RM4271 fridge - hate admitting defeat! (1 Viewer)

[Jev88]

12v and 240v side are good.

Gas side........Have replaced...

Yellow switch
Burner
Jet
Spark plug
Lead to spark plug
Ignitor module
Checked wiring of plug and ignitor reference advice on the forum already.

It is not so much the cost - £150 so far - as the burner and spark plug in particular were very old and rusty so needed a refresh. It is more the fact I can't diagnose the fault myself! Just left ansaphone message with my local mobile caravan services man that replaced my boiler a little while ago.

 

[mitzimad]

so what is the problem does it light and not cool or not light at all?

 

[Jev88]

No spark! I have test lit the burner with a lighter and it works correctly (flame turns off if I let go of control knob too quickly, hold it in a few seconds to allow thermocouple to warm up and flame stays steady). But no ticking/sparking when turned on and NO light at yellow rocker switch to indicate sparking. (New switch an old switch).

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[Lenny HB]

Have you checked that you are getting 12v at the ignitor module?

 

[Jev88]

Yes. Checked 12 volt.from connector block on top of fridge to loom and out to ignitor.
What I don't understand is the output at the spark generator measures voltage when switch is off and drops when switch is on?

 

[davejen]

Is the 12v habitation on ?
Cheers, Dave

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[Jev88]

Is the 12v habitation on ?
Cheers, Dave

Yes. Otherwise I couldn't measure voltage at the spark generator. Also tried both leisure battery and engine battery supply with engine off and on (gets boosted by alternator supply).

 

[rangi]

12v and 240v side are good.

Gas side........Have replaced...

Yellow switch
Burner
Jet
Spark plug
Lead to spark plug
Ignitor module
Checked wiring of plug and ignitor reference advice on the forum already.

It is not so much the cost - £150 so far - as the burner and spark plug in particular were very old and rusty so needed a refresh. It is more the fact I can't diagnose the fault myself! Just left ansaphone message with my local mobile caravan services man that replaced my boiler a little while ago.

When you say "boiler" what exactly do you mean?

Do you have a "Carver 2"? these can be restored.

 

[TheBig1]

Are you certain the switch is wired correctly?

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[Lenny HB]

Just wondering if the new ignitor module is duff, I would expect the output to be pulses of a few thousand volts.

 

[Jev88]

When you say "boiler" what exactly do you mean?

Do you have a "Carver 2"? these can be restored.

Only mentioned boiler as engineer I used to replace my leaking Carver and fitted a new Malaga unit can also return and fix my fridge if I don't work it out myself.

 

[Reallyretired]

I had the same problem and Johns Cross fixed it for the price of an hours labour. There was a loose wire in a multi plug. Fixing it didn't take long, finding it did.

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[Jev88]

When you say "boiler" what exactly do you mean?

Do you have a "Carver 2"? these can be restored.

Only mentioned boiler as engineer I used to replace my leaking Carver and fitted a new Malaga unit can also return and fix my fridge if I don't work it out myself.

Are you certain the switch is wired correctly?

Yes. Bottom to earth, top to lamp L and middle to 12- on ignitor.

 

[TheBig1]

have you got a good earth for the ignitor? if you do, it must be the module

 

[Jev88]

Only just realised spark is supposed to jump across to thermocouple and not gas ring as I expected. Suppose I should give that an Emery cloth clean up?

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[Jev88]

have you got a good earth for the ignitor? if you do, it must be the module

Earth point on fridge top is good and spark module brand new.

 

[TheBig1]

yes a good earth is essential

 

[TheBig1]

the probe on the ignitor needs to jump the spark across the flame. it needs a good earth to jump to and can sometimes be just out of adjustment

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[Jev88]

the probe on the ignitor needs to jump the spark across the flame. it needs a good earth to jump to and can sometimes be just out of adjustment

My old spark plug had an angled probe at the end. The new models are short/blunt ended at the ceramic(?) end. I will engineer some rubber grips to hold it near a good earth and see if I can get any spark at all!!!! New module and lead and spark plug must give me something!

 

[autorouter]

The module should spark if there is 12V to the + terminal and the - terminal is earthed. To be sure, you could take a direct wire from a good earth and touch it onto the negative terminal. It should then spark. That test will bypass the switch and its wiring, and if it works, that's where the fault is.

The high voltage wire is another possible problem. Make sure it is physically separated from all the other wires and any metalwork, so that the spark doesn't get shorted before it reaches the spark gap. Is the spark gap approximately correct? I can't recall what it should be, but it's a few millimetres.

 

[Jev88]

The module should spark if there is 12V to the + terminal and the - terminal is earthed. To be sure, you could take a direct wire from a good earth and touch it onto the negative terminal. It should then spark. That test will bypass the switch and its wiring, and if it works, that's where the fault is.

The high voltage wire is another possible problem. Make sure it is physically separated from all the other wires and any metalwork, so that the spark doesn't get shorted before it reaches the spark gap. Is the spark gap approximately correct? I can't recall what it should be, but it's a few millimetres.

Thanks. I will remove spark module conn ctiond and seat spark plug as close to thermocouple as possible and put a direct Connect to a spare 12v battery + and - and see if I can force a spark?

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[Jev88]

For anyone that reads this... SOLVED.

Traced 12volt feed back to a corroded joint between 3 cables behind fridge. Trimmed wires, clean connector fitted . finally have a tick tick tick........

 

[namwaldog]

Isn't it a good feeling when you manage to sort stuff like this out

Barry