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TheWanderingRV's avatar
Sep 28, 2016

RV Fridge Auto Acting Funny

Hey guys!

My fridge works on gas or electric. We're plugged into electric - and the fridge has been working fine. However, randomly the fridge started "attempting" to use gas instead of electric.

It still has the green "ON" light, and it's still working off electric. However, it randomly lights the " GAS check if flashing" light. When it does, it makes a noise as if it's trying to light the gas, but it doesn't light then shuts off. It repeats this process every few minutes.

When I turn it to gas, it lights and works just fine.

Any ideas what might be wrong here?

On a side note, the oven gas isn't working. The stovetop does but no gas comes out in the oven. This just quit on us about a month ago. Still haven't fixed it. Not sure if it's related?

Thanks a ton in advance, everyone!
  • You might also check your ground wires. A loose or corroded ground can cause all kinds of bizarre happenings.
  • Fridge AC requirements........
    108V - 132V
    AC has to be 'lost' for controls to swap to GAS Operation


    Fridge DC requirements........
    9.5V - 15.4V
    Below 9.5V fridge will 'stop' operating



    When AC is lost and controls swap to GAS...'check' light comes on when gas fails to light/prove
    When 'check' light comes on.....GAS locks out and can not be used/check light won't clear until fridge is turned OFF then back ON


    Fridge on AC ...check light flickers/gas tries but stays on AC
    That is a circuit board issue.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    If the voltage drops too low the fridge will switch to gas.

    Also: I have found Many RVers have a few screws loose.. No, not those, the ones in the power distribution box.. One of mine took over 2 full turns before I even felt resistance and another FULL TURN to be tight, with the screws this loose teh wires rattle around in the clip and make and break.

    There are several other connections that can be flakey as well. Some I've found

    Outlets.. the "Qick boxes" are basicall junk, pull much over 10 amps they melt.

    and in power line order

    THe park outlet (house outlet) Screw loose, bad connection, bad breaker, other issues
    The plug, screws loose unless welded connection, bad weld.
    The shore cord outlet (if any) this is for detachable cords. had one fall off in my hand once, all six of the internal screws were loose. Let me tell you the owner of that RV was **NOT** a happy camper.. Would loved to have been there when he returned to his dealer.. We got him working.

    The INLET (mine, one screw

    The Transfer Switch (Only applies to rigs that have 'em, this one is rare though)

    And a few Junction boxes.

    And last, this is very very very very rare.. I had a wire go bad.. Yup, a couple of feet from the end of the wire (This was a DC lead) was a "bulge" I cut it open and it's all corrosion, no connection, cut back both ways to good wire, Solidered and sealed, all good since.
  • The power is through the house, so it's not as strong as it probably should be.

    Thanks for the help, guys! I'll check out the stuff on the oven too while I'm at it.
  • How good is your power? If power is interrupted and you have the fridge set on "auto" it will try to light on gas. Then when the power comes back on, it will return to electric. If the power is in the "iffy" range to begin with, I would switch to gas. We use a power management system and on occasion if we have bad power, I put everything on gas that I can so as not to damage sensitive electronics with power variances.

    Just a thought.

    Dale
  • Oven and fridge issues are NOT related. Independent problems.

    Oven.....gas control or thermocouple

    Fridge.....circuit board

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