Fridge stopped working!

Flatfive wrote:
Okay. It's working now. I went out and turned the fridge on "gas" then I walked around the back and I could hear the sparking of the igniter. Click, click, click. Every second a strong click. Okay I've got gas, got spark. What's the problem? I took the cover off to see the back of the fridge. I could see that a spark was jumping from the white wire to a pipe, right through the insulation. The wire was touching the pipe. So I just moved the wire away from the pipe and the fridge started working! I will put some more insulation on that white wire.

Thank you for letting us know you found the solution. It might help someone else out someday that has the same problem too.

Flatfive wrote:
Okay. It's working now. I went out and turned the fridge on "gas" then I walked around the back and I could hear the sparking of the igniter. Click, click, click. Every second a strong click. Okay I've got gas, got spark. What's the problem? I took the cover off to see the back of the fridge. I could see that a spark was jumping from the white wire to a pipe, right through the insulation. The wire was touching the pipe. So I just moved the wire away from the pipe and the fridge started working! I will put some more insulation on that white wire.

YEP.....
Spark has to be at main burner where the gas comes out :B

Okay. It's working now. I went out and turned the fridge on "gas" then I walked around the back and I could hear the sparking of the igniter. Click, click, click. Every second a strong click. Okay I've got gas, got spark. What's the problem? I took the cover off to see the back of the fridge. I could see that a spark was jumping from the white wire to a pipe, right through the insulation. The wire was touching the pipe. So I just moved the wire away from the pipe and the fridge started working! I will put some more insulation on that white wire.

You need air, fuel and a spark. Determine which is still missing. Most likely the fuel since it ran out and was working correctly before. Mine will take multiple attempts to relight in the scenario you described. If the igniter is sparking the fuel line still has air in it somewhere and is not getting enough fuel to light.

Flatfive wrote:
I just tried it six times. Check light comes on after 45 seconds each time. I can light the stove so I know there's still gas.

You know there is gas in the line going to the stove. You probably still don't have gas in the line going to the fridge. Keep trying. Be sure to wait a couple of minutes between tries and listen for the igniter to click.

You can try to manually light the burner but continued switching between gas and electric should do the trick eventually. Assuming you are hearing the igniter click each time.

You may have a weak igniter. I have seen them fail when the rig has run out of gas. The extra strain makes them go weak and miss fire

You said the check light comes on in 45 seconds. That sounds quick but maybe they changed the timing sequence They use to try 3 start and purge cycles and went out on safety. May have takes 1.5 minutes or more for all 3 cycles.

Try this, when you turn the fridge on gas (after resetting the fault light or just been many minutes or more) go out and listen next to the fridge. You should head snap, snap snap non stop for at least 30 to 45 seconds. About once a second. If get erratic firing, snaps 2 times then misses 5 and gets 1 , then missed 4 more then gets 2 etc, your igniter is having issues.

Under a normal fully purdged gas lines the igniter only snaps 1 to 2 times and it is lit. In the air filled system the strain on the igniter makes it have to fire non stop and in this case the spark is weak and intermitten.

When this happen to me, I lit the burner by hand. After waiting for all gas to purdge out, I took the shields off to get to the burner. Used a grill lighter to create flame over the burner slots, had wife turn on the fridge on gas, heard the click of the gas valve and within a second or 2 it lit.

Then every cycle time it needed to work, it only took 1 or 2 snaps and it was going. That was 4 years ago... on the same igniter. I bought a spare and have it with me, but unless the line to dry this situation never shows up.

Here are some pics of how far into the sheet metal you have to dig.

The recall heat should has to come off.


Then it looks like this


Then the little cover over the burner
Now looks like this


Here you can see the sparking electrode over the gas burner slots. That is where you will light the burner


If you do not feel totally comfortable doing this, then stop and find someone who has done it before. The older fridges that were all gas, and lighting it by hand was common. Some have used a match, I prefer a grill lighter to get me some distance

Hope this helps

John

Flatfive wrote:
Yes, we do have that kind of auto-switching valve. This was our first outing. 7 days with some cold nights. We ran out of both cylinders, but we had another that we use for a bar-b-que.

When 1st cylinder goes empty (you have to check the Indicator) you should get it refilled

I just tried it six times. Check light comes on after 45 seconds each time. I can light the stove so I know there's still gas.

Go outside and remove lower fridge vent
Then have someone try to get fridge to run on GAS

Do you hear the spark electrode firing...Click/Click/Click???
Can you smell ANY propane?

Gas valve gets power/opens at same time spark electrode fires
Power stays on gas valve for 6-8 seconds then gets dropped if no main flame proves.
Flame proves by lighting off and engulfing spark electrode.
By engulfing electrode a signal is generated that goes to circuit board and says 'I AM LIT' which allows power to remain on gas valve

I just tried it six times. Check light comes on after 45 seconds each time. I can light the stove so I know there's still gas.

Yes, we do have that kind of auto-switching valve. This was our first outing. 7 days with some cold nights. We ran out of both cylinders, but we had another that we use for a bar-b-que.

Just need to force it a few times........

When you get 'check' light it is because propane flame did not light. It did not light due to lack of propane flow (empty cylinder...you don't have tanks)
Swapped cylinders and you have established flow to water heater and stove but not to section of propane line to fridge gas valve/burner.

Reset fridge....try gas again.......several times until propane lights

Don't you have an auto changeover propane regulator where both cylinders can be valved in and it swaps from empty to full tank so no loss of propane flow?