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new dometic fridge lights but doesn,t cool?


chris

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chris - 2011-02-24 9:06 PM

 

Lenny, its sodds law that you find alternative after you purchase. Never mind, peace of mind is what I am after now.

Chris

 

L300 vent is different size to the obsolescent L500 (it is smaller).

 

AFAIK, the L500 didn't have a specific winter cover for it, it was customary to use two of the covers for the smallest Dometic vent in each of the upper and lower units (and it would leave one or two louvres open that way).

 

We had these vents on our previous 'van, and the (4) covers were supplied with it.

 

It would appear you have the proper kit. ;-)

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Confusing anit it, Dometic site only shows one large vent the LS300 which is supplied complete with the cover and do not show the cover as a separate item. I've yet to see a van with large vents supplied with covers.

 

I have a RMT7655L which has the large vents in dark grey by the size of them I assume they are LS300's in the manual they refer to using winter covers but give no information only a photo showing a vent with 2 of the smaller covers.

 

By the dimensions on leisureshopdirects site it looks like the large cover will fit the LS300 vent.

 

 

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lennyhb - 2011-02-24 10:38 PM

 

Confusing anit it, Dometic site only shows one large vent the LS300 which is supplied complete with the cover and do not show the cover as a separate item. I've yet to see a van with large vents supplied with covers.

 

I have a RMT7655L which has the large vents in dark grey by the size of them I assume they are LS300's in the manual they refer to using winter covers but give no information only a photo showing a vent with 2 of the smaller covers.

 

By the dimensions on leisureshopdirects site it looks like the large cover will fit the LS300 vent.

 

 

Lenny,

 

I've lost the plot as to whether you are now looking for a cover or not (lol) , but the following may help.

 

The L500 (larger) vent was made obsoloescent about 3 years ago, and replaced by the L(S) 300.

 

The timing will have been such that Chris's van will have been built with the older vent, whereas (from the dimensions you've checked) yours looks to have been built with the newer one.

 

The older one definitely took two of the older covers from the small fridge, single sized vent for each of its vents; hence 4 being required. I am sure that these covers were optional.

 

The replacement vent the L(S)300 is certainly shown by Dometic as having the cover supplied with it, and it is generally sold with the (dedicated) cover as part of the package.

 

Fridges are not supplied to converters with the vents as a package, they will have been installed with whatever was available at build time. The fact that your fridge manual shows two vent covers simply arises from the date of its publishing and printing.

 

The dimensions of the two are significantly different; the L500 is larger in the vertical dimension - if you want a clear set of dimensions, and a picture to check, O'Leary's still sell both vents (albeit both in white).

 

http://www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk

 

HTH

 

 

 

 

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Thanks that does clear it up I was having trouble finding dimensions for the L500, I thought mine were the LS300 and they are.

 

Sort of half heartedly thinking about getting some but never had any problems with the fridge in cold weather.

Surprised to find a winter cover for the LS300 is £30 but you can get the Frame+Vent+Cover for £26 (Rainbow Conversions). Might just wait until the next time I go through Germany as I brought some vent covers for the last caravan there they were less than ½ the UK price.

 

Just had a look on eBay Germany 20€ + post for the Vent + Cover.

 

 

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NOW I AM TOTALLY STUMPED! 8-)

 

Just picked the van up and they can't find anything wrong? They lit it this morning , parked it on the flat AND on a slope and it worked. Got to -20 in freezer and -1 in fridge.

 

Haven't got a clue why it didn't cool with us for 2 daysand several attempts? Hope its just one of those things. We will test it now and then outside the house and see what happens. I did everything the same as the fitter honestly.

 

Hope its sorted now anyway.

Chris

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Chris - could it because it is warmer now and the fridge is able to work more efficiently? Were the vent covers on?

 

I don't know about modern ones but they would only fit properly one way on older ones - although they could sometimes be 'persuaded' to fit incorrectly depending on model!

 

Doesn't the handbook have a picture? There might be little arrows on the back to show you up and down? Possbily the locking screws will only locate when fitted the correct way up? Possibly the lower one might be upside down as the rounded corner might need to fit in the rounded lower corner of the frame?

 

No doubt someone will know for sure but I would have expected to see a bigger gap at the top to let warm air out?

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On the Rapido with the same vents, I used to fit them essentially butted together (if you're careful you can fit them so they touch) so that for the top vent all the gap was at the top (IMO important for proper venting), and for the bottom vent all the gap was at the bottom.

 

Patently, from the shape, you get a small gap at the bottom of the top one anyway (if you follow me) as the cover isn't shaped to the bottom corner, and you essentially need to start one step up (as your picture shows).

 

So, referring to your photos; in the top vent, leave the bottom cover where it is in your photo, and bring the top one down to butt it (though, because of the way they locate, you may actually have to fit the upper of the two first); in the bottom vent, leave the top cover where it is, and move the bottom one up to butt it.

 

edited to add (slightly less clear than I would like) photograph.

 

HTH

1247_rapido_983f.jpg.290e5875c0993ac487bf72ce889eb1d7.jpg

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The vent covers you got is the wrong type it should be a one peace cover,s top and bottom if you have trouble getting them contact Dometic who will sell you the right ones having said all that i never use the vent covers when parked up

summer are winter i only put them on while driving just to keep the road dirt out.

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The vent covers you got is the wrong type it should be a one peace cover,s top and bottom if you have trouble getting them contact Dometic who will sell you the right ones having said all that i never use the vent covers when parked up

summer are winter i only put them on while driving just to keep the road dirt out.

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david1949 - 2011-03-02 9:12 AM

 

The vent covers you got is the wrong type it should be a one peace cover,s top and bottom if you have trouble getting them contact Dometic who will sell you the right ones having said all that i never use the vent covers when parked up

summer are winter i only put them on while driving just to keep the road dirt out.

 

....er no!

 

The current L(S)300 vent, and various large non-Dometic vents use one-piece covers, but the (now-obsolescent) L500 vent featured here was always designed to be used with two of the smaller covers as in the picture (and in the manuals).

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Our Dometic fridge/freezer(unsure of model,without rumaging for the handbook),came with the large one piece covers...but they're shaped so as they fit to the top of the grill,leaving the gap at the bottom?!? :-S

 

..is this incorrect then?... :-S

 

Edit: Just had a quick look and our covers will only go on the one way..and that leaves about a 20mm gap AT THE BOTTOM? :-S

 

Similar to the bottom gap that Chris has in his photos...

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pepe63 - 2011-03-02 10:07 AM

 

Our Dometic fridge/freezer(unsure of model,without rumaging for the handbook),came with the large one piece covers...but they're shaped so as they fit to the top of the grill,leaving the gap at the bottom?!? :-S

 

..is this incorrect then?... :-S

 

Edit: Just had a quick look and our covers will only go on the one way..and that leaves about a 20mm gap AT THE BOTTOM? :-S

 

Chris

 

Certainly with the newer vent, the one-piece cover appears to only fit to the top of the vent (radiused corners).

 

As this is the case, you have no choice. :-(

 

When fitting the two covers to the L500 vents, however, there is a choice, and given Dometic's installation instructions, and the general laxity in sealing fridges from the interior, with covers in use I would prefer to have the upper ventilation as high as possible.

 

Two reasons:

 

i) Dometic recommend that the upper vent be at the highest point in the void into which the fridge is installed, such that there is no scope for heat to be trapped under the worktop, or in the void. (this reduces efficiency, and doesn't do the cabinetwork much good).

 

ii) The larger fridges, when run on gas, vent the combustion gases into the void (there is no flue to the outside, as there is on the smaller ones). Hence, if the upper ventilation is not at the highest point, there is also the chance of trapping flue gases in the void. If the fridge is not properly sealed from the interior, this is far from desirable, there being a greater potential for them to enter the interior.

 

(I have only had the larger fridge on my previous van, and luckily, this was very well sealed from the interior = on every other van I've had, (with the smaller fridge), the seal has been less than optimum, and in some cases almost non-existent.

 

I think, in the past, I've read in Dometic manuals that the use of vent covers wasn't recommended with gas operation, but I can find no such instruction in the latest manuals).

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pepe63 - 2011-03-02 11:35 AM

 

Thanks for that RobinH'..

 

Well,hopefully the covers will be coming off soon anyway... ;-)

 

(..although I can my Dad saying:

"..never cast a clout,'til ,May is out.."

,which I *assume* is something to do with late frosts!? :D )

 

Thanks again.

 

The picture I posted above is the only one I could find of my 'van with both covers fitted to each vent - and it isn't my photo, it's the dealer's after I traded in . (lol) (they must have taken it quickly, as it was sold within a couple of days of me dropping it off!)

 

I've got plenty of winter pictures of the 'van, with lots of snow, but only one cover fitted to each vent.

 

Frankly, in the past I've used them more (though one shouldn't) to reduce the draughts from a badly sealed fridge, rather than for their defined purpose. The Rapido was well-enough sealed to ensure I didn't have to inhibit the draughts that way . :-D

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...technically, I don't think there is a right or wrong way - in fact, the manual shows them more how you had them originally (!) .

 

BUT, you now have them how I've used them, and referring to my post above, it is much more logical to leave the gap on the top one at the top (as you now have) to allow for full ventilation of any heat, and escape of exhaust if used on gas.

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  • 3 months later...

Picked up some covers for my LS 300 vents in Belgium last weekend for 25€ each could only get light grey ones Dometic still don't make any to match the dark grey vents.

The LS 300 the covers will only fit the vent flush to the top leaving only a ½" gap at the bottom.

 

On Friday I serviced the fridge, what a pain worst bit was getting the 'Lazy T' off as it's situated 12" below the top vent & there is an aluminium baffle across the compartment just above it which has to be removed first. Then it's a slow job getting the screw out that holds the T in place working blind at arms length with a stubby screwdriver.

 

Anyway the flue was clean not a trace of soot, the jet was clean all that hard work for nothing.

 

I was surprised as we use Autogas (Domectic manual says Don't) have averaged 50 nights away mostly on gas for 3 years, last year 56 nights away only 3 of then on electric.

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  • 2 years later...
Demotic fridges are one off the most reliable appliances most of the the home owners love to bring it at home. But unfortunately sometimes consumers has to face such situation."Lights on but refrigerators is not cooling" This problem relates to gas of the compressor. As you mentioned it is new then must be gas from the compressor is not opened properly. Or might be it was leaked. So its better to call the service provider for the remedy of this problem.
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