Fridge issue

[camjam]

We have owned our 317rlok for almost 3 years now and have had a problem starting our fridge on LP gas from the beginning. To start it we have to keep turning it on,then it doesn't start, and starts blinking so we turn it off and try again.
We have to do this for up to ten minutes until it finally starts. While traveling its a crap shoot how long it stays on. Sometimes all day, sometimes it's off when we check it at our first stop and we go through the starting procedure all over again. Doesn't matter if the setting is on LP or auto. It has been back to the dealer under warranty at least 4 or 5 times but they have never fixed the problem. Has any one had this issue and if you did what was the cure? It runs great on AC.
Thanks

[Mopar_Earl]

I assume the burner and nozzle have been cleaned? LP supply checked for kinks in the hose or copper line? The little on/off LP valve on the fridge is fully open? I have found those half shut. Sounds like you have weak gas supply, weak or out of spec spark gap, or dirty burner and/or nozzle.

I would clean the burner and chimney. Clean or replace the nozzle. Check for LP supply issue like a kinked hose or line. Make sure spark is hot and the gap is correct. Check gas pressure to the fridge off and while lighting and burning. Test port is on the fridge. Should have 11" WC while lighting and burning.

Earl

[CAG]

Here is what I do to start the fridge on gas. I turn the gas on, slowly so it does not think there is a major leak and the bottle shuts off. I then go to the kitchen stove and turn on and light all three burners. This make take a minute or two to get the gas up the line. Shut the burners off and start the fridge. In most cases it now starts quickly as gas has been forced up closer to it. It might take one or two more attempts but in most cases not.

Traveling can blow the fridge flame out so you need to recheck when you stop to see it is ok. Restart if not.

[camjam]

Originally Posted by Mopar_Earl

I assume the burner and nozzle have been cleaned? LP supply checked for kinks in the hose or copper line? The little on/off LP valve on the fridge is fully open? I have found those half shut. Sounds like you have weak gas supply, weak or out of spec spark gap, or dirty burner and/or nozzle.

I would clean the burner and chimney. Clean or replace the nozzle. Check for LP supply issue like a kinked hose or line. Make sure spark is hot and the gap is correct. Check gas pressure to the fridge off and while lighting and burning. Test port is on the fridge. Should have 11" WC while lighting and burning.

Earl

I had assumed with as many times as the dealer has had it back for the issue they would of tried those cures but obviously not. I have checked for kinked hoses, did find one, fixed it but that did not solve the problem. Where is the little on/off valve on the fridge located? Haven't tried that. We have the 12cf double door. The spark seems to be fine I have no idea what the gap should be. One time when we got it back the tech had the setting(flame) set as high as it would go didn't help, so the next time we brought it back they set it down to where it should be thinking that would solve the problem. It didn't. The last time they said they contacted tech support from the manufacture and they sent a part they thought was bad but that didn't work either.
I feel since we had the issue from day one that there might be some debri or something in the lines. I will try to clean them out.
My dealer has been excellent on fixing everything else with no short cuts so i'm surprised they haven't been able to fix this. I know its hard to find out what's wrong when something is working. I will try all your suggestions that I'm capable of and guess I have to take it somewhere for the other things. I have tried lighting the stove before trying the fridge but that never worked either.

[bender88]

Probably a bad regulator. Had the same problem with mine, plus problems with the on demand water heater. Changed out the propane regulator and boom all problems fixed.

[camjam]

Originally Posted by bender88

Probably a bad regulator. Had the same problem with mine, plus problems with the on demand water heater. Changed out the propane regulator and boom all problems fixed.

I'll be sure to put that on the list to try. Since there has never been any issues with the range or anything else not working I would have never thought of that. Thanks.

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by bender88

Probably a bad regulator. Had the same problem with mine, plus problems with the on demand water heater. Changed out the propane regulator and boom all problems fixed.

You would find a bad or out of adjustment regulator when checking the LP pressure to the fridge.

Earl

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by camjam

I had assumed with as many times as the dealer has had it back for the issue they would of tried those cures but obviously not. I have checked for kinked hoses, did find one, fixed it but that did not solve the problem. Where is the little on/off valve on the fridge located? Haven't tried that. We have the 12cf double door. The spark seems to be fine I have no idea what the gap should be. One time when we got it back the tech had the setting(flame) set as high as it would go didn't help, so the next time we brought it back they set it down to where it should be thinking that would solve the problem. It didn't. The last time they said they contacted tech support from the manufacture and they sent a part they thought was bad but that didn't work either.
I feel since we had the issue from day one that there might be some debri or something in the lines. I will try to clean them out.
My dealer has been excellent on fixing everything else with no short cuts so i'm surprised they haven't been able to fix this. I know its hard to find out what's wrong when something is working. I will try all your suggestions that I'm capable of and guess I have to take it somewhere for the other things. I have tried lighting the stove before trying the fridge but that never worked either.

Not all dealers and their techs are created equal. Either troubleshoot it yourself or try another dealer. The gas system on RV fridges is extremely basic and pretty much unchanged for the last 30 plus years.


Earl

[Mopar_Earl]

Pic of the little on/off valve. Slash on the knob should be horizontal as show in the pic for full on.

Next to the shut off valve is the plug for testing LP pressure.


Earl

[camjam]

Originally Posted by Mopar_Earl

Pic of the little on/off valve. Slash on the knob should be horizontal as show in the pic for full on.

Next to the shut off valve is the plug for testing LP pressure.


Earl

After being a General Contractor for the past 40 years there isn't to many things I can't fix or tool or gauge I don't have, but gas is a whole new ball game to me. I know very little about it and have no tools or gauges to check anything. I have done all the procedures you have suggested except checking for LP pressure. Since this problem is intermittent I guess when the dealer checked things if everything was working,who knows. Like I said before normally the dealer has been good but I know good techs are hard to find. I may just put a new regulator on and see if that does the trick over time and if not take it to a different repair shop to test the pressure. I really appreciate all the help from everyone as I had no idea where to start.

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by camjam

After being a General Contractor for the past 40 years there isn't to many things I can't fix or tool or gauge I don't have, but gas is a whole new ball game to me. I know very little about it and have no tools or gauges to check anything. I have done all the procedures you have suggested except checking for LP pressure. Since this problem is intermittent I guess when the dealer checked things if everything was working,who knows. Like I said before normally the dealer has been good but I know good techs are hard to find. I may just put a new regulator on and see if that does the trick over time and if not take it to a different repair shop to test the pressure. I really appreciate all the help from everyone as I had no idea where to start.

You can buy a water column gauge or manometer fairly cheap. I carry a yellow jacket brand gauge. You can also make your own manometer out of a board and some vinyl tubbing. There are YouTube videos on making your own.


Earl

[camjam]

Thanks