During this past week camping trip my Dometric refridgerator failed to cool the refridgerator compartment, temp climbed to 60-70 degrees while the freezer was still freezing food and water. I thought that was weird that the freezer would freeze food while the refer compartment did almost nothing. Didn't matter whether I used gas or electric the burner stayed running constant and the Refridgerator temp would not come down.

After traveling home from camp I noticed the fridge temp was back to normal actually below normal 30 degrees in the fridge compartment. Which climbed back up after setting a while. I talked to a Marine Mechanic that I know about the goofy temps in the fridge and he said what they do in the bigger boats when they have the same problem, they remove the refridge turn it upside down and shake the crap out of it and then let it set for a day. He claims this works because if absorption refridgerators sit unused like they do in boat storage here in Michigan, the chemicals that make up the ammonia solution seperate and they fail to work properly. He told me to google it which I did and there is a lot of blogs about the same thing. As a matter of fact one blog from a boat dealer claimed he could sell a boat load of refridgerators if he didn't do the upside down shake and sit procedure.

Has anyone ever heard or done that before? I'm testing the theory now, pulled the refridge out turned it upside down and did the shake and bake and I'm letting it sit for a day or two and see what happens. Nothing too lose by trying it, if it works I'll save a bunch of money. If not then I'll have to decide on wheather I'll replace it with another absorption or go with an all electric house unit. Summit makes a nice size fridge that will fit nicley in that opening. Just don't want to lose the built in look.

Just to clarify the refridgerator was level and I did not smell any ammonia.

I've heard that many times.

As I understand, it's important to be sure your refrigerator is level when you operate it. If you run the frig while it's not level, the ammonia mixture will crystallize inside of the piping and block the flow of the coolant inside.

Hence, the turning it upside down and shaking it. This is supposed to break up the crystallization and hopefully it works.

Let us know.

My father told me that my grandfather knew of, and used, that upside-down trick. I've also read and heard about it from other people. I'll be curious to hear how it went. My Dometic, on the other hand, has the insidious ammonia smell... time for a new cooling unit. I've ordered a rebuilt one that I return the core for exchange. $400. Will be posting how that one goes.

Kirk

I flipped my refrigerator back to the uprite position, leveled, temporary wired. It has been running perfect for two days now, I have the control set at 3 which is the medium setting. The freezer is staying at a steady 6-8 degrees and the refrig is staying at 34-36 degrees. I'm using a Fluke digital meter to read temps.

There is no doubt that flipping the refrigerator worked for me, it's the first time this refrig has worked correct since I bought the Barth a year ago.

I couldn't be happier that I don't have to tap into my beer budget to buy a new refrigerator, the manufacture of these units sure are proud of them. $1,300.00 or so for a new Dometric. I think I would go the rebuilt route like Kirk did or install a household refrig but the key for me would be to make it look built in, which would require extra work.

Well perhaps now I have more money to buy more LED lighting for the Barth.

If anyone out there suspects your refrig isn't working like it should, your unit is running heating the coolant and you don't smell ammonia or see yellow staining from a leak. Flip the refrig shake the crap out of it and give that a try.

Piece of trivia. Normally inventory of replacement cooling units are stored upside down.

I think I am going to give this a try. Our fridge has worked fine but when we were camping last weekend in 90-100 degree's it seemed like it just could not get as cold as I would like it. although the freezer box stayed frozen. (the freezer box is in the top of the fridge). I just figured it was just the outside temps but it did not get any colder on the drive home or over night when we were home.

So....
1. remove fridge.
2. turn fridge over.
3. grab top (actually bottom) and shake back and forth.
4. let sit a day or two.
5. turn fridge back over plug it in and enjoy.

Thanks for sharing!!!