Stove hot while fridge on

[morgynm]

I pulled up my big girl pants and tested the propane system today. That I'm writing this is a good indication that I didn't blow myself up! Yay me!!

One thing I noticed was that the right burner in the stove was extremely hot after a while. I kept checking that I had turned that burner off. The fridge was running off of propane at the time so maybe that's normal??

Is there supposed to be a shut off between the stove and the tank somewhere? Or does the propane for the stove run through the lines for the fridge?




Morgyn
1981 13' Boler
Nova Scotia

[David Tilston]

I am more familiar with Trilliums, but there is not too much difference. When running on propane, the fridge has a small flame, and a chimney that comes up to the bottom of the stove. The fact that the stove gets hot is not surprising. But, does the fridge get cold?

[morgynm]

The fridge seemed to get colder. The freezer was, well, freezing at least! I'm still trying to figure out the temp knobs for it as I'm not sure where the indicator was to show the temp setting.


Morgyn
1981 13' Boler
Nova Scotia

[Jack L]

There is a shut off on the propane bottle and usually it's the only shut off in the trailer. If you have an oven the heat comes out the top back part of the stove. Even the pilot generates some heat. Could this be your issue ? An absorption refrigerator produces heat and it has to go some place, usually a vent on the roof or side of the trailer. I would check the vent on the refer to make sure it is not blocked. A insect or birds nest could be the culprit. If the stove, oven and pilot light are off the stove should be cool.

[Noreen Bradshaw]

I have a Trillium but the frig is below the stove top. When the frig is on propane, there is heat coming up through the stove top. Not too hot to touch but warm enough to notice.

[cpaharley2008]

Pictures of your set up may help, we love pictures here.

[RogerDat]

Propane fridge has a burner and is moving heat from inside the fridge to the coils on the back to be vented to the outside. Refrigerators don't make cold they move heat.

In this case to a space behind the fridge and probably right under your stove. Heat rises, stove gets warm.

There should be some sort of vent panel in the outside wall behind the fridge so the heat can escape but the temperature in that space can get pretty warm. Suggest getting one of those inexpensive fridge thermometers so you can figure out what the number settings on the dial mean in terms of food storage temp.

Some people end up using a 12 volt computer fan with a switch mounted to blow air through the outside vent to help remove the heat, cooler it is behind the fridge the better they work.

The fridge also works better if it has more stuff in it, especially if pre-chilled before loading, does take a fair amount of time to get cold. One other thing if it gets really hot outside (or in the space behind the fridge) the inside temp will not stay as cool. So you might be able to keep ice cream in freezer at 70 degrees but not at 95 degrees of outside temp.

[CampyTime]

The propane lines do not get hot when raw propane runs through to be burned. That's not your problem. My first thoughts were either a pilot heating that area up or poor/inadequate venting. The pilot sits much lower than your stovetop, way down in access door area. I'm wondering if vent could be occluded or damaged in some way as upper vent in outside of trailer is about stove height. Fridge generates a lot if heat while running.

Maybe others wi chime in with their thoughts. How old is your trailer and what make?


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by morgynm

I pulled up my big girl pants and tested the propane system today. That I'm writing this is a good indication that I didn't blow myself up! Yay me!!

One thing I noticed was that the right burner in the stove was extremely hot after a while. I kept checking that I had turned that burner off. The fridge was running off of propane at the time so maybe that's normal??

Is there supposed to be a shut off between the stove and the tank somewhere? Or does the propane for the stove run through the lines for the fridge?




Morgyn
1981 13' Boler
Nova Scotia

To me this is a pretty scary situation. My Scamp has never had the stove get warm when fridge is running. I suggest you turn the fridge off immediately, close the valve on the propane tank and take the trailer to a certified propane person to check it out. It's possible that you have a parcial blockage of the fridge burner, which could cause flames at the air intake for burner. Not good.

[morgynm]

This is what the back looks like. The propane valve for the fridge was screwed into the open position...which I assumed was the closed position because, at least in my mind, who would want that valve permanently open?



And my old Coleman stovetop...


Not that those might help much.




Morgyn
1981 13' Boler
Nova Scotia

[morgynm]

And there's this odd propane pipe under the sink that appears to eventually lead to the stove.




Morgyn
1981 13' Boler
Nova Scotia

[morgynm]

Do RV places do that type of work? I have no idea even what to google to find someone around here to work on rv propane!!


Morgyn
1981 13' Boler
Nova Scotia

[morgynm]

Sorry btw... I love my tech stuff but I can't figure out how to quote someone from the iPhone app.


Morgyn
1981 13' Boler
Nova Scotia

[morgynm]

So here's my latest wtf head shake!



I pulled all the interior of the cupboards out to get a better look at what was going on in there.

Anyone know what that terminated metal tube was for? I'm wondering if there was a water heater at some point as I can also see the remains of something round to the outside that must have been fiberglassed over.



Hitch goes on the car next week and then she goes in for her safety. Then she stays at the rv place for a propane and electrical checkup.

To cheer myself up, I added these lights I found in my camping bin.




Morgyn
1981 13' Boler
Nova Scotia

[cpaharley2008]

Perhaps a propane heater?? I'd get some propane testing liquid to make sure that stopper is holding on that pipe. see here Gas Leak Detector with Sprayer, 8oz. - Camco 10324E - Propane Accessories - Camping World

[tractors1]

Any plumber should be able to clean up your propane lines, doesn't need to be an RV shop. All the materials are the same as for natural gas, and they put in water heaters often.

[RogerDat]

I agree with both Jim and Charlie. The furnace on my 77 Scamp has a round vent hole and is located in about that spot.

Many rural areas don't have natural gas so there will be propane suppliers and they service propane appliances or can recommend someone that they send their customers to for propane work. But propane gas lines themselves are pretty basic plumbing task.

I also agree you need to be sure the chimney from the fridge burner is not clogged or blocked as was suggested on the last page. Spiders and wasps seem to gravitate to obnoxious places like that which are hard to see and get to but when blocked cause problems.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by morgynm

Anyone know what that terminated metal tube was for? I'm wondering if there was a water heater at some point as I can also see the remains of something round to the outside that must have been fiberglassed over.

Not a water heater, a furnace. Probably a Wagon Master.

On edit:
Opps, obviously others answered first, I just didn't see the second page.

[stevebaz]

On my scamp there is a piece of fiberglass sheet running from the top of the fridge curving back to the top of the outside fridge vent it has sides on it too. This deflects the rising heat from the fridge burner out the top vent behind the fridge. It also keeps the heat and fumes out of the inside of the trailer. Its possible your unit didn't come with the fridge but came with an icebox and was not swapped in properly.

[morgynm]

Hmm. Without the little boxes that make up the inside of the cabinets, it's just one big empty hole. Should I add something like you mentioned between the fridge space and the tube to the stove? I don't have fiberglass but would a piece of sheet metal be ok with holes drilled for ventilation? When you get a chance, would you be able to post a pic of your divider so I can see what it should be?




Morgyn
1981 13' Boler
Nova Scotia