Refrigerator Problem in Gas Mode

C

Cary

Member
We are getting ready to take our Edge out for the second time and the Dometic refrigerator doesn't seem to work in gas mode. It beeps at us which is probably not good even though the manual doesn't mention a beeper. The first time we took it out we did not use it in gas mode, so I can't promise that it ever worked. The gas stovetop works fine, so the LP supply is good. The refer works fine in AC mode. The TS guide suggests that I open the "upstream shut-off device". Does anyone know of such a device (other than the valve on the cylinder itself? Any other suggestions?

Thanks.
 
R

rideblue

Active Member
Can you hear the ignitor trying to light it off? I recently had to change my circuit board to due loss of power to the ignitor.
 
wdk450

wdk450

Well-known member
Cary:
Just guessing, but is your 12 volt battery up to charge? Do you see lights on the reefer when you are unplugged and attempting propane mode? The refrig uses 12 volts from the battery to run the main logic circuit board that turns on the gas and ignites the flame.
 
R

RollingHome

Well-known member
Did you purge the air out of the gas lines ? If not, light your stove. Turn your refer off, wait a few minutes and try a re-light.
 
westxsrt10

westxsrt10

Perfict Senior Member
Sometimes it just takes a long time to purge the air and get the pilot working. Then again it could be the a low battery like Wdk450 mentioned. Our fridg would not work on Gas when the converter went out and the battery voltage dropped. Try plugging in the tow power line from your truck and see if that helps.
 
C

Cary

Member
Thanks for the responses, all. We’re back from our short trip now, so I’ll update the status:
Rideblue, no, I cannot hear the igniter trying to light. I guess the circuit board is on the suspect list.
Wdk450, I’m pretty sure that the battery is up to snuff. I plugged the camper into 120 for a few days before the trip and it seemed to work fine when unplugged—lights refer were good, ceiling lights bright, etc.
RollingHome, the gas lines are purged. We used stove and water heater for a few days without problem and the gas refer still wouldn’t fire.
Westxsrt10, I like your idea of trying it connected to running truck. Voltage that’s just a tad low could act goofy.
So when I get some time Tuesday I’ll try it connected to truck and poke around in the back with a voltmeter. I’ll let you know what I find.
Also while in beautiful downtown Plum, TX I measured the refer temperature at 55 to 60 F and the freezer at about 20 F. It was set for maximum cooling so, that’s more than a bit low, even when the outside temperature is well into the 90s. I suspect that that is unrelated. I’ll let you know.
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Thanks again.
 
westxsrt10

westxsrt10

Perfict Senior Member
55-60 degrees still seems low on the AC mode. Is your slide sensor thermostat on the inside cooling coil all the way up to the highest point?
 
C

Cary

Member
First, when I said that 55-60 was more than a little low, I guess I should have said it was more than a little warm (high). My mistake.

Second, I'm not familiar with "slide sensor thermostat on the inside cooling coil". I've set the LED cooling adjustment on the external control panel to max cooling. Where is the other internal thermostat adjustment I can make? I double checked the inside of the fridge where the food goes and there are no adjustments on our model. Is there one on the back which you access from the outside of the camper?
 
jmgratz

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
westxsrt10 said:
55-60 degrees still seems low on the AC mode. Is your slide sensor thermostat on the inside cooling coil all the way up to the highest point?
Click to expand...

the slide sensor on the inside coils is called a thermistor. It will control how cold the inside will get.
 
Ray LeTourneau

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Cary said:
Second, I'm not familiar with "slide sensor thermostat on the inside cooling coil". I've set the LED cooling adjustment on the external control panel to max cooling. Where is the other internal thermostat adjustment I can make? I double checked the inside of the fridge where the food goes and there are no adjustments on our model. Is there one on the back which you access from the outside of the camper?
Click to expand...
Cary, on the back wall in the upper part of the fridge there are aluminum fins. There should be a plastic part on the right hand side that is attached to a fin and it will have a wire coming from it. This piece is movable for more cooling adjustment. Ours is located on the fifth fin from the far right and about midway between top & bottom of the fin. Slide this piece to the top for max adjustment.
Because you're having a problem operating on LP, I suspect there are other issues besides this though.
 
W

Willym

Well-known member
`Upstream shut-off device`- some Dometics have a shut off valve just before the solenoid valve. It has a slot in the valve stem. If the slot is in-line with the gas tubing then the valve is open, if it is perpendicular to the tubing, then the valve is closed. Use a flat blade screwdriver to operate the valve.

Cary said:
We are getting ready to take our Edge out for the second time and the Dometic refrigerator doesn't seem to work in gas mode. It beeps at us which is probably not good even though the manual doesn't mention a beeper. The first time we took it out we did not use it in gas mode, so I can't promise that it ever worked. The gas stovetop works fine, so the LP supply is good. The refer works fine in AC mode. The TS guide suggests that I open the "upstream shut-off device". Does anyone know of such a device (other than the valve on the cylinder itself? Any other suggestions?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
Ray LeTourneau

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Willym said:
`Upstream shut-off device`- some Dometics have a shut off valve just before the solenoid valve. It has a slot in the valve stem. If the slot is in-line with the gas tubing then the valve is open, if it is perpendicular to the tubing, then the valve is closed. Use a flat blade screwdriver to operate the valve.
Click to expand...
"Good Catch" Willym! I didn't see that nor did I think of it. Hopefully, one would have thought that the dealer would have left it open or even pointed this out at delivery. It would be good if that turns up to be the problem.
 
C

Cary

Member
A quick status. I found that thermistor in the inside of the box and it was as high (most exposed) as possible, so I doubt if that was the problem. I checked it out when attached to a running vehicle to make sure adequate voltage was there. It still did not work. I checked for the shutoff valve that Willym described. What I found was the gizmo in the picture. The arrow points to the candidate, but it has a hex head. It does have two red paint dots that are not aligned, so it may be a shutoff valve. Have any of you seen one that looks like this? If this isn’t it, I’ll just take it in and let the warranty fairy take care of it.

<?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id=_x0000_t75 stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></v:path><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:eek:ffice" /><o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="WIDTH: 114.75pt; HEIGHT: 159.75pt" id=_x0000_i1025 o:eek:le="" type="#_x0000_t75"><v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.emz" o:title=""></v:imagedata></v:shape>
View attachment 8900
Thanks again for help folks.
Cary
 
Ray LeTourneau

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Cary, I couldn't get your picture to open. Something about an invalid link? How are you trying to post the picture? Through the advanced reply?
 
C

Cary

Member
I'm not sure how I added it. I used a picture icon which took me to a browser... Never mind. What is the right way to add a pic? I'll redo it.
 
C

Cary

Member
I thought I'd update the status of this since you were so helpful earlier. The inability to run on gas turned out to be a failed control board. Btw, there is no upstream gas shutoff valve on my unit. The temperature problem is a little dicier. The dealer installed a ventilation fan and baffle. That helped a lot, but not enough. Instead of being at 60 degrees F, the refrigerator was at somewhere over 40--still not safe. The replaced the whole refrigerator, left the vent fan in, but not the baffles. The fridge is now at 40 and the freezer at zero. We're going to live with this for our upcoming TX NM AZ CA UT CO trip. If we have problems, we'll get them to replace it again.

It sure looks to me like having the vent go out the side instead of the roof is the root cause of the inefficiency.
 
L

lwmcguir

Well-known member
I think there is more to this than just the side vent. We had a Yellowstone with the large fridge in a slide for 9 years without a single issue. Turned it on and it went on automatic. Temp and fuel both. Watched the thermometer when it was a 100 or more outside and it never moved from 34-36 degrees. It was a Dometic as well. Has to be more to this. I think it is a Dometic design flaw or they cheapened something up.
 
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