High Altitude Fridge Problems

[d-mac1]

Our Dometic fridge had intermittent lighting issues while we were camped at about 9500' in Taylor Park. On a previous trip to the west coast just a few weeks ago and here at home (6500') it seems to work fine and it works fine going down the road (once I got to lower elevation (i.e. it went out once on trip home from Taylor while we were still at high altitude)). The problem seems to be altitude related, but the symptoms are strange.

Once or twice a day the problem would be noticed....the fridge would try to light the pilot and the problem would occur when the pilot would light, but the igniter would keep trying to light it. Click, click, click, click, like every 1/2 second. After a while, it would quit clicking and the pilot would go out. At the time, it seemed like something wasn't sensing that the pilot was actually lit. I'd find the fault light on (day or night) and have to turn fridge off and turn back on (there is no DC option). Sometimes the problem varied in that it sounded like there was air in the line and wasn't getting a steady stream of fuel....it would half way light, then make a sound I can't really type (kind of a soft whoop), and go out, and try to relight. I switched to a full propane tank mid-trip and thought I'd solved the problem, but nope...it started again. The other tank sensor shows green, so its not empty.

I just went out and turned on the fridge, here at home, using first one propane tank then the other, and the fridge lights first time every time. I read in another thread where someone with a truck camper had a similar issue. I didn't see resolution in their thread, but it was mentioned to possibly adjust the regulator. I removed the cover on what I think is the adjuster screw and turned it less than 1/2 turn left, and then 1/2 turn right from original location and didn't notice any impact.

A possibly related issue....our range's stove top burners kinda pulse...especially when on high. This happens here at home and was happening at high altitude.I haven't lived in a house with a gas appliance in forever, but it seems to me that the flame should be steady. Is this pulsing related to the fridge issue Is it too much pressure, too little? Faulty regulator?

Thanks for any ideas.

Dave

[captdave363]

Might not be an issue for tou but I had a pressure issue in my 2012 Hartland
Landmark 5th wheel and it turned out to be an issue with the hoses from the tank to the regulator. Once I replaced the hoses I had no further issues

[d-mac1]

Dealer said a new regulator is about $50. He also said mine should be automatically switching to the other propane tank when the first is empty. Mine has NEVER done that.

The tanks sit side by side and I always select the right tank for first use so the left is backup. When the right one runs out, I have to turn the selector to the left one. He said with selector set to right, when it runs out, it should automatically start drawing from left tank and that the selector is only used to switch to the full tank so that you can remove the empty one.

Is this how everyone else's setup works? Like I said, mine hasn't ever worked like that, but he said they've been like he described for a long time. Mine has a little indicator that shows green when a tank has fuel, yellow if low, etc. My trailer is 2012.

Thanks.

[d-mac1]

laknox wrote:

d-mac1 wrote:


Thanks. I'll call my dealer and see what they say a new regulator would cost. I also need to get my microwave fixed....it wouldn't work upon arrival at campsite after a pretty rough road. Thats a possbile topic for another post. It runs, but won't heat anything. Will open it up and see if anything obvious. I understand they have high voltage, so will try to avoid electrocuting myself 🙂

I had an issue with my MW and called out a mobile tech. Turned out that a wire had come loose on a spade clip but wasn't =completely= off, just enough to lose contact. Was just a bit cheaper than a new MW, but 8 years later, it's still going strong.

Lyle

Thats the kinda thing I hope to find after a pretty rough road into camp.

[laknox]

d-mac1 wrote:

WyoTraveler wrote:
No question about you having a problem. There have also been other posts about the same problem. However, There are lots of RVs out there that don't have the problem. We live at 5000 ft and no problem and we travel to higher elevations with no problem. Several years ago I had a similar problem. Some appliances worked others wouldn't. Turned out to be a regulator problem. Regulators are cheap but I wanted to find out what the problem was. They checked my regulator. It wouldn't furnish the proper pressure and ajustment was erratic. Propane dealer said sometimes dirt gets into the regulators from dirty propane. Not different from getting dirty fuel in our vehicles. It becomes a PITA for us.

BTW: I had taken my gas range in for an RV dealer to repair. I was really upset when it still didn't work after I paid the bill. I lost my temper with the guy. After finding out it was the regulator it was embarrasing but I had to go back to the RV dealer and apoligize.

Thanks. I'll call my dealer and see what they say a new regulator would cost. I also need to get my microwave fixed....it wouldn't work upon arrival at campsite after a pretty rough road. Thats a possbile topic for another post. It runs, but won't heat anything. Will open it up and see if anything obvious. I understand they have high voltage, so will try to avoid electrocuting myself 🙂

I had an issue with my MW and called out a mobile tech. Turned out that a wire had come loose on a spade clip but wasn't =completely= off, just enough to lose contact. Was just a bit cheaper than a new MW, but 8 years later, it's still going strong.

Lyle

[d-mac1]

WyoTraveler wrote:
No question about you having a problem. There have also been other posts about the same problem. However, There are lots of RVs out there that don't have the problem. We live at 5000 ft and no problem and we travel to higher elevations with no problem. Several years ago I had a similar problem. Some appliances worked others wouldn't. Turned out to be a regulator problem. Regulators are cheap but I wanted to find out what the problem was. They checked my regulator. It wouldn't furnish the proper pressure and ajustment was erratic. Propane dealer said sometimes dirt gets into the regulators from dirty propane. Not different from getting dirty fuel in our vehicles. It becomes a PITA for us.

BTW: I had taken my gas range in for an RV dealer to repair. I was really upset when it still didn't work after I paid the bill. I lost my temper with the guy. After finding out it was the regulator it was embarrasing but I had to go back to the RV dealer and apoligize.

Thanks. I'll call my dealer and see what they say a new regulator would cost. I also need to get my microwave fixed....it wouldn't work upon arrival at campsite after a pretty rough road. Thats a possbile topic for another post. It runs, but won't heat anything. Will open it up and see if anything obvious. I understand they have high voltage, so will try to avoid electrocuting myself 🙂

[d-mac1]

waltbennett wrote:
We were over 8k at two different overnights on our current trip to the west coast from Virginia and ours worked fine. Had a little bit of issue with it freezing when the outside temps hit 114 in Northern CA though. IMHO it's really about pushing things to the limits of their capabilities.

I have to keep ours on max cold all the time and it is barely cold enough. Never will it freeze things....other than in the freezer. I wonder if the temp it goes to can be adjusted? I have the little hose inside pushed as high as it will go for coldest 'setting'.

[waltbennett]

We were over 8k at two different overnights on our current trip to the west coast from Virginia and ours worked fine. Had a little bit of issue with it freezing when the outside temps hit 114 in Northern CA though. IMHO it's really about pushing things to the limits of their capabilities.

[WyoTraveler]

No question about you having a problem. There have also been other posts about the same problem. However, There are lots of RVs out there that don't have the problem. We live at 5000 ft and no problem and we travel to higher elevations with no problem. Several years ago I had a similar problem. Some appliances worked others wouldn't. Turned out to be a regulator problem. Regulators are cheap but I wanted to find out what the problem was. They checked my regulator. It wouldn't furnish the proper pressure and ajustment was erratic. Propane dealer said sometimes dirt gets into the regulators from dirty propane. Not different from getting dirty fuel in our vehicles. It becomes a PITA for us.

BTW: I had taken my gas range in for an RV dealer to repair. I was really upset when it still didn't work after I paid the bill. I lost my temper with the guy. After finding out it was the regulator it was embarrasing but I had to go back to the RV dealer and apoligize.