Fridge won't light

[Tom VZ]

Hi All

My Casita's Dometic RM 2453 fridge has stopped working with propane. It's the kind where you hold down one button, then push another to light it. A little needle is then supposed to move into the green zone to tell you all is set right. However, my needle doesn't budge. It always has been (since I bought the unit used 3 years ago) that you had to push the button repeatedly, but I just tried it about a hundred times. Is it a matter of making a spark with a flint when you push the button? Could my flint be worn out? If so, should an average-handy guy like me try to replace it, or should I bring it in to someone smart?

THANKS
Tom

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Tom VZ

Hi All

My Casita's Dometic RM 2453 fridge has stopped working with propane. It's the kind where you hold down one button, then push another to light it. A little needle is then supposed to move into the green zone to tell you all is set right. However, my needle doesn't budge. It always has been (since I bought the unit used 3 years ago) that you had to push the button repeatedly, but I just tried it about a hundred times. Is it a matter of making a spark with a flint when you push the button? Could my flint be worn out? If so, should an average-handy guy like me try to replace it, or should I bring it in to someone smart?

THANKS
Tom

It's actually piezoelectric, electricity is produced by pressure or twisting of certain chrystaline material. No flint. The most likely thing is a slight blockage in the fuel line or the pilot line, or maybe a bad thermocouple.
If you can access the fire chamber [chimney]try lighting it with a butane firestick through the observation port.
Sometimes after storage this will clear things up.
I am told that spiders love to nest in the orifice and it must be cleaned by hand with a fine wire to clean it out.

[Terry G]

I have the same model as you in my 1996 Casita and had the same problem. When you push the left button, you should hear a small click or pop. As floyd suggested, have someone hold down the right button and see if you can light the pilot by hand. If the pilot lights and stays lit, then you have a problem in the ignite circuit. If the pilot lights manually but won't stay lit without holding the right button, then that would probably be a bad thermocouple. In my case, it was a bad ignite switch and I had a professional fix it since the unit had to be pulled apart.

[Tom VZ]

Originally Posted by Terry G

I have the same model as you in my 1996 Casita and had the same problem. When you push the left button, you should hear a small click or pop. As floyd suggested, have someone hold down the right button and see if you can light the pilot by hand. If the pilot lights and stays lit, then you have a problem in the ignite circuit. If the pilot lights manually but won't stay lit without holding the right button, then that would probably be a bad thermocouple. In my case, it was a bad ignite switch and I had a professional fix it since the unit had to be pulled apart.

Thanks guys. Sorry if I'm dense, but I don't see where to try to light the pilot by hand or clean the orifice. Do I remove the front panel around the buttons? It seems to be held on with some kind of fastener with 3 small notches around a central hole. Is there a special screw driver for this? Any suggestions on where to get the tool? The only other possibility I see is to remove the outside vent cover, but that looks like it's held on with rivets.
THANKS AGAIN
Tom

[Terry G]

Originally Posted by Tom VZ

Thanks guys. Sorry if I'm dense, but I don't see where to try to light the pilot by hand or clean the orifice. Do I remove the front panel around the buttons? It seems to be held on with some kind of fastener with 3 small notches around a central hole. Is there a special screw driver for this? Any suggestions on where to get the tool? The only other possibility I see is to remove the outside vent cover, but that looks like it's held on with rivets.
THANKS AGAIN
Tom

Tom, we're talking outside not inside. I'm not sure your year or model but my refrigerator has two outside vents--a lower plastic one that has two fasteners that can be turned with a screwdriver and an upper vent cover that's riveted on. You just need to get into the lower area and you'll see where the gas line goes to a chimney-like arrangement on the right side. One screw will allow you to move the cover out of the way. Another good test is to have someone hold the right button and see if can smell gas. By the way, the battery has to be connected in order for the refrigerator to light on gas. Have you checked this? Another issue is that often you'll have air in the lines because the gas bottles were turned off after your last trip. Sometimes it helps to light your stove before you're trying to light your refrigerator.

[Tom VZ]

Originally Posted by Terry G

Tom, we're talking outside not inside. I'm not sure your year or model but my refrigerator has two outside vents--a lower plastic one that has two fasteners that can be turned with a screwdriver and an upper vent cover that's riveted on. You just need to get into the lower area and you'll see where the gas line goes to a chimney-like arrangement on the right side. One screw will allow you to move the cover out of the way. Another good test is to have someone hold the right button and see if can smell gas. By the way, the battery has to be connected in order for the refrigerator to light on gas. Have you checked this? Another issue is that often you'll have air in the lines because the gas bottles were turned off after your last trip. Sometimes it helps to light your stove before you're trying to light your refrigerator.

Thanks guys. I didn't know about this lower access area! I lit the pilot with a charcoal lighter while my wife held the button, and could see that it definitely lit . But whenever I removed the lighter, even after holding there for a few moments, the pilot did not stay lit--even as my wife continued to hold the button! What do you make of that?

THANKS AGAIN
Tom

[Terry G]

Tom, I checked and I have the same model number as you. I'm assuming that you also have the little gauge on the inside of the unit. When your wife holds the right button and you light the pilot, does the needle move into the green? If it doesn't that sure sounds like the thermocouple. But just to make sure, I would call Dometic during business hours and talk to their tech support at 1-800-544-4881. They can evaluate the problem and tell you if it's something you can fix. There's some interlock stuff connected to the gas circuit that I don't quite understand.

[Tom VZ]

Originally Posted by Terry G

Tom, I checked and I have the same model number as you. I'm assuming that you also have the little gauge on the inside of the unit. When your wife holds the right button and you light the pilot, does the needle move into the green? If it doesn't that sure sounds like the thermocouple. But just to make sure, I would call Dometic during business hours and talk to their tech support at 1-800-544-4881. They can evaluate the problem and tell you if it's something you can fix. There's some interlock stuff connected to the gas circuit that I don't quite understand.

Thanks Terry. No, the needle did not move. I'll get further advice as you recommend.
-Tom

[Roy in TO]

There is a 52 page diagnostic + troubleshooting flow chart by Dometic that can be found here:
http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/Mandiag.pdf
and a separate one for your fridge that can be found here:
http://gasrefrigeration.net/dom_techdata/2552.pdf

[Terry G]

Originally Posted by Tom VZ

Thanks Terry. No, the needle did not move. I'll get further advice as you recommend.
-Tom

Tom, let us know how it comes out. We're always trying to learn more about these little eggs.