3-way fridge, resistance in ignition circuit?

[nitkn]

I’m in the Alps at the moment, and my old Electrolux fridge has developed a problem on gas that I don’t really understand. Normally when I flick up the igniter switch I get a strong flashing light and the fridge lights instantly. Now, when the leisure battery is charged to 13 volts and after a bit of a delay, I may get a weak flashing light and the fridge lights. However if the leisure battery drops below 13 volts I get nothing at all. It’s not a huge problem while we’re in the Alps because it’s cold here, but we will be going south in a few weeks time and it will get warm. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

[Robmac]

What altitude are you at?

 

[Robmac]

I should also ask Butane or Propane?

 

[r4dent]

Are other Gas appliances working ?

Are other 12v devices working ?

Does fridge work on 230v ?

 

[gasgas]

The ignition wire from the spark generator may be half-shorting along its route somewhere so the igniter (spark plug if you like) is only getting half its volts. Either that or the spark generator is feeling weary.
nitkn says it lights and runs OK once it is lit, therefore it sounds like an ignition problem rather than a butane/propane problem - which Robmac points out would be a problem if the gas bottle is near to zero C.

 

[n brown]

sounds like the spark generator has a bad connection or its dying . you could maybe get one of these from a bricolage and bodge it on

 

[nitkn]

Thanks for all your replies. I (with a friend who is technical!) had a look at the “booster” between the switch and the igniter. The plug into it from the switch was quite loose so we levered the terminals a bit tighter. This seems to have improved the reliability of the spark? We’re on a hook up at the moment so the leisure battery is at full charge. We’ll have to see what happens when the voltage is a bit lower.