Chinook RV

Since I got my rig back on Monday I've been running the fridge to make sure it works. As of today, the freezer is 60 and the main is 57 (on the coldest setting). I started out on propane and after 24hrs it got to those temps. Then for the rest of this week I've had it on electric. I called yesterday and they said it wouldn't be related to the recall work they did but without seeing it they strongly believe it just needs a good cleaning (coils, etc). They said they recommend it be cleaned once a year and I couldn't tell you when it was last done.

I guess all that's possible but it was working fine when I last used it in October/November. Ya think that it finally got dirty enough or could they have done something when they opened it for the fix? In any case, to clean they charge an hour ($120) and if that doesn't do the job they apply that money towards the diagnostics. How easy can I do it myself? I have no clue how to pull it (if that's how you do it) and only know the access port from the outside.

I made an appointment for them to clean it just so I can reserve the slot, as they get busy, but will be happy to attempt it myself. Just don't know what I'm doing.

One thing for sure...

I wouldn't use the same place to determine what the problem currently is.

And I wouldn't tell another place where it had been worked on. Simply say that it had recently had the update done "someplace" and let them figure out the problem without any prejudice.

Then if they come back and say, hey the update was done incorrectly, you can approach the original place about compensation.

FWIW Installing the Dinosaur board cured all the ills of my dometic fridge in my 2004 Premier. Hope you get yours resolved.

Thank you both for your advice. Where do you access the board if/when it needs replacing?

I find that when various things "coincidentally" break just after having them worked on, about 5% of the time it is an actual coincidental or "innocent" breakage, and the other 95% it has something directly to do with the fact that someone just took it apart, fixed it (...) and put it back together. In other words, not a coincidence at all.

Given their response (an immediate "no, it could not have anything to do with us"), I think I might be in kdarling's camp, and tempted to take it somewhere else. If it's NOT something they did, you won't be out anything, as you'll just be paying for something you needed to fix anyway (to the new place). If it IS something they did, you can go back to them. If they say "well you didn't give us a chance," well, they already "assured you" that it wasn't something they did, so you had no reason to be bringing it to them.

I'm not there, so may be inserting my own experience into yours, but that's my take on it.

Skillet wrote:Thank you both for your advice. Where do you access the board if/when it needs replacing?

Board is accessed via the outdoor panel. The directions from dinosaur were detailed enough for me to understand how to do it, but forget any of the details a year later (now).

Skillet wrote:Thank you both for your advice. Where do you access the board if/when it needs replacing?

As said its through the outside access panel. This is a picture of my old board. Installation of the new one was easy and basically plug and play. BTW This was the second motorhome that I replaced the board in. This first one was a Tioga. Again good luck in finding your issue.



Here is the replacement board P711

Good news for me: I procrastinated taking the rig in to get the problem looked at. I did look at the board on the back to make sure I didn't have any blown fuses. All looked good. Then my North Carolina trip came up. I figure I would use the freezer as an ice chest for perishables so I put ice in it. At a rest stop halfway down I decided to turn on the refrigerator and when I got to my destination hours later, it was working.
The only thing I can figure is that since my driveway is at a good angle, it wasn't allowing the gasses to flow around the coil. Driving on level ground and shaking things up on the highway got it going again. Didn't cost me a dime to fix it. What's strange to me is that I've had this for a year and it never did it before. Not sure why now, but I don't care, it's working!

Great news!

But... I'd be careful about running it while your rig is on a slant (as in: your driveway). That's not good for it because (and here I forget the detailed terminology and so lapse into...) the flow of the chemicals in the tubes depends on the unit being level, and when it isn't deposits can form, etc. etc.

Basic gist is don't run it on any slant you would comfortably live on.

Again, so glad to hear it is working again! (Yay procrastination )

Yup, good advice. And here I was getting excited to order a Dinosaur board! But I can do better things with the $130 at this time...