Latch on Dometic fridge stopped "latching" - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-27-2016, 09:08 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Name: Sharon
Trailer: Chez Nous - a 2011 Scamp 16'
Texas
Posts: 277
Latch on Dometic fridge stopped "latching"

Yesterday the latch on my fridge stopped working ... what I noticed immediately was no click sound when closing the door. It does not look broken, but it must be(?) Anybody ever had this happen? Is there a part I should replace? Any suggestions appreciated. (I have a 16 ft scamp, 2011, I bought from original owner). It's the fridge with freezer (don't have model number handy).

Thx gang.

Sharon
SharonM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 11:42 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Dan Meyer's Avatar
 
Trailer: 2000 Scamp 16 ft Side Dinette
Posts: 728
This sounds a bit like the problem with my 'Fridge. There is a spring in the latch that broke. I hope someone has found an inexpensive solution; I have not yet done anything to fix mine.

--Dan Meyer
Dan Meyer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 11:45 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Name: Sharon
Trailer: Chez Nous - a 2011 Scamp 16'
Texas
Posts: 277
Just a quick note - I looked online at RV forums and it's not unusual to have to replace the door handle on the fridge. My dometic model is the RM2410.

The part # to replace it is 293 16 00-02/3. The new handle cost is around $35 depending on where you buy it. Easy to replace (2 screws).

The only problem I'm having is that I can't determine WHERE mine is broken, so I just wonder if a new handle will fix my problem. Does that make sense?

S.
SharonM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 11:50 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Name: Sharon
Trailer: Chez Nous - a 2011 Scamp 16'
Texas
Posts: 277
Dan, that spring thing is my problem I think. There is no spring in the handle itself, right? So it's the latching mechanism itself, and I don't know if I even know how to get to that. grrrrr

I also don't know if removing the handle will show me enough inside guts of the latch to let me spot if a spring (or whatever) is busted.

S.

PS: Happy Memorial Day weekend!
SharonM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2016, 12:22 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Dan Meyer's Avatar
 
Trailer: 2000 Scamp 16 ft Side Dinette
Posts: 728
I googled around a bit and found the solution in the attached picture. It isn't the way the factory did it, but the spring was found at a local hardware store for about $2. I'm going to try this!

--Dan Meyer
Attached Thumbnails
spring.jpg  
Dan Meyer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2016, 12:24 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Borrego Dave's Avatar
 
Name: Dave
Trailer: Casita SD17 2006 "Missing Link"
California
Posts: 3,738
Take it apart Sharon, won't hurt a thing and may give you the "a ha" answer.
Borrego Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2016, 12:41 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Name: Sharon
Trailer: Chez Nous - a 2011 Scamp 16'
Texas
Posts: 277
Well, I took it apart and all I can say is that IF there's a spring in the handle itself, which is the only place there could be a spring I noticed, then mine may have broken, or -

See, there is a little skinny 2" or so pin thing that you apparently can't take out of the fridge handle, and I have two small coils (as if they could have been part of a spring) wrapped around the pin right in the center of the pin. I don't know what they do, if they helped grab the latch tab or what, or if there were supposed to be more coils that formed a spring and they broke off the pin during my travels leaving just those 2 tiny coils.

Anyway, looks to me like a new handle is all that I can do at this point and hope that helps. Dan, I doubt I can do what you're attempting, but if you do it and it works, let me know. lol
SharonM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2016, 02:18 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Name: Jack L
Trailer: Sold the Bigfoot 17-Looking for a new one
Washington
Posts: 1,561
Quote:
Originally Posted by SharonM View Post
Well, I took it apart and all I can say is that IF there's a spring in the handle itself, which is the only place there could be a spring I noticed, then mine may have broken, or -

See, there is a little skinny 2" or so pin thing that you apparently can't take out of the fridge handle, and I have two small coils (as if they could have been part of a spring) wrapped around the pin right in the center of the pin. I don't know what they do, if they helped grab the latch tab or what, or if there were supposed to be more coils that formed a spring and they broke off the pin during my travels leaving just those 2 tiny coils.

Anyway, looks to me like a new handle is all that I can do at this point and hope that helps. Dan, I doubt I can do what you're attempting, but if you do it and it works, let me know. lol
You probably had a torsion spring that was wound up and under tension. It would have been wrapped around the pin. Sounds like it broke. If you could get a new spring it would be a complicated process to replace it.
Jack L is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2016, 02:29 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Name: Sharon
Trailer: Chez Nous - a 2011 Scamp 16'
Texas
Posts: 277
You're right, Jack. I bit the bullet and bought the new handle off Amazon for $34.xx

I don't need the aggravation of trying workarounds. I'm too old.

Sharon
SharonM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2016, 02:40 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Name: Jack L
Trailer: Sold the Bigfoot 17-Looking for a new one
Washington
Posts: 1,561
Quote:
Originally Posted by SharonM View Post
You're right, Jack. I bit the bullet and bought the new handle off Amazon for $34.xx

I don't need the aggravation of trying workarounds. I'm too old.

Sharon
I'm old, handy and cheap, but I would have bought a new assembly too.
Jack L is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2016, 08:03 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
ZachO's Avatar
 
Name: Z
Trailer: Sasquatch
Montana
Posts: 2,556
For whatever reason they stopped using the metal "pin" on a chain that slid through a bracket, into the fridge door. That was rock solid.

On the smaller fridges like mine, the little plastic arm that swivels around to hold the door closed is seriously weak. I'm going to replace mine with something metal at some point. Just today my fridge door was open and half the contents were scattered around my camper when I stopped...
ZachO is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2016, 03:07 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Name: Kelly
Trailer: Trails West
Oregon
Posts: 3,047
The solution the guy in this video came up with is pretty clever for a DIY effort. He uses a replacement window latch from the hardware store. A couple of screws and you are done with the job. They come in various colors so the look is not at all bad. Watch the video and see for yourself.
k corbin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2016, 11:30 AM   #13
Junior Member
 
Mark P49's Avatar
 
Name: Kate & Mark
Trailer: 16' Scamp
Wisconsin
Posts: 23
Registry
Fridge door latch

I just saw the post,we had same problem with the door latch. I guess after thousands of latch cycles the spring broke. Took the door latch apart and found remnants of the latch spring, spring material .025" diameter. Went to the local hardware store and purchased ".025" music wire" 24"long for less than $2.00 made a new latch spring out of it. Took a little trial and error (prototype , field engineering), now ready to go again.
Mark P49 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2021, 01:41 PM   #14
Junior Member
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: Toyota Sunrader
New Jersey
Posts: 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Meyer View Post
I googled around a bit and found the solution in the attached picture. It isn't the way the factory did it, but the spring was found at a local hardware store for about $2. I'm going to try this!

--Dan Meyer
This is amazing. Using this trick to fix mine (internal spring broke). Thanks for the share!
HoneyTrek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2021, 02:36 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Name: Dave
Trailer: 2013Escape 21
Iowa
Posts: 1,211
Mine broke on a 2510 Dometic. I stared at it for awhile,
Could not figure it out, Ordered a new one, paid for it.
Installed with two screws. Worked fine for the time I owned the trailer. Sometimes I can fix things, sometimes I ask for and get help from someone more
Inventive than I am and sometimes I open my wallet, get out of the way of the moths that fly out and spend some moldy money.
Iowa Dave
Iowa Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2021, 11:40 AM   #16
Junior Member
 
Name: David
Trailer: 1984 Scamp 13 feet
Washington
Posts: 6
I made a new spring

I described how I made a new spring and fixed my latch in a post.

"How to fix the Dometic RM2410 fridge door latch"
David in Seattle is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
fridge


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Central a/c Bang Sound & Stopped Working barryra General Chat 2 09-11-2010 06:17 PM
Safety Latch for Small Dometic Fridge? Parker Buckley Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 19 07-28-2010 08:11 PM
We've almost stopped crying Carol Ann in TO General Chat 15 01-05-2008 02:07 AM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:55 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.