# Problem with Gas on Fridge



## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

Hi all

The gas on my fridge will not stay lit.

Well, it actually stayed lit once and then I let it run for about 5 mins. I then turned off and could not get it to stay lit again.

It's an Electrolux Model RM 6400 (In a 2001 Euro Mobil we bought 2 years ago) - It's a manual lighter model.

I held in the dial for about a minute and still no joy - the pilot light just peters out.

Where should I start ? (This has not been serviced by me before)

Thanks !

BTW - I ran the fridge on mains and that worked fine. Also the Heater/Boiler and Gas rings work fine so there's plenty of gas....

Here's pics from behind the lower vent on the outside of the camper (Click for larger image):


I presume this is this the burner assembly ?

After reading lots of threads it seems like it may be dirt in the gas jet or a faulty thermocouple . This has just come out of winter storage, so it could be dirt / debris buildup....
What do y'all think ?


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## thegreatpan (Oct 29, 2007)

My gas fridge didn't work in Spain this year, flames coming out of the air mix chamber!

A kindly frenchman saw me struggling to dismantle the jet, and helped me out, he undid the gas pipe that goes into the burner, by tapping the pipe into his hand he removed the little orifice restrictor (I didn't know about that), he then blew through it. His breath did the job, bcause the fridge fired first time after that(must be the garlic) :lol: .

He left me with it and it's been fine ever since, took me about a minute to reassemble.


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## blackbirdbiker (Mar 12, 2007)

Having exactly that problem now, and we're off May 9th to Germany. 
Our fridge is a Thetford, I've serviced the burner and flue but it has been getting harder to keep going.
I sent off for a thermo coupler but when it arrived it is a different type than mine, new one coming next week. Perhaps the tempory dimantling fixed something because it stays lit every time now.
It may only need to be serviced to cure yours  

Keith


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## PhilK (Jul 1, 2005)

*Fridge not lighting*

Deadlock,

I have had a similar problem with a fridge not long since serviced. A common cause is spiders ambling around the burner and the resulting build up in dust and web.

What i did (sorry if i killed a spider  ) was to set a lighter flame to maximum and burn all residue from the burner.

That has worked every time.

Phil


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## geordie01 (Apr 20, 2006)

it will probably be the wires from the current interupter block on the back of the gas valve to the selector switch the connections will be loose


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have a look later today when I'm not looking after the baby 

geordie01 - Is that what selects gas on the fridge itself ? (As opposed to battery or mains)
By "back of the gas valve" where do you mean ? Do I trace back the gas line from the burner to find the valve ? Or is it in one of the pictures I posted above ?


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

OK - Just dismantled the burner and cleaned it - it wasn't particularly dirty or dusty.
I managed to get the gas lit once and left it on for about 2 or 3 hours and the ice cubes start freezing so I was happy that it was working, however, I have not been able to get it lit again 

So here's what happens :
-I push in the min/max dial and push the ignition button and the gas lights no problem
-I hold in the Min/Max dial for 10 or even 20 or 30 seconds.
-When I release the dial, then flame dies.

I can light it every time - it just won't stay lit.

What's the function of the thermocoupler ? Is it a different gas line than the main gas line to the burner ?
Could it be that the burner is not getting gas from the main line or would a faulty theromcoupler make this happen ? (Basically if someone could explain the functionality of the burner/igniter/thermocoupler I'd understand hopefully)


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## KSH (Apr 18, 2010)

A thermo coupling sits in the flame, if the gas is lit the thermo coupling sensec that and keeps the gas flowing, if the flame goes out the thermo coupling senses that and turns the gas off, ie if the flame blows out it will stop the gas from flowing, if the thermo coupling is faulty then it won't let the gas flow once you have released the button, hence the flame going out when you release it


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

OK - thanks.
I also found this description.

So basically, the fact that I have no problem lighting it manually, means that there is no problem with the gas line to the burner - right ?

I presume that when I hold in the dial on my fridge to do this lighting, it manually holds open the safety valve - then the thermocouple keeps the valve open once there is a flame, so a faulty thermocouple would cause the behaviour I am seeing (Right ?)

I cleaned the burner, orifice etc. but is it possible to clean the thermocouple as I didn't do that ? Maybe a wire brush - I think it was pretty black and burnt looking.


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## KSH (Apr 18, 2010)

So basically, the fact that I have no problem lighting it manually, means that there is no problem with the gas line to the burner - right ?
Yeah
I presume that when I hold in the dial on my fridge to do this lighting, it manually holds open the safety valve - then the thermocouple keeps the valve open once there is a flame, so a faulty thermocouple would cause the behaviour I am seeing (Right ?)
Yeah

I cleaned the burner, orifice etc. but is it possible to clean the thermocouple as I didn't do that ? Maybe a wire brush - I think it was pretty black and burnt looking.

I'm no expert but have had a few problems with the couplings in various product, I have never had any joy cleaning one though, doesn't mean it won't work, give it a try but i'd personally use a brass brush, you want to polish it not take the metal off 8O


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## rugbyken (Jan 16, 2006)

on a normal [houshold] gas appliance the thermocouple being heated generates a miniscule electric current that is used as you say, to open the gas valve normally the hold is for 20/30 seconds, if flame goes out after 30 seconds then a new thermocouple is a cheap and easy fix, worth eliminating before calling in the experts


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

RIght - took out burner again and cleaned thermocouple.
It lit and stayed lit first time, but it was quite difficult to get it to stay lit a second time...

I may play with the placement of the thermocouple as that may also make a difference.

Would the temperature of the flame make a big difference also ? I did clean the burner, but maybe another clean to make sure ?

It is a big job to replace the thermocouple if it comes to that ?
The reason I ask is that I don't see the safety valve anywhere - is it in on top of my fridge ?
The reason I ask is that the line for the gas and the thermocouple just disappear into the camper (I can see this when I remove the 2nd vent where the flue is) :


Anyhoo - here's a view of the burner and clean thermocouple now :


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## geordie01 (Apr 20, 2006)

prob is not t couple but the wires to selector switch you will have to disconnect flue from outside vent and remove the screws holding the fridge inpace in the kitchen and pull it forward out of the housing and push the spade connections tight on to the selector switch (they work loose over time and bumpy roads i bypassed the switch on mine as i got sick of fixing it|) put everything back and should be ok

geordie
ex corgi gas engineer


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

Ah - OK.
So you reckon it's not the thermocouple but basically when I switch to gas on the fridge I'm not actually switching to gas due to a bad connection.
Interesting...This would show the exact same symptoms as the faulty thermo theory - right ?


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## geordie01 (Apr 20, 2006)

you are switching to gas on selector switch but current from t couple is routed via selector switch back to thermo magnet in back of gas valve to hold it open if some times the fridge will work for a while t couple will be ok prob is interupter loop


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

OK - I understand now - thanks for the additional information !


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## tviall (May 1, 2005)

Does the igniter keep sparking even though the gas has lit?

I had a problem with my fridge last week and resolved it very easily. My experience may help - I hope so.

I switch my fridge on gas, the igniter starts the spark and the gas lights but the iginition continued. After about 20 secs the fridge shuts down. It worked fine on 240v and 12v.

I opened the inspection hatch and took a close look at what was happening. The probe appeared to be in the flame so I thought "no problem there" but the fidge continued to shut down even though the gas would initially light.

In my fridge (not sure of model but is the full size fridge with separate freezer box and automatic selction) I have a single probe that provides the spark and I assume includes the flame failure device. The fridge was obviously happy to light but the flame failure device didn't recognise this so shut the fidge down. So I very very carefully pushed the probe into the flame a little further. 

I tried again. This time the fridge stayed alight. The probelm now was that the gas flame had turned slighlty yellow because the probe was getting red hot. So I adjusted it again to a cooler part of the flame and sucess - clear blue flame and continuous running.

I remember from school that the clear area in the centre of a gas flame is not flame but unburnt gas. I remember the experiment with the bunsen burner where you could hold a new match in the flame without it lighting. So I thought that the probe was sitting in this cool area of the flame. If the probe doesn't get hot the fridge thinks that it has not lit and shuts down. Adjusting the position of the probe helps but be careful not to position it so that the flame turns yellow as here the probe is getting to hot and could damage it.

I must stress that I am not a gas engineer but this info might help.

Tony


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

It's actually better now but still not 100% consistent.

I will try adjusting the probe and see if that helps - I reckon you could be right !

Thanks !


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