Dometic | Reset | Fuse | Thermo Fuse | Thermal Switch

Troubleshoot Dometic RV fridge for no power, no lights, how to test fuse, reset thermal fuse & thermal switch – recall.

How does the Dometic boiler protection work?

Is there more than one way to solve the boiler overheating issues with Dometic RV fridge?

Case study showing Dometic solution to the RV refrigerator fire issue, are you safe with this so called safety band aid?

This video shows how the Dometic fire recall works, or should we say does not. In order to protect your Dometic gas/electric fridge from failure and fire one needs to install the Fridge Defend.

This page is divided into two parts:
  • Text and Photos below with instructions for solving your problems.
  • The YouTube video that proves that the cheep thermal switch cannot protect your fridge.
All Dometic RV refrigerators are wired as seen, screw terminals, ground screw, and the wire that goes to the boiler housing thermal switch.
This first figure shows how most Dometic RV refrigerators are powered.
With the exception of the European style fridge, all Dometic’s have a screw terminal where power from the RV battery is supplied to the fridge.

1) The power comes from the +12 volt terminal of the RV battery, through a fuse provided by the RV manufacture. The color of the wire is determined by the RV manufacture.

2) The ground for the fridge comes from the RV battery into this terminal. The ground exits out the back of the screw terminal and is generally fastened to the chassis via a screw identified as 'ground' in this figure.

3) The +12VDC exits out the back side of this terminal and goes to the refrigerator thermal switch if your fridge so equipped.

4) The +12VDC exits returns from the thermal switch and thermal fuse if so equipped to the fridge controller.

NOTE: It is on the 12VDC line at location #1, or anywhere on the +12VDC line that the Fridge Defend is wired into the fridge to control excess heat that results in fridge failure and fires. The dometic thermal devices cannot and will not protect the fridge from failures and fires.

Click here for more on Dometic recall and subsequent thermal switch and fuse.

Showing the Dometic boiler housing with the thermal fuse attached where it cannot do any good, wires are identified.
This image is of the Dometic 'thermal switch' on the boiler housing and the 'thermal fuse' that is mounted just behind the burner assembly. In this image the thermal fuse has been removed for better viewing.

4) This is the same +12VDC from the thermal fuse seen in the above image.

5) The power comes from the back side of the screw terminal to the boiler housing thermal switch. Click here to see the temperature at which this thermal switch trips upon boiler overheating.

6) The thermal switch has a reset button in the center. If power is not getting to the fridge controller, start by pushing the reset switch. If the reset switch keeps tripping, the switch is warn out, these switches have a high failure rate and rarly trip due to high temperatures.

7) The power runs from the thermal switch to the thermal fuse.

8) Under the black cover (see next photo) is the thermal fuse. When this fuse fails, it opens. Voltage will come from the thermal switch, but the +12VDC will not reach the Dometic controller due to the fuse failing open. Click here for the part number for the Dometic thermal switch.