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macdaddy54's avatar
macdaddy54
Explorer
May 21, 2014

Norcold N841 gas flame problem

My fridge worked on propane for 4 days then quit when it relights it goes out in about 20 seconds while the ignighter is still sparking all that time then it just kicks off. Flue is clean and new ignighter installed burner clean too. I ran it off my gen on 110v seemed like freezer was getting cold but not fridge but I never knew how long it should take. I cant run gen constantly so I need it to work on gas any help will be appreciated!
  • The 'no volts' indicates a problem with power board

    BUT it could have been dirty/poor contacts. Doesn't take much resistance to stop 12V DC
  • checked voltage and it was at 12v while the igniter was igniting the burner going the when burner shut down no volts!! That was this morn then after work i was showing another camper what it was doing so i plugged all wires back into board and it was running for 3 hrs before i came home what the hell!!! i was thinking maybe all that unplugging and plugging cleaned up the connections who knows i dont but i will chk it before i go to work in morning with fingers crossed!!!!!!!!!!
  • macdaddy54 wrote:
    to Old-Biscuit do you chk the gv and gv-grd with the wires plugged in to the board? unplugged or wires alone or just the board terminals? not much on electrical here!!!!! and I did run on 110 for two hrs and freezer at 30 and fridge at 60 not too good! ever heard of turning it upside down for a day then right side up to get ammonia stirred up after setting?


    You check for dc voltage across those two terminals.

    Ran fridge on 110V AC for 2 hrs.......freezer at 30*F fridge at 60*F
    That's because the freezer section cools down first before the food section will begin to cool down.
    2 hrs.......just getting started. Takes 4-6 hrs. for food section to begin cooling.
    On initial cool down (AC or gas) it is best to operate it overnight to get properly cooled.

    Tuning fridge upside down is an old 'band-aid' fix......an attempt to dislodge blockage which inhibits proper cooling. Blockage is a result of running fridge off-level causing poor gravitational flow, overheating/plating and that damage is permanent. It can NOT be cured by turning fridge upside down, rolling in end over end or any other gymnastics. The ammonia does NOT need stirred up.
  • to Old-Biscuit do you chk the gv and gv-grd with the wires plugged in to the board? unplugged or wires alone or just the board terminals? not much on electrical here!!!!! and I did run on 110 for two hrs and freezer at 30 and fridge at 60 not too good! ever heard of turning it upside down for a day then right side up to get ammonia stirred up after setting?
  • you're right....going from the owners manual (looked up online) it looks like the ignitor and flame sensor are one unit and you've already replaced that. Last fall mine did something similar except mine wouldn't light at all on gas but ran fine on 110. Ended up being the board.
  • Where is thermocouple? My understanding is that ignitor served as flame detecter! Beacause the manual on mine don't show thermocoupler. I started my gen and run it on ac going back out to see if it's working that way it will be running for two hrs then I will chk voltage
  • sounds to me like a bad thermocouple if it's actually lighting for a few seconds before shutting down but I'm no rv fridge expert. I've worked on a couple I've owned though. Doesn't sound to me like it's recognizing the flame and then going into lock out. Check the easiest stuff first like propane level but from your description I bet it's going to be the thermocouple....cheap and easy to replace.
  • What error codes are you getting?

    Is spark electrode properly gaped......1/8" to 3/16" tip to burner?

    Have you checked voltage across 'GV' and 'GV-GRD' on power board?
    No voltage---bad board
    Good Voltage........bad gas valve
  • It's acting like you're out of gas, but assuming that's not the case -

    Is the fridge in a slide out ?

    Does it run OK on propane when the slide is 'out' but will not run when it is 'in' ?

    If yes, then there may be a kink in the flexible propane line when the slide is 'in' stopping/slowing the flow of gas.