Dometic RMD8555 Not Igniting on Propane

[huskersteffy]

Hi All. Down on a gulf coast trip to TX from Nebraska. Currently at Speegleville Park just south of Waco, thunderstorms are just starting up. Batten down the hatches!!

This is the first trip of the year and yesterday (1st day on the road) I noticed that the Dometic RMD8555 (two door) doesn't ignite on propane:
- 2016 21C (older, more rounded design with "space capsule" door).
- 120 V electric works fine at campground.
- 12 V electric works on the road. Does not keep up tho.
- Stove works with nice and steady blue flame.
- Furnace works
- Switched over to full propane tank
- When switched to propane, fridge does the tic-tic-tic thing where it tries to ignite. Fails, tries two more times then error light and gas light start blinking to indicate error.

I opened the outside compartment and all looks ok (wires connected, igniter connected). However, I don't hear the electrically controlled gas valve open. Should I? Also, shouldn't I smell gas during the ignition attempts? Have stuck my nose way in there. It looks like Dometic used a "star" type machine screw head on the small sheet metal shroud that covers the burner so I can't take it off to inspect things a little closer (grrrrrr....don't have that type of head in my travel toolbox).

Some might chime in about gas pressure or pressure regulator. Flames on stove look steady and a nice blue color.

Any helpful advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Mike Lewis]

Shut the fridge off, open the outside door to the fridge and give the burner mechanism a blast with canned air. But-- do not, ah say do NOT do this without turning the fridge off first. I did not turn it off and I could have "lost face" as a result (FHOOM!). I forgot that the canned air stuff is flammable.

I hope this helps. It's probably time for a refrigerator service at your local RV shop. I'm taking my trailer in next week.

[LeonW]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

Shut the fridge off, open the outside door to the fridge and give the burner mechanism a blast with canned air. But-- do not, ah say do NOT do this without turning the fridge off first. I did not turn it off and I could have "lost face" as a result (FHOOM!). I forgot that the canned air stuff is flammable.

I hope this helps. It's probably time for a refrigerator service at your local RV shop. I'm taking my trailer in next week.

I read somewhere not to use canned air if the orifice is blocked because it might blow the spec of dust or whatever further into the orifice or gas line. The recommendation was to remove the orifice and soak it in alcohol. That said, I have removed the orifice and used canned air to blow it out from the rear.

The outside part of the fridge seems to accumulate a lot of very fine dust, and I use the 12 volt vacuum to clean it on a regular basis.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by LeonW

...
The recommendation was to remove the orifice and soak it in alcohol. That said, I have removed the orifice and used canned air to blow it out from the rear.
...

The remove and soak procedure seems to be the gold standard.

But that said, one day on the road, far from civilization, my fridge had the same symptoms. Not wanting to risk a major flop I took a chance and gave the orifice support a couple of wacks with a hammer. Hasn't failed to ignite since.

[fudge_brownie]

You are doing the correct steps. Here is a link to a prior thread on this problem. Myself and several others found the the solution came with a replacement of the eyebrow board.

RMD 8555 No Gas

[Kingfish]

Originally Posted by alanmalk

The remove and soak procedure seems to be the gold standard.

But that said, one day on the road, far from civilization, my fridge had the same symptoms. Not wanting to risk a major flop I took a chance and gave the orifice support a couple of wacks with a hammer. Hasn't failed to ignite since.

Cleaning the orifice and burner tube is easy. Anyone who boondocks should learn how to do this. After you do it a couple of times, about 15 minutes is all it takes. I use a 40mm brass gun barrel brush to clean the burner tube. Also you might try tapping on the solenoid valve while the gas is off, and you have released pressure at the stove. I suppose the valve may stick sometimes. All of that said, I blasted the pinhole with CRC Electrical cleaner while on the road one time and it cleared the obstruction.

[Mike Lewis]

I run my fridge on battery power when I'm towing and it seems to do okay. But switching directly from battery power to propane when I got to my destination sometimes didn't work. That is when I tried the canned air. But lately I've been switching the fridge off altogether before switching it to propane. This seems to work better. Try that.

[Viajante]

Huskersteffy,
I do hear a soft “thunk” sound when the gas valve opens and closes. So, you might be onto something if you don’t hear the valve open.

In addition to cleaning the burner and orifice I suggest cleaning the end of igniter, which I believe also functions as a flame sensor. When my fridge wouldn’t light that was the problem and an easy fix.

[huskersteffy]

Thanks for all the replies!!! You guys are awesome.

MYSTERY SOLVED. I was checking wires again this afternoon in the outside fridge compartment and noticed some wires disappearing behind a small plastic cover. Cover was held in place with small plastic tabs on both sides so I used a small screwdriver to pry off. Kinda a PITA but after it was off I started pushing on some wire harness connectors and Viola! Gas working again. I think it was the power for the electrically operated gas valve.

Full disclosure. I probably caused it by inadvertently tugging on the wires as I as vacuuming out the exterior fridge compartment last week

All good now. Rig set up at site near the beach in Port Aransas TX (I forgot what summer feels like -- 82 Deg F and 95% RH!). Beer in hand and starting to prep dinner.

Camping: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Charles Dickens - A Tale of Two Cities

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by huskersteffy

Thanks for all the replies!!! You guys are awesome.

MYSTERY SOLVED. I was checking wires again this afternoon in the outside fridge compartment and noticed some wires disappearing behind a small plastic cover. Cover was held in place with small plastic tabs on both sides so I used a small screwdriver to pry off. Kinda a PITA but after it was off I started pushing on some wire harness connectors and Viola! Gas working again. I think it was the power for the electrically operated gas valve.

Full disclosure. I probably caused it by inadvertently tugging on the wires as I as vacuuming out the exterior fridge compartment last week

All good now. Rig set up at site near the beach in Port Aransas TX (I forgot what summer feels like -- 82 Deg F and 95% RH!). Beer in hand and starting to prep dinner.

Camping: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Charles Dickens - A Tale of Two Cities

Thank you for the follow up; It is nice to hear when and how a problem was resolved.