| Help with refrigerator [message #107898] |
Wed, 08 December 2010 11:19  |
armandminnie
Messages: 864
Registered: May 2009
Location: Marana, AZ
Karma: 2
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My Dometic refrigerator will not stay lit. The flame comes on immediately but shuts off - I can hear a "clunk" so it is the controller shutting it off. I have cleaned the whole area - there was a big chunk of carbon on the flame sensor - and the flame looks strong.
Armand Minnie
Marana, AZ
'76 Eleganza II TZE166V103202
visit my gmc blog
click here to visit gmcws.org
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| Re: Help with refrigerator [message #107919 is a reply to message #107898] |
Wed, 08 December 2010 13:15  |
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When starting your fridge on propane - set the thermostat to the coldest setting until it is lit for a few minutes.
John Ruff
Chandler, AZ
1975 Eleganza
WA3RIG
If I use ZDDP in a new car - will the tappets go flat?
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| Re: [GMCnet] Help with refrigerator [message #107925 is a reply to message #107915] |
Wed, 08 December 2010 13:48 |
ejuk8em
Messages: 90
Registered: July 2010
Karma: 0
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Hi Armand,
This discussion might have gone around before, but if not:
The tip of the t-couple needs to be positioned in the upper 1/4 of the flame. Any carbon on it needs to be removed. Also, know that T-couples very rarely fail. Many more fail due to damage (kinking, etc) than anything else.
You also need to be aware that the end that connects to the gas valve is an electrical connection. The t-couple, when warmed sufficiently by the flame, creates a few milli-volts (I'm sure one of the EE's reading this will know exactly how much) which holds the gas valve open. Essentially, think of it as a fail safe device that will shut off the gas valve if the pilot or flame is lost.
Before you condemn the t-couple, disconnect it from the gas valve and clean the mushroom shaped end lightly with very fine sandpaper... I've even used a pencil eraser in a pinch. More often than not, all that is needed is a quick cleaning to allow it to complete the electrical connection and it's back in business.
At any rate, all of this is pretty straightforward stuff. There is no need to head off to a repair shop (at big $$$ per hour) just to get a t-couple working.
Hope that helps!!
Take care and happy holiday's!
Lyle
Lyle A. Rigdon, Retired Superintendent
Pineapple Yellow '73 Sequoia
Pawnee, IL 62558
Pawnee Pride - Live It!
--- On Wed, 12/8/10, Armand Minnie <armand@minniebiz.com> wrote:
From: Armand Minnie <armand@minniebiz.com>
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Help with refrigerator
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Date: Wednesday, December 8, 2010, 12:52 PM
Thanks Emery, I assume you mean the thermocouple? Looks like it is not easy to get to though.
--
Armand Minnie
Marana, AZ
'76 Eleganza II
TZE166V103202
http://www.minniebiz.com/gmcmotorhome
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| Re: [GMCnet] Help with refrigerator [message #107927 is a reply to message #107925] |
Wed, 08 December 2010 14:13 |
armandminnie
Messages: 864
Registered: May 2009
Location: Marana, AZ
Karma: 2
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Lyle, thanks for the input. When the problem first started I found a large lump of carbon material at the end of it. I managed to knock that off - without damaging the thing I hope - but have had a really hard time getting to it to do more. I figured that if I knocked 90 percent of it off it should start working but not the case. I will try to take the assembly out to get at it better - would have to do that to swap anyway. I will not hire anyone to fix it until I have exhausted my tries.
Armand Minnie
Marana, AZ
'76 Eleganza II TZE166V103202
visit my gmc blog
click here to visit gmcws.org
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| Re: Help with refrigerator [message #107949 is a reply to message #107941] |
Wed, 08 December 2010 19:00 |
roy1
Messages: 2126
Registered: July 2004
Location: Minden nevada
Karma: 6
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Can't you find one at like home depot? It doesn't matter if it is a little longer just put a coil or 2 in the tubing. All thermocouples have similar millivolt outputs. The heavy duty type may have a little more but it is too fat to fit.
Roy
Roy Keen
Minden,NV
76 X Glenbrook
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| Re: Help with refrigerator [message #108062 is a reply to message #107898] |
Thu, 09 December 2010 21:14 |
armandminnie
Messages: 864
Registered: May 2009
Location: Marana, AZ
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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OK, it is fixed!! I talked to Jim from Cave Creek, AZ - thanks Jim - and he gave me the name of a local refrigeration guy that he did business with in the past (Trailer Refrigeration, Inc. in Tucson). The man I talked to there said that most often the problem causing this symptom is the board and that I should skip the thermocouple path and go straight to a Dinosaur Electronics replacement board. Turns out that one of our GMCSJ members owns rvpartsnow.com and he is a dinosaur electronics dealer. I called him and he had the board in stock and got it to Amado, AZ before we arrived at the rally. Thanks Jeff. The board is now installed and the refrigerator is running. Love the GMCnet!!!
Armand Minnie
Marana, AZ
'76 Eleganza II TZE166V103202
visit my gmc blog
click here to visit gmcws.org
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