Since many new vehicles include a small inverter, the use case is simple to understand. When plugged into the vehicle's factory AC inverter, and the 12V system, the fridge will be powered by the AC when the vehicle is running. Battery power will be used when the vehicle is stopped. This is the intended design. They just screwed it up...either internally (within their engineering group) or by allowing a third party to handle some design details which is extrememly common in Asian production arrangements.
The Dometic CFX3 Mega Thread
- Thread starter Dometic
- Start date
Since many new vehicles include a small inverter, the use case is simple to understand. When plugged into the vehicle's factory AC inverter, and the 12V system, the fridge will be powered by the AC when the vehicle is running. Battery power will be used when the vehicle is stopped. This is the intended design. They just screwed it up...either internally (within their engineering group) or by allowing a third party to handle some design details which is extrememly common in Asian production arrangements.
From your thread:
"The resolution is to attach an additional warning sticker to your cooler. There is no need to return your cooler unless you want to due to the recall. We're happy to honor these requests. "
Is that a Joke? A warning sticker? When will the fault be corrected? Will the returned cooler be replaced by one that has been corrected to achieve it's original design intent? Can you replace the cooler with the CFX original line that didn't have the same design error?
FJR Colorado
Explorer
Correct.
Or many people will just connect it to AC power while sitting in the driveway because they want to get the freezer really cold before a big trip without unduly taxing your solar system. This would be especially true of the new dual zones because:
a) You buy a dual zone to get freezer functionality in many cases
b) These things are energy hogs
Seems to me that a very inexpensive diode would have totally prevented this.
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Dometic
Active member
If you'd like to return your CFX3, we understand and you should be able to call the number listed in our post recall to start the process. If that doesn't work for some reason I'll get you connected with the CFX3 product manager and he can help escalate your request.
The sticker more strongly addresses the reference that was present in the owner's manual (see below). To eliminate the chance of an issue simply choose between AC or DC power depending on the need of the moment but don't leave both plugged in.
Again, if you'd like to return your CFX3, we're happy to help you make that happen. Unfortunately, we have no remaining CFX inventory.
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From page 22 of the CFX manual:
6.1 Scope of functions
• Power supply with priority circuit for connecting to the AC mains
• Three-level battery protection to protect the vehicle battery
• Display with temperature gauge in °C and °F
• Temperature setting in steps of 1 °C (1 °F)
• Integrated WiFi and Bluetooth function hence controllable using an app
• Foldable carrying handles
• USB charger for portable devices such as mobile phones
• Removable wire basket
• CFX3 55IM only: Ice maker
Emphasis added by me. As the recall clearly states, there is protection designed into the system to allow dual power and that protection failure (design or a component quality problem) has caused the product to fail to meet it's intended usage. For once, I'm happy to see the government helping you manage this recall formally, since you don't seem to be able to make those decisions voluntarily.
I will pursue the option to get a refund for the fridge. Other products from your competitors as well as your previous generation of CFX products handled this usage without starting any fires. Are you going to force people to pay shipping the defective fridges back to you? That would be ridiculous, of course, but then so would trying to talk around a defect so you don't have to make refunds.
I am far more disturbed by the way Dometic is trying to force customers to accept a loss of function instead of fixing the problem than I am by the actual issue. I'm afraid Dometic is about to get a lesson on how quickly a reputation can be fumbled away. (likely by people who didn't have much to do with building it in the first place.)
This community is rather small. I would have recommended a Dometic product until now. I'm probably within earshot of a discussion about which fridge to buy on a weekly basis. I will now strongly suggest a company that stands behind their products, instead of Dometic.
6.1 Scope of functions
• Power supply with priority circuit for connecting to the AC mains
• Three-level battery protection to protect the vehicle battery
• Display with temperature gauge in °C and °F
• Temperature setting in steps of 1 °C (1 °F)
• Integrated WiFi and Bluetooth function hence controllable using an app
• Foldable carrying handles
• USB charger for portable devices such as mobile phones
• Removable wire basket
• CFX3 55IM only: Ice maker
Emphasis added by me. As the recall clearly states, there is protection designed into the system to allow dual power and that protection failure (design or a component quality problem) has caused the product to fail to meet it's intended usage. For once, I'm happy to see the government helping you manage this recall formally, since you don't seem to be able to make those decisions voluntarily.
I will pursue the option to get a refund for the fridge. Other products from your competitors as well as your previous generation of CFX products handled this usage without starting any fires. Are you going to force people to pay shipping the defective fridges back to you? That would be ridiculous, of course, but then so would trying to talk around a defect so you don't have to make refunds.
I am far more disturbed by the way Dometic is trying to force customers to accept a loss of function instead of fixing the problem than I am by the actual issue. I'm afraid Dometic is about to get a lesson on how quickly a reputation can be fumbled away. (likely by people who didn't have much to do with building it in the first place.)
This community is rather small. I would have recommended a Dometic product until now. I'm probably within earshot of a discussion about which fridge to buy on a weekly basis. I will now strongly suggest a company that stands behind their products, instead of Dometic.
I have to put my 2 cents in here as well. I had planned to buy a CFX3 specifically because I was under the impression I could leave both power sources plugged in at the same time. I planned on keeping the Jeep plugged in at home to keep the fridge cool and the on-board battery charger working to keep the batteries topped up. I don't drive the Jeep every day and don't have the intentions of taking the fridge in and out. I planned on having a plug at the front of the Jeep that was split to both the fridge and on-board battery charger. A sticker isn't a fix and I'm pretty disappointed the fridge no longer works as was previously advertised. Am I correct in understanding that there is no future solution to the problem?
You realize that, in your case, you could just size the on-board charger appropriately to maintain the battery and run the fridge, and just leave the fridge on DC?
Absolutely, and that will be the plan if necessary. But my understanding is that chargers will last longer when they are used to charge and maintain a battery and not deal with random spikes in amp draw. I also have space constraints so the on-board charger would have to be on the smaller side. Thanks for the input and recommendation though.
So, I will say this for Dometic, they seem to be rather well-practiced at handling the return and refund of their products. A brief call to the recall number listed in the pdf, and my CFX3 75DZ is now waiting on the front porch to be picked up by the UPS man tomorrow. I would encourage anyone that bought a unit involved in this recall to get it returned to Dometic and let them properly correct this issue on new production. I suspect this will be corrected long term, but I don't have a clear indication from them about their future plan. Production is in China, and I doubt they would have stopped production if the long term fix was just to add a sticker. I just didn't want to get stuck with one of the initial lemon units. I was lucky in that the other things on my 12v bus were tolerant of the high voltage back feed.
I will keep update here when I have the refund check in hand.
I will keep update here when I have the refund check in hand.
Pinnacle Campers
Chateau spotter
As a result of this recall announcement I have been actively looking for an alternative to the Dometic fridge I have had on order. Then today after a month of waiting I just received my "recalled" unit complete with warning stickers.
Now if only the Dometic slide would show up I could continue the build.
Or send it back and try something else?
Now if only the Dometic slide would show up I could continue the build.
Or send it back and try something else?
67cj5
Man On a Mission
Well that is still next to useless, Virtually All 4x4 fridges are made to have both power sources connected at the same time As did the previous Dometic Models, This needs to be fixed, That sticker fixes nothing and is just way to cover their Ass, and as such your new fridge is also Faulty, You need to send it back and get a refund because your fridge is defective.
I have 6 fridges and all of them can be connected to AC and DC at the same time except one which is a 12v only model and they all work perfectly, unlike these new CFX3's
I would bet money this will be corrected in the near future. You will own a mistake. I would recommend you return it, and wait for the correction.
Do you really think Dometic is just going to continue selling this product into the market without this dual supply capability? Of course they are working to resolve it now. And they would love for customers caught up in their mistake to forget all about it. Even if I didn't have an immediate need for the capability, I would proceed with the refund process because if I later change fridges and sell this one, prospective buyers will be avoiding these early production units like the plague.
Do you really think Dometic is just going to continue selling this product into the market without this dual supply capability? Of course they are working to resolve it now. And they would love for customers caught up in their mistake to forget all about it. Even if I didn't have an immediate need for the capability, I would proceed with the refund process because if I later change fridges and sell this one, prospective buyers will be avoiding these early production units like the plague.
67cj5
Man On a Mission
My main bug with this is that every other fridge and Dometic past models can be plugged in to both power sources at the same time, But I am so glad I went with ARB although they are also made by Dometic they are Streets ahead,
Why this issue was not picked up during field testing I don't know, A couple of years ago I saw another electronics company make the same mistake and now they are no more,
For the price of these new CFX3's A person could buy a National Luna or ARB or Engel, and have zero issues, I hate the fact they some brain dead person thought a Sticker was going to be the answer to everyones dreams and make it all better, Dometic ought to realize that this is a Global forum and this saga is not just an issue with US models but the fallout from this and how Dometic resolve this issue will effect sales Globally because many people know about this problem across the globe,
This needs a total recall not a limp wristed statement saying "IF" you are unhappy with it, The things don't work So Recall them, No Grey areas No Games, Just get it done, People will respect that and the Damage to the brand will be minimal.
FJR Colorado
Explorer
Sent mine packin' yesterday. So long...
That sticker fix is lame beyond words. At the very least offer to send a new DC cord with an inexpensive diode???
I really wish it worked out. Some good design work for a dual zone. Great app (although others struggled with it). Total energy hog though. Questionable latches. Oh well...
I shall soon have "The Ultimate" dual zone! (Hint: 2x Engels ?)
That sticker fix is lame beyond words. At the very least offer to send a new DC cord with an inexpensive diode???
I really wish it worked out. Some good design work for a dual zone. Great app (although others struggled with it). Total energy hog though. Questionable latches. Oh well...
I shall soon have "The Ultimate" dual zone! (Hint: 2x Engels ?)
jsims100
New member
I was unaware of this recall until today. I have now registered my Dometic fridge.
I bought a CFX3-55IM through REI in April, and haven't had any major problems with it. I'm only running it on DC with a Goal Zero Yeti 1000 watt power station (lithium battery) or AC in the house as a beer cooler. So I haven't had both power plugs in at the same time.
I did have a slight problem with my Goal Zero power unit getting hot while trying to make ice in the fridge in 98 degrees temperature. I just turned off the ice maker and unplugged the fridge for a few minutes and everything was fine.
I would like to get the CFX3-SLD55 fridge slide, but these are still not in stock anywhere. Dometic, do you have any updates on the slides?
I would keep the fridge if I could get a slide for it. I may have to rethink this and try a different brand.
I bought a CFX3-55IM through REI in April, and haven't had any major problems with it. I'm only running it on DC with a Goal Zero Yeti 1000 watt power station (lithium battery) or AC in the house as a beer cooler. So I haven't had both power plugs in at the same time.
I did have a slight problem with my Goal Zero power unit getting hot while trying to make ice in the fridge in 98 degrees temperature. I just turned off the ice maker and unplugged the fridge for a few minutes and everything was fine.
I would like to get the CFX3-SLD55 fridge slide, but these are still not in stock anywhere. Dometic, do you have any updates on the slides?
I would keep the fridge if I could get a slide for it. I may have to rethink this and try a different brand.
