RMD8555 fridge stopped working on propane :(

[Parker]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

80% discharge on flooded deep cycle lead acid is around 11.5V, I believe the Norcold is rated to run down to 10.5V or so. But per my calculations, that level of discharge is what you'd see after 4 days of zero sun.

Okay. Good to know about what the Norcold needs. Right now, our fridge is running fine on propane. Intermittents are so frustrating. If I can regain some confidence in this fridge, we'll stick with it for a while yet.

[alanerickson]

John. When you replaced your 3-way did you end up sealing off the old venting for that or did you leave it open and route your compressor heat into it? When I bought my 2021 I went with a compressor fridge but also opted for the 3-way ready option for the fridge space (so they put in the vents). Unfortunately the Norcold assumes the back is sealed and so it pulls air from this area, which means I'm getting bugs and unconditioned air into my conditioned space. So I'm trying to decide weather to seal outside or inside to separate the two. Not sure if I trust ETI to fix this or not. Thanks.

[John in Santa Cruz]

i capped the roof vent as my new larger solar panel overlaps it.

temporarilly, I've plugged off the lower/side event with tape on the inside, but I'll probably do something more permanent.

[alanerickson]

Thanks for the reply. I'm currently duct tape and screen on inside/fridge, but will probably end up sealing off exterior openings like you mentioned.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by Parker

Okay. Good to know about what the Norcold needs. Right now, our fridge is running fine on propane. Intermittents are so frustrating. If I can regain some confidence in this fridge, we'll stick with it for a while yet.

And, just to follow up on my fridge, it's quit again on propane. I'm trying to find a shop that can look at it in the not too distant future. I'm going to set a not-to-exceed price on repairs so I don't waste funds that could go toward a replacement.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by alanerickson

Thanks for the reply. I'm currently duct tape and screen on inside/fridge, but will probably end up sealing off exterior openings like you mentioned.

When I'm home and have my ladder handy, I'll take a picture of the covered roof vent. Might be a week.

[alanerickson]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

When I'm home and have my ladder handy, I'll take a picture of the covered roof vent. Might be a week.

I ordered a 12"x24" sheet of polar white kydex (plastic) to cover my vent. Seemed to be one of the few materials out there in sheet that I could find that had UV resistance listed as a property. I'll let you know how it looks when I get vent slots covered. Maybe three small covers versus one large one just to break it up and make it interesting.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I think the guy who fabbed it said it was marine HDPE, but I could be wrong.

I'm home and had forgotten about this thread. its dark now, but I'll go out there tomorrow and get said photo

[John in Santa Cruz]

roof vent cover



360W LG NeonR monocrystalline solar panel


(phew, dirty, time to clean)

[sunrisetrucker]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

roof vent cover



360W LG NeonR monocrystalline solar panel


(phew, dirty, time to clean)

Love that old ford truck in the upper right hand corner of the second picture. I had one very much like that years ago. Loved that truck, wish I still had it.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by sunrisetrucker

Love that old ford truck in the upper right hand corner of the second picture. I had one very much like that years ago. Loved that truck, wish I still had it.

1965 F100, three on the tree, 6 cyl (I think its the 300CID). has been parked a few too many years, probably been 10 years since it moved.

[alanerickson]

John. Thanks for the post of the cap. My E19 is in storage for a couple of weeks and I'll have to look at it when I pick it back up, but I'm not sure I want to go that far. Did they have to cut fiberglass to get it to that point, or is that where there is a natural seam? Also, I need to look at it again, but I think they actually ran the solar panel wires down my vent.

[John in Santa Cruz]

the original vent cap had two pieces, the outer top piece, and an inner bottom piece that had a bug screen. the plate uses the same mounting holes as the inner bottom piece.

[alanerickson]

That's not too bad. I'll take a look at mine and see if the same thing can be done. Unless there are the solar cables. Not that that is completely a show stopper, but it will take more monkeying around.

[Parker]

Anyone out there still tracking this thread? I finally got our Escape into a service shop and apparently the propane solenoid valve is defective, and guess what.....no longer available. Dometic says buy a new fridge. What a despicable company.

Anyone have a junk RMD8555 sitting around for parts?

[alanerickson]

Not me. There shouldn't be anything proprietary about the solenoid, normally they purchase "generic" gas, solenoid valves. Did you look at the valve, find a part number, and do a search on that? Also, a little odd the solenoid is bad but not impossible. Is it actually "clicking" and trying to open?

[John in Santa Cruz]

I indeed have a RMD8555 in my driveway, but it at first would not run on propane, then stopped running entirely (dead control panel), and no idea whats wrong.

I replaced it with a Norcold N2175 dc compressor fridge and am as happy as I could be, even in 105F weather, it freezes solid in the freezer, and stays frosty cold in the fridge. It uses as much as 6 amps DC when its running, which typically is 30% of the time, unless it is really hot, then it might run twice that, so tahts around 30-75 watt*hours per hour, or 500 watt hours a day typical. I went kamikaze overkill, as I am so wont to do, and upgraded my batts to 412AH/5200WH of lithium iron phosphate, and upgraded my solar to a 360W monocrystalline with a 30A MTTP controller. So using fridge + typical lighting + maxxifan on nearly constantly at low to medium, + furnace at night, I can go about a week with ZERO sun, and forever with 50% sun (my solar panel makes 2000WH on a sunny day with no shade)

oh, the N2175 was an *exact fit* in the space of the RMD8555. You can (and should) block off the external venting, I actually removed the rooftop vent and capped it off, as the larger solar panel would have run into it.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Parker

Anyone out there still tracking this thread? I finally got our Escape into a service shop and apparently the propane solenoid valve is defective, and guess what.....no longer available. Dometic says buy a new fridge. What a despicable company.

Anyone have a junk RMD8555 sitting around for parts?

Not sure of the exact part number you need but does this happen to be it?
https://www.dyersonline.com/dometic-...-solenoid.html

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Not sure of the exact part number you need but does this happen to be it?
https://www.dyersonline.com/dometic-...-solenoid.html

nope, totally different. the RMD8555 was designed/built by Electrolux in Germany when Domestic bought Electrolux's RV component division.

I just pulled the valve out of my broken fridge, let me ohm the solenoid to see if it has a chance of working...

ok, it has 3 connections, one is body/ground (yellow wire), other two had red and white wires. red to white is 95.8 ohms, either to ground is 47.6 ohms. hmmm, both red and white are labled V+ on the casting, so I'm guessing one switches it on, the other switches it off, but thats just a wild guess.

in situ before removal


brand name HeaTec


valve manufacturers plate


another label



I note the fasteners, including pipe clamps, are metric.

I left the short gas inlet tube on it

make me an offer, including adequate UPS (preferred) from 95060. I no longer trust USPS parcel services, including priority mail.

[John in Santa Cruz]

ok, I took a couple jumper clips, and a AA 1.5V battery, negative to the ground terminal, and alternately connected plus briefly to each of the two V+ terminals and I hear it clicking.

ah, this page shows the same valve,
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/12...1.html?page=15
BOTH V+ have to be powered for it to switch on, its 2 valves in series as a safety thing.

and yup, if I power both V+ with my little 1.5V battery, I can blow through it, unpower, and it clicks off.