steveandlisa Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 Hi, Checked the mo/ho over today and couldn't get the (Dometic RMS8500) fridge to light on gas, it was ok last season. With the gas on and the gas valve held in and the igniter button pressed I could hear the sparking. The fridge popped a couple of times as the gas ignited but would not light properly. I`m gonna clean the gas jet and the electrode to see if it solves the problem. Also on this model the handbook says there is a battery in the igniter button, I tried removing it to check the battery, turning it both clockwise and anticlockwise but with no avail. Is it possible the igniter button is hard wired in via the hab battery? Steve, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickt Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 Online comments say push in button slightly and twist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 If you can hear the sparking it is unlikely that any (igniter) battery needs replacing. The arrangement looks to be exactly the same as on a 5300 series 'fridge I had, and the battery was a *** to replace. Working from memory, the igniter button was a bayonet fitting, impossible to remove if it was fully depressed, but also virtually impossible to turn it unless it was fully depressed. Mine needed to be slightly depressed and turned (I can't remember if clockwise or anti-) and the best way I found of doing it was to push a cylinder of blu-tac hard on the end, then slightly depress the button and turn it with the cylinder of blu-tac. There is a "sweet-spot" in the degree of depression that allows the removal, and using a screwdriver in the "lightning" symbol on the button didn't facilitate this.. As for the not lighting, given that it "popped" a few times, and particularly if the gas system hasn't been used for a bit, try burning some gas off at the hob for a minute before having another go at lighting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 Have you tried lighting the hob to check for good gas flow? It may also clear any air from the pipework. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 If not lighting although sparking, it could be a couple of things. Soot builds up in the chimney behind the vents, or the jet can get blocked. Soot can be removed by pushing a brush or flex with the wires splayed out up the tube. The jet is very fine and should not be poked with a pin, but blown through or replaced. If you take the lower vent off you can see the spark and gas jet working. (Or not) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveandlisa Posted February 22, 2020 Author Share Posted February 22, 2020 Hi again, The gas was ok as I bled the air out of the line and I had the hot air blower working. The handbook says to change the igniter battery, turn button clockwise (no go). A dometic website I found says to turn the button anti clockwise using a suitable screwdriver (no go). I removed the top control panel (only two screws) to examine the igniter from the back. The panel and igniter button recess was a one piece solid plastic moulding with two wires attached one black one red , no possibility of removing. So I was stumped as regards to changing the battery, if indeed there is one? Steve, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 ...as above... If it is the model with a battery igniter (the manual implies so, and the design appears to be the one I've used before), then the removal of the igniter button, in which the battery sits, can be very difficult. The button forms a cylinder, inside which the battery fits, and is retained in another cylindrical depression (the back of which you've located) by plastic "bayonet type" lugs. To remove the button, it must be only slightly depressed (if at all) when turning. Using a screwdriver to try to turn it usually results (from the nature of the action) in the button being depressed too far whilst attempting to turn. As I set out, I found it much more simple to push a small cylinder of bluetac hard onto the top of the button, so it sticks pretty well, then let the button pop back out. You can then twist without depressing, as you don't have to push in at the same time (as you do to keep the screwdriver located). The arrangement should be obvious from the attachment (which is, admittedly, a different fridge with the same button igniter). The wired part you've found is obvious, and you can just see the bayonet lugs on the button. The battery slips into the button from the bayonet end, once removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 Drawings from the relevant Dometic 8-Series manual are attached below. As your fridge is a Dometc RM 8xx0 model it must have gas ignition via a push button with a replaceable battery behind the button itself (as shown in the drawings). Robinhood has advised that it can be far from easy to access the battery, but (as he also said above) "If you can hear the sparking it is unlikely that any (igniter) battery needs replacing” Although it would be no bad idea to replace the igniter button’s battery, as you can hear sparking I suggest you try to light the gas mulitple times as, if the motorhome has been out of use for months, it can take a lot of ‘goes’ before a satisfactory supply of gas reaches the fridge’s burner. If that fails, do as you’ve planned and inspect the fridge’s burner assembly when you can check how well the sparking looks. If the fridge’s gas-flue and burner have not been cleaned reasonably recently, now is the time to do it. There’s a Dometic 8-Series Service Manual here http://web.adria.dk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Dometic-service-RM8XXX.pdf and a good deal of on-line advice about flue/burner cleaning https://tinyurl.com/vhyagjg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 I had this problem on my last Moho with this fridge. I could hear the clicking but fridge didn’t light. I would change battery and hey presto, it worked. A regular problem and I used to always have a new battery ready. Weirdly we have the same fridge in this Moho and it works perfectly ( but I still carry spare batteries just in case). Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 Did you find replacing the battery difficult? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveandlisa Posted February 22, 2020 Author Share Posted February 22, 2020 Back again, Success, I used Robinhood`s suggestion of using Bluetack to remove the button, It came out sooo easily ;-) Although I was getting a spark I thought I just as well clean up the terminals and change the battery. Put the button with a new battery back in, turned on the gas and "hey presto" back in business. Thanks everyone Steve, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 Derek Uzzell - 2020-02-22 1:43 PM Did you find replacing the battery difficult? The first time was awkward but there is a knack and, once mastered, was quick and easy. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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