Dometic fridge won't work on gas (1 Viewer)

[petrolhead195]

Any help for a newbie Autotrail owner? First trip away and can't get fridge to work on gas.

Obsessive process of levelling hasn't helped and I don't seem to have any spark when I switch over or gas flow. I'm guessing gas doesn't flow until it knows there is a spark.

Any tips on what to tweak/check? Have already blown in burner head in case of debris.... Also turned gas on and off in case of airlock....

Help

Rob

 

[Janine]

Have you got a tap in the gas pipe somewhere that's been turned off? You might find a bank of them somewhere to the various appliances. Mine are in the wardrobe.

 

[Janine]

Does anything else in the van work on gas? Try lighting a hob to draw some gas into the supply line if it hasn't been used for a while.

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[Odd job]

Some fridges have a battery ignition, I got caught out with that, no spark I had assumed it was off the hab battery, but it has it's own in the button

 

[TinaLes]

The gas wont flow to the burner unless the pilot light is lit first, its the thermocouple that needs to be heated sufficiently to allow the gas valve to open and supply gas to the burner.
If you dont hear the spark ignitor constantly trying to light the gas pilot, then you either have a fridge controller problem or at best 12V supply problem.
If the fridge light comes on inside the fridge when the door is opened, then you will have to dig a bit deeper into the problem, try pushing the reset button on the control panel, leave it 10 minutes, then try again.
We had a problem with very high winds overnight which blew out the pilot light, we had to reposition the van to get it to light, but our attention was brought about by the sound of the spark ignitor trying its best to relight the fridge, before the temp alarm sounded off.
Good luck, hope you find a resolve soon, others on here will also try and help no doubt.
LES

 

[Odd job]

A picture may help

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[JC2001]

Sometimes if the issue is electrical or an electric switch, eg ignition, resetting the main fuse board to reset the whole van can get things going and allow electrics to work

 

[Phill D]

Assuming it has auto ign then you should hear the spark as soon as you switch to gas.
If no gas is then present so the pilot does not light or there us a fault the gas will shut down.
If you cannot hear the spark at rhe fridge vent then it is likely that there is no power to the ignition

 

[Lenny HB]

Unless it is quite an old van it won't have a pilot light they are all electronic now & much harder to fault find.
If no gas flow the gas valves are a common problem try giving it a knock as they often stick.
You could also check the valve is getting power.

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[Hammie]

Some fridges have a battery ignition, I got caught out with that, no spark I had assumed it was off the hab battery, but it has it's own in the button

I have just had the same problem. Mine hadn’t been used on gas for seven years (always on EHU). The temperature went up and down like a yo-yo, it also seemed to be affected by leaving the boiler on, after three nights trying everything( including fitting winter covers to the vents) it had defrosted my food. On the fourth night it froze it all again. I only heard the igniter working once and not when it finally worked properly.
I am presently looking for someone to service the entire gas system. Interesting about the battery in the switch though. The site warden said they need to be used regularly for them to work?

 

[Odd job]

Unless it is quite an old van it won't have a pilot light they are all electronic now & much harder to fault find.
If no gas flow the gas valves are a common problem try giving it a knock as they often stick.
You could also check the valve is getting power.

The OP said 30 years old, it may even have a piezo ingition generator, I asked for a picture but the OP hasn't come back yet

 

[Lenny HB]

The OP said 30 years old, it may even have a piezo ingition generator, I asked for a picture but the OP hasn't come back yet

No mention of age by the OP, Specsavers for you.

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[BillyKontiki]

The OP said 30 years old, it may even have a piezo ingition generator, I asked for a picture but the OP hasn't come back yet

Piezo ignition there’s a blast from the past, fu##

 

[autorouter]

Obsessive process of levelling hasn't helped

If the fridge works on 240V mains and 12V while driving, then it's not a levelling problem.

 

[Odd job]

No mention of age by the OP, Specsavers for you.

I think I've mixed up 2 threads oops!

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[cranky]

i had the same problem, removed all connections, cleaned and refitted. bingo. as the van has been sitting for 6 months it was almost expected!

 

[Off da Grid]

Give the gas valve behind the fridge a tap with a spanner. They get stuck sometimes, also there is a filter in inlet the pipe that gets dirty, you can’t replace this, but new valves are easy to fit but expensive.