Fridge Issue

PhillyPhan · 07-15-2019, 05:11 PM

So, we have another issue with our 2019 28BHS. Seems like this things been in the shop more than used. Any way the last few trips out the fridge has went out on us. It works fine when I have it plugged in at home prior to leaving, but when I switch it over to propane when we leave the problems begin. Most of the time by the time I get to our campsite the fridge is turned off and things are starting to warm up. I'm able to get it reset by turning it off and then back on again on propane. It runs all day. I wake up in the morning and it's got the red blinking lights on it. I turn it off and on again and it runs all day with no issues. Go to bed and wake up with the same blinking red lights. This has happened our last three camping trips and I'm able to reset it every time and it runs all day, but faults at some point during the night. I'm getting 5 blinking lights with a slight pause in between. Manual states that means a flame is present when it shouldn't be. Dropping it back off at the dealer Wednesday since I'm still under the two year warranty. I'm sure it will be there a while because I believe it will need a new fridge.

TCNashville · 07-15-2019, 05:48 PM

Ok so you're saying that when you're home it works fine on electric but when you reach your campsite it doesn't work on electric? Or are you boondocking and once you leave the house the fridge is on propane for the entire trip?

PhillyPhan · 07-15-2019, 05:54 PM

It's only when I'm boondocking and the fridge is running off propane. It won't stay on running off propane while I'm towing it and then I have those issues over night when running off propane that I stated originally. No issues when I'm home running off electric other that it doesn't cool off in this 110deg Phoenix heat, but that's to be expected unfortunately.

TCNashville · 07-15-2019, 06:27 PM

Hopefully they won't have to replace the fridge as it might just be a mother board issue or a flame sensor problem. When the fridge is run on propane it has an igniter [flame sensor] that has a dual purpose. It ignites the propane but also sends a signal back to the board that a flame is present. Your water heater has the same sensor. When the fridge reaches the desired temp the propane will shut down until the temp in the fridge increases then it will refire. Sounds like when it refires is when you're having the problem. I replaced the flame sensor in mine a few years back for a similar problem. One other thing to check is the burner tube that feeds the gas to the flame sometimes gets crud in it from the chimney and won't allow a strong flame. This will also cause problems but like I said hopefully it won't be anything major to cause a lot of down time.

PhillyPhan · 07-15-2019, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCNashville

Hopefully they won't have to replace the fridge as it might just be a mother board issue or a flame sensor problem. When the fridge is run on propane it has an igniter [flame sensor] that has a dual purpose. It ignites the propane but also sends a signal back to the board that a flame is present. Your water heater has the same sensor. When the fridge reaches the desired temp the propane will shut down until the temp in the fridge increases then it will refire. Sounds like when it refires is when you're having the problem. I replaced the flame sensor in mine a few years back for a similar problem. One other thing to check is the burner tube that feeds the gas to the flame sometimes gets crud in it from the chimney and won't allow a strong flame. This will also cause problems but like I said hopefully it won't be anything major to cause a lot of down time.

That would be good then. It's just weird that it runs all day but shuts off at night, but I guess with what you're saying. At night its probably finally reaching temperature, shuts off flame and when temp warms up it tries to turn back on and can't.

RetiredOne · 07-15-2019, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhillyPhan

It's only when I'm boondocking and the fridge is running off propane.

Just wondering, how is your 12 volt battery. Is it good and hold a charge? What do you do for power during the day, run a generator? How about at night?

Any chance it's your 12 volt system running out of juice overnight, kicking off the fridge?

wags999 · 07-15-2019, 07:16 PM

Are you running on Solar ? May be a low voltage issue...during the day the solar works, at night your batteries get low voltage. I would check your batteries see how good they are. Batteries don't last long in our Az heat..

PhillyPhan · 07-15-2019, 07:22 PM

It's not the batteries. I have two golf batteries that are brand new and I check them and they're fully charge. I think TCNashville has the right idea. He got me thinking about why it only happens at night and I think I know why. The fridge never really reaches normal cold operating temp when at home, it's just too damn hot inside the trailer. When I get to camp where it's cooler the fridge finally reaches the correct cold temp at night and shuts off the flame. Then when it comes time to start cooling again it faults out for the "flame sensor seen when it shouldn't be" fault. Which is what the 5 blinking lights mean according to my manual.

mt8316 · 07-15-2019, 08:03 PM

I’m a newbie but my understanding is camper must be level and it’s best to turn on the stovetop burners first and light them to get proper flow of propane to the fridge before running fridge on propane

PhillyPhan · 07-15-2019, 08:07 PM

I don't think you're getting my post. Thanks for the reply. I am aware of that trick. I do it every time I switch my fridge to propane. The fridge runs fine all day on propane. It lights and it cools down no problem. I go to bed and it's running and cold running off of propane. When I wake up in the morning it has a fault, that fault causes the fridge to stop running which in turn starts warming up.

mt8316 · 07-15-2019, 08:09 PM

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TCNashville · 07-15-2019, 08:20 PM

PhillyPhan, low battery voltage will cause the same problems as mentioned above but as you say the batteries are sufficiently charged to eliminate that potential issue. One other thing to check is the propane regulator. It's a long shot but if it's malfunctioning at some point it won't allow the fridge to relight. Just another thought.

PhillyPhan · 07-15-2019, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCNashville

PhillyPhan, low battery voltage will cause the same problems as mentioned above but as you say the batteries are sufficiently charged to eliminate that potential issue. One other thing to check is the propane regulator. It's a long shot but if it's malfunctioning at some point it won't allow the fridge to relight. Just another thought.

Okay thanks. Yeah battery is perfectly fine. To get it to relight the only thing I do is turn the fridge off and back on again and it lights. I have a few issues going on with the trailer, so I'm going to let the dealer work on all of them lol. I'll let you all know what they find.

PhillyPhan · 08-19-2020, 06:25 AM

Well this problem has returned. Last year it turned out to be a bad control board on the fridge. Took the trailer to the dealer and they couldn't duplicate the problem because of course they wouldn't listen to me. I'm in Phoenix and the temps have been 115 lately. The only way to duplicate the problem is to turn the AC on to at least 76 to help the fridge cool down to temp. They tell me there's no problem. I bring it home and start getting it ready for my next trip and what do you know same freaking problem. I got into an argument with the service center rep because I kept telling him last year the tech replaced the control board for the same issue, but he insisted there's no way the control board would cause this problem. I tell him your tech is the one that said it and replaced the part which fixed the issue last year. I'm not making this stuff up, I got that from your tech. Still wants to continue to argue with me. I swear I'll never deal with the dealer again when this warranty is over. Stay away from World Wide RV in Mesa, AZ.

Tad · 08-19-2020, 03:26 PM

We had a similar problem with the same dealer. Are you camping at high elevation above 5500 feet? Sorry. Just saw it acted up at home. They couldn't fix mine either. I called Genes RV . Mobile mechanic and also has a storefront. He is in the East Mesa area on Main Street. He got my fridge fixed in 20 minutes. I am sure he can get yours fixed too

PhillyPhan · 08-20-2020, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tad

We had a similar problem with the same dealer. Are you camping at high elevation above 5500 feet? Sorry. Just saw it acted up at home. They couldn't fix mine either. I called Genes RV . Mobile mechanic and also has a storefront. He is in the East Mesa area on Main Street. He got my fridge fixed in 20 minutes. I am sure he can get yours fixed too

What did you find wrong? It's still under warranty so I'm using the dealer to fix it again until the warranty is up. Last year when it happened after they said they couldn't find anything wrong and taking it back several times they finally listened to me and were able to duplicate it. Ended up being a bad control board.

Tad · 08-21-2020, 06:36 PM

Igniter distance was too close and it was off to the side just a bit. He fixed it and works great 24/7. Was up in the Greer area boondocking for several days above 9000 feet and worked perfect

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