3 way fridge not lighting on gas

Post by **Scruffy** » 28 May 2007, 10:39

Hi

The 3-way fridge on my '89 Westy has stopped lighting on gas. The ignition isn't 'clicking' to light the gas. It works fine on 12v and 240v. I have tried igniting with the engine running and on hook up in case the supply was too low from the leisure battery to get a spark but still no clicking of the ignition.

Someone suggested to me that it might need servicing/cleaning out as fluff, crud can build up and stop the ignition working.

Any thoughts? I'm pretty mechanically and electrically unskilled, and have very limited tools so doing anything substantial myself will be hard.

I live in London but will be up in Sheffield/Peak District soon. Is there anywhere up there were I could get the fridge serviced?

Dave

Post by **toolsntat** » 28 May 2007, 22:27

Mine did this a while back as there had been a carbon build up on the igniter shorting the spark .......

Post by **Bilbo Blue** » 29 May 2007, 09:31

Mine had a carbon problem too. I whip the fridge out each winter now and give it a clean ready for the next year camping. The main problem is rust falling down from the steel flue/heat exchanger and bridging the spark thingy.

Post by **hagzo** » 29 May 2007, 18:11

i have the same problem and found that switching off/on the gas at the main valve in the cupboard resets the fridge and the fridge ignition starts clicking again.

worth a try anyway

Post by **Scruffy** » 01 Jun 2007, 19:33

Thanks all, very useful.

On/off gas trick doesn't work so that has pretty much convinced me that it needs a clean out.

Bilbo, when you say "I whip the fridge out" it sounds easy. Is there anything I need to watch out for? How do I disconnect the gas? Or is it a flexible pipe so once the bolts are out it just slides out?

Cheers

Dave

Post by **Ruby** » 01 Jun 2007, 20:27

"whipped" mine out for the first time a while back, I

Took off the vent cover (outside the van)
removed the end cap by unscrewing it from the end of the pipe, then went back inside,
removed front panel from fridge (the panel that holds the door hole in position

)
Then removed two screws from inside the cupboards either side of the fridge,
Slide fridge out and disconnect all the electrickery.

I then got stung for £105 for a service

WON'T BE GOING THERE AGAIN

Fridge works now tho

Oh BTW mines a Westy Joker too (this is not a snobery thing its just that its similar to the one in in question, I don't do snobery..I do my best)

Post by **Grantourer** » 02 Jun 2007, 17:23

Hi, ours would not light on gas, the fault was the igniter block. had the unit serviced by this guy, Applianz Technic, 0161 419 9406. he would probably sell you an igniter block. they cost about £25.00 plus vat. Hope this helps

Post by **Bilbo Blue** » 03 Jun 2007, 18:06

Did exactly the same as Ruby to get the fridge out. Except I then cleaned all the flue etc out myself. I felt as long as the hoses are new and the flame burnt cleanly ie blue an not sooty yellow I would be ok. I also make sure the cut off valve works ok if the flame goes out. If I had any probs or querries then I would send it somewhere to get it sorted by the proper trained person, blah blah. Big thing is, if all the joints are tested ok with soapy water then alls well, but if its leaking, for christs sake dont light anything!!!!!

Post by **Westy.Club.Joker** » 03 Jun 2007, 19:12

Have a quick search for the servicing on here and Brickyard, plenty of detailed info and pics on how to do it.

CHECK GAS CONNECTION FOR LEAKS WITH SOAPY WATER AFTER PUTTING IT ALL BACK !!!!

Post by **Scruffy** » 11 Jun 2007, 21:00

Got half way through taking it out over the weekend, got the door off, disconnected electrics and flue on outside but couldn't for the life of me see how to disconnect the gas so I could slide it out without breaking the pipes.

The only way I could see of disconnecting the gas supply involved taking the whole of the hob off to get to a set of opposing nuts in the copper pipework on the top of the fridge.

Then I remembered advice (must have been from on here somewhere) to shift the crud/rust/moths from the ignition by shoving an airline down the flue and blowing hard. Did this and hey presto ignition is now clicking and lighting fine.

Wonderful, except it is burning with a distinctly yellow not blue flame

Looks like I'll have to shell out for a service afterall.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice.

Apprieciated.

Dave

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