Fridge not working on gas, can anyone help?

Its a fortune for a simple bit of metal but cheap for the piece of mind. Loosing your fridge in hot weather is a serious pain.

Richard
 
hairydog said:
If it was made of stainless, it wouldn't rust and wouldn't let you down.
Click to expand...

But residue would still probable build up inside it and a replacement would cost an arm and a leg.

This sort of thing will always be designed and built to have a limited life so that they can make a profit from service contracts and spares.

Richard
 
hairydog said:
I don't understand. The local depot where I sometimes refill my LPG tank also fills gas bottles for local bottled gas suppliers. The same gas, from the same tank.

What you buy as autogas is just Propane. As is the stuff in the red bottles.

Can you clarify what they were referring to? Is there a different jet intended for propane instead of butane?
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Not sure of the context Vennwood suggests different jets are fitted for LPG.

In theory jets are the same whether propane or butane even under the old reg pressures of 28 /37 mbar and ok with current standard of 30 mbar

I can only summise the 7000 series were installed in possibly natural gas installations, or if appliances built by Dometic Germany the old 50 mbar regulators jetting was standard in both cases would require re jetting for UK applications

Channa
 
hairydog said:
No, on the ones I've looked at, you don't need to touch the burner to remove the jet. There is a space between the jet and the burner, big enough to remove the jet.
Sounds like what you are looking at is very different.
This is a picture I found on the web, and although it is reversed L-R compared to most of the ones I've seen, this is how they look, and this picture is annotated. They call the jet the "orifice".
View attachment 58076
Click to expand...

hi
i have not had that type in my fridge. i have only had the one tezza has shown
it is steeland can rust inside after the jet. i have even had the flare on the end
of the pipe corode away. i think even if its not blocked but has a bit of rust just
disrupting the smooth flow of the gas will give a poor flame. my fridge has no
serial number on but it might be a 4200 or something.
 
Sorry to resurrect this thread again.

My 3 way electrolux works on mains and 12v.

It lit and ran for a few minutes before I turned it off on our original calor bottle which we got with the van, but because I didn't trust the bottle valve and where it was fitted we never ran it while were were out and about and as it's winter it was never needed.
Last week we have an LPG underslung tank fitted, the gas rings work and the fridge lit and burnt with a nice round looking blue flame when testing it.

Last night we ran the fridge on 12v on the way to the wild camping spot.
We lit the fridge and all was good..... an hour later I took another look in the fridge and the flame had gone out....
After several fire up's and run's the flame goes out after 20 or 30 minutes.

Is a simple clean going to solve it?
Should I buy and fit a new burner?

Please can you advise me on how to get it working full time? :drive:
 
The thing to do with any such problems is to clean the burner. Soot build up on the burner can mean that the flame is not cleanly hitting the thermocouple so the flame is easily put out.

Keith
 
I would make sure the van is level. The cylinder is fairly full, not too cold and nothing else is using much gas. Give it all a damn good clean including the control nobs. Make sure the flu is venting well. Do not push anything into the delicate burner jet as you will turn it into a blowtorch. Any doubts about it, change it. Stick back on full blast and see what happens. Mine cured itself of a failing to fire problem with a good fast run on the motorway. Spider issue I guess?

Richard
 
Thanks to the both of you.

I took it to pieces although I couldn't get the nozzle out, I gave it all a good clean and blew through and now it works better as it has lasted for around 2 to 3 hours before it went out again.

28170362979_e4512f133e_c.jpg

The new flame

25077183487_9d446e50de_c.jpg

The igniter is removed on these shots
39050428805_603bc19173_c.jpg

Although it's stiff and doesn't bend, but should the thermocouple be directly over the flame outlet?

The fridge is a RM212F (I think as the typed letters are hard to read)

I have found this on ebay which looks the same but I've no idea how to get the nozzle out
Electrolux RM212 3 way fridge Gas Jet Repair Restoration Service | eBay

Any ideas on where I can see the exact burner in other photos as I can't seem to find a similar photo Google?

Thanks for your help
 
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before doing anything further, your thermocouple looks a bit old and worn, i think it's a likelier bet
 
i may be wrong of course , but it's the t/couple that shuts off the gas , and your flame doesn't look bad- fingers crossed too !
 
I do not know that burner but everything Mr Brown is saying makes sense. I would add that looking at the amount of rust and crud on the outside, I would guess that the inside is not pristine. If you cannot get in to clean it then either a solvent clean, making sure all solvent is removed or consider renewal of the whole unit. This will be expensive but if you consider the amount of time you spend on trying to sort it and posible fail in the end. Pay yourself minimum wage and it then looks a lot cheaper. Pay yourself garage rates and its a no brainer.

Richard

PS

The gunk on the inside may well be oily deposits from bottom of gas cylinder
 
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I am with the others,as a rule most issues with fridges tends to be detritus building uo being disturbed via van bouncing about so a good clean normally does the trick.

Thermocouples as a rule either work or don't, not withstanding that one doesn't look healthy so whilst the unit is out and given realatively low cost I agree with Nigel replace it. Also it will have new wire and replacing gives opportunity to make clean fresh connections.

Re location of the t/c in relation to burner it looks correct

Channa
 
N Brown,
Thanks for your link. The thermocouple is in place, a good blast of compressed air has cleared out the valve and it's burning nicely........
Well it has been for the last 15 minutes and it's still going, so all's well.
One quick question as I've never had a fridge like this before.
Should the tip of the thermocouple be glowing red or is it too close to the flame?
It looks to be in the same place as the original one.

Thanks
 
JohnClimber said:
N Brown,
Thanks for your link. The thermocouple is in place, a good blast of compressed air has cleared out the valve and it's burning nicely........
Well it has been for the last 15 minutes and it's still going, so all's well.
One quick question as I've never had a fridge like this before.
Should the tip of the thermocouple be glowing red or is it too close to the flame?
It looks to be in the same place as the original one.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Thats fine

Richard
 
Just had another look and it's fine out again.
It fires up with one click but will not stay on unless I'm holding the regulator button in.
Once I let go the flame goes straight out.

Any ideas on what's wrong now please?
 
My guess is the control knob. I have never repaired one but it has come up on here a couple of times in the past so someone will be along soon.

Richard
 
hi
on the other end of the thermocouple where it screws into the gas
valve there is a magnet and spring which holds the gas open.
perhaps this needs cleaned or replaced.
 
poll off the control knob and use your thumb to hold it in while firing up, it may not be travelling enough to fully open the valve
 
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