Fridge gas wont light....

WandaLust · 06-10-2009, 02:33 PM

Our Fridge wont work with propane this time. Any ideas? I worked the first time we went camping after a reluctant start, but this time it just wont light a all. Yes, there's propane in the tank and Randy lit the stove burners first. What can be wrong?

It works fine on electric.

**JohnB** · 06-10-2009, 05:08 PM

Wanda

On your old one, is it a gas pilot system? or is it electric ignition?

Do you have a model number?

If it works on electric and not gas, that is step one.

If it happens to be electric ignition, have you heard click, click, click outside when the unit is calling for cooling trying to light on gas? It hs tpo be calling for cooling before the sequence will start and not off on saftey with a blinking light inside.

Regardless gas pilot or electric spark, need to sort out if it is getting the signal to actually fire off.

If it is electric and no clicks when calling for cooling, then the ignition is not getting a signal to light or the ignition circuit has issues.

On gas, if the pilot is lit then the gas is on to the gas valve. It not turning on the burner gets a little more complex.

Tell us some more of what is and is not working and what you have.

Hope this helps

John

WandaLust · 06-10-2009, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnB

Wanda

On your old one, is it a gas pilot system? or is it electric ignition?

Do you have a model number?

If it works on electric and not gas, that is step one.

If it happens to be electric ignition, have you heard click, click, click outside when the unit is calling for cooling trying to light on gas? It hs tpo be calling for cooling before the sequence will start and not off on saftey with a blinking light inside.

Regardless gas pilot or electric spark, need to sort out if it is getting the signal to actually fire off.

If it is electric and no clicks when calling for cooling, then the ignition is not getting a signal to light or the ignition circuit has issues.

On gas, if the pilot is lit then the gas is on to the gas valve. It not turning on the burner gets a little more complex.

Tell us some more of what is and is not working and what you have.

Hope this helps

John

He started the stove to make sure propane was getting through the lines. The fridge is a "manual" ignition fridge. We have to push a thing and it sparks and is supposed to light. But it wont light. I hope I'm explaining this so you can understand it. He presses the button thing but there's no spark or it sparks once... and doesn't catch, doesn't start.

**JohnB** · 06-10-2009, 10:39 PM

Wanda

OK you have the older magneto igniter. Those works sort of like a gas grill, push the button and it creates a spark.

If it does not spark, then the igniter is somehow not working. Loose wire, gap to large, wet, the wire coil has a short in it. Check the wires for being corroded/tight might help. The electrode should have like a 1/8 to 3/16” gap on most electrodes. Careful if you attempt to bend it. The ceramic will crack real easy.

Not knowing what model you have to even look up and I have no pics of what you have, I do not know if you can even manually light it with a match. Some you can, some you can’t. Don’t know on yours.

At this rate I will be in Buttonwood later on Thursday. If you have not got it going by the time you arrive, I can look at it with your Husband. May be simple, may not be.

Thanks

John

WandaLust · 06-23-2009, 10:04 AM

Just to let you know the fridge is now working.

This little TT must be haunted by gremlins. The fridge now lights and works fine on gas.

Steve Collins · 06-23-2009, 02:59 PM

One other thing to keep in mind about propane fridges (and hot water heaters)...

The stack above the flame needs to be clear of any obstructions. Spiders in particular like to nest there, but other critters may as well.

An obstructed stack will cause all kinds of problems.

Part of annual maintenance should be to clean out the stacks on those two appliances.

WandaLust · 06-23-2009, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Collins

One other thing to keep in mind about propane fridges (and hot water heaters)...

The stack above the flame needs to be clear of any obstructions. Spiders in particular like to nest there, but other critters may as well.

An obstructed stack will cause all kinds of problems.

Part of annual maintenance should be to clean out the stacks on those two appliances.

I'll see if I can find the "stacks."

What should they be cleaned out with? We have plenty of spiders and hornets and wasps here that love hidey holes to build their nests in.

Steve Collins · 06-24-2009, 06:00 AM

On the fridge, the "stack" is the round "chimney" from the flame up to the roof of the TT.

On the water heater, it's kind of a horizontal "U" shape from the flame to the open grille vent on the cover.

Both can be cleaned out with a small version of what sort of looks like what a chimney sweep might use to clean a regular chimney. I took a Swiffer duster without their handle and fastened it to a long piece of rigid wire and ran it up through the fridge's stack several times. Then I followed that up with a good blast of air from the shop vac set on blow.

For the water heater, I pulled the heat shields on the exhaust end and then ran the Swiffer through. I followed that up with a blast from the shop vac.

In both cases, be careful not to knock the flame piping around.

Jenncola · 03-20-2017, 01:56 PM

we just bought a 2003 T1950. The fridge will work on gas but not while in transit. The the check light is on every time we get to our destination. Any thoughts?

krazedave · 03-20-2017, 05:56 PM

What you have described sounds like a lack of 12voltDC while in transit. I would check your battery to see if is good and check if you have a 12voltDc charge line from your tow vehicle. A quick check would be to have your trailer not plugged into 110AC and see if your lights work in the trailer.

Jenncola · 03-20-2017, 07:02 PM

We just had a new battery put in. So would the lights in the trailer not be running just of the battery and not the TV?

sep · 03-20-2017, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenncola

we just bought a 2003 T1950. The fridge will work on gas but not while in transit. The the check light is on every time we get to our destination. Any thoughts?

I'm thinking you have a switch on the fridge that says auto or gas. You need to leave it on gas when traveling. If you leave it on auto, it may try to switch from gas to 12volt and shut itself off and that is why you get the check light.

As for the lights and the TV. The TV runs off of 110V so you have to be plugged into "shore power" or it won't work. The lights will work as they are on 12v either off the camper battery or if plugged into the tow vehicle, then it will give you 12v also.

Steve P.

krazedave · 03-20-2017, 07:45 PM

With a new good battery everything in the trailer but 110 should work without being plugged into 110 or being plugged into your tow vehicle.

Jenncola · 03-21-2017, 10:30 AM

Ok I'm new so hang in there with me. Ya'll lost me. When the camper is not plugged in the 110/30amp everything is working lights and the fridge. So that means the fridge is running on gas, I can see the flame. It will run all day and night. When we travel with it the check light is on by the time we get to where we are going and it has started to warm up.

**Tweety** · 03-21-2017, 12:36 PM

When we had our Sunline, a couple times on a windy or rainy day when traveling our fridge would go out. If we're Traveling 3 hours or less we usually travel with it off. Just make sure you've cooled it down for a couple days ahead of time. My routine, if we're leaving on a Friday, is to put a frozen half gallon of water in it and turn it on on a Wednesday night. It really shouldn't go out, but I don't think it's all that unusual if you're traveling in inclement weather.

Steve Collins · 03-21-2017, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenncola

Ok I'm new so hang in there with me. Ya'll lost me. When the camper is not plugged in the 110/30amp everything is working lights and the fridge. So that means the fridge is running on gas, I can see the flame. It will run all day and night. When we travel with it the check light is on by the time we get to where we are going and it has started to warm up.

#1. Is the gas on when you travel down the road? If it is off, then the flame goes out and the check light comes on, and naturally the fridge will start to warm up.

#2. If the gas is on when you travel, the wind is probably blowing the flame out to the point where the thermocouple cools off and the check light comes on. Once the fridge is in fail mode, it will not try to start up again until you reset it.

#3. Has the Dometic recall been performed on the fridge? That added an extra shield around the burner area and pretty much stopped flame-out due to wind. I am pretty sure that any RV dealership can perform the mod, but it's way beyond the recall period so you'll have pay to have it done. There is plenty of discussion in previous threads about this recall. You should have no trouble finding it with just a bit of searching.