This isn’t the original thread but this post shows Ron’s work
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post217628

Thanks Dave ! One more ,someone made a extension for the pipe that sits atop the chimney? I know this was years ago but would be helpful .
Yes the refrigerator you have was great had in our camper and small motorhome . Why make things complicated, keep it simple . Pat

[fudge_brownie]

John,

The first two images on you post number 25 above are of the eyebrow board. Sorry for my failure to explain.

I can understand the name given to it, not sure if it is in the official nomenclature.

[Parker]

John, any resolution you can share with us? This is an old thread by now, but hopefully you'll get an email notification. Our RMD8555 is getting flaky on propane now. I just blew out the burner, and while it seems to be better, I don't really trust that I've solved the problem.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Parker

John, any resolution you can share with us? This is an old thread by now, but hopefully you'll get an email notification. Our RMD8555 is getting flaky on propane now. I just blew out the burner, and while it seems to be better, I don't really trust that I've solved the problem.

my resolution was a Norcold N2175, fit in the hole left by the RMD8555 quite exactly. its a DC compressor fridge, with a variable speed/power compressor that typically draws only a couple 100 watt*hour a day in warm weather. the freezer freezes fast and solid cold, the fridge temps stay quite cold even in 105F weather.

WIth my upgraded Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, I can run the fridge + lights + water pump + furnace fan + overhead fan for at least a week without any solar charging. With my 360 watt solar on the roof into a Lithium compatible MPPT controller, on a typical mostly sunny day, I'm fully charged by 11am.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

my resolution was a Norcold N2175, fit in the hole left by the RMD8555 quite exactly.

Hi John. I've since found your subsequent threads about converting to the compressor fridge. I appreciate the performance update. That really does sound like a great long-term solution. The fridge seems to be running okay on propane now that I've blown out the burner, so maybe that will take care of it for a while at least.

Thanks for your reply.

[gbaglo]

Propane fridge is supposed to be serviced ( once a year, I think ). I've had mine serviced once since 2008.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Propane fridge is supposed to be serviced ( once a year, I think ). I've had mine serviced once since 2008.

I was looking through the Dometic 8555 manual today, and I think it recommended having a professional touch it every other year. I've never done that. On the simpler Dometics in our previous Scamp and Casita trailers, I used to have to blow out the orifice in the gas line almost every year. Otherwise I didn't mess with them.

With this current model and all the recommendations about blowing fallen particles from the exhaust stack out of the burner tube, I thought maybe I should try running a brush down through it, which means accessing it from the roof vent. A little googling convinced me not to bother. Long-time fridge techs commented that they've never done it, and that it's easy to get in trouble with some sort of spiral baffle inside. So I'm back to mostly "It it ain't broke....."

[Ron in BC]

They can still get a carbon particle potentially blocking the orifice.

While the photo is fuzzy you can see that the carbon particle is larger than the orifice.

Ron

[Parker]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

They can still get a carbon particle potentially blocking the orifice.

While the photo is fuzzy you can see that the carbon particle is larger than the orifice.

Ron

Oh, I'm sure. Bugs, dirt, carbon particles all have a way of getting in where they don't belong. I haven't really located the equivalent orifice in this 8555 that I had to clean on the old Dometics.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Parker

I haven't really located the equivalent orifice in this 8555 that I had to clean on the old Dometics.

It's to the right of the red button under the rectangular sheet metal cover. A couple of sheet metal screws and it's accessible.

Ron