Fridge help - gas lit but not cooling

Kaz5167

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Newly acquired X reg (2000) Swift coach built with an electrolux RM-4262 3-way fridge.

Fridge works on electric and lights (and stays lit) on gas but doesn't cool - if anything the temperature goes up.

We have been through various forums & feel like we have tried everything suggested, so feel it's time to ask for help!

It is level, the baffle is in place, we have taken out & cleaned the burner. Outside temperature has ranged from 5 degrees to about 15, so no extremes, plenty of air flow (vents clear) and there is heat at the back of the fridge. Also rotated/sat upside down, when we thought the electric wasn't working either (turns out it was, just not as quick, or as cold as the one in our 2012 Adria caravan).

I was convinced I'd found the answer this week, being to remove the jet & soak in acetone (nail varnish remover) to remove soot inside, but when my husband brought it in, it's just a little frisby shaped piece with a pin hole in the top, not like the bullet shaped ones I'd seen, so nowhere for soot to be...

Thank you in advance for reading.
 
Are you saying it actually gets cold on leccy but not on gas AND the gas flame lights ok?
 
if it gets cold it's working. get a new jet ,sounds like that one may have a reduced aperture, and might not be getting as hot as it should
 
When you say "lights (and stays lit) on gas" do you mean the main burner "lights (and stays lit)" or the pilot?

If you don't know the difference say so, don't guess!
 
I've suffered two types of failure of a '3 way'.
First was the blocked jet, this was cured by replacement jet as the original was corroded.
The second failure was of cooling unit, in this case it worked on mains and 12v, but not gas, it was caused by corrosion and/or crystals in the cooling circuit which only affected part of circuit which is used by gas. This can sometimes be 'cured' by turning the fridge over, but that's not a given, and might only be temporary.
 
colinm said:
I've suffered two types of failure of a '3 way'.
First was the blocked jet, this was cured by replacement jet as the original was corroded.
The second failure was of cooling unit, in this case it worked on mains and 12v, but not gas, it was caused by corrosion and/or crystals in the cooling circuit which only affected part of circuit which is used by gas. This can sometimes be 'cured' by turning the fridge over, but that's not a given, and might only be temporary.
Click to expand...

I think we should try and identify the problem better before we suggest solutions.

Still waiting for the Op to say was is happening.

If it is the pilot that is burning then the probable cause is gunge in the burner which is easier to sort out than removing the unit.
 
r4dent said:
I think we should try and identify the problem better before we suggest solutions.

Still waiting for the Op to say was is happening.

If it is the pilot that is burning then the probable cause is gunge in the burner which is easier to sort out than removing the unit.
Click to expand...
I've never come across a fridge with both a pilot AND a main burner, all the fridges I've ever had are/were small under counter types with just one flame which I'd describe as the size of a large pilot.
A pilot and separate burner would need 2 jets, one for each flame and I've never seen reference to 'the pilot jet' or the 'main burner jet' either, just THE JET.
Not saying you're wrong just hat I need educating it seems!:unsure:
 
Last edited:
witzend said:
Interesting thread i,ve the same problem but only one burner which i can see giving off a redish flame which i believe should be blue
Click to expand...
Depends on make model and year.
Some models switch on the gas when required, others have pilot on all the time.
When you say one burner how do you know that ? If Main burner is blocked you will only see pilot.

It is always worth cleaning the main burner. Lots of videos on You Tube.
 
n brown said:
if it gets cold it's working. get a new jet ,sounds like that one may have a reduced aperture, and might not be getting as hot as it should
Click to expand...
Just this tiny 'top hat' part? Can't see what could be wrong with that, but happy to be enlightened!
 

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r4dent said:
When you say "lights (and stays lit) on gas" do you mean the main burner "lights (and stays lit)" or the pilot?

If you don't know the difference say so, don't guess!
Click to expand...
(I think) I'm referring to the pilot light - the flame you can see from the little round window inside the fridge. The back of the fridge does get warm, but I don't know how to check if the main burner is lit.
 
colinm said:
I've suffered two types of failure of a '3 way'.
First was the blocked jet, this was cured by replacement jet as the original was corroded.
The second failure was of cooling unit, in this case it worked on mains and 12v, but not gas, it was caused by corrosion and/or crystals in the cooling circuit which only affected part of circuit which is used by gas. This can sometimes be 'cured' by turning the fridge over, but that's not a given, and might only be temporary.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Because our jet is like a top hat, with a little hole in the top, I don't think it can get blocked. I was convinced that might be the issue (from other threads) until I saw the style of ours compared to other bolt/bullet shapes.

However once it was out, still went through the process of soaking in acetone, as recommended, just in case.

The cooler unit could be an issue... I wonder if there is a way to prove that.
 
r4dent said:
I think we should try and identify the problem better before we suggest solutions.

Still waiting for the Op to say was is happening.

If it is the pilot that is burning then the probable cause is gunge in the burner which is easier to sort out than removing the unit.
Click to expand...
As per above it is the pilot, but we have also had the burner out (twice) and given a good clean
 
witzend said:
Interesting thread i,ve the same problem but only one burner which i can see giving off a redish flame which i believe should be blue
Click to expand...
That's exactly my experience, you have just one flame from one jet.
I've never had problems with the actual jet, just debris that falls down the long tube above the flame because it's rusting inside the tube, the debris falls onto the top of the burner jet and half stifles the flame and you get partial flame that doesn't do the job properly. A quick power suck with Henry and the flame's now as good as new for another year.
Just done a quick tinternet search and cant find any reference to a 2 jet system with main burner AND pilot?
 
(Frustrating that I have replied to all of these messages over an hour ago - now 14:25, but they are still waiting moderation - "This message is awaiting moderator approval, and is invisible to normal visitors".

Realise this message won't come through either, but when it does, can someone please let me know if there's a way to avoid this! )
 
If someone has tried cleaning the jet then chances are that it has had something poked in it so it will never work properly, it doesn't have a pilot light, clean all the debris on the burner as already advised and fit a new jet.

Dometic DS2922033044 Burner Jet NR KZ45

www.caravanparts.co.uk www.caravanparts.co.uk
 
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