Satan's own switch - Fridge Igniter

[Midge]

Hi Folks. Can anyone explain this thing which I find strange...

The neon sparker switch on the RM212F fridge - igniter box model, not piezzo...

Manual suggests it really is a neon and it should light up when sparking? But connection into switch is an earth to the central connector (common) which then gets served up to the top & bottom connectors when the switch is flipped.

Does the neon not need more than earth to get it's flash on? Cheers!

[MidLifeCrisis]

earth to the central connector (common) which then gets served up to the top & bottom connectors when the switch is flipped.

This bit isn't quite right (I think....)
The central connector is the earth;
But then one of the connectors is the positive for the neon indicator;
And the other connector is the switched connection that is connected to earth when the switch is set to the '1' position;

Something like this .....

[Midge]

Hello MLC, great to hear from ya.

I may well eat my words soon, but wouldn't your diagram mean that the neon would be lit constantly, regardless of switch position?

The wires to the top & bottom of the switch both go to the igniter 'black box'. The central switch connector is earthed.

I disconnected the leisure battery and used a continuity test on the switch to see where the central connector ended up - deffo went to top & bottom simultaneously, eg Earthed everything out.

I didn't disconnect the 'black box' for the test though - maybe that has thrown a spanner in my continuity test?

The third wire going to the 'black box' is the live power in - maybe that is supposed to return to the switch via top or bottom connector, thus providing the circuit for the light?

Bit of a mystery, this one...

[MidLifeCrisis]

I think that this is the full circuit ....

The 12 volt power from the leisure battery comes into the ignitor directly.
The Gnd connector of the ignitor is connected to the switch so that pressing the switch connects the gnd of the ignitor to vehicle ground!
When the igniter sends a spark it also sends a pulse out of the 'Sig' terminal (thats the name I've used on the diagram - its called something else on the actual device) which is connected to the lamp of the switch thus flashing the light.

(You may be getting a indication of continuity at each connector on the switch because of the presence of the bulb)

[kevtherev]

Spot on
My neon has stopped too but the constant clicking is a good indicator that the gas has run out

[Midge]

Aaaaah, it all becomes clear!

What a superb little diagram that is - thank you very much MLC.

I'll take down the crucifix when I get home, it's clearly not the work of Lucifer after all...

Cheers again - fantastic to get back on track so quickly, thanks to this forum.

[MidLifeCrisis]

No probs - I sympathise - it confused the bejesus out of me when I had to poke around in there a while ago ..... !!!

[killerme]

I've tacked my question to the end of this thread because it's sort of related. (but a bit more simplistic)

I’m keen to bench test parts of my RM 184 EGI. I have the fridge out. I can connect up the gas connection but I’m a bit uncertain how to connect up the 12 v. The main 12v wires (Black, blue and brown) go to the main control panel on the top of the fridge and are distributed to the fan and the front (gas, 12v or 240v) selector buttons. However, there is another separate wire which goes to the thermo coupler.

I want to test if I have a spark first and then if the thermo coupler is working.

Does anyone know how I can connect these four wires to my battery?

[MidLifeCrisis]

I've tacked my question to the end of this thread because it's sort of related. (but a bit more simplistic)

I’m keen to bench test parts of my RM 184 EGI. I have the fridge out. I can connect up the gas connection but I’m a bit uncertain how to connect up the 12 v. The main 12v wires (Black, blue and brown) go to the main control panel on the top of the fridge and are distributed to the fan and the front (gas, 12v or 240v) selector buttons. However, there is another separate wire which goes to the thermo coupler.

I want to test if I have a spark first and then if the thermo coupler is working.

Does anyone know how I can connect these four wires to my battery?

Have you got a picture?
I have Blue and Black wires going to the 'selector switch' from 12V, then Blue and Red going to the 'spark' circuit.
Is the Black/Blue/Brown definitely 12V and not the mains 240V connection?
Pics would be helpful if you can!

[MidLifeCrisis]

Had a bit of a google of your fridge and turned up this .....



Which seems to suggest that;
a) Black = 12V
b) Blue = Ground
c) Brown = 12v (only when engine is running)

Pics might still help understand what you mean by the extra wire going to the 'thermo coupler'?

[killerme]

Thanks Midlife, much appreciated. I already have the diagram but your "a) Black = 12V
b) Blue = Ground c) Brown = 12v (only when engine is running)" is vital. I have included some pics:

Pic 1 shows the cables in the van - the separate brown/white goes to thermocouple. The block of 12v black blue brown and earth (as per your diagram) goes to the group on the right in the next pic
Pic 2 shows the general view above the van . Note the black cable coming in from below and heading to the thermocouple at the top. The middle brown cable is the 240v, and the second brown cable on the right is the 12v (I just mentioned)
pic 3 shows the brown/white going into the thermocouple
pic 4 shows the wiring on the control panel - left 240v, right 12 v.

I presume the cable to the thermocouple is a live wire to give energy to make it do its job (but shoulld it be 240v??)

I suppose I could connect the black and brown wires to the pos on the battery and earth the blue wire

Anyone any ideas about the thermocouple wire?
I could of course look under the drivers seat where the cables go but I was kind of trying to avoid this as I have to take the seat out!!

[killerme]

sorry the pics aren't in the right order and here is the 4th one

[killerme]

Blue is ground! That means the lecky returning doesn't it. ie black wire in the 240v plug. Therefore negative terminal.

[MidLifeCrisis]

Blue is ground! That means the lecky returning doesn't it. ie black wire in the 240v plug. Therefore negative terminal.

Hold on!! You're confusing me now!!!

Blue (on the 12v connections) is the 12v ground (i.e. the negative terminal on the battery) - not to be connected or associated in any way with the 240v connections - they need to be kept very separate!!!!!

As for the brown/white wire going to the thermocouple - not sure; my guess would be that it is a ground but I'm not sure why it would need a special wire (rather than being grounded to the fridge metal like other things in the pic) - so I may be wrong; the thermocouple itself doesn't need a power supply (and certainly not a 240v connection!!). The thermocouple that sits in the flame generates a very small voltage that is what holds the gas valve open - so it doesn't need to be 'powered' ......... you may have to get under the seat and see where that wire ultimately goes!!

[killerme]

LOL! Yes I appreciate that I was confusing there. The reference to 240v was just my way of translating to the colour coding of the standard house 240v i.e. red black green (although that has changed now hasn't it?) I'm not doing the 240v fridge set up. I already checked the current for that and everything was fine until it went to the heating element which didn't heat and no current came back. However at £70 or so I don't think I'll bother with a new one - I don't really use hook ups anyway. The gas is the killer functionality for me. I think I'll carry the fridge back up into the van and test it in situ then I can't make any mistakes.

For purchasing new parts an earlier poster suggested 'ashbridge domestic'. Any other suggestions?