Lighting refrigerator

woodyc · 05-12-2017, 11:10 PM

Does anyone out there have an idea why my refrigerator won't stay lit on the first try? When I brought it home to get ready for a trip, I lit it several hours ago, just checked it and found it off. This has happened before - push the button, hear the popping noises, assume it has turned on, come in the house, go back out later and find it off. Am I missing a detail?

wanderlust · 05-13-2017, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodyc

push the button, hear the popping noises, assume it has turned on,

Do you know for sure that it turned on? Last year mine worked on 110v but the propane burner would not light. After some trouble shooting I discovered the power circuit board was bad and I had to replace it.

RPreeb · 05-13-2017, 03:14 PM

The one in our X213 wouldn't run on gas at first. Seemed to start okay, then the indicator lights would start flashing, indicating that it wasn't working. I think there was just air in the LP lines that had to run out. Since we were on shore power, I put it on auto for a day, then switched over to gas and it worked without any problems. Kept running all the way back home the next day.

Raspberry · 05-13-2017, 03:22 PM

As per previous post mine does the same, first try it comes on for a minute and then all starts flashing .... but now I turn the stove burner on for a few seconds and then turn the frig onto propane and then no problems. Saw this on the forum somewhere before about air in the lines and litting the stove burner first gets it out and then the frig will power up no problem.

Doug · 05-13-2017, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raspberry

As per previous post mine does the same, first try it comes on for a minute and then all starts flashing .... but now I turn the stove burner on for a few seconds and then turn the frig onto propane and then no problems. Saw this on the forum somewhere before about air in the lines and litting the stove burner first gets it out and then the frig will power up no problem.

X2.
Brought mine home today, lit one burner on stove and lit frig.
It went out shortly after.
I then lit all three burners for a minute, frig fired up and stayed lit.

D.

RPreeb · 05-13-2017, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raspberry

As per previous post mine does the same, first try it comes on for a minute and then all starts flashing .... but now I turn the stove burner on for a few seconds and then turn the frig onto propane and then no problems. Saw this on the forum somewhere before about air in the lines and litting the stove burner first gets it out and then the frig will power up no problem.

That didn't seem to help me much, as my fridge is downstream from the stove and on the other side of the TT. But with a bit of patience, it finally worked.

RayPayne · 05-13-2017, 03:41 PM

Try the stove for a few minutes first even if the fridge is further down the line. Things even in the lines will homogenize fairly quickly and the air bleed out. At last quickly compared to holding the button long enough to bleed the lines that way. May waste a bit of propane but it may get your fridge lit a little sooner.

RPreeb · 05-13-2017, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RayPayne

Try the stove for a few minutes first even if the fridge is further down the line. Things even in the lines will homogenize fairly quickly and the air bleed out. At last quickly compared to holding the button long enough to bleed the lines that way. May waste a bit of propane but it may get your fridge lit a little sooner.

I'll try that next time I have the issue. Thanks.

Isaacs · 05-13-2017, 06:54 PM

Just because it's clicking doesn't mean it's lit. If it's quiet you can hear the flame come on; usually takes a couple of tries to get the air out. Or you can go outside and listen for the flame.

So how does all that air get in there when everything is shut off??? Always wondered that...

Jagiven · 05-13-2017, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPreeb

That didn't seem to help me much, as my fridge is downstream from the stove and on the other side of the TT. But with a bit of patience, it finally worked.

Yep, that is how mine is too. But if I do not light the stove first and get a good stable flame, there is no way my frig will light.

Gsansoucie · 05-14-2017, 02:16 PM

Make sure you don't have any critters or critter nests in the service area. Although you would have a much different problem (and symptom) if that were the case. Critters can be rodents they can also be wasps, mud dawbers, spiders, etc. Had a spider nest in our hot water heater about 20 years ago that could have wound up destroying the camper had I not caught it shortly after lighting it.

Isaacs · 05-14-2017, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gsansoucie

Had a spider nest in our hot water heater about 20 years ago that could have wound up destroying the camper had I not caught it shortly after lighting it.

My daughter had the same thing happen. She was a couple of sites down the road visiting us and we saw the flames shooting out of the HW heater. Scary, but pretty easy to fix. Those spiders love propane!

etex211 · 05-14-2017, 03:24 PM

Lighting the stove for a couple of minutes is now a part of my ritual before every trip.

RPreeb · 05-19-2017, 09:31 PM

Just got back from a 6 day, 1300 mile trip. Fridge performed flawlessly. Set the switch to "Auto" and let it go. When camped on shore power, it ran on electric, and as soon as I unplugged to move, it switched to gas, then back to electric as soon as it was plugged back in. Never a hitch.

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