# Mystery switch on Tropicana fridge?



## wazandnic (Nov 21, 2005)

Recently become owner of 1997 hymer E510. The 'tropicana' aes fridge has an additional 0/I swith on the facia as shown in piccy. Does anybody know what it does please. The reason i'm asking is the fridge only appears to work on gas, i say appears as the 240/12/gas led on facia does not work.

Took front facia off to try and spot fuses etc but found nothing, also does not appear to have lower service panel / vent on outside like i've seen on B-class. Can anybody shed some light please?


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Sswitch*

IS it for the mullion or Ant Sweat/condensation heater?


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

*Re: Sswitch*



teemyob said:


> IS it for the mullion or Ant Sweat/condensation heater?


Ahh . . another E-510 :lol: 
Nah . . my bet its fitted with a 12v computer type fan to aid air flow . . . my Electrolux/Dometic RMS5405 fridge has the same switch & it was to a small fan too, this fan [on mine] was u/s but I've since fitted a two speed 12v fan and it does drag the hot air/fumes away from the fridge & therefore helps cooling of the fridge whilst on gas.

You write . . . "Took front facia off to try and spot fuses etc but found nothing, also does not appear to have lower service panel / vent on outside like i've seen on B-class. Can anybody shed some light please? "

Yep, there is a vent set in the van floor under the rear of the fridge [get on your back under the rear bumper to see it]
There is also a vent set into the bike rack carrier recess on mine which I've enlarged to access & extra air circulation.

Now when it comes to servicing or getting to the gas jet - that's a story in itself [but easily do-able] :wink:


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## wazandnic (Nov 21, 2005)

Thanks for that......great to be able to benefit from the experience of a fellow e510er. Will get underneath and have good nose when rain stops. Checked bike rack and no extra vent on mine, might be a beneficial mod for the future

I'm no electrician but have now got my cheapie voltmeter and was wondering where to get best access to check fridge 12v/240v supplies and fuses?


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

wazandnic said:


> . . . I'm no electrician but have now got my cheapie voltmeter and was wondering where to get best access to check fridge 12v/240v supplies and fuses?


Does the fridge ignite & work on on 12v [whilst engine running] or gas ? . . I've found that whilst on gas the fridge CAN be very temprimental if anything is 'adjusted' - if it works leave well alone !
There are a couple of fuses located in the 'black box' on the rear of the fridge but AFAIK none anywhere else on the fridge [except a fuse in the Electrobloc for the fridge


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## wazandnic (Nov 21, 2005)

Just tried switching fridge off /on while the engine is running and doesnt ignite gas.

Checked electrobloc 25amp fuse and is ok

We are hooked up but it keeps igniting on gas, does this mean the 240v is not being auto selected? If so could this be a blown fuse

Gas is tempremental cuts out 2 or 3 times a day, but is better than no fridge at all


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

wazandnic said:


> . . . We are hooked up but it keeps igniting on gas, does this mean the 240v is not being auto selected? If so could this be a blown fuse  / Gas is tempremental cuts out 2 or 3 times a day, but is better than no fridge at all


Sometimes if the hook-up electricity is minimal it 'may' not be sufficient to power the fridge [being AES it will 'choose' the best power medium].
As for cutting out, this sounds to me like (a) gas jet needs blowing through. (b) thermocouple tip needs re-positioning. 
Mind you these kind of 'faults' can be a B**ger to cure, sometimes its a case of trial & error but I'd def only do one thing at a time then give it a good test before going on to the next.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

wazandnic said:


> We are hooked up but it keeps igniting on gas, does this mean the 240v is not being auto selected? If so could this be a blown fuse
> 
> Gas is tempremental cuts out 2 or 3 times a day, but is better than no fridge at all


I'm *not* an expert but.

Could it be that the fridge for some reason is not running on mains electric but only on gas. And....is the gas just turning itself off when the fridge reaches the set temperature. Then re-ignites when more cooling is needed.
In old gas fridges there always used to be a pilot flame alight, now there is no pilot light at all, the gas automatically lit by a piezoelectric wotsit.

Most probably talking nonsense. :?


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## wazandnic (Nov 21, 2005)

thanks again, 240v is good here so i'm thinking fuse or element.
Is access to the gas pipe from underneath?


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Hi Wazandnic,



wazandnic said:


> Just tried switching fridge off /on while the engine is running and doesnt ignite gas.
> 
> l


That's a good indication that the 12v side of the AES has been selected, ie, when the alternator is running, but the yellow LED should illuminate. If it fails, then a red LED should illuminate.



wazandnic said:


> Gas is tempremental cuts out 2 or 3 times a day, but is better than no fridge at all


I would tend to agree with Spacerunner, that this is probably attributed to the auto ignition when cooling is required. If the gas failed, then again, the red LED would illuminate.
Our AES fridge/freezer makes clicking noises periodically, throughout the day and night when on gas.

Purely as routine maintenance, I cleaned the flue, and changed the igniter, gas jet, and thermo coupling, obtaining them from a MHF member working at Ashbridge Domestic. Or email them on
[email protected]

Both Vic and I have used their parts service, and they are quick too.

Regards,

Jock.


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

with the engine running the fridge would cut gas off and go to 12v.
have you tried running the fridge from warm on 240 volts,could be it to cold on gas to start straight away


joe


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## wazandnic (Nov 21, 2005)

Hi
Sorry for being vaugue when I said the fridge cuts out 2 or 3 times a day. What happens is it goes into a trying to ignite routine then fails and red flashing light comes on. After several off/on attempts it will reignite and when solenoid thumps it stay lit.

Anyway, will do some more investigation and then ...... find the nearest dometic engineer.
Cheers for all the suggestions.


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## AlanVal (Aug 17, 2005)

We have the same problem, same fridge goes on gas for ages then cuts out and red led flashes.Had dometic engineer out he cleaned jet and tubes but its still cutting out.Strange sometimes it can go all day then just cuts out.
Engineer had now ordered a new pcb (printed circuit board) He hopes that this will cure it no problem on 12v or 240. 
Val


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

wazandnic said:


> . . . What happens is it goes into a trying to ignite routine then fails and red flashing light comes on. After several off/on attempts it will reignite and when solenoid thumps it stay lit./quote]
> 
> I still stick by my opinion that this is caused by the thermocouple either faulty or the tip of the thermocouple not positioned with the tip directly in the gas flame !
> 
> ...


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## wazandnic (Nov 21, 2005)

For the time being will live with fridge not switching to 240v, but would like to get the gas working consistantly.
ok, so most likely faulty thermocouple or position needs adjusting. Is it fairly accessible from underneath on the e510? or is the extra bike rack recess vent a necessity?


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

wazandnic said:


> . . . ok, so most likely faulty thermocouple or position needs adjusting. Is it fairly accessible from underneath on the e510? or is the extra bike rack recess vent a necessity?


If the build is the same as my E-510, if you remove the rear light cluster [fridge side of van] - you 'should' find a cut-out in the bumper . . with nimble fingers & a torch you should be able see the gas jet assembly & thermocouple - if you can get the fridge to light on gas look at the positioning of the thermocouple tip to see if the tip IS in the gas flame, releasing the holding screw & moving it in or out 1mm until the tip is right in the gas flame 'should' cure your prob [it did mine] :wink:

From the pic, you can see the rear vent which I have made larger for better cooling & access to the rear of the fridge [simple to cut through with hacksaw blade without damaging any framework]


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## AlanVal (Aug 17, 2005)

vicdicdoc said:


> wazandnic said:
> 
> 
> > . . . What happens is it goes into a trying to ignite routine then fails and red flashing light comes on. After several off/on attempts it will reignite and when solenoid thumps it stay lit./quote]
> ...


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## wazandnic (Nov 21, 2005)

Thanks for the info, this weekend will take the rear light cluster off and good look and maybe a fiddle.


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

AlanVal said:


> Hi just hade my nose taken off by the dometic engineer I dared to suggest that the problem might be with the thermocouple,He says the fridge would`nt light at all if that was the problem and I wont repeat his actual words ,He`s a bit shirty! after all We have been waiting now since the 2nd October and still fridge isnt workin properly .He cleaned the jet and flue out .Im away in a few weeks so getting worried now.Its on the warranty .He has been waiting 2 weeks now for the PCB to arrive.
> val


Hi Val,

Would he have been so keen to take Alan's nose off, if he had made the same suggestion. I think not somehow.

In our very early days of MH'ing, I had someone suggest that the PCB was the problem on the Truma E cab heater, when it failed to ignite. "Fetch it in sir, and we'll have a look" they said. Hmm, not yet I thought, and after some further investigations, I located the gas isolation valve which had inadvertently been turned off. I should have gone there first. :lol:

I am with Vic on Wazandnic's problem though.

Regards,

Jock.


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## AlanVal (Aug 17, 2005)

Hi I do hope for his sake when he fits the new PCB it works or i will have something to say to him.....looking more like we will have to go away with fridge being a pain..it does work as long as you are around to switch it back on it can go 2 days then off it goes ..nothings simple these days is it..

Val


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## pj650 (Jun 2, 2009)

Hi AlanVal. We have the same fridge as you.As well as the PCB,there is a control panel on the back of the fridge which operates the gas inlet valve solenoid.It was this that caused the clicking at various times.Unfortunately it cost £200 plus labour.That was in Jan this year,but hasn't missed a beat since.We had it done by Dometic in Carlisle,and found them to be very good.I admit I coughed a bit when told the price,but as a new fridge would have been £600-£650,I suppose it wasn't too bad.Hopefully,yours will only be the PCB.Best of luck.


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## AlanVal (Aug 17, 2005)

Hi now I wish I had gone to the Carlisle branch.Sounds like the same problem with this one, its under warranty so no problem ,if i could just get them to hurry and fix it.
Four weeks now since we first phoned them to come out...

We are three mls from Annan...towards Gretna
Val


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## pj650 (Jun 2, 2009)

Hi Val. I can't speak highly enough of the staff at Dometic Carlisle.They were recomended by another motorhomer.As we live in Gretna,it would have been a toss up as to where we would have gone.There was certainly no need for the engineer to be shirty(or shi.ty) with you.You obviously got the engineer who knows everything.......there's always one.The chances are,the fridge will have to come out and be tested on the bench.He probably doesn't want to do this,but it will surely be the best option for a final cure to the problem.Here's hoping for you..........


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

AlanVal said:


> . . . Hi just hade my nose taken off by the dometic engineer I dared to suggest that the problem might be with the thermocouple,He says the fridge would`nt light at all if that was the problem and I wont repeat his actual words ,He`s a bit shirty! after all We have been waiting now since the 2nd October and still fridge isnt workin properly .He cleaned the jet and flue out .Im away in a few weeks so getting worried now.Its on the warranty .He has been waiting 2 weeks now for the PCB to arrive.
> val


Of course it 'may' be the PCB . . but where is he going to make more money - a new thermocouple at a couple of quid or a PCB at £££ ? - my money is on the thermocouple being the prob !


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## AlanVal (Aug 17, 2005)

Shsssssssss i`m trying to whisper..............
Dometic engineer was here yesterday early afternoon fitted new PCB and checked gas jet and around...Fridge still on............
We moved van up in yard facing kitchen so everytime I go into kitchen I`m looking for flashing red light lol I can`t believe its still working and hasn't cut off.
Still got to see if it goes on after 240 been on and 12 v ..

Val


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

AlanVal said:


> . . . Dometic engineer was here yesterday early afternoon fitted new PCB and checked gas jet and around...Fridge still on............
> Val


Well I'll just sit down & eat my own words - I was convinced it would turn out to be the thermocouple  but I'm glad you [hopefully ] got it all sorted now. 
[Did you by chance get the 'old' PCB back ?


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## AlanVal (Aug 17, 2005)

Hi no did`nt think to ask for it back ..At fort william tonight fridge STILL WORKIN shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ...scared to think about it ...lol
Val


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