Fed up... Help please.. Mh (1 Viewer)

[movan]

Please note I don't want anyone fixing it for me but I need to know WHY or WHAT is the problem so I can get my head around it.

Been up since very early and spotted the gas indicator light on the Domdtic fridge freezer flashing continually. Fridge defrosted. I turned it off and on again several times. It wouldn't ignite.

The twp 13b lpg cylinders are full.

I tried to contact Dometic.... It's all online. I asked a question and was told I had to pay £5 for the answer and sign up for a £35 per month contract. I can't afford that.

I looked in the manual and it says the grills on the outside of van may need removing and cleaning. I looked to do this but can you tell me please, are they just removed by sprizing them off with a screwdriver?

So I thought, I'll see if fridge freezer lights on engine battery. Tried to start van... DEAD. Battery reading 11.3.. Glorious weather, 2 solar panels.. WTheck going on?

I turned engine off. Scratched my head. Turned engine on and it started. Reading now 12.7....!!! My head is NOT magical.

Anyway, the red fridge light was on when engine running so I'm guessing it was working, or would it have been green.

I have to take little un out for day, long promised, so cannot do anything anyway but any suggestions would be helpful.

In case it is relevant NO electrical appliances have been used at all, to run down the batteries for weeks and weeks.

Thank you. I may not get back to you today.


Edit: the fridge light now turns green when engine on. X

 

[Mrsambulancekidd]

I hope someone can help Joy, lets keep you at the top in the meantime. xxx

 

[colyboy]

Dometic disgusting! £5?

Colyboy

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[Swifter]

If you want to remove the fridge vents you need to turn the plastic screw slightly and then they will come off

 

[Brains]

As a guess, there is no electricity going to the pilot light, so it cant light.

Blow fuse is where I'd start looking

 

[Andacami]

Some grills also have a stiff push-up/click mechanism to remove them by hand but be careful, on mine they can result in a damaged finger/fingernail.

I experienced a similar thing recently; it was due to me not removing the grill covers, the ones you are supposed to use when travelling or in storage. The fridge complained on all fronts until I removed the covers to expose the grills and all was well within a few minutes. However, ice was melted so a bit of a mop-up needed. Once covers were removed, I pressed the warning triangle button and it sprang back into life.

Otherwise, the only other time I've ever known it not to run on gas or complain otherwise, was when we were not at all level.

Sorry can't be more help.

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[Andacami]

As a guess, there is no electricity going to the pilot light, so it cant light.

Blow fuse is where I'd start looking

Good call, movan can you hear it ticking when you try and put in on gas?

 

[Rjcamper]

On my van the roof panel I have does not charge the engine battery, have a secondary small panel that I plug in if parked up for over two weeks

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Try the gas again Joy,it may have gone out due to a low voltage not relighting it. Seems that your battery might be the issue if it was 11.3v.check again later this morning after the panels have been in the sun for some time
( assuming they are clean and not in shadow).

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[Hotelman]

Bump

 

[jdk62]

Is gas getting to your hob? If not it could be that your gas regulator (Truma?) could of failed due to oil deposit build up from the gas bottles. This happened to us and we replaced the regulator (and fitted a filter) and have had no issues since.

Truma advise that the regulator should be higher than the gas bottle outlet to help prevent the oil clogging the regulator.

of course if you are getting gas to your hob, the above is no help at all.

 

[movan]

Try the gas again Joy,it may have gone out due to a low voltage not relighting it. Seems that your battery might be the issue if it was 11.3v.check again later this morning after the panels have been in the sun for some time
( assuming they are clean and not in shadow).

Could me constantly trying to relight it have dropped the engine battery level, please or would it come off the 12v habitation?

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[movan]

Is gas getting to your hob? If not it could be that your gas regulator (Truma?) could of failed due to oil deposit build up from the gas bottles. This happened to us and we replaced the regulator (and fitted a filter) and have had no issues since.

Truma advise that the regulator should be higher than the gas bottle outlet to help prevent the oil clogging the regulator.

of course if you are getting gas to your hob, the above is no help at all.

Yes, the hob is fine. Thank you anyway.

 

[movan]

Good call, movan can you hear it ticking when you try and put in on gas?

A little bit but not strongly.

 

[movan]

As a guess, there is no electricity going to the pilot light, so it cant light.

Blow fuse is where I'd start looking

I will search later thank you. Not sure where the fuse for that is. There are loads..

Would the light keep flashing though as it tries to ignite if the fuse was blown?

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[Bailey58]

We had the fridge failing to ignite recently, due to a blocked jet.

 

[Pops 1]

The ignition for the fridge should come off the hab battery.
if you put your ear to the lower fridge grille you should hear it trying to ignite when you turn the fridge onto gas. It’s a fast clicking sound.
If you can here it clicking without the whoosh of the gas igniting then there may be a blockage in the gas nozzle. I recently had to clean mine out and it’s a relatively easy job.
If there is no clicking then it may be the fuse to the igniter has gone.
I’m happy to have a video call with you if it helps.

 

[funflair]

If you take the fridge vents off Joy turn the screws as mentioned above and then it sort of hinged off about the right side but there some catches on that side that release themselves,

You won't see much to clean though without getting your toolbox out, you might get something to blow around the burner as sometimes crud falls down the chimney and covers the gas jet and igniter.

When/if you get inside it might be worth a photo so people can see what fridge it is.

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[dabhand]

If you get the outside panel off give the gas valve and piezo a ‘light’ dusting with a soft paintbrush or similar. Spiders webs have caused the same problem for me a couple of times.

 

[Brains]

As said above.

No clicking, (outside, ear to lower vent) then look for blown fuses.

If you can hear clicking then that is the pilot light trying to light, then the problem is not electrical.
Prize off the lower vent and clean the pilot light area.

Best done with a few McDonalds drinking straws attached to a vacuum cleaner, else blow through them,
it's also likely that the area has become sooted up, so clean off all the soot (carefully, with a tissue or paitbrush)

Fridge vents should be kept in the shade, which is why the awning and the fridge are on the same side in most vans.

 

[nicholsong]

Some grills also have a stiff push-up/click mechanism to remove them by hand but be careful, on mine they can result in a damaged finger/fingernail.

I experienced a similar thing recently; it was due to me not removing the grill covers, the ones you are supposed to use when travelling or in storage. The fridge complained on all fronts until I removed the covers to expose the grills and all was well within a few minutes. However, ice was melted so a bit of a mop-up needed. Once covers were removed, I pressed the warning triangle button and it sprang back into life.

Otherwise, the only other time I've ever known it not to run on gas or complain otherwise, was when we were not at all level.

Sorry can't be more help.

Shock! Horror! Ambulance direct to A&E - avoiding COVID entrance of course.

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[pappajohn]

I tried to contact Dometic.... It's all online. I asked a question and was told I had to pay £5 for the answer and sign up for a £35 per month contract. I can't afford that.

Check you were on the dometic website and not on a 3rd party site who will ask dometic for you.... For a fiver.
Really can't see dometic charging for advice.

 

[Andacami]

Shock! Horror! Ambulance direct to A&E - avoiding COVID entrance of course.

Was a close call

 

[PJGWiltshire]

On our Dometic fridge. If there has been an alert re gas supply the red warning light starts flashing(In the past when gas runs out.) Before gas runs again the red light need resetting by pressing and then it goes off and the gas supply starts again. Hope this may help

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[Mike4727]

Also worth checking the flue pipe for obstructions, I just had to remove a sizeable wasp nest from mine !

 

[Jev88]

Good advice above. But you mentioned engine battery dead and then came back to life when you tried it again? What age of van is it? Earth leads are poor quality on older vans and the terminals need a clean now and again to ensure a tight connection.

Maybe a local Funster could take a look at the basic stuff and if they get it going everyone learns a bit?

 

[Yorick]

As a guess, there is no electricity going to the pilot light, so it cant light.

Blow fuse is where I'd start looking

I found this which is what I thought
You shouldn't need power to light the pilot light. It works like a gas grill ignitor. You might make sure the gas is turned on to the fridge. There may be a gas shut off or something.

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[Pausim]

On my fridge the grill is held in place by two black lugs at the top. Insert smallest fingers in through the top louvre and slide lugs towards the middle. Pull the top gently away from the frame and the grill should then slide down to unhook from the bottom of the frame, no need for undue force.

 

[2657]

I found this which is what I thought
You shouldn't need power to light the pilot light. It works like a gas grill ignitor. You might make sure the gas is turned on to the fridge. There may be a gas shut off or something.

The comment about a gas grill igniter got me thinking, in our static caravan the igniter on the hob will not work for a few days when we return after many months with the electricity supply off.

I think this due to the ignition system using a capacitor to produce the high voltage spark and this needs time to charge after a complete discharge, I am no technical expert and this may not be the case.

If the ignition system on the fridge works on the same principle then after sometime to recharge it may ignite again, just a thought!

 

[mitzimad]

ive got the same van joy if you need pictures i can do some for you or talk you through what to do pm me for a phone number if your stuck

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