Dometic working on shore power, but difficult to get it running on gas

[Ben4762]

Maybe a bad solenoid.

[AirHeadsRus]

Originally Posted by dpe01

@AirHeadsRus - Thermocoupler is most likely your issue as the igniter is not getting the message that the flame is lit and shuts down the solenoid.

OK, I installed a new Thermocouple, cleaned the burner and tip for gas. It still will light, run about three mins and shut down. The whole time it is sparking like it does not know it is lit. All the trouble shooting guides say Thermocouple, but I installed a bran new one and still have the problem. The tip glows red so I know it is getting hot.
It is a Dometic model 2803 probably original in 1990. The local AS dealer says it is way past lifetime most parts are really expensive. New ones he said last about 5 to 10 years. Anybody got any suggestions as to a low cost quick fix.
Is it time to replace? If so, what should I put in?
Attached is a picture of the flame. Does it look normal?
Thanks for looking,
Joe

[pacer]

i had the same problem. i think that you need a new control board.

[TouringDan]

Joe

I feel your pain. I am dealing with an intermittent problem on my rm2500 that is real tough to troubleshoot. The fact that you have to disassemble the cabinet and then disconnect and remove the refer just to work on it makes it real tough.

In addition to the "operating and installation" manual posted by dpi, the "Dometic manual refrigerator diagnostic service manual" at the following link may help you.

http://webspace.webring.com/people/j...ice_Manual.pdf

Dan

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by AirHeadsRus

OK, I installed a new Thermocouple, cleaned the burner and tip for gas. It still will light, run about three mins and shut down. The whole time it is sparking like it does not know it is lit. All the trouble shooting guides say Thermocouple, but I installed a bran new one and still have the problem. The tip glows red so I know it is getting hot.
It is a Dometic model 2803 probably original in 1990. The local AS dealer says it is way past lifetime most parts are really expensive. New ones he said last about 5 to 10 years. Anybody got any suggestions as to a low cost quick fix.
Is it time to replace? If so, what should I put in?
Attached is a picture of the flame. Does it look normal?
Thanks for looking,
Joe

Joe.

The flame looks good.

But, the thermocouple needs to be bent a little so that more of it is "DIRECTLY" in the flame.

If that doesn't cure the issue, then the most likely problem, is the thermocouple itself, and should be replaced.

Also, make sure the thermocouple is "VERY FIRMLY" screwed into the thermostat. It must be very tight.

Andy

[Scott J-24]

Originally Posted by Scott J-24

Well.... Looks like there may be more to our problem than a bad electrode. We were getting ready for a weekend trip and the fridge still won't start on gas. I ran the ignition cycle 8 or 9 times and it just wouldn't ignite. I know there is propane in the tanks because I ran the gas burners to bleed the gas lines prior to starting the fridge. Taking it to the local dealer instead of camping this weekend. We will be leaving on a two week trip up to Washington State and back at the end of August and don't want to have problems with it while on the road. Hope this does the trick.

Well that didn't do the trick

I took it back to the AS dealer and after verifying it wasn't lighting they determined the electrode just needed an adjustment. After turning everything off and letting it sit and cool off, they tried the ignition cycle and it started right up. We got to go camping that weekend and everything worked just like it was suppose to.

Fast forward to today... We are cleaning and packing the AS this weekend in preparation for our first long distant trip to Vancouver WA for my in-laws 90th birthdays, then camping on our way back down the Oregon and Northern California coast. So... I decided to check the fridge and make sure it would start... Guess what... Yup, you probably guessed right.... It won't start, it just keeps cycling through the ignition cycle for ~5 minutes then the display alternates between flashing the number 60 and LP. I know how to disassemble the windscreen and cover to manually light the pilot, but should we really need to do that every time we want to use the fridge on gas? I wouldn't think so. Maybe the next step is to replace the circuit board. I welcome any comments or suggestions.
Thanks

[WineStream]

I had a somewhat similar situation with the original Dometic in our '74. It didn't work on gas when we bought the trailer. I attempted to make the un-educated fixes, but in the end I took it to a local RV repair shop. They diagnosed it as a bad board, but the old dometic has the board on the bottom of the fridge. He said it would be like $200 for the board and about the same in labor to remove the fridge to change it. So, I asked for a backwoods solution. He talked with his Dometic contact and he was instructed how to bypass the issue. So, he installed a switch and a circuit that I could manually turn off the igniter once the burner lit. So the process to light the fridge was set to gas, hold the purge valve, turn on igniter until I could hear it light, then turn off the igniter and release the purge button. All told it was $120. This worked great until the whole fridge died (ammonia leak) about 3 months later and then we replaced the whole thing. Point being that maybe there's a workaround that could get you by for a bit, it will just take someone willing to circumvent the system a bit to get you what you want.

[Jim in Pima]

At tip for all..I have checked two electronic starting fridges that have this problem and owner was ready to junk them, the GAP between electrode and burner should be no more then 3/16 of a inch, actually I do 1/8. Too close the spark is weak, too far and no spark

[AirHeadsRus]

Originally Posted by AirHeadsRus

OK, I installed a new Thermocouple, cleaned the burner and tip for gas. It still will light, run about three mins and shut down. The whole time it is sparking like it does not know it is lit. All the trouble shooting guides say Thermocouple, but I installed a bran new one and still have the problem. The tip glows red so I know it is getting hot.
It is a Dometic model 2803 probably original in 1990. The local AS dealer says it is way past lifetime most parts are really expensive. New ones he said last about 5 to 10 years. Anybody got any suggestions as to a low cost quick fix.
Is it time to replace? If so, what should I put in?
Attached is a picture of the flame. Does it look normal?
Thanks for looking,
Joe

OK, I have replaced the thermocouple and put in a new board. Thanks Andy for the part number. It still does the same thing. It lights and gets a great flame. It keeps sparking for about 3 minutes and then shuts down, flame goes out. Now up to about $190 with the thermocouple and board.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Joe