Small drum, wetter loads
A Dometic dryer is compact by necessity, and it is usually paired with a compact washer that cannot extract as much water as a full-size machine. Loads therefore arrive wetter and the drum is smaller, so load size is the first thing to change when drying is poor.
What you are seeing
- Loads need two or more cycles to dry.
- Towels never dry in a single cycle.
- Items at the centre of the load are still wet.
- Drying got worse after loads got bigger.
- The cabin gets damp during a drying cycle.
- Not this fault: A cold load from the start is a heating fault - read that page.
- Not this fault: A cycle that ends early is a cycle fault.
Most likely causes, in Dometic order
- Overloading a compact drum — Why ranked: First on this equipment. If the load barely moves when the drum turns, it will not dry in one cycle.
- Loads arriving very wet from a compact washer — Why ranked: Second: a small washer extracts less, so the dryer is asked to remove far more water than a house machine would be.
- Lint filter and short vent run restricted — Why ranked: Third. Compact filters block quickly and short flexible ducts crush, and both restrict the same airflow.
- Supply not delivering full current — Why ranked: Fourth. Heat is what evaporates the water, and a starved supply gives a warm rather than hot machine.
- Mixed heavy and light items in one load — Why ranked: Last, which leaves towels damp while everything else is dry, and is a habit rather than a fault.
What to check, in order
- Split the usual load in two and run one half. — Because: Load size is the leading cause here and this settles it in one cycle.
- Check how wet the load is coming out of the washer. — Because: A compact washer that has not spun well makes a healthy dryer look weak.
- Clean the lint filter and check the vent hose is not crushed. — Because: Both restrict the same airflow and both are quick to check.
- Compare drying on shore power with drying on other supplies. — Because: Heat needs current, and current is what varies on this equipment.
Checks you can do safely
- Clean the lint filter before every load. — N: 1 — Tools: None — Time: quick
- Split the usual load in two and dry one half. — N: 2 — Tools: None — Time: one cycle
- Run an extra spin on the washer before the load goes in. — N: 3 — Tools: None — Time: one cycle
- Separate towels from light clothing and run them apart. — N: 4 — Tools: None — Time: one cycle
- Check the vent hose behind the machine for crushing. — N: 5 — Tools: Torch — Time: moderate
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. A restricted dryer is a fire hazard as well as a slow one, and in a vehicle or boat the consequences are worse - never run one with the filter out or the vent crushed. Never run the machine without its lint filter in place. Do not dry items that have been in contact with fuel, oil or solvent. Keep the machine and its vent run clear of stored gear.
When this becomes a service call
Half loads still need two cycles with a clean filter and a clear vent. The machine is warm rather than hot on a full-current supply. The vent hose cannot be routed clear of crushing. There is any scorched smell.
What this page does not cover
This is generalized information for Dometic dryers as a group. It does not separate vented machines from ventless and combination units, whose drying behaviour differs sharply, and it names no model-specific capacity. Where a family- or model-specific page exists it supersedes this one.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
