No flame visible when running fridge on gas

[carlosdelondres]

I've got an '89 Club Joker, fitted with a Dometic RM184, and was wondering of someone out there could enlighten me on a couple of points...

First off, when running the fridge on gas there is no flame visible through the window in the bottom left of the fridge.

The ignitor stops firing, and I can feel warmth from the exhaust outside, and the element does feel cold, but after a couple of hours the temperature in the fridge is only down to about 10 Celsius and no ice has formed on the element.

Is this a problem, or just an idiosyncracy? I should say the it's not parked completely level, but only due to the camber of the road.

Secondly, the fridge has a small black rocker switch on the far left of the control panel, which I can't find any reference to in manuals etc. Anyone know what it's for?

Cheers for any advice!
Off to the south of Spain in a week so quite keen to know if there might be a problem...

*E D I T*

Just moved two wheels onto the kerb so as to be more level and still no visible flame...

*E D I T again*

And while I'm at it, might as well ask why the led which shows the fridge is on (on the battery/water level panel), is always on, even when the fridge is switched off?

[Craig G]

You cant always see the flame through the peephole, these fridges are some years old now so the glass tube gets scorched/dirty etc so unable to see, in a nutshell as long as the electric ignitor stops you're lit!

Regarding the temperature, its obviously lighting so there may be an issue with the thermostat (you have turned it all the way round havent you?), element or it could just do with a good clean up

Switch....this could be a secondary fan installed to blow over the element at the back? Try lighting the fridge and put the switch on to an on position (or what you think may be on) and check temp after a hour or so

LED issue....you havent got it switched on for any other power source have you? You do only have gas selected?

[jamesc76]

When I light mine I often go and listen at the exhaust/vent! Like all ready put its often hard to see the flame

[The Bobdogs]

When I light mine I often go and listen at the exhaust/vent! Like all ready put its often hard to see the flame

And I thought you were just having a crafty slash up the side of your van mate!!!

[carlosdelondres]

Hmm...I guess it all just needs a good clean then

Regarding the LED I don't think I've got any other power source switched on - at least I'm not plugged into the mains and the engine's not runnning nor leisure battery draining, so that must be something else...but no worries eh...

Slightly more worried by the crack in the pop top at one edge of the skylight that revealed itself in the rain yesterday - looks as if someone bodged a repair with a thick layer of gel coat on top at some point. Cracked all the way through...

Ah well, thanks for the fridge advice! Now does anyone know a good fiberglass repairer in Sussex?

[dave friday]

on my electrolux fridge the far left rocker switch is for 12volt opperation,maybe its the same for your dometic?.
if your down our way give us a call and pop in to meet us!.
pm me?

[rugchucker]

First off, when running the fridge on gas there is no flame visible through the window in the bottom left of the fridge.

Are the curtains drawn?

[Ralf85]

I agree. I cannot see the gas pilot light in mine either. Once it stops clicking the gas is lit. If it goes out the clicking will start again.

If the fridge is not working that well, it could be that it needs a service. Believe it or not this includes removing the fridge and turning it upside down to encourage the cooling fluid to flow better (this is not a wind up as it is in the fridge instruction manual). This can make a big difference. However, I recommend you get somebody who is a qualified service engineer to do this. Any caravan supplier should be able to assist. Patrick

[horns]

Servicing the fridge is pretty simple stuff if you're not afraid to give it a go - they're pretty simple devices, and there are a few good write-ups online.

The LED in the panel is controlled by the thermocouple on the back of the fridge - if it's on all the time, either the thermocouple is hot all the time, or there's a problem with it or the circuit. Worth checking, as the thermocouple is a safety device. One thing, though - are you definately looking at the correct LED? Westy panels can be pretty vaguely marked. Fridge is bottom left.

Oh, and I can't see the flame through the little window on mine, either...

[chriscburgess]

Same - never seen my light but fridge will cool to 2 degrees.

Read the instructions on the wiki for removing the fridge then give it a service. it only takes 15 to 20mins to take out.do it a couple of times a year

[Cruz]

I removed mine last year as I was removing the kitchen to fix the sill rot. I followed the wiki instructions and another online guide from somewhere and wire brushed, vactaned and painted any rusty bits. It didn't take me long. I left the fridge upside down for 24hrs

TBH removing any fridge is a good idea if you don't know a vans history as you can crawl into the space and see what's happening behind i.e. condensation eating away at your floor

See https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ar ... chen_panel" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jamesc76]

When I light mine I often go and listen at the exhaust/vent! Like all ready put its often hard to see the flame

And I thought you were just having a crafty slash up the side of your van mate!!!

That too!

[carlosdelondres]

Hmmm well lots to try there! I'm sure I'll get it going...will have a look for the flame once it gets dark this evening...Off to camp this weekend anyway so should be able to verify it one way or another then...

Thanks for the advice

[carlosdelondres]

Thought I'd post here rather than start a new thread -

Still having problems with the fridge, the main one being that, with the fridge running on gas, after some hours of operation the ignitor will start clicking as if the fridge has gone out. Very annoying when it happens in the middle of the night!

Weirdly there is still a flame visible when this happens (at least there is the faintest of blue glows from the window, not visible during the day, hence my earlier confusion ). Holding in the gas button sometimes 'relights' the fridge (with slight audible pop) and sometimes doesn't. The ignitor quite often goes crazy, clicking much faster than normal...

As I've said, sometimes the ignitor stops, and sometimes it doesn't. If I can't get it to stop I've had to switch the fridge to mains or 12v to shut it up - at this point there is still a flame visible in the window, suggesting the fridge is still lit. However I haven't verified whether the fridge is still cooling as I am reluctant to leave the gas lit with the fridge switched to mains or 12v (even with no power going to it) as I'm slightly worried about what would happen should the flame go out without the ignitor to relight it.

Fridge performance is rather poor as well - will get down to 1-3 degrees overnight on gas, slightly better on 240v, but on 12v, even starting from cold the temp rises to 10 degrees while driving...

My thoughts at this point are that the thermocouple is not working correctly, and should be replaced as a safety issue, and that I probably ought to replace 12v element, and perhaps the 240v as well. Might as well clean (or possibly replace?) the gas jet at the same time...

Possibly replace the ignitor as well, if variable rates of clicking are not normal?

Supposedly the fridge had been serviced just before I bought the van, so has been turned upside down etc. recently, but doing it again couldn't hurt, right?

Anyway, just wanted to check with the accumulated wisdom of 80-90 before ordering a load of bits that might not be needed, or that might not do the trick...

Thanks very much for any advice!

Charlie

[ghost123uk]

I have the opposite problem

Even on minimum mine freezes milk if left on overnight

You can see the flame and it does go up and down a bit when you alter the temperature control knob.
Not sure what make mine is, I don't think it has a thermostat, just a gas control (could be wrong there though )