Puzzled by Refrigerator Problem

[rfloyd99]

I'm getting ready for a trip, and can't figure out what's going on with the Dometic fridge in my six year old trailer. FWIW, we didn't use it at all for a year.

Yesterday I tested the stove, water heater and fridge. All worked, I left the fridge on for a couple of hours, and it was working, starting to get cool. The gas burner fired right up.

Today I took both propane tanks to be filled, came back and hooked them up and tested everything again. All worked except the fridge. When I set it on gas, I never heard the clicking sound to light it but I could see what seemed like a burning pilot light inside the firebox area. But the burner never fired. I tried it several times. When I set it on electic, the pilot light disappeared, but came back every time I set it on gas. I've never had any trouble with the fridge over many trips. Of course, there are no service people available where I am.

Anyone have any ideas?

[rfloyd99]

Eddie, there was SOMETHING not working right. the little flame I could see was not the main burner. When the main burner is on you can see a bigger flame, and also can hear the "roar" of the full combustion.

MT Bob, hope you're right and it'll work for the next month (or several years!) I'm making a big note about the fuse trick.

Anyway, I went back out an hour or so after it finally fired up and it's still working. Keeping my fingers crossed....

[MT_BOB]

Very good chance it will be fine. My neighbors has needed a control module(the black box in the back, with the electrics in it),and whenever it acts up,we are camping,so no 120v, he pulls the fuse (12v) to the fridge for a few minutes,puts back in,starts back up. He is too cheap to replace it,lol!

[rfloyd99]

Thanks for the response, seems like you know a lot about these. If it's the module or board, that probably means finding a technician. Do you think it's a good bet that this may have sorted itself out?

[Bird_Freak]

The pilot light you saw was the burner. It's working fine.

[MT_BOB]

It is possible you stirred up some oil in the LP system, and when that happens it takes a while to get it out,the jet is tiny. But, it is an Americana series, and they had lots of problems with the control module and eyebrow boards.

[rfloyd99]

Model # seems to be DM2652. I also wrote "Model LBFX" on the manual. Don't remember where I got that from.

Two hours ago I left the fridge on electricity, and when I went out to get the model # I checked the temp, and it was definitely cooling(down about 18 degrees). I tried switching to gas, and it fired right up! Of, will have to wait and see if it continues. The only thing different is the outside temp. This afternoon it was in the mid 60's. Now it's in the mid/low 50's it seems. don't know why that would matter.

We're travelling for a month, sometimes with no hookups, hope some one has some idea about what's going on.

[John_Wayne]

The flame is about the size of a pilot light, you will never see a flame like you see in the Water heater, if that's what you are comparing it to. If you are seeing a flame in the firebox the refrigerator is working on propane, leave the flame on for 24 hrs and I'll bet your refrigerator is as cold as it would be on elec.

[MT_BOB]

need model #