Electrolux/Dometic fridge on gas (1 Viewer)

Bacchus

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I hope some fridge experts may be able to help me; my fridge (electrolux in a 1991 Hymer 54 has never really run on gas, I have been able to get the pilot to light and stay on all night before, but the piezo started clicking as soon as I turned it up to cool.

I can't get any of the local service agents to call me back so I have taken the access panel off at the back and had a look myself. I've given it all a bit of a clean up and it sparks and lights ok, but after a while the flame seems to come out of a hole in the side of the burner indicated with the red arrow below. Do I just replace the whole unit? should the nut (green arrow) just unscrew? it's very stiff and I am a bit concerned about damaging the gas pipe.

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Aug 20, 2007
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You need 2 spanners....one for the back nut on the gas inlet (green arrow), and the other to grip fast the square section (red arrow) of the burner assembly. That joint is always stiff.
Once you break the joint, the pressed metal jet may fall out, or more likely, will be lightly held in the burner assembly. It all wants a damn good clean, and don't forget to clean the flue.

Allen
 
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if you do clean the assembly, don't poke the jet with any wires etc.best to blow it all out with a can of compressed air, like the ones used to clean computers (£1 from poundland)(y)
 

TheBig1

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sounds like a partially blocked gas jet. at that age i would fit a new one due to likely corrosion. as said the flame is never bigger than a pilot light

another issue is the flame failure thermocouple may also be corroded best change both whilst the fridge is out
 
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Bacchus

Bacchus

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Thanks for your replies! I have put a drop of penetrating oil on the nut and then spent the afternoon washing the van (c:

I will have another look tomorrow.

The thermocouple looks to be ok, some of the insulation from the spark plug lead has been damaged where the flame "backfired" but is giving a good fat spark.

I will be SO happy if I can get this working!

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Aug 18, 2014
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It is only a pilot light it doesn't get any bigger

joe
It does as that is how it works on gas.
I've got a 27 year old T800 & the gas flame definitely gets bigger as the temperature knob is turned colder. You can watch it through the viewing window.
On mine you turn knob & hold in whilst pressing igniter to light . Once alight rotating the knob from minimum to maximum increases the gas flow as it is a tapered valve with a flute in to allow more gas. That is how they work ; max setting = tiny flame ; minimum setting = large flame.
 
Aug 20, 2007
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It does as that is how it works on gas.
I've got a 27 year old T800 & the gas flame definitely gets bigger as the temperature knob is turned colder. You can watch it through the viewing window.
On mine you turn knob & hold in whilst pressing igniter to light . Once alight rotating the knob from minimum to maximum increases the gas flow as it is a tapered valve with a flute in to allow more gas. That is how they work ; max setting = tiny flame ; minimum setting = large flame.

On older fridges you 'dialled' in the temp of the fridge with small flame icon...up to large flame icon, that flame did vary in intensity, but there was no thermostat to control the temp of the fridge, and the flame was on permamently. On newer fridges (poss early 90's onwards, but not too sure) there is a thermostat to control the temp in the fridge, the flame intensity does not alter, the thermostat turns off the flame and re-ignites when the fridge temp rises.

You still need to clean it though.

Allen
 
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Bacchus

Bacchus

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Well... disassembled (again), bashed all the crud off by tapping on the side of a lump hammer until nothing more fell off, blew through with a compressed air (as much as my lungs would compress it...) and reassembled. Lights first click and burns with a steady blue flame! I have put an ice cube bag in the freezer and will give it an hour or so to see whether it cools. Very excited!

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TheBig1

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sometimes you get piles of rust and crud out when you service a fridge. especially if it hasn't been touched in a few years
 

movan

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Make sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm .... my fridge was giving off dangerous fumes last year and my alarm may have saved my life. Got the Dometic people out at one of the shows and they cleaned out load of gunge for me.
 
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Bacchus

Bacchus

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I have got a CO alarm... admittedly it is in the "man drawer" in the Welsh dresser, but that is largely because I didn't have any working gas appliances! Having fixed the fridge AND the Truma space heater (get me) I shall now install it, possibly even with a back up because I guess the fridge will be on all the time when parked.

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Bacchus

Bacchus

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celebrate and put it in a glass with some liquid refreshment(y)

It has been done!

I suppose to many switching the fridge to gas is just second nature, but this is my second MoHo that the fridge hasn't worked on gas (from a boating background gas is just a no-no) and I can't put into words how pleased I am that I have fixed this by taking it apart and banging the relevant bits on a big hammer; no big outlay of cash.

I feel a whole world of wild camping and aires WITH cold beer opening up to me... :cool:

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Petest

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As you're talking fridges, can this be done via the rear vent or do you need to remove the fridge?
(Dometic 76 something or other in a 08 elddis 100)
 
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Bacchus

Bacchus

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As you're talking fridges, can this be done via the rear vent or do you need to remove the fridge?
(Dometic 76 something or other in a 08 elddis 100)

I can't comment on the Elddis 100, but my old Hymer has an aluminium plate just below the rear light cluster which can be removed for access.

I would be quite surprised if the fridge had to be removed to service the burner, especially as the burner needs to be sealed off from the habitation, so I would imagine that it can be done via a vent or similar...
 

JJ

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It is only a pilot light it doesn't get any bigger

joe

I hate to disagree but on my (old) fridge this is NOT correct...

On mine (1987) the flame is NOT a pilot light and it does go higher or lower as you adjust its level on the dial on the front.

Anyhow... the OP has it sorted now...

With gas flames... like with football teams... blue is GOOD... any other colour is bad (especially yellow).

JJ :cool:

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Spook.

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My Electrolux in a 2003 autotrail has stopped working on gas. A blue pilot sized flame is visible thru the viewer, which slightly increases in size when turned to max. 12v and mains work fine. Is this likely to be just another blocked jet situation? My apologies if this has been a posting elsewhere.
 
Jan 28, 2008
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My Electrolux in a 2003 autotrail has stopped working on gas. A blue pilot sized flame is visible thru the viewer, which slightly increases in size when turned to max. 12v and mains work fine. Is this likely to be just another blocked jet situation? My apologies if this has been a posting elsewhere.
if the flame is alight and the fridge works with 12v and 240 then yes its a partial blockage or the flue pipe needs cleaning
 

Spook.

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Thanks mitzimad, will check it out.☺

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Spook.

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Pulled the gas burner assembly out today, found a small but very visible amount of black powder by the jet. Turned the gas on and more deposits blew out of the gas feed line. Will reassemble (?) tomorrow, hopefully will be ok again. Is there a safe method of keeping the jet in place while re- attatching the has pipe? Don't want to crush it.
 

Spook.

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Well, tested the fridge today and the ice box gets very cold now, though the fridge itself didn't seem overly cold. Will have to do for now. Maybe I should have put some stuff in the fridge.
 
Jul 24, 2014
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Had problems with my Electrolux 1992 fridge at the beginning of April, ( don't know how to start new thread) it wasn't working on gas so I got in touch with leisure direct, with Electrolux and others, all said I needed the model number if I needed spares, the switch was not working, no gas flame nothing, my first two trips out I took a quite large container of frozen water with me in bottom of fridge but left little room for food! Then this week a friend who used to work on boats said he'd see if the model number was at back of fridge, he came and pulled the fridge out about six inches and the switch suddenly started clicking, weird or what, he put it back and my fingers are crossed, however what can I do if it doesn't last as I still have no model number, it was obviously on the label which was on inside of fridge when new, but its all worn off now.

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TheBig1

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Had problems with my Electrolux 1992 fridge at the beginning of April, ( don't know how to start new thread) it wasn't working on gas so I got in touch with leisure direct, with Electrolux and others, all said I needed the model number if I needed spares, the switch was not working, no gas flame nothing, my first two trips out I took a quite large container of frozen water with me in bottom of fridge but left little room for food! Then this week a friend who used to work on boats said he'd see if the model number was at back of fridge, he came and pulled the fridge out about six inches and the switch suddenly started clicking, weird or what, he put it back and my fingers are crossed, however what can I do if it doesn't last as I still have no model number, it was obviously on the label which was on inside of fridge when new, but its all worn off now.
pay somebody to fully service the fridge, as from the description it has faulty wiring, and may have a blocked gas jet
 

Spook.

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This won't be any real help, but that sounds like a bad connection, or broken wire. If you can pull the fridge out again, have the switch "clicking" and move wires about till one makes clicking stop. That should be where the problem lies.
 
Jul 24, 2014
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Thank you, will try taking it out again after Newbury, the guy who has always seen to keeping Beemo in order is currently having treatment for cancer so for now will have to hope it stays ok.

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