Refrigerator on Gas

When camping my husband tried to use the refrig on gas mode. He tried several times - following the instructional manual - but the indicator did not move. We had no problem lighting the burners on the stove. Is there something we are not doing correctly? Also when looking at the manual (Mike & Kelly's page 10) they referred to opening the burner box to look at the gas flame. Where is the burner box? Thanks in advance for any help. This was our first time dry camping - a learning experience.
Tom 2007 2720SL

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by tshawah

When camping my husband tried to use the refrig on gas mode. He tried several times - following the instructional manual - but the indicator did not move. We had no problem lighting the burners on the stove. Is there something we are not doing correctly? Also when looking at the manual (Mike & Kelly's page 10) they referred to opening the burner box to look at the gas flame. Where is the burner box? Thanks in advance for any help. This was our first time dry camping - a learning experience.
Tom 2007 2720SL

If you are hooked up to electrical, the fridge may automatically default to "Electric" mode. In that case, the gas mode won't work.

The "Burner Box" is located outside the trailer, behind the fridge.

We were not connected to electric. Is the burner box a different one from the furnace one ourside???
Tom

fwiw, I always light the water heater before the fridge. My water heater automatically lights after flipping the switch. This makes sure that there is no air in the line. Then I light the fridge. I only have to hold the button for 30 to 45 seconds for it to be in the green.

Two things to check.

There is a small 1/4 turn valve in the lower outside fridge access panel. If you follow the copper gas line, you will see the valve. Make sure it is turned on. Once you are sure it is on, be aware that if you haven't used the gas for the HW heater or fridge for some time, it is likely there is air in the line. It may take several ( as many as 6-8) tries to get it to light. The flame may be hard to see, it is easier to place your hand on the top of the heat exchanger and you will feel heat. The first time I lit my fridge this yr it took about 7 tries. Once it lights the indicator will move up quickly. Also make sure you have the temp set at max cold to light.

[Wavery]

I don't know if the fridge on the newer models has an automatic starter. Some campers do.

Ours is a 2005 fridge and it's a manual start. We push in the gas button (after bleeding the line at the H/W heater) and hold it in for 70 seconds. It lights on the first push of the igniter button. The timing on yours may be different but once you establish the number of seconds that you must hold down the gas button, that shouldn't change. After we see the needle start to climb toward the green, we hold the gas button down and additional 20 seconds.

There is no point in pushing the igniter button repeatedly. It will only wear out the igniter sooner. If it doesn't light on 1 click, it won't light on 2 clicks.....wait 10 seconds (minimum) between clicks. Even if the gas arrives immediately after you last click, ten seconds worth of gas won't do any harm.

I see people trying to light their hot water heaters and click it a hundred times before it lights. All that does it hurt your thumb and wears out the igniter. If you do it every 10 seconds and keep track of how long it takes (say 5 clicks, or 50 seconds) try starting at 40 seconds on your next cap-out. At some point, you will establish the right time and have no more issues.

[Bill]

HarveyRV has it right. On both of my TMs, it takes a long time holding that button down before the gas gets there. After lighting the stove and the water heater, 70 seconds is about right, but yours could be longer - and it certainly will be longer if you don't light the stove first. And once the meter starts to rise, be sure to continue to hold that button until it is in the green.

To my knowledge none of the TMs, old or new, have an automatic lighter for the refrig. And I haven't found a reason to look for a flame in the burner box - the little meter tells you everything you need to know. If the meter isn't in the green, the flame isn't lit. BTW, the burner box for the refrig has nothing to do with the burner for the furnace or for the water heater.

Bill

Depending on the age of the fridge, there is a service bulletin out. But that is for a problem where it will not stay lit.

Thank you all for the suggestions. We are off to Cherokee this coming week and will be sure to bring a copy of these ideas. Thanks.
Tom

Did you get your refrig. lit on gas yet ? It is possible that it’s working but the needle gauge is bad. That happened to me and it took about a week before I realized it. If it is super quiet you can hear the burner light, that’s how I discovered mine was working, but most times you have to have someone outside watching the burner to tell you when it is lit. Just try to light it normally while someone on the outside watches for it to light then continue to hold down the bypass button for a few more seconds so it stays lit. Another problem may be the igniter. It could be dirty or out of alignment and not lighting the gas, if so, you can still light the rerfig. manually at the burner box by using a match or better yet one of those long BBQ lighters. There is a small access hole on the side of the box, just move the cover plate aside to get at the burner. Someone inside will still have to hold in the gas bypss button in until it stays lit. I also have a 2007 model so we should have the same model refrig. If I light the water heater first it rarely takes more than 10 seconds to get the refrig. to light. I just went out to the TM which has been sitting for about a month to try it and after holding in the bypass button for 10 seconds I pushed the igniter once and it lit. Lastly, be sure the temp control is turned up to 5, the highest setting. When I was picking up the new needle gauge for mine, the NorCold service guy had a refrig on the bench and he went over it with me pretty good, teaching me what I suggested above. To verify that having the control set to 5 makes it easier to light I disconnected the gas line at the burner and used a flow meter. Actually I just connected a rubber hose to it and stuck the end in a jar of water. While holding down the gas button I turned the control up and down. When on 1 there was barely a trickle of gas flowing. As I turned the control up the flow increased until I had it turned to 5 and there was a rapid flow of gas coming out. If the TM’s refrig. had a pilot light it would work differently.
ED