| Refrigerator woes [message #264387] |
Thu, 16 October 2014 19:46  |
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dservati1
Messages: 109
Registered: December 2013
Location: Western New York -Rochest...
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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So my fridge Dometic Silhouette (gas and electric)is an on again off again finicky machine.
When I first got the RV home, at first I thought the unit was not cooling on electric but I was told leave it on over night and it it cooled down.
Then I tried propane and the flame would not stay lit. I disassembled and cleaned the burner area and flue. Cleaned the 12v and other connectors with emery cloth and electro-cleaner. Unit lit and stayed lit and cooled the unit fine. Worked great for August, September,and part of October.
Just recently before a camping trip last Thursday, I fire up the propane it lights up and starts producing heat in flu .. no check light on- I think all is well. Next morning the fridge was warm - flame is on still no check light... but no cooling. I reserve myself to packing two coolers with ice .. hoping the fridge might kick in. The fridge had stuff in it bottled water, apples, non-perishable stuff, and the freezer had a bag of ice I put in.
As we start our drive to the campsite with propane running gas flame must have blown out, check light comes on. I pull over re-start the fridge it lights no check light all looks good continue driving, within the hour this happens again and I repeat the process.
Get to campground no check light flame is still on, flue is hot/warm, but not cold in freezer or fridge. Middle of day two, frustrated that I have no cooling I shut the fridge off.
Note: outside temperatures were in the low 60's and at night into the mid 40's. I placed a 100 watt incandescent bulb in the back of the fridge compartment near boiler as I read that maybe it was too cool in the back. I also covered the original side wall top vent with insulated foil so the air flow would go from the lower door vent to the roof vent.
End of day two I think let's try electric. Turn it on next morning ice in the freezer, fridge area seems cooler but not cold. Didn't have much more time at campsite and had to disconnect the electric (I don't have a generator yet). We head out of the campsite with propane on no check light the whole way home 3 hours later, open freezer ... water all the ice melted.
At home I park the RV turn off the fridge. Next day turn on the fridge using electric again ... today freezer has ice, fridge area is cold.
Any suggestions? Do I need to clean the burner again? Flu? or is this a "control board issue"
- Thanks in advance - Dave
'78 Palm Beach. car nut new to RV'ing 26 ft. 403 rebuilt in 2018, rebuilt tranny in 2014, Dave Lenzi knuckles & hubs, yada yada yada on ION wheels,Green Brady Bunch stock
David Martin on Facebook
[Updated on: Thu, 16 October 2014 19:54] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Refrigerator woes [message #264402 is a reply to message #264387] |
Thu, 16 October 2014 23:48  |
roy1
Messages: 2126
Registered: July 2004
Location: Minden nevada
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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If it works ok on 120 volt AC it should work ok on propane as well. The first thing I would check would be the gas pressure is it 11" of water column?Does the burner have a nice crisp looking flame? Is the flue clear and not obstructed?
Roy Keen
Minden,NV
76 X Glenbrook
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| Re: [GMCnet] Refrigerator woes [message #264415 is a reply to message #264387] |
Fri, 17 October 2014 10:04 |
emerystora
Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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Since you say it is working on electric it does not appear that there is any problem with the refrigerant charne.
So it is strictly a flame problem. There is a good possibility that there is not enough flame or that rust flakes have blocked the top of the burner.
First I would take of the outside small cover over the area of the burner. The take an air compressor air gun and blow out the area of the burner and also us into the "chimney" above the burner. That chimney turn tends to rust and at times the rust can flake down and block the screen on the burner so that the flame doesn't go up the chimney properly.
Then unscrew the small jet on the end of the gas line going to the burner. There is a small hole in the end of the jet that might be partially blocked. Clean it out carefully so as not to enlarge the hole. I have used a very fine strand of copper wire and some others have used small fishing line. You can also soak it in paint thinner and blow it with the air gun.
Reassemble everything and it will probably work fine.
Emery Stora
On Oct 16, 2014, at 6:46 PM, David wrote:
> So my fridge Dometic Silhouette (gas and electric)is an on again off again finicky machine.
>
> At first I thought the unit was not cooling on A/C but I was told leave it on over night and it it cooled down.
> Then I tried propane and the flame would not stay lit. I disassembled and cleaned the burner area and flue. Clean the 12v and other connectors with
> emery cloth and electro-cleaner. Unit lit and stayed lit and cooled the unit fine. Worked great for August, September,and part of October.
>
> Just recently before a camping trip last Thursday, I fire up the propane lights up and starts producing heat in flu .. no check light on- I think all
> is well. Next morning the fridge was warm - flame is on still no check light... but no cooling. I reserve myself to packing two coolers with ice ..
> hoping the fridge might kick in. The fridge had stuff in it bottled water, apples, non-perisable stuff, and the freezer had a bag of ice in put in.
>
> As we start our drive to the campsite with propane running gas flame must have blown out, check light comes on. I pull over re-start the fridge it
> lights no check light all looks good continue driving, within the hour this happens again and I repeat the process.
>
> Get to campground no check light flame is still on, flue is hot/warm, but not cold in freezer or fridge. Middle of day two, frustrated that I have no
> cooling I shut the fridge off. End of day two I think let's try electric. Turn it on next morning ice in the freezer, fridge area seems cooler but not
> cold. Didn't have much more time at campsite and had to disconnect the electric (I don't have a generator yet. We head out of the campsite with
> propane on no check light the whole way home. Open freezer ... water all the ice melted.
>
> At home I park the RV turn off the fridge. Next day turn on the fridge using electric again ... today freezer has ice, fridge area is cold.
>
> Any suggestions? Do I need to clean the burner again? Flu? or is this a "control board issue"
>
> - Thanks in advance - Dave
>
> --
> '78 Palm Beach.
> Family guy who is a car nut.Just taking up RV'ing.
> I'm on FaceBook as David Martin
> 585-953-53OO call or text dservati1@yahoo.com or now dservati1@gmail.com
>
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> GMCnet mailing list
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