# Warning: water overflow from Dometic fridge



## gandj (May 11, 2005)

This is to advise of a possible water ingress problem arising with Dometic absorption fridges fitted to some vans, eg Burstner, Hobby and probably some others.

My Burstner Elegance 685 (2005) model is fitted with a Dometic fridge freezer model RM 7655 L. If you have similar, remove the external lower vent and look up into the rear of the fridge. You will see a small plastic beaker with a tube leading into it. This beaker collects excess water from the fridge so that it can be evaporated off (it sits on a hot pipe). Check it every few days.

In my van (and 2 others I know of) this beaker eventually fills to overflowing, spilling water into the innards of the van. This takes anything from 4 to 14 days, depending on ambient temperature and humidity. You may never notice this unless the water emerges from under the front of the fridge, as it did in my case. I put it down to inadvertant defrosting because we perhaps left the door slightly open. When it happened again I followed the trail.

Over the course of 2 years Dometic were very helpful, replaced various bits, to no avail and eventually replaced the whole fridge this spring. It made no difference. I'm not sure where we go from here - but I would be very interested to hear from others with similar problems so I can follow up with Dometic and let you know the outcome. If you are still covered by warranty inform your dealer and/or Dometic before it expires!

If the fridge is not in use there is no water buildup. It only occurs under normal daily use.

A temporary fix is to add extra tubing, bypassing the beaker, and lead it out through the vent slats or down through the floor, somewhere harmless, depending on your van design.

Remember, please let me have your details.
[email protected]
07749266828 (text, as phone usually off)


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## 2kias (Sep 18, 2006)

We appear to have the same sort of problem. Our fridge also has a pipe leading to the small plastic beaker but the pipe had a stopper in it so the water never got to the beaker but spilled into the fridge itself wetting everything. I have removed the stopper but because of the stupid design of the channel in the fridge not all the water flows away. When we move it spills out all over the contents.
Our solutions are to turn the fridge down as the 12 volt system cannot maintain the temperature and to soak up any residue of water with a cloth.
This is not satisfactory but I cannot see any another answer to it. The frozen section always remains frozen and the fridge stays cool. I would suggest that turning the temperature up a little might solve your problem.


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## 99524 (Jun 4, 2006)

Same here

First noticed malfunction of step / awning light / overhead light group which operate from a PCB switch unit by door. The fridge beaker overflows onto a shelf just above this and so the PCB got crudded up - to use the technical term - as water seeped down. I now check every few days and empty the beaker - also put cloths beneath it just in case.

I hadn't realised that this was a 'fault' of the fridge - Lowdhams have a fix to do something with the electrics but I just cleaned the PCB's and out them under a plastic sheet.

AS for the fridge - I first thought it was just happening in hot weather ( remember last july in the UK when there was a heat wave and it wasn't raining !!) but it tends to fill up if you use the fridge a lot - even if its set to 'mid temperature.

Also if its in storage and defrosts it will also refill.

Richard


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## gandj (May 11, 2005)

Thanks John. We have adjusted temperature, tried it with frame on and off etc, etc. For weeks on end I kept a daily log of water level in the beaker against ambient temperature, with frame heater on and off. I shared this with Dometic. We were questioned by Dometic on how we use the fridge. The emerging evidence is that this is a widespread problem (but not widely recognised). It is not anything we are doing. It seems to be the design of the fridge which is at fault.

Thanks 2kias. - We also had water spilling from the collection tray onto food. It seems different dealers are trying various solutions. It is really for Dometic to sort this, but at the moment we are the only ones to have taken the problem back to base at it were. That is why I am trying to collate more evidence of this being a widespread problem. At the moment I have 4 other cases, apart from ourselves, covering Burstner, Hobby and Cathargo.

I repeat, that I am concerned at the unrealised damage which is being done to other motorhomes without their owners being aware of it.

Graham


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## sergeant (Jun 7, 2006)

Hi Gandj, Interesting post. Working on motorcaravans for a living like I do I have to say the only time I have ever come across this problem it has been caused by either a, a faulty door seal, b, owner leaving fridge on with door in airing position, c, the freezer door not being properly shut or finally d,(the most common) fridges that have decorative doors in place in front of the Dometic door & not aligned properly. On average I probably check 10 fridges a week so am aware of most problems & cures. I must say that most of these are English built vans & I note from your post that at the moment the problem ones appear mainly to be of Continental manufacture, but keep an open mind & good luck with your search for an answer.If you do find the answer I would appreciate knowing it like others on the site, Steve


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Getting rid of condensate is a problem area in all fridge-freezers, domestic or motorhome based. The problem often goes unnoticed due to the condensate tray (and any spills) usually being concealed behind the fridge.

I suspect that the current spate of incidents stems from the fact that motorhome fridges are getting larger (and with large separate freezers). As capacity increases the amount of condensate produced also increases so the problem becomes more visible. The only real cure is to lead the condensate out to the underside of the van, but make sure the outlet tube doesn't get blocked or it'll just make matters worse.


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## 99524 (Jun 4, 2006)

Hi Steve

can confirm that the prob. is not to do with door seals etc - I checked these and alignment of the door. Guess you're right,Gaspode, prob just because of the high demand duty of large fridge freezers fitted.

richard


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## gandj (May 11, 2005)

One of the things Dometic tried was replacement of the door (and seals) because there was a slight kink in the door seal. It made no difference, and after nearly two years they fitted us a new fridge. No difference.

All the evidence points to this being a design problem. More water (condensate) is being produced than can be dissipated by evaporation.

Graham


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## 89767 (May 1, 2005)

gandj said:


> All the evidence points to this being a design problem. More water (condensate) is being produced than can be dissipated by evaporation.
> 
> Graham


Our RV also works in the same way ( 'Norcold') so it's not only European vans that could be suffering. The times when I found it full is when we have been parked up for some time. 
The big difference is the US fridges work on gas when no electric is available & don't use 12v when on the move. The gas produces more heat so as you travel it appears to evaporate the excess water better.

Keith


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## davesport (Nov 12, 2006)

I've just checked the Dometic fridge in my Hymer 644 & the beaker is full to overflowing  Now modified with the tube extended through the slats.


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## kipperkid (May 16, 2005)

2kias said:


> We appear to have the same sort of problem. Our fridge also has a pipe leading to the small plastic beaker but the pipe had a stopper in it so the water never got to the beaker but spilled into the fridge itself wetting everything. I have removed the stopper but because of the stupid design of the channel in the fridge not all the water flows away. When we move it spills out all over the contents.
> Our solutions are to turn the fridge down as the 12 volt system cannot maintain the temperature and to soak up any residue of water with a cloth.


We've certainly had problems with the channel filling up and overflowing in the inside of the fridge. Haven't had the vent off to see whether we have an overflowing beaker as well, but suspect no water is actually going down the pipe....... I mop up the inside of the fridge on a regular basis, but am concerned if there is a possibility of water leaking into the van somewhere 8O


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## davesport (Nov 12, 2006)

Mine's was full to about 10 mm from the top & there are tell-tale marks on the woodwork below where you can see there has been spillage. It's a new van so this has happened very recently. Not great but easy to fix.


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## Sagedog (Jun 28, 2005)

Just popped out to tinker on the van and remembered reading this a few days ago so whipped off the grill and had a look










seems a common issue does anyone else have the tube in the bottom right side that can just be made out -blinkin sun!!


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Well you can see the design dilemma can't you. For fastest evaporation it needs to be saucer shaped for largest surface area. But that would spill easily when moving. So, they make it beaker shaped, this cuts down the surface area and slows evaporation, but stops the water slopping out when on the road. Who'd be a designer. :?


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## 101600 (Oct 30, 2006)

Ex fridge man here. As has been said before it is not only leisure fridges that have ths problem many doemstic ones do too its just you dont notice it 8O 

Your only real solution is to make the water drain off outside the van as also said before. Just check it once a month for a blockage. i am sure this could be adapted to do this! If it was on my van i would have a go, but that is up to you. The only solution is to drain it off and to protect your van i would keep an eye on it.


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## Sagedog (Jun 28, 2005)

Sorted mine  I took a longer hose from the iornmongers and fed it down though the hole on the picture which just drains to the underside of the van.










Obviously I did pay for the hose that I took from the iornmongrs!! :wink:


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Just checked my m/h. I have a 175 litre Dometic with separate freezer. No water build up at all. The surrounding area is completely dry suggesting that there has never been any spillage. The fridge is on nearly all the time. Its parked on the drive hooked up to mains and is ready to go away at a moments notice so the fridge is always stocked. The freezer section is totally separate.
So maybe when after a trip the fridge is switched off and defrosts the condensate fills the beaker. It sits on a pipe which is normally hot during operation, this obviously speeds up evaporation. Of course when the fridge is off this pipe is cold and can no longer aid rapid evaporation. So the beaker fills up and eventually overflows. If your freezer is integral with the fridge and has built up a lot of ice during prolonged use then this will increase the problem.

Just a theory.

John


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Overflow*

Hello,

In high humidity and temperatures the tub will overflow,
If you want my advice....

Remove the condensate evaporator tub and fit some re-inforced tubing to the outlet drain and make a hole in the floor (2 if you have a double floor) and lay the pipe out so the water drips out to the ground, remembering to seal around the pipes with silicone or similar where the pipe goes through the floor.

Trev


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## gandj (May 11, 2005)

John. Like you, our fridge is never off. We are virtually fulltime. When we park on fatherinlaws drive for 2 or 3 weeks we leave the fridge full and running on mains. However, we live in the house and so only open the fridge door infrequently. Under these conditins the fridge does not produce enough condensate to overflow the beaker. As soon as we begin using he fridge normally again, ie. open/closing the door, the problem reoccurs. 

As others have said, and I agree, the evaporation beaker (on hot pipe) cannot cope with the amount of condensate produced under normal use. Why you do not sufer I do not know. Perhaps here is something about the Chausson setup which helps. In my Burstner it can take up to 2 weeks. So some people will be back home before the problem starts?

Trev. A number of us have made the kind of modification you suggest. What about the people who are unaware and have water damage developing. Dealers should be recalling and fitting a mod to all such vans.

Graham


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## ColinC (Oct 19, 2007)

Hi Gandj

I posted a new thread on this topic earlier today (Problem with Dometic fridge/freezer) not having seen yours! Had my attention drawn to yours! We certainly have a lot of condensation building up but from what I can see the beaker in the back of the fridge hasn't been overflowing. The main problem for us so far has been mopping up water inside the fridge. I am beginning to suspect the door seal, or wonder if we are not closing fridge door tight enough. Will check again when we go away at the end of the month.

Colin


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