Fridge gas won't stay alight

harrydiculous · Veteran Member

Fridge gas won't stay alight

PeterD · Guru

Do you have a copy of the handbook? If not then I have attached one with this message.

Your problem will be with the thermocouple associated with the burner. See page 11 & 12 regarding the maintenance of the fridge.

Bobdown · Guru

An old cobber helped some people that were having trouble with their fridge and said it was the flue all sooted up. A few knocks and away she went, they had been holding the gas button in for ages.

They put it on the maintenance list to give it a good clean when they go home.

Cheers Bob

Gravy73 · Veteran Member

Definitely check your flue, insulation fibres, cob webs etc can compromise combustion therefore the heat sensor(RTD or thermocouple) does not activate the flame retention circuitry. It may require the fridge to be removed to clear the obstruction which will require disconnection of the gas supply, you should obtain the services off a licensed gas fitter to do this.

harrydiculous · Veteran Member

Thank guys. I do have the handbook, Peter D but I can save that rather than go to the trouble of scanning it to take it with me.

I'll go down & give it a knock & a clean, then. I did have a new 240 volt element in a few years ago. It has been sitting around for a few years. I did think that the fitter would have checked if everything was working after he renewed some of the lines. Obviously didn't check the fridge.

Thanks again

Old and Grey · Senior Member

Hi Harrydiculous,

2 x for Us too.

Took the jet out of ours and dropped it in the lid of a can of oven cleaner (caustic soda) and sparyed it so as to cover the jet total. (never) poke the eye with a needle or other such things. Waited 15 minutes and washed in clean water and holding the jet towards the sun it was clear. Reinstalled and we were back in business.

It happened again on the same trip away over 12 weeks.

I ordered 2x packets of tabacco pipe cleaners off ebay, about $5 from memory. Removed the jet and repeated the above.

This time I use a pipe cleaner down the gas line The GEL from the gas that I got out was amazing. Fixed.

Also use them up the flute as well. Our flute was clean.

You will need a No 6mm-8mm spanner to remove the jet head.

I now make sure that I depress and hold the gas fuse with the Fridge and one burner on the stove both open position for a minute, then turn off again.

IMO it expels the air in the copper pipes first. The jets get a full load of gas and has a lovely blue flame.

Our fridge now works first go every time.

hope this helps.

Grey

harrydiculous · Veteran Member

I've just tried to run all stove burners & only one works properly. Cleaned the burner on the Fridge but no improvement. I behaves like there's not enough gas getting through. Plenty of gas in the cylinder. Blockage? It looks like a service job.

Thanks for the replies.

Craig1 · Guru

Try Dougwe's trick and replace the gas bottle regulator then

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Thanks for the handbook PeterD,

My past camper had one but the pop-top has everything but - I have discovered. My fridge is larger but most of what's given will be the same.

PeterD · Guru

Warren, what is the exact model of your fridge. They are all available online.

KM575 · Member

We had similar issue with our Thetford 3 way, turned out to be the thermocouple.

harrydiculous · Veteran Member

The Stove is now working. Not sure why but all burners are going well. I might have been a bit impatient with the lighting regime. The regulator is new. The fridge is working on 240 v OK. I haven't tried the 12 volt via the Colorado yet but I'll live with it until we get back. I did remove the fridge about two years ago and took it to a dealer to have the 240 volt element replaced. The 'van wasn't registered so I had no choice. I may have disturbed something when I re-installed it.

harrydiculous · Veteran Member

Perhaps I'm testing the friendship, but noting KM575's post about the thermocouple; is this the unit that detects the flame & allows button C to be released and the fridge to continue operation?

Because, now the flame is working. The red indicator doesn't quite make the green zone and eventually falls away. The flame still operates until the button C is released & then the flame goes out.

PeterD · Guru

Unless the red needle in the indicator is up in the green and has been there for a few minutes, the thermocouple will not hold the safety open and your gas will be cut off when you release the override button. you need to clean or adjust something down there to get your flame indicator to read higher (ie needle in the red.)

oldbloke · Guru

Mmm, not likely, but perhaps the new regulator is not quite giving enough gas.
Has it only been a problem after the new regulator was fitted?

If yes, screw the black plug off the regulator and using a screw driver rotate the screw inside clockwise to about 1/8 ( no more than 1/4) of a turn and try that.

If it was a problem prior to the new regulator more likely the thermocouple.

harrydiculous · Veteran Member

I've just had this one fitted.

flic.kr/p/2kAi4Cj

It doesn't look like it can be adjusted unless that brass screw does something.

It did work before but that was maybe four years ago. The previous unit did have corrosion and I had it replaced.

I also moved the thermostat to 6 instead of the instructed 4. Nothing happened on the dial. I tried 3 for no logical reason and the needle behaved as before. (Moved to the centre line before falling back well into the white.)

The flame, once again, remains burning until the button is released. So the thermocouple is doing something. I can pull off the from facia & check that out.

oldbloke · Guru

Non adjustable type
But if its new, should be OK. Most likely another problem such as thermocouple.

oldbloke · Guru

"The flame, once again, remains burning until the button is released. So the thermocouple is doing something. I can pull off the from facia & check that out."

The thermocouple is meant to keep the gas line open. It isn't working by the sounds.

harrydiculous · Veteran Member

It's just getting worse; tried it on 240 volt. The element gets hot but no cold. Worked fine at Christmas. I haven't tried the 12 volt but confirmed that 12 volts is getting to it. So it's 18 years old. It does have a new 240 volt element.

Maybe I should just spring for a new fridge. Unfortunately, we're off on Saturday so an Esky & the Waeco will have to do the job.

Thanks for your help, guys.

Old and Grey · Senior Member

harrydiculous wrote:
It's just getting worse; tried it on 240 volt. The element gets hot but no cold. Worked fine at Christmas. I haven't tried the 12 volt but confirmed that 12 volts is getting to it. So it's 18 years old. It does have a new 240 volt element.

Maybe I should just spring for a new fridge. Unfortunately, we're off on Saturday so an Esky & the Waeco will have to do the job.

Thanks for your help, guys.

Hi harrydiculous,

$8 worth of material after 18 years is worth it first. mine was a yellowish orange colour. Hook the van on and take it on a 10km round trip and try again.Might shake the bugs out of it. Worth a try.

Grey

PeterInSa · Guru

Re (I also moved the thermostat to 6 instead of the instructed 4. Nothing happened on the dial.)

And not working on 240Vac with a new element. To me it could low on Gas ( in the frig not gas bottle) or the temperature control circuit is not working correctly.

Have come across a frig where the temp control knob turned but the shaft behind it was broken so could not turn the electronic device that controls the electricity/LPG Gas to the the frig. (Grand kids may have been checking the operation of the Frig by turning the knobs to far)

harrydiculous · Veteran Member

Well, the 240 volt is working! Bad luck for us, our trip was cancelled due to the ill health of a family member.

I moved the 'van back to it's normal resting place where it's level and lo & behold, works. Ice cubes all frozen up & fridge section cold on 6.

The only thing that I can think of is that, where I moved the 'van for packing is on a slope of maybe 10 degrees? I didn't think that that would make much difference.

Now, I owe that to the Missus. She suggested that I try it now it's level. I was more than sceptical of this but, while I may not be as smart as I think I am with fridges*, I'm just smart enough to act on her suggestion.

If I'd scoffed at this but then found it worked. The pain would have been unbearable.

The gas I tried in both situations and it was as described.

So, the 'van will now be used as overflow accommodation due to the above unfortunate circumstance and I have been instructed to not touch it re the gas until the Family Members have left.

So I won't.

*I'm not smart with fridges at all, but it helps the narrative.

Old and Grey · Senior Member

harrydiculous wrote:
Well, the 240 volt is working! Bad luck for us, our trip was cancelled due to the ill health of a family member.

I moved the 'van back to it's normal resting place where it's level and lo & behold, works. Ice cubes all frozen up & fridge section cold on 6.

The only thing that I can think of is that, where I moved the 'van for packing is on a slope of maybe 10 degrees? I didn't think that that would make much difference.

Now, I owe that to the Missus. She suggested that I try it now it's level. I was more than sceptical of this but, while I may not be as smart as I think I am with fridges*, I'm just smart enough to act on her suggestion.

If I'd scoffed at this but then found it worked. The pain would have been unbearable.

The gas I tried in both situations and it was as described.

So, the 'van will now be used as overflow accommodation due to the above unfortunate circumstance and I have been instructed to not touch it re the gas until the Family Members have left.

So I won't.

*I'm not smart with fridges at all, but it helps the narrative.

Hi Harry,

Well you moved the van, confuse What happened. confuse Angle of the dangel. smile keep going. Can't hurt. A dollar's a dollar. Can't hurt spending a Dollar. wink X $8.00

Grey

oldbloke · Guru

I didn't realise they were so sensitive to being level. Learn something every day.

Plain Truth · Guru

I use a round bubble level in the fridge,once the bubble is out of the circle in a gas fridge ,the fridge doesn't seem to perform at its best.

PeterD · Guru

oldbloke wrote:
I didn't realise they were so sensitive to being level. Learn something every day.

They are not as sensitive to levelling as some people think. I have a couple of levels that used to be supplied with new Electrolux and Dometic fridges. The circle on those is a bit larger than the one on the bullseye level above. The fridges work to their full specification when the bubble is within that circle.. The fridges still work well if some of the bubble is within the circle. In the latter case, when the bubble is getting to its limit, the cook complains that the bed is not level enough to sleep in.

oldbloke · Guru

PeterD wrote:
oldbloke wrote:
I didn't realise they were so sensitive to being level. Learn something every day.
They are not as sensitive to levelling as some people think. I have a couple of levels that used to be supplied with new Electrolux and Dometic fridges. The circle on those is a bit larger than the one on the bullseye level above. The fridges work to their full specification when the bubble is within that circle.. The fridges still work well if some of the bubble is within the circle. In the latter case, when the bubble is getting to its limit, the cook complains that the bed is not level enough to sleep in.

Yeh, I get that too. I just have one glued to the chassis near the jockey wheel. Works for me.

harrydiculous · Veteran Member

Yes, I'll get a couple of those "eyes." 'van now occupied so I'll fiddle with the gas once our visitors leave. I was thinking that I should test it on top of the 'fridge by taking off the Facia & placing it on the fridge & then moving it permanently to a spot on the van that it agrees with. The fridge may not be level relatively to any random spot on the 'van. Anyway, thanks again. I'll report again when I get the Gas fixed.

No Postcode · Member

HI, I had similar problems and took the back off and found some carbon built up around the pizzo ignition. Cleaned that away and all good.

oldbloke · Guru

Speaking of fridge issues. My 184ltr Thetford refused to light on gas last week. Not 5 yrs old. Only been used for a total of about 8 months. All the other gas appliances working ok. Pretty disappointing for a $3000 fridge. Seems to me now nothing in the caravan industry lasts.