refrigerator works on 120V but not propane

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tomciaccio
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refrigerator works on 120V but not propane

Does anyone have any ideas why my refrigerator does not cool down when using propane. The flame lights and the chimney gets very hot, but even after several hours 6+ there is NO trace of cooling, even in the freezer compartment. The refrigerator works just fine on 120V. The scamp is perfectly level.  Any ideas?

I have a 1996 scamp with the smaller refrigerator.

 

 

 

ELongest
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Frig. not cooling

Since it cools on elec. your ammonia should be OK. Since your flame is burning your tstat should be working. Sometimes it can take overnight to cool a frig down. Some friges have baffle in the chimney tube that require to be removed and the chimney cleaned of rust. You might have a dirt dauber nest stopping up the chimney tube not letting the heat flow through the exchanger. Let us know what you find.

Eddie

tomciaccio
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Frid. not cooling on propane

You mentioned the possibility of "a dirt dauber nest stopping up the chimney tube". If that's the issue how can it cool on 120V or does that only apply to the propane?

 

salukispeed
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too

There is a fine line between too much heat and not enough. The Electric heater is more precise with the BTU output and usually works or not. and does not have to exhaust any real excess heat where the flame has to heat the Boiler part of the system and exhaust the rest  to not over do it. On our 3 way in our 13 I once was "stupid" and left the 120V turned on and lit the Propane too and it did not cool hardly at all if any. the system relies  on a thermo siphon of water. hydrogen and Ammonia to  separate in the boiler and recombine in different places to cool. If too much/little  heat it stops working. So if for some reason the flame is too large from a damaged Orifice or too Small from partially plugged from Spider or debris  or a plugged Chimney or burner  it can stop. Along with the need to be very close to level as you obviously know. Fortunately it works on 120V so the system sounds intact Even the rust debris that falls out of the chimney over time can plug or disrupt the burner flame and fail to work. 

2019 Scamp 13 standard

tomciaccio
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Frid. not cooling on propane

Ok to check the baffle I need to pull the fridge out of the insert. The manual says there are 6 screws but as I look at mine the fridge appears to be riveted in place (6 rivets). Am I looking at the wrong thing? If not, do I need to drill out those rivets? oh boy, sounds like fun.

 

salukispeed
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short

In most installs the baffle is just a twisted piece of sheet metal that hangs from a wire in the boiler chimney and can be removed by lifting from the top of the chimney easily while still in the trailer. The one in our2019 13 is easily removed out the top but is the dinky 1.9 cubic foot model. If you have the manuals it is covered in some of them. Before going way crazy take a good look at the flame from the burner. It should be Clean Blue color and even and consistent everywhere. A spider web in the burner tube will screw everything up by disturbing the flame and where it goes. . ON my Nephews the baffle had come off the wire hook and fell down and was laying on the burner messing it up. 

2019 Scamp 13 standard

salukispeed
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news??

Have you any update on your fridge issue??  Very interested to hear result?

2019 Scamp 13 standard

tomciaccio
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Frid. not cooling on propane

Yes, I just got the fridge working on propane! As you said 'salukispeed', there was a blockage at the top of the boiler tube. I think it was a spider web. I removed it and ran a wire brush down the tube to make sure there were no more. The baffle was fine. I managed to do this without removing the fridge. In order to get better access to the top of the boiler tube, I removed the outside vent. Thank you everyone for your help.

markjazzbassist
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next step is trying to drive

next step is trying to drive with it on propane.  mine cools on propane  but unfortunately the pilot light blows out everytime i try and drive.  i'm wondering if i need to do some cleaning you like have here.  any chance you took pics of how to take this stuff apart?

1987 Scamp 16

tomciaccio
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next step is trying to drive

It seems logical that the pilot light will blow out when traveling. I'm not going to try that. When traveling it should cool on the battery setting. Here are a couple pics of my work. The spider web we inside that T-piece on the stop of the boiler tube. I simply took it apart using the instructions in the manual.

tomciaccio
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the pics

opps here they are...

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