Dometic Frig Help

[MainerBob]

Help, Help! We are set to take off Tuesday morning. Just got the trailer back from the shop on Saturday and we're busy loading. Went to turn on the frig and it won't light. We're not on shore power and no way to do that. We got new propane tanks but otherwise nothing was done to the gas system. There is power to the frig and propane is on and flowing since after a few minutes wait the stove lit. We turn the frig on, on auto and we can hear the clicking outside with little "bursts" of sound but it doesn't catch and goes back to clicking. We've been at this awhile with no progress and don't know what else to try. Help!

Bob

[Deckape]

Hurrah! enjoy the trip!

[Gene_Ginny]

Thanks for letting us know how it was resolved. Simple and inexpensive is always the preferred outcome. :C

[MainerBob]

Final answer: Thanks to all who tried to help. The simple problem was that, in fact, the igniter is the thermocouple and it was not far enough into the flame to get hot enough to keep the gas valve open. Took to dealer, 10 minutes, no charge. Leaving for South and then West in the AM.

Bob

[Heisenberg]

Take a wire brush and clean the build up off of the igniter.

[Gene_Ginny]

MainerBob wrote:
... Good spark and then brief blue flame and then out. ...

As robsouth said, themocouple. If the thermocouple doesn't "see" a flame the gas valve closes. On many older units there is a seperate thermocouple, on newer unis the igniter senses the flame.

[robsouth]

Thermocouple? Just a thought.

[Luke_Porter]

Did you clean out the burner? They get filled with crud.

[MainerBob]

Thanks to all who are trying to help me. This morning I called Dometic and they advised me to just keep cycling it until the gas flow was steady. I did that a few more times with no change so I disconnected the igniter and removed the gas pressure test plug. This allowed a higher gas flow to purge the line. Hooked everything back up and cycled the on/off switch but there was still no change. Good spark and then brief blue flame and then out. Tomorrow I will have it back to my dealer first thing. Does anyone think it could be the circuit board? The frig is only 5 years old. I have electricity, spark and gas flow.

Bob

[mlts22]

Other thing I can think of is the battery. If it drops below 9-10 volts, the refrigerator control board will not ignite, and it will turn on the check light.

[Deckape]

Did you look for a Reset button? Some models of Dometics have one, usually Red in color. Good luck.

[ferretgrandpa]

Does the 'flu' have a blockage? A can of air will move spiderwebs out. Seems you have power to the unit (clicking ,etc), so next is a blockage.

[louiskathy]

Did you check the fuse? It is in the little black plastic box at the base of the fridge in the back... open the vent cover on the outside and you should see it.

[robsouth]

I read that you already lit the stove and it worked, so there is flowing propane. Might just take a few more than usual tries since the tanks were replaced. I assume that you know that the tanks are full?

[SuperDutyFiver]

Did it light yet???

I agree with all of the above-and you'll have to manually switch it back and forth as it eventually gives up the gas...