Fridge and Water heater work on gas only?

[me_mybcs]

Hi - I'm getting my TT ready for the weekend and plugged up the power as usual to get the fridge cold, and the fridge will not work. I hear it trying to, but it won't go. So i thought i'd try the water heater on the electric setting rather than gas, and it won't work either. I can hear them both clicking but they won't start up. I know i have power to the TT - the microwave display is on, etc. Fuses look okay, and i've flipped the main power off and on a couple of times. What am i missing? Thanks in advance!

[Old-Biscuit]

Sounds like you have a Suburban water heater......
Toggle switch in outside compartment is for electric.
Switch inside is for propane

Fridge......
In auto fridge should select AC first (IF AC power is available) if no AC power it swaps to propane (No AC could be problem with outlet it plugs into, could be bad/loose AC fuse on control module, could be loose/dirty connections on wire cable from control module to eyebrow, could be eyebrow button contacts)

With AC power on......manually swap to 'gas' then back to auto. Should swap to gas and then back to AC
With AC power on and fridge in 'auto'.......unplug fridge. Should swap to gas....then plug fridge back in and it should swap back to AC

[John___Angela]

Good on you for sticking with it. Glad to hear its working. Happy travels.

J and A

[me_mybcs]

12v is fine, just checked it, batteries charged. I think i have it working now. The water heater was perhaps me just being stupid. Since the fridge wasn't working on AC, i thought i'd try the electric side of the water heater, though i never, ever use it on electric. So i flipped the toggle on the WH to on and then turned on the switch inside the camper too. I suspect the inside switch is propane only. I'm going to investigate that more. The fridge appears to be working now. I have a feeling perhaps something is trying to give out on it and i just fiddled with it enough that it started working. Maybe the "gas" button on the control panel is about to give out, since the fridge was pretty convinced it should be working on propane. Anyway, i may be back with more questions but that's where i am now. Thanks everyone, this is a great resource!

[powderman426]

I would start by unplugging the refrigerator and checking voltage at the plug.

[2oldman]

me&mybcs wrote:
.The camper is definitely getting AC.

I asked about your 12v.

[Canadian_Rainbi]

Do they run from the same breaker? 120V breaker may have tripped or be turned off. Often appliances will revert to gas if there is no AC.

Will they run on gas? Clicking sound is from the igniter trying to light the gas.

[me_mybcs]

Yes, i agree the clicking is confusing. Both are set to electric, not gas (auto on the fridge, button for electric engaged on water heater). Both are clicking, the ignitors trying to light a pilot light, as if they were running on gas.

I've checked all the fuses. If it was just one appliance, it would be less confusing i think. Is there something that tells the 2 appliances together to switch over to AC? The camper is definitely getting AC.

[John___Angela]

Ok. So just to clarify, you are trying to run them both on 120 volts electric. It's just your statement re clicking is confusing.

If it is electric you are trying to run them on do you

A. Have the switch turned on for electric. If it is a suburban tank that switch is commonly on the tank but there may also be a secondary wall switch.

B. The water heater electric is on a GFI breaker. Make sure it isn't tripped.

For the fridge, depending on the make you have to select auto. It will default to AC if there is AC

[2oldman]

Hmm.. not that this *should* help, but how is your 12v system? Batteries ok?

[me_mybcs]

Yes, propane works fine, cooktop and all.

[me_mybcs]

Yes, i know. Any idea what would keep them from switching over? I read about some "eyebrow" thingie in relation to the fridge, but this is *both* appliances.

[time2roll]

Does the propane cooktop work?

[sclark]

If they are clicking they are trying to ignite on gas, not electric. Electric mode should not produce a clicking sound.