stvekay Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Our fridge is not working on gas, but is working on electric. The little light that flickers if there is no gas supply is not flickering so assume it has supply. Does any one know what the likely cause is? Thanks Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 It would be helpful (possibly essential) to have details of the make and model of your fridge. When you say that the "fridge is not working on gas”, presumably you mean that the gas-burner does not not light, rather than the gas-burner lighting but the fridge then not cooling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stvekay Posted May 9, 2018 Author Share Posted May 9, 2018 Thanks for reply. Its a Dometic not sure if its not sure if its a rm 76 or 78 model. The manual says if gas supply interrupted, led light flashes. (which it isn't) there is not any noise from burner. Thanks again Steve Kelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Steve, You will not be able to 'hear' the burner of the fridge when it is operating normally. The flame is not a lot bigger than a pilot light so should be near silent. The quick way I check that my fridge is working when on gas is to hold my hand just above the flue on the upper fridge vent on the outside of the MH. You should be able to feel the warmth of the exhaust. have you checked that you actually have gas flow by lighting all of the burners on the cooker at the same time? And then checked whether an isolator valve has inadvertently been turned off, possibly buried in a cupboard or under the stove? Finally if you have two exterior vents you may be able to see the flame at the base of the 'chimney' at the back of the fridge by looking through the lower vent with the vent removed (normally quarter turn screws to remove). Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stvekay Posted May 9, 2018 Author Share Posted May 9, 2018 Thanks for that I will try and see, however when fridge is running we do normally hear a noise from vents. Don't think isolator valve was turned off as, we were using van at the time of failure. Thanks again Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 May I add to Keith's excellant contribution. When first switching the fridge ON you should be able to hear the gas ignitor sparking (a clicking sound). If you cannot hear this, I would suspect an ignitor or other electrical fault. The fact that you have no warning light would suggest an electrical fault. My PVC is fitted with a Dometic RM7361 manual energy selection fridge. Typically it fails to ignite at first attempt if it has not been used on gas for some time. The failure warning is that the yellow gas selection indicator light starts flashing after about 30 seconds. It may be worth noting that there is an error on page 8 of the Dometic manual. It mentions the light "flashing red again". It should read "flashing yellow again". I suppose the moral must be not to accept all that you read. If the checks suggested by Derek confirm the gas supply is turned ON, it may be the case that there is a small filter in the gas supply to the burner. This has been mentioned in aprevious thread. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Alanb - 2018-05-09 1:24 PM When first switching the fridge ON you should be able to hear the gas ignitor sparking (a clicking sound). If you cannot hear this, I would suspect an ignitor or other electrical fault. The fact that you have no warning light would suggest an electrical fault. Alan Very good point Alan, if the 12 volt permanently live feed to the fridge has failed then the fridge will not work on gas. Steve, as Alan has asked does the gas warning light come on at all or can you hear the igniter clicking? If not check the permanently live 12 volt feed at the rear of the fridge. Do not confuse the permanent live with the heavier 'engine running' live for the 12 volt heater operation. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stvekay Posted May 9, 2018 Author Share Posted May 9, 2018 Thanks again for your info you may guess I am abit thick concerning electrics/gas etc. If gas is turned off then yellow light flickers, when 1st turned on I have to turn off on switch and back on, have never had a problem with it not starting. Also it failed whilst operating normally. (Just after I had bought a lot of fresh fish!) Will look into power supply as suggested, the green light is on on the thermostat switch. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stvekay Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 Just an update which may be of interest. I Emailed Dometic they came back within 48 hours. Told me unwilling to give advice unless you are a authorised repairer. Oh well will contact a motorhome repair centre. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 ...if you can see the bottom of the burner by removing the lower fridge vent, you could get someone to try to light the fridge from scratch in the normal way, whilst you watch the burner area; you should (though possibly not in very bright sunlight) be able to see the igniter sparking. If you can, then it is probably a gas supply issue, if you can't, then, with the same assistant restarting the lighting process, you may be able to (carefully) light the burner directly with a match before any "flame-failure" capability kicks in (which would then indicate an electrical fault, either with the igniter or the control circuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stvekay Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 Thank you Robin hood. because it failed whilst running not when trying to turn it on I wonder if it is a gas problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 ...I'd say it was undefined. Whether manually or electronically switched (you haven't confirmed), there is logic in the controls to determine whether or not the fridge is actually running on gas. If the gas supply is interrupted, or the flame blows out the fridge will sense it and turn off the gas. If the electronics have a fault which determines that the gas is not working (even if it is), it will (should) turn off the gas. For example, most absorption fridges have a "flame failure device" (normally implemented by a thermocouple in the flame which senses the heat and confirms that the flame is lit). When the temperature falls, indicating that the flame is not present or has been extinguished, the gas is cut off. The effects of this cut-off are overridden for a short while at lighting time either by the electronics, or on manual fridges normally by pushing the gas-selection switch in and holding whilst it lights, and for a short while afterwards to allow the thermocouple to heat up. If the thermocouple has failed the gas will go out. It is possible that retrying lighting process will cause the flame to light, but once any flame-failure override period is expired, it will be automatically extinguished. A fault in any part of the gas control electronics might have similar results. Whilst observing, as suggested, what occurs when attempting to light the fridge through the removed fridge vent might not give a conclusive answer, there is a chance that it will give some clues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stvekay Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 Thanks will try that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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