Which wire is positive?

[RLP]

Here is something I just thought of. The only LP line I had for testing is 15 feet long. Could there be to much pressure drop over 15' to effect the operation of the fridge on LP mode?

I just borrowed a different regulator with 2' of line attached and testing again with that.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Have you checked the burner for spider webs or nests? That generally the cause of a refrigerator not working on propane and working on 120 V.

[RLP]

Byron - I did blow out the compartment at the burner and took off the burner cover to inspect. It was very clean. I'll also blow out the flue above the burner.

Now have it hooked up to a newer regulator and only 2' of LP line instead of the 15' I was using before. Noticed already the flame is bigger than before and the pipe off the boiler is getting hot like it did on 110V operation. I'll run it this way for the night and check fridge/freezer temps in the AM.

I hope I am not premature in saying this but I think the long LP hose I was using before caused to much pressure drop. Then again the original Boler regulator I was using before may have gone bad, or both situations. I'll replace the regulator anyway because it's 40 years old.

Crossing my fingers (a non diagnostic procedure).

[RLP]

Success!! - Using a shorter LP line and different regulator the fridge now works on propane. I suspect the 15' line I was testing with before was the culprit as it produced to much pressure drop.

After running through the night the fridge air temp was 3 deg C and freezer was -19 deg C. Good enough for the girls I go with.

I feel kinda silly now thinking the fridge had malfunctioned when it was actually a testing error by using that long LP hose. Oh well, another lesson learned.

Thank you very much to all who chimed into this thread and offered suggestions. Have a great camping summer.

[David Tilston]

Congrats!

[Bob Miller]

Congrats on getting the refrigerator working... But I'd bet my money on a bad regulator, not the hose. It may be an old single stage regulator as well. Get a new 2 stage regulator at you local RV supplier, usually less than $30, and you will be good to go for another 20 years..........

[PyroDude]

There was some discussion earlier in the thread about flame operation when the unit was not asking for cooling. Most of the recently made fridges have sort of a two stage flame controller hooked to the thermo. When in cooling mode the main stage is activated and allows for full flame based on your hi-med-lo setting. When not in cooling mode (thermo not requesting cooling that is) the second stage (think idle mode) is engaged, I thing it's really referred to as being in bypass, and the flame is given just enough gas to remain lit and keep the thermocouple open.

Good idea to change out the reg give it's age. Good chance the 15ft hose is close to the same age too the same age so test it on the good reg you borrowed before reinstalling it if you do.

KAR

[Thomas G.]

You can easily make a very accurate pressure tester with a length of clear plastic tube and water.

Manometer testing for propane leaks in RV gas system - YouTube

[RLP]

Thomas - great idea for the nanometer. Question about using the water column device. When no pressure is applied the water level on both sides of the 'U' will be equal. Apply pressure and one side will rise while the other side drops. When measuring WC, is the measurement the difference between the two levels or just the amount of rise on one side?

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by RLP

..........When measuring WC, is the measurement the difference between the two levels or just the amount of rise on one side?

The difference