Fridge frame heater switch

[charliem]

Merlin,

Post a picture of the back including the ground stud. Maybe we can help. Else look for a wire carrying 0.5A when the fridge is on. I agree the function is a bit useless and can probably be left disconnected. May only be useful in swampy FL.

[daplumbr]

Will do, but not for a little while. Mods on the road are just beyond too risky. 

[dan]

Charlie/Merlin:

I'm not sure, but it appears that the frame heater might not be present in all models of the Dometic fridge.  I have a model 2554.  I tried to perform fasteddie's frame heater switch mod yesterday and encountered a different configuaration than the photos he posted.  The wiring diagram for the 2554 (attached) does not include a "heating cable" component.  The wiring diagrams for other Dometic models that I looked at in the Dometic manual (e.g. 2620 and 2820) clearly show a "heating cable" component normally powered out of J2.  Am I missing something?  Any thoughts?

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[charliem]

[font size="3"]Dan,

To save me the effort of looking up your models, how many doors on your fridge? If you do not have two doors (separate freezer) you do not have the frame heater. I'm thinking you have the single door 5 cu ft fridge.

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[dan]

Yup - I've got the single door unit.  Thanks.

[daplumbr]

Hmm.  I have a single door, but definitely a warm (almost hot) frame. I have no doubt there is a heater there. Dan, thanks for the simple idea of looking at the wiring diagram. I'll do that (duh moment). 

[charliem]

[font size="3"]Looking at the schematic Dan posted, I see no frame heater. I see the 120V and 12V heaters (K&J) for the evaporator, but no frame heater. It's my understanding that the "environmental control" frame heater is only on the two door models.
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[drake]

Ok, tossed in a simple relay and wired the AC coil off the top of the outlet the fridge plugs into.  Even though the relay is well secured, I was not comfortable with the bare terminals on AC power, so I coated them a few times with liquid electrical tape.

[daplumbr]

[font size="3"]Looking at the schematic Dan posted, I see no frame heater. I see the 120V and 12V heaters (K&J) for the evaporator, but no frame heater. It's my understanding that the "environmental control" frame heater is only on the two door models.
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Going back to an older thread, I found out I was wrong (there's always a first time). My single door refrigerator doesn't apparently have a frame heater. What I thought was a heated frame was actually a very warm place on the frame directly below the control switches. Evidently the control unit runs warm with the LEDs and current through the wires and some of that heat is transferred to the frame, but only in a small area. My bad that I didn't feel the rest of the frame before concluding I had a full frame heater.