Norcold Fridge Flame Meter Troubleshooting

[woodbinite]

2006 3124 KS. My flame meter is not working at all. It should show "green" when the fridge is operating on propane, but does not. I removed it from the fridge control panel for testing/replacement. Uninstalled, it reads approx 8.5 ohms between the two leads. Before I buy a new one ($50.00), does anyone have knowledge, experience or recommendations for testing? Thanks in advance

[tentcamper]

The meter has two parts. The meter and a wire that comes off the interrupter that picks up micro voltage from the thermocouple sensor.

If the propane fridge works, but the sensor meter has no indication its on. I would check and see if I was getting the micro voltage from the interrupter to the meter and had good a ground?

Also there was a service bulletin for the propane fridge not working, for the two connectors/wires coming off the interrupter. The wires went to selector switch and then back to the interrupter and then to the gas control valve. Since the meter is off the same interrupter you might have a bad connector/wire. I think the real issue was the connectors growing silicon crystals and all you needed to do was replace the female connectors.

Here is the service manual link. Good electrical diagram, but no procedure to help troubleshoot the meter. http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/n300.pdf

If the fridge will not stay lit, I would replace the wires in the service bulletin. There are some posts on this site for the fix or google it.

[scrubjaysnest]

The two wires from on the meter were a common failure point and TM sold a replacement kit. Easy enough to make up your own.
As a note ours was reading real low and that was due to the burner needed cleaning.

[woodbinite]

Tentcamper and ScrubbyJay,

Thanks for the Norcold service manual link. It provides some excellent art work and repair info. I also got a lot from the Norcold info in the "info you won't find anywhere else" folder here.

I did replace the two 18 gauge wires from the interrupter to the switch with 14 gauge wires (red and blue) while I had the fridge pulled forward

As for the flame meter, I found a good troubleshooting video on youtube titled Norcold N300.3 Diagnostics for Winnebago Rialta HD. Author Rialta99.

For my flame meter, I believe I had a bad ground. The meter ground (red) is attached under the thermostat/gas safety valve. The other end (blue) is attached to the interrupter. The two wires are very thin diameter and both have spade connectors (female). When I disconnected the ground (red), it slipped off so easily I'll bet the connection was poor. I later found the wire end of the connector was cracked and it came apart in my hand. A new meter is on it's way via ups. I was hoping to get the camper buttoned up and covered for winter before it snows but I also want to resolve this problem before I do. Fingers crossed the new meter will be the fix. I'll post when I get the new meter installed. Thanks again.

[tentcamper]

Sounds like you got the problem solved. With micro voltage circuits, any slightly bad connection reduces current (amp) flow to where the circuit is non-functional.

Just for the heck of it, I would try soldering on the wire a new connector and see it that solves you problem? Than install the new meter, or return it.

[woodbinite]

Update and conclusion. I installed a new flame meter and fired up the fridge on propane....success. Meter went to green and stayed. Successfully repeated a couple times. Soldered a new connector onto the old meter and gave it a try, no go. Expensive little part, $51 delivered.

[tentcamper]

Yahoo! Glade you tried the old meter. That always bugs me, did I buy a part I did not need?