fixing fridge on the run in Portugal

[TobyQuest]

Hey all,

I have headed into portugal but as things are now shutting down i need to get my fridge working so my food keeps for longer. Its a 3 way but doesnt work on gas.
Today we took it out, it was sparking and gas going into it but not firing up. Turns out by the burner jet the thermocoupling was coated in about 1cm thick black tar/burnt plastic looking stuff. Not sure how it got that way, but thats why it wasnt firiting up for sure.
I clened all that off and fitted it back again and now for the first time ever, the fridge fires up on gas.

HOWEVER, i ran it for an hour and it doesnt seem to be cooling even though its on.

Any ideas?

 

[Robert Clark]

It can take about 5 hours to each temperature. The freezer gets cold first then the fridge.
If it’s still lit give it a bit more time

Best of luck

 

[Odd-no-more]

If the flame is burning well you may need to clean the flue pipe above the burner

 

[Greenway]

Nigel, Algarve Motorhome Services, an English guy who operates a mobile caravan and motorhome repair business along the algarve,if you are in the area. If this is any good to you his number is 00 251 925 578 363 from a uk mobile. I has similar problems and he sorted mine.
There’s also CamperServ in Louel, run by an English guy also, who are very good. They have a website.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

If your burner was all tarred up and sooty then the chimney may be also, it would be worth your while to give that a clean.

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[TobyQuest]

Today it was very windy and the fridge flame kept getting blown out, every 10 seconds or so, is that normal in windy conditions?
Then when the wind stop the fridge stayed on but it did not cool anything down at all.

Action plan is to take the fridge back out again and see if the burner has got clogged up with the remnants of previous tar-type blockage.
WIll clean the flue pipe a bit better as well, put it all back together and try it again.
Failing that will give thi Nigel at Algarve Motorhome Services a shout - thanks for the details Greenway

 

[autorouter]

If it has never worked on gas, maybe you don't know what the burner flame should look like. Perhaps the jet is partially blocked, so the flame is weak, so it cools poorly and easily blown out.

 

[Robert Clark]

Don’t push anything into the jet
If needs be you can clean it off with some solvent

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

On one older van I had I cleaned the jets with a spray air can, the type used to clean computer keyboards, they should be available in the Chinese bazzar shops, they are £1 in the UK. They are good for blowing out debris.

 

[TobyQuest]

oops too late. i poked a very small tiny bit of wire inside the jet.
So what does that mean for me now?

By the way that number given for Nigel is a number in Ethiopia lol. Its 251 for portugal. Nevertheless havent been able to reach him yet, so still a bit stuck. Using bags of ice currently

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[Jimbohorlicks]

It can possibly change the jet hole size and make the burner inefficient, gas to air ratio, for a nice blue flame, but you may be lucky.

 

[PeteH]

Possible sources for your "crap". Debris from the flue or insulation getting old and fragile?. OR muck brought over in the gas from hoses deteriorating?. AND, Dead (fried) Insects?. Have used the old fashioned tinned copper fuse wire to clean jet`s before to-day. soaking in solvent is better though.

 

[pwilmo]

Sounds like soot and debris have caused your problem, however, after clean up- remember to turn your fridge on with a low setting for the start up - maybe 0 or 0.5 ... don' t whack it up to a high number.
The low initial temperature setting will ensure the best performace, you can always adjust once it is working.
Because of gas fridge mechanics, I think you'll find they are only good up to outside air temperature of 27/28 degrees C. They are only really a glorified cooling box.
Good luck with your clean up

 

[JJ]

Dial code 351 for Portugal Mr TobyQuest...

JJ

 

[Manic]

This the jet, best to remove it and clean it, the jet is held in place by the end of the gas pipe, green arrow in second photo.

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[TobyQuest]

Thank you. I will try it again putting it on from low. Its quite possible that it was the black plastic from the inside of the hose deteriorating. I replaced the hose initially when i was going through the easiest options of what it could be. Strangely I had found the original hose completely jammed shut between the box of the camper and the chassis. How on earth that happened, I have no idea!

Failing that, I will take it all out again and clean the jet. It is quite a pain to do while on the move but as i'll be here until further notice I have some time on my hands

 

[TobyQuest]

Camperserv is closed due to Covid. Any other places in South portugal?

 

[Winger]

TobyQuest, I can think of worse places than Portugal to be On The Run!