Fridge igniter not lighting

[08ranger]

We have a RM8551 fridge in our 2013 5.0.

We usually run our fridge on propane while traveling. We started to notice that, after arriving at our destination, the fridge didn’t cool as well but began cooling again after shutting it off and blowing some compressed air near the orifice and then starting the fridge again.

So today we decided to clean the orifice as described in other threads. Now that it is all put back together, the igniter won’t light. It clicks, doesn’t light, clicks again, doesn’t light and finally starts flashing red on the fridge. There is a spark, there is propane ( the stove and water heater work). We have tried several times because we wondered about air in the gas line. Any suggestions what else we can try. The fridge does work when we are plugged in.

I have read about an upstream shutoff device....does anyone know where that is located?...or if we even have one.

Thanks,
Nancy

[Ron in BC]

Just because the stove and water heater work doesn't mean that there is propane getting to the burner.

A electrically operated gas valve is upstream from the orifice. Mine has stuck a few times and the solution was to release the gas pressure and then try again. So I'd try turning off the gas at the tank, release the gas pressure at the solenoid or orifice and try again. I'd crack open the line at the solenoid without first turning off the gas. You should hear escaping propane. If you don't something upstream is wrong. Not likely but it confirms that gas is getting past the solenoid.

You could also hold a BBQ lighter by the burner while trying to ignite the burner. If a continuous flame by the burner doesn't ignite it then no gas is getting by the solenoid either because it's stuck closed, the orifice is still clogged or the circuit board isn't sending it a signal to open.

Before anyone jumps all over me, I should say that, no, cracking open the solenoid fitting without first turning off the gas isn't dangerous. The fitting is brass, no spark hazard, and it's only a very momentary leakage and it can be stopped by immediately tightening the fitting again.

Ron

[08ranger]

Thank you so much for replying. We are pretty sure the gas is not getting to the burner but couldn’t figure out why. So are you saying that if the solenoid is stuck closed we may possibly correct that by releasing the pressure at the solenoid? And if that doesn’t work the circuit board may need to be replaced? I don’t think the orifice is still clogged.
We will try your suggestion tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Nancy

[Ron in BC]

I've had that issue several times. When I cleaned the orifice the fridge magically lit again. The only problem was that the event happened several times, once twice on the same day. Hmm, I thought, how strange that the orifice would clog up twice in one day. Especially puzzling was that I didn't see any tiny black particles as I'd seen previously. Then I realized that the fridge started working again when all I'd done is release the line pressure at the solenoid. Worth a try.

Ron

[08ranger]

Success!!!

Our fridge is working on propane again. We followed your suggestion, releasing the line pressure at the brass fitting. It didn’t ignite the first time we released the pressure. We tested the voltage while it was ticking and got a reading so figured it wasn’t the circuit board and must be a stuck valve. We released the pressure a second time and the next time it ticked we tapped the solenoid valve with a rod. The tapping must have released the valve because the igniter lit. The fridge cooled over the next few hours.

Thank you so much for your help with this, Ron.

Nancy

[EdColorado]

“ we tapped the solenoid valve with a rod.”

Sometimes a bigger hammer is the answer.

[Ron in BC]

I usually tap things with a hammer, if that doesn't work I use a bigger hammer.

Glad it's working again.

Ron