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Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: hdff on June 13, 2020, 10:36:35 pm

Title: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: hdff on June 13, 2020, 10:36:35 pm
Getting ready to go to Kerrville next weekend and out checking things out. Since we got our new to us coach I don't think I have checked the operation of the fridge on gas. Today I did and there is an issue. The burner will light and burn for about 20-30 seconds then go out and the "check" light on the fridge comes on. I can turn it off and back on, the light will clear and the procedure will start over with the same results. The control board has been changed out at some point to one from dinosaur electronics.. any ideas, except the crazy ones, are greatly appreciated...


Also just curious, for those of you that don't full time and just go here and there, if your coach is stored plugged in do you leave the fridge running or do you turn it off with the doors open ??

Thanks
Keith
Title: Re: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: dans96u295ft on June 13, 2020, 10:39:32 pm
Leave it off, doors open. Your burner may have an obstruction. Wasps, spiders etc. I would hire an rv tech to give it a check
Title: Re: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: wolfe10 on June 13, 2020, 10:46:49 pm
Yes, do a burner area tune up.  No parts needed and no special tools.

Causes of your symptoms include (and are corrected by abov):

Carbon build up on the flame sensor/ignitor.

Flame sensor/ignitior not centered over flame.

Rust or dirt in the burner tube causing too small a flame to signal the flame sensor/ignitor and through it the PC board that there IS a flame and to leave the gas valve open.

Spec of dirt in the propane jet giving same results

All the above addressed with the burner area tune-up.

Potential separate issue-- low propane pressure resulting in small flame.  If regulator is over 10 years old, probably best to just replace it-- under $25.
Title: Re: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: hdff on June 13, 2020, 10:52:07 pm
Yes, do a burner area tune up.  No parts needed and no special tools.

Causes of your symptoms include (and are corrected by abov):

Carbon build up on the flame sensor/ignitor.

Flame sensor/ignitior not centered over flame.

Rust or dirt in the burner tube causing too small a flame to signal the flame sensor/ignitor and through it the PC board that there IS a flame and to leave the gas valve open.

Spec of dirt in the propane jet giving same results

All the above addressed with the burner area tune-up.

Potential separate issue-- low propane pressure resulting in small flame.  If regulator is over 10 years old, probably best to just replace it-- under $25.
I'll pull and clean in the am, no issues with flame, it looked good and not small
Title: Re: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: DJ and Jane on June 13, 2020, 11:19:55 pm
I like to have ice in my yeti while traveling  ;D
Title: Re: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: Pamela & Mike on June 14, 2020, 06:47:02 am
Keith,

While you are around the back of the fridge cleaning the burner take the fridge ground wire loose and give it a cleaning.  Do you know if the burner stack has had the swirler removed and the stack cleaned?  If not you have to get the swirler out from the top side. If the fridge is equipped with a ARP sensor it could be seeing a high temp in the stack but this usually takes more than 30 seconds.

Runs 24/7

Mike

Title: Re: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: folivier on June 14, 2020, 07:14:10 am
Will you be running the generator for air conditioning?  That'll at least work until you can get it going again on gas.
Title: Re: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: wolfe10 on June 14, 2020, 08:22:40 am
You do NOT need to pull the refrigerator to do the burner area tune-up.

It is done through the outside access door. Hopefully, your access door is aligned with your burner area. If not, you may need a really short screwdriver to do it.
Title: Re: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: Twig on June 14, 2020, 10:33:35 am
Your problem is the thermocoupler not sensing a flame.
Title: Re: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: wolfe10 on June 14, 2020, 11:07:48 am
Your problem is the thermocoupler not sensing a flame.

Agree.  But lots of causes-- many cumulative. If flame a little small because of burner tube dirt/rust and carbon on ignitor/thermocouple from running rich (same amount of propane, less air) and perhaps ignitor/thermocouple a little mis aligned, etc, etc.

Said another way, man not be one big issue, but several small ones, all fixed with a burner area tune-up.
Title: Re: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: Mogan David on June 14, 2020, 12:04:31 pm
SO GLAD my 110V counter depth FISHER PAYKEL has no such problems  :D  ^.^d  b^.^d
Title: Re: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: Dub on June 14, 2020, 03:11:18 pm
Answer you second question Keith. For years I left my fridge off with the door open.. I started having a not want to light on propane after it hadn't been used in months.. Seems these units do better when being used so I leave mine on 24 7 1 week on electric and a week on propane.. Been running a year and no issue.. I wouldn't want to be without my propane even though that wasn't a question.. Seems to always come up anyway.
Title: Re: Dometic fridge gas problems
Post by: wolfe10 on June 14, 2020, 03:13:37 pm
Yes, if you store with shore power, AND are in a humid area, leaving the refrigerator on 24/7 reduces the risk of rust, as the temperature of all parts in the back of the refrigerator are always well above the dew point.