Hi again,
On a recent trip with my '99 16-footer, I couldn't get the propane refrigerator to light. I did everything I've done before - turn on the gas, light a stovetop burner, set gas control on fridge to high, hold down switch, click ignitor. What I got was an audible pop at the burner. If I held the switch down longer before clicking the ignitor, I got a bigger pop. But it wouldn't stay lit. I have two propane tanks, and I tried switching tanks, still same problem. The stove burners work fine, so I doubt a supply problem.
Any idea what I'm up against here?
Thanks,
I know on my '99 13 footer, the igniter doesn't do diddly. I just use a long bbq lighter to light the pilot - works fine. I have never had a piezo lighter, on ANTHING, that worked for more than a month or two. I avoid paying for them whenever I have an option.
I share your distrust of piezo electric ignitors - they don't keep working very long, in my experience.
But in this case, I do get ignition. That's what the "pop" is. With the baffle removed, I can even see the blue puff of flame. And the same thing happens if I try to ignite with a lighter. Something else is going on.
Randy in Paonia
I had the same problem lighting my fridge. I got the pop but no ignition. Read the directions for the fridge!!!! It says to click the igniter twice in rapid succession. Works every time.
We have a 2017 16 with the larger frig. It has taken me all summer to figure out how to get the frig to work on gas. We used 110v most of the time as the gas option was hard to get going and I could never see the flame reflected in that little window on the front of the frig.
One day I had the outside vent cover off the back of the frig and had my wife turned the control knob to the "gas" position on the dial. It appeared to me that the control knob has long linkage going to the back of the frig and I guessed wasn't very fine tuned to match the words "gas" or "elec" when the control was set. So I guessed one must adjust the control beyond the "gas" setting to open the valve fully. (not very scientific I admit) It remains a kind of hit and miss method to get the frig to work on gas but I can get it to work.
Conversely, I did discover that "OFF" doesn't really mean what it says either. I had both control knobs in the off position before we drove home from a weekend trip. I plugged in the shoreline at home as is my practice only to find the next day that the frig was on 110v electric all night with the door open. (The door was open to let it dry out from use on our trip.)
So I have learned the frig may light on gas when it feels like it. The electric is more reliable to start the frig easily but I better reach under the sink cabinet to unplug it when the trailer is not in use. O'h and I added "plug in the refrigerator" to my camping checklist as waiting an hour after setting up camp is not the time to find out the frig isn't plugged in nor any colder. Why no indicator light I ask myself....
We love our Scamp and the idiosyncrasies are interesting and fun to share.
I wonder if the thermocouple is the problem. If it doesn't sense a flame it will turn the gas off to the fridge.
I have a 1999 16 Scamp and the fridge works fine on 110. It also lights and works on gas for several hours but then mysteriously the flame goes out. Not a problem with wind. Have tried two different tanks. Thinking maybe regulator but stove and furnace work fine so not sure. Any ideas?
I have a 1999 16 Scamp and the Dometic fridge works fine on 110. It also lights and works on gas for several hours but then mysteriously the flame goes out. Not a problem with wind. It does relight and works again. The flame looks blue but does seem to be pulsing slightly. And occasionally after it is lit I hear a pop as though it is relighting. Have tried different propane tanks with same result. Thinking maybe regulator but stove and furnace work fine so not sure. Any ideas?
The problem you're describing with the flame going out is something I experienced with our former 1998 Scamp 16'. I don't know the part name but it's between the gas line and the burner where air mixes with the propane... this opening was partially blocked by a tiny spider web. I was able to disconnect the part and run a pipe cleaner through it and it solved my problem.
- Ken
Thank you for this info. I've cleaned the area you describe but that didn't solve the problem. However a new propane regulator appears to have mostly resolved the issue.
Sounds like it has some debris in the gas line or orifice is clogged. That is usually a recommended annual maintenance item and takes about 30-45 min. This video on the process looks pretty good, but may vary slightly by fridge model. https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=_cmE7iN3D9I
If the clean out doesn't get it, I'd also hookup a manometer https://amzn.to/3csJH8N at the fridge port and check that it is at 11 water column inches with the stove lit as well. If the flow is irregular it may need a new regulator. https://amzn.to/2zxIDSC
It sounds like its definitely a feed problem and one of the above will probably resolve it.
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The problem persisted after cleaning the burner jet, burner tube, and thermocouple. So I replaced the propane regulator and it ran on a low setting (2) all night. In the morning I turned it up to 4 and it went out. But then I re-lit it and it has not gone out since on various settings. The flame on low settings (2 or 3) looks blue and steady. When I turn it up to a higher setting it stays lit but the flame seems less stable and is more noisy. So the regulator definitely was a good idea. I'm just wondering if there is still something in the gas line. My main question is, how do I check and clean the line? Thanks for your help on this.
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