DavyS Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 My Dometic RM8400 fridge wont stay alight and the galvanometer display on the fridge hardly swings to the green area. I believe that the flame-detection thermocouple probably needs cleaning. But does anyone know how to remove the windshield that surrounds the burner? It is loose and I can wiggle a lot but it wont come free. I believe that the screw which can be glimpsed through a slot in the shield holds the vertical heat exchanger pipe in place. Does anyone know the trick to remove the windshield? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Davy, Our slightly later Dometic fridge has 2 screws on the RH side, out of view in your photo, and 1 on the left securing that shield. I took it off only the other day to vacuum the dust out of the burner area. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyS Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 1 minute ago, Keithl said: Davy, Our slightly later Dometic fridge has 2 screws on the RH side, out of view in your photo, and 1 on the left securing that shield. I took it off only the other day to vacuum the dust out of the burner area. Keith. Thanks Keith, I am pretty sure there are no screws cos I can move the shield about 1cm - it is very loose but wont come free. Nevertheless I will look for the screws you mention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Just remembered now you say it is loose! There were actually 2 tabs on the RH side which hooked under a small vertical bracket secured by the 2 screws but there was not enough room to unhook the tabs so I had to remove the bracket and screws! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 These two images are of the gas burner shield used on Dometic RM8xxx appliances It looks like removing the shield involves lifting it upwards until the 'clip' (circled in red on 2nd image) disengages from whatever it hooks on to and then pulling the shield free. As the shield is already loose, a bit of judicious brute force should get it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyS Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 12 minutes ago, Derek Uzzell said: These two images are of the gas burner shield used on Dometic RM8xxx appliances It looks like removing the shield involves lifting it upwards until the 'clip' (circled in red on 2nd image) disengages from whatever it hooks on to and then pulling the shield free. As the shield is already loose, a bit of judicious brute force should get it off. Derek, the top photo shows the shield rotated 90deg from its normal position. When it's in place the bottom horizontal bit with the slot is actually vertical, and what looks like a spring tab is at the back at base level - as shown in the bottom photo. So the clip cannot be lifted upwards and over. But maybe its designed that you just pull the whole lot forward and the 'clip' pulls off whatever it is clipped to? Maybe I am over thinking this, and I need to use your suggested 'brute force method. I have been reluctant to force it cos of the huge cost of Dometic spares, for instance a new door for the fridge is £350! But maybe I will wait till someone, who has actually removed theirs, answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Hi No brute force needed A flat bladed screwdriver (or old hacksaw blade) is needed just to lever and slide gently the tab (that Derek has posted to you) Then just pull it off Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyS Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 17 minutes ago, onecal said: Hi No brute force needed A flat bladed screwdriver (or old hacksaw blade) is needed just to lever and slide gently the tab (that Derek has posted to you) Then just pull it off Regards Onecal, sounds easy. I will let you know how I get on .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 It is , biggest issue sometimes can be a little rust ,which makes it a little difficult to pull out. If you have never worked on gas appliances before maybe better leave it to the professionals Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyS Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 Once I get the shield off, I will be cleaning the thermocouple. Presumably its not fragile and I can use a Brillo pad or similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyS Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 10 minutes ago, onecal said: maybe better leave it to the professionals Onecal, sensible advice but I am finding it almost impossible to get a professional caravan/motorhome-experience person with a gas safe licence to look at a fridge which is playing up. They are all fully booked with lucrative habitation checks months ahead. The World has changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Yes they can be cleaned with a very light touch of fine emery paper and dry wipe carefully Better replacing it , when one is that far into the job for peace of mind Ok , but better to wait for one than try a repair on the gas side of a fridge that may be playing up as you say It may just end up causing a fire or worse. Safety is always worth waiting for Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Globebuster1 Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 I think you'll find it just pulls off. You are correct in assuming the screw has no bearing on removing the shield - as I discovered. Just give it a good yank! If it hasn't been off for a while you'll probably find the whole area and the flue need a good clean. Once it's off you will be able to establish if the burner and thermocouple are working correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 Assuming that DavyS's motorhome is still a 2015 Elddis model (and that the Dometic fridge has not been serviced fairly regularly) the reason it will no longer light on gas is (as Globebuster1 has mentioned) more than likely because the burner unit is full of debris that has dropped out of the gas flue, rather than due to an electrical issue. Cleaning the gas flue properly is not really a realistic proposition from the burner-end upwards. There's a 'baffle' that hangs inside the upper part of the flue and this baffle needs to be lifted out before the full length of the flue can be 'swept'. How easy this procedure is will depend on the model of fridge and the accessibility of the baffle. The task was discussed here https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/how-to-clean-difficult-dometic-fridge-flue.184026/ (I recall asking a motorhome dealer what they did when it proved impossible to remove the baffle with the fridge in situ. I was told that tapping the flue with a small hammer or spanner helped to dislodge larger pieces of debris from the flue's interior and it was this size of debris that usually stopped the gas burner lighting.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 Hi, The Dometic RM8400 is not difficult to service , but as the OP has acknowledged they are easily damaged if you are not sure what you are doing So care is needed , No reflection on who is doing the job , but it can be a difficult task if you have not done these jobs before, very easy when you are at them on a regular basis I hope you got your thermocouple cleaned and around your burner , very light tap on the flue is a old trick to help dislodge dust , then vacuum out Hope you got all back together and working Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyS Posted May 13, 2023 Author Share Posted May 13, 2023 OK folks, having read all your replies, I felt confident enough to tackle servicing the fridge burner assembly (without disconnecting the gas). But despite your suggestions, I still could not remove the bloody shield so could not clean the thermocouple. But, whilst in the pit of despair, I remembered the advice to work the fuel selection knob backwards and forwards to clean the contacts (the thermocouple output goes to the fuel selection switch). And low and behold, the fridge lights and the galvanometer now swings firmly into the green. We are off to the Cotswolds next week and my wife had resigned herself to not having a working fridge when off EHU. So I now I am quite a hero and have been promised a special treat tonight - lasagne with salad and a nice red. Although I failed with the shield, I have learned how an absorption fridge works and what the thermocouple, ignitor and galvanometer look like and and how they work. So if we ever have problems when away from home I will have the confidence to tackle them - or at least understand the likely cause. Thanks everyone (PS does anyone have some dynamite?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted May 14, 2023 Share Posted May 14, 2023 👍 Do enjoy your trip next week Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted May 18, 2023 Share Posted May 18, 2023 Plenty of videos on utube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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