Fridge Gas Igniter

[fallsrider]

My fridge will not light. It works great on A/C, but not gas. If I light the burner with a grill lighter, it lights fine and burns a nice blue color. However, the spark is very weak and will not light it by itself. I have played with the gap, and I've cleaned all the terminals. I can never get more than a very weak spark with the wire almost touching the burner.

In your experience, is it most likely the igniter itself, or the white plastic box where the wire comes from that goes to the igniter? I'm assuming this box is a coil?

The fridge is a Dometic RM-2607. The trailer is a '95 Sunnybrook, so the fridge is 18 years old.

Thanks.

[fallsrider]

CavemanCharlie wrote:
X2 on the thanks for reporting back. I sometimes wonder if people get the problem fixed and I'm glad when they report back and say they did. It also helps us during a search in case we have the same problem.

You're welcome. I've done the same thing...wondered what the outcome was for someone's problem. It is nice to have information to help with searches. We all have common problems with our units. I have learned a lot here searching for things.

[CavemanCharlie]

JBarca wrote:
Good deal. Thanks for reporting back. The igniter getting weak has happened before and now again.

Happy camping!

John

X2 on the thanks for reporting back. I sometimes wonder if people get the problem fixed and I'm glad when they report back and say they did. It also helps us during a search in case we have the same problem.

[JBarca]

Good deal. Thanks for reporting back. The igniter getting weak has happened before and now again.

Happy camping!

John

[fallsrider]

I changed out the reigniter this past weekend and that fixed the problem. I now have nice sharp snaps for sparks. Fridge lights right up (after lighting burner on stove to fill the gas line). I'm a happy camper.

[fallsrider]

Update: I posted on another thread that it was taking a long time to get my electrode from RVeparts.com. I finally did get it. They were closed for 2 weeks during Christmas. It would have been nice to get an email saying that, or post it on their website, but in the end, I did get my part.

I changed out the electrode this morning, and I still have a very weak spark. I checked the voltage going to the reignitor, and I have over 12 volts, so my next plan is to get a new reignitor. Another $44 with shipping. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I can't think of anything else it could be. The grounds check out, so it has to be that. I hope! The price at RVeparts and at Amazon were the same when shipping was included. Prime was not available on that part at Amazon. I'm going to give RVeparts another shot. I hope they are a lot faster this time.

[fallsrider]

Ouch. I have no tolerance for being shocked. I've done wiring on my own houses over the years, and I really don't like that feeling.

[mbopp]

I had a bad electrode on my Dometic fridge, found it when I got "bit" holding the mounting tab when testing it. I put a new electrode in and had no more issues.
I've heard of sanding the ceramic body of the electrode and spraying it with a clear coat paint to seal it.

[fallsrider]

JBarca, thanks for all the detailed info! I will check the voltage, then replace the igniter if the voltage checks out. I have removed the battery for the winter, so the voltage will be from the converter.

[JBarca]

Hi,

I have been through this on my fridge, however it is a little newer than yours. The board features are a little different but looking up your model, the ignition itself appears to be the same.

See page 17 of 37 this manual. The PDF says 17 but the book page is 16 http://www.manualslib.com/manual/461515/Dometic-Rm2607.html?page=17#manual

There are 3 parts that "might" have an issue. However before getting into those parts, insure the grounds are good, clean and the DC voltage check going to the control board is up in mid 12 volts area. Like 12.5 and up. I cannot find quickly the low end cut off but if your converter is on it should be 13.25 or above. Battery only is not that hard to get 12.5 if the battery is up. If you are in the 12.0 area, charge the battery.

The 3 parts to sort out are the igniter, the cable and the electrode. Page 17 tells you how to do this. If you pull off the high voltage cable from the igniter and fire up the fridge on gas mode, you should hear it snapping non stop for 45 seconds then it will time out on saftey. A snap of about once a second says it is working. If the snap is intermittent,(misses some then starts again) and the actual 12 volts to the igniter and ground are good, then odds are the igniter is going bad.

This sounds like what you are describing as you can light it with a match and it runs from there. This means the electrode and high voltage cable has a level of working as the remote flame sense is still working or it would be sparking all the time. And if the system re-ignites once it is up and running, then odds are high a weak igniter is the issue as once the unit if primes and hot, 1 or 2 snaps and it is up and going. It does not have to work as hard coming up cold. You did not says if it re-ignites once you lit it the first time. I'm assuming it is. If not, then need to drill deeper into this

If you are not getting a non stop, once a second snap,snap, snap that is problem one, a weak igniter can cause this.

If you are not electrically friendly, do not attempt this. Hope this helps and good luck.

John

[newman_fulltime]

did you unplug the wire and clean all the contacts