Dometic fridge pilot light won?t stay lit

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R

Rodoh

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Jun 28, 2020
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Help please! We just bought a 2017 coachman clipper hybrid RDB and are enjoying our first weekend in it. It seems to work fine off of electrical but now that we are away from hydro, the fridge won?t work off of propane. The pilot light will light while the igniter is clicking but extinguished itself as soon as the clicking stops.  I asked the previous owner and he said he never used the fridge on propane.

I?m attaching a picture, is that enough flame for the sensor to know it?s lit?  We?re guessing there isn?t enough gas coming through the line to stay lit.

Things we?ve tried:
- Lighting the stove and leaving it on for a couple minutes (no problem)
- Adjusting the manual gas shut off
- turning off the propane and turning it back on slowly
- adjusting the position of the electrode

 

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Just to be clear, that is not a "pilot light". That's the actual gas flame that heats the cooling unit boiler.  Hard to see the flame in the photo, but it looks ok in size and color (blue).

But based on it going out immediately, it does indeed seem the flame detection circuit is not verifying the flame. To the best of my knowledge, all newer fridges combine the flame detection with the igniter tip, but we need to know the fridge make & model to be sure.  Flame detection involves a very weak electrical current generated by the hot igniter tip, so a little corrosion on the wire connection back to the circuit bord cn defeat it. Try cleaning the wire connection (a pencil eraser works good).
 
Thank you Gary!!!!! There wasn?t corrosion but the wire wasn?t connected properly in the little plastic housing. When I just took off the plastic and plugged it in directly the flame stays on! Now we?re trying to put the plastic back on but will probably leave it off.  We were looking for a name for our trailer, it may now be named Gary.
 
You said it lights. Good solid and clear Blue Flame or is it yellow or red?
If the flame is odd (And it does indeed look like an old time pilot light but it's the main burner, there is no pilot)  then you may have issues with the burner orifice needing cleaning (There is spider that likes to nest there)

If the flame is good and clean (If you can get a look at a working fridge. DO SO)
Then you have two or 3 more suspects  In line order

1: The flame sensor (Thermocouple) it's also more than likely the spark rod. Failure is rare but does happen  as this rod heats up it generates voltage (just under 1/2 volt or 0.480) to tell the control board "Lit and happy"

2: The wire connnecting said spark rod/sensor to the control board.  Bad connections (pull and replace connections a few times to clean) can mean that though the roughly 1,000 Volt spark power makes the hike the 0.480 fails to make the return trip.

3: My favorite suspect: The control board.. If bad I recommend Dinosaur boards be your first (And likely last if they have it) stop.
 
Thanks bad connections are not common.. but I did cover it.

To the O/P
A couple layers of heat shrink tubing from Harbor Freight might work if you are talking about the plastic  over the connector. If you are talking about the plastic cover to the box..  Forget what I just typed.

THe plastic on the connector itself is to protect you when you play with it power on. No other function.
 
John From Detroit said:
A couple layers of heat shrink tubing from Harbor Freight might work if you are talking about the plastic  over the connector. If you are talking about the plastic cover to the box..  Forget what I just typed.

THe plastic on the connector itself is to protect you when you play with it power on. No other function.
Click to expand...

It?s the plastic over the connector. We left it off as it was too big to ensure a secure connection.  I may cut it down when we go back to the trailer to make it a little safer.

Thanks for all the replies!
 
Well as I said the plastic over the connetor is not really needed so long as you do not play with it "Hot" (active) if you are concerned get an assortment of heat shrink tubing from Harbor freight. take the smallest tube that will slip over the connector.. Line the end up with the end of the connector and heat it
Then take the smallest that will fit over that and do it again
Then do it a 3rd time

A 4th time to play safe
That should do it and give you a tighter fit  IN fact you might want to connect after the first shrink and with the other tubes slid over the wire and bring 'em down over the connected assembly.

Also a product called De-0x-It comes in different strengths from around 5 to 90 or 100 (The number is the "Strength" and 100 is clearly strongest) also they have a protective spray.. Might consider treating both connections (Wire and board) to a shot of De-Ox-It and De-Ox-It Gold.

The stronger formulas are costly

I use this on my 30 amp plug every time I use plug.
 
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