Fridge not cooling on Gas or House power.

Grymreeper · 03-13-2022, 11:43 AM

I've tried to get the gas going multiple times. The gas is coming out to use the stove but apparently not the fridge. Shore power should be the easiest I would assume but that's not working either. I've checked the breaker and the fuse panel and all seems to be working there. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks for your time.

**Bill** · 03-13-2022, 01:55 PM

When you open the upper outside panel that covers the refrigerator compartment, you will see a vertical length of sheet metal pipe. No matter which heat source you are using, after 15 minutes or so, this pipe should be HOT. Can you tell us if it is?

Bill

**Bill** · 03-13-2022, 02:05 PM

To operate it on gas, you have to push and hold the red button while you repeatedly push the snapper button. This is a slow process - it doesn't happen immediately, so be patient. Near the button is a small rectangular meter. When the gas lights, the needle in the meter should move up into the green area. Keep holding the button for a minute or so - when you release the button, the meter should stay in the green area. Does any of this happen?

On the electric side, there are two fuses visible on the back of the refrig when you remove the cover of the compartment. One of them is for 12 VDC (also powers the sensors on the gas side), the other for 120 VAC. Can you disconnect the house power and the battery, then pull these fuses one at a time, check them, and replace them?

Bill

Grymreeper · 03-13-2022, 03:58 PM

I got the shore power to work but the gas goes in the green for about a minute and slowly fades back down. I held down the red button for a minute like you said multiple times and still came back down.

Wavery · 03-13-2022, 04:06 PM

It's helpful to let us know what year and Model trailmanor that you have.

You might want to click on "User CP" above. Then go to "Your Control Panel" on the left. Scroll down and click on "Edit Signature". You can put info about anything that you want to show up on every post that you make. That's one place that you can keep the year and model of your TM so that when you ask a question, we all have a reference to your rig.

Wavery · 03-13-2022, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grymreeper

I got the shore power to work but the gas goes in the green for about a minute and slowly fades back down. I held down the red button for a minute like you said multiple times and still came back down.

You may have a defective gas thermocouple. It's common and easy to replace. The thermopcouple is what keeps the gas going to your pilot light (or in this case the burner). That's why you have to hold your finger down on the red bottom for 20-30 seconds. That over-rides the thermocouple and keeps gas going to the pilot light until the thermocouple gets hot enough to keep the pilot gas flowing. It's a safety feature (required by law in all gas appliances with a "always on" burner or pilot light) so that you don't have gas flowing for the pilot after the pilot gets blown out or something.

**Bill** · 03-13-2022, 09:18 PM

I agree with Wavery - it sounds like a thermocouple. There is one possible though somewhat unlikely possibility. The tip of the thermocouple must be IMMERSED (that is the official term for it) in the pilot flame. In other words, it has to get really hot in order to generate enough voltage to keep the gas valve activated. If the thermocouple has been jostled out of place a little bit, or if it is covered with a thick layer of crud, then it won't get hot enough, and the gas valve will shut off.

Do you have a copy of the manual for the refrigerator? If not, perhaps you should get one on line from the manufacturer's web site. It contains pictures of how to get at the thermocouple, what it looks like, and exactly how it should be positioned in the flame.

One of our members, Commodor47, did an excellent series of posts with pictures on this exact topic a year or two ago. You should be able to find it by using the Search tool.

Bill

**Bill** · 03-13-2022, 09:25 PM

One other thing. Some TM refrigerators were made by Norcold, and a while back, Norcold had a recall on their refrigerators because they wouldn't stay lit on gas. The problem was simple - a loose wire on the mode switch. And the fix was easy - one by one, pull the wires off the mode switch, tighten the connector on the end of the wire by squeezing it with a pair of pliers, and put it back.

To get at the mode switch and its wires, you have to pull the refrigerator forward, out of the cabinet and into the room, about 2 inches. As always, make sure you disconnect the trailer from both shore power and battery power before you start the process.

Was your refrigerator made by Norcold?

Bill

Grymreeper · 03-13-2022, 09:27 PM

Yes it is. A N300.3r

**Bill** · 03-13-2022, 09:36 PM

That's the one. A quick Google search will bring up a ton of information.

Bill