'Fridge erratic on gas

[j54mark]

My refrigerator (with electronic ignition) is behaving erratically on gas. From time to time it shuts down. I have not seen what happens when it does, so I don't know if it atttempts to relight or not, but turning the switch off and then on gets it to restart with no hesitation.

There is plenty of LP available.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Mark

[TomW]

That could take a lot of time to nail down for you or a technician. It sounds to me like the gas was interrupted while the unit was trying to cool. As a safety feature, I do not think pilot-less systems usually try to relight themselves if the gas gets shut off. When you flip the switch off, and then on again, it resets itself.

The flame a refrigerator uses is more like a kicked-up pilot light than a cooktop flame. Pilot lights require very little gas. Regulators sometimes have trouble trying to regulate just enough gas for a pilot light. You might try swapping out the regulator (at the LPG cylinders).

My experience with pilot-less systems comes from my home's natural gas furnace as everything on my Airstream has a pilot light. I hesitate to offer more tips because I have not had the exact same problem. But I will if you get desperate

Tom

[87MH]

Originally Posted by j54mark

.....Any ideas?

Mark:

The original Dometic (3-way) in the '87 345 had some problems with the "circuit board" -- but I also had a personal learning curve figuring out that the 'fridge automaticly went from 120 to 12 volt to gas - in that order.

The smart "circuit board" needs the "house" 12 volts going to it at all times......

Could it be that your univolt, house battery, or tow vehicle "charge" connection is messing with you?

Luck.

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by tcwilliams

As a safety feature, I do not think pilot-less systems usually try to relight themselves if the gas gets shut off. When you flip the switch off, and then on again, it resets itself.

Tom the new units do go through a relight cycle. They normally will try three times to relight. After that they display a trouble light and do not attempt a relight unless you turn the unit off then back on.

Jack

[TomW]

Originally Posted by jcanavera

Tom the new units do go through a relight cycle. They normally will try three times to relight. After that they display a trouble light and do not attempt a relight unless you turn the unit off then back on.

Thanks Jack - that makes sense. I wonder if Mark has a trouble light; He did not say anything about it.

Tom

[j54mark]

When it shuts off a red light with an "X" in the middle comes on.

The Marshall auto switch gas regulator would have to be considered, of course. It is only two years old, however.

I'm not on shore power, so it would not be the converter. I top off the batteries every day with a generator.

I'm going out now and will do some more trouble shooting, so will not be able to check back in until tomorrow.

Mark

[nickcrowhurst]

Mark, assuming there wasn't an unusual amount of wind which would repeatedly extinguish the flame, I suggest:-
1. Service the burner tube by dismantling the burner assembly (manual cut-off for the gas), wire brushing to remove carbon, and adjusting the gap from the igniter thermocouple to the burner to the factory specification.
2. Cleaning the flue. On my Excella, the refer had to be pulled forward into the trailer for access to the flue.
3. Removing the wires from the connection at the circuit board, one at a time, cleaning each connector, and then replacing each wire.
4. Check the regulator with a manometer.
5. If the problem persists, buy a Dinosaur UIB board as a replacement. That's what I ended up doing.
Good luck. Nick.

[jackt]

Originally Posted by j54mark

My refrigerator (with electronic ignition) is behaving erratically on gas. From time to time it shuts down. I have not seen what happens when it does, so I don't know if it atttempts to relight or not, but turning the switch off and then on gets it to restart with no hesitation.

There is plenty of LP available.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Mark

There is a great RV refrigerator rebuilder in the Seattle area, who has a great website, www.rvmobile.com. It includes diagnostic processes. I am having a similar problem. Check the position of the thermocouple in the flame if you have not done so. Mine was not directly in the flame. When the flame was blown out by movement or traffic, the "cold" thermocouple prohbited relighting. Good luck.

[74Argosy24MH]

I was having problems when switching from ac to gas, sometimes it would light, sometimes fault. The thermocouple had a large carbon build up, I broke it off and have a reliable refrigerator again.

John

[j54mark]

I appreciate the suggestions.

It went out again sometime in the night. Again, switching off, then on got it to work normally.

The burner assembly is clean. We have had no wind, and I am parked so far back in the trees that wind is not likely to be an issue anyway. I will check the themocouple gap, and will have a go at the flue. The idea to clean the contacts is a good one, and I will do that this afternoon.

I probably ought to just order a Dinosaur board just to be on the safe side.

Thanks again,

Mark

[j54mark]

It appears my problem was caused by a low voltage problem. I had been charging batteries from a generator and could not get the batteries up to a full charge. Why? I don't know exactly. Could be the 15 amp plug adaptor allowed too little current. Could be the time available to me for charging was too limited.

Anyway, once I got a full charge on the batteries (from line voltage), the problem seems to have disappeared.

Mark