Fridge problem on gas

davidmurphy02 · 10-01-2021, 11:13 AM

On the road and our fridge quit on propane. It lights but sputters and quits. I pulled the cover and removed the metal shield over the burner and blew in there in case it was cobwebs or dust...no go.

Need to hit the road, will leave it off for the 3 hour drive and then will have AC. Are the next most likely culprits a clogged orifice or soot in the flue? Propane tank is full and pressure good.

escape artist · 10-01-2021, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

On the road and our fridge quit on propane. It lights but sputters and quits. I pulled the cover and removed the metal shield over the burner and blew in there in case it was cobwebs or dust...no go.

Need to hit the road, will leave it off for the 3 hour drive and then will have AC. Are the next most likely culprits a clogged orifice or soot in the flue? Propane tank is full and pressure good.

Hi: davidmurphy02... You're not alone!!! I found our auto-changeover fridge isn't!!! Manual set works OK.

Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Rossue · 10-01-2021, 12:25 PM

Last year I had a wimpy flame and LSS the orifice had a tiny hair across the top. Year later on the road now similar issue. Did the same 10-15 minute soak in alcohol and no dice. Soaked again for 30 minutes and now problem free for last 3 weeks.

davidmurphy02 · 10-01-2021, 02:57 PM

We just got set up in camp, working fine on AC. After we get settled and have lunch I'll tackle the orifice. Does it just unscrew from the tip of the gas valve or is it internal?

rotorbudd · 10-01-2021, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

We just got set up in camp, working fine on AC. After we get settled and have lunch I'll tackle the orifice. Does it just unscrew from the tip of the gas valve or is it internal?

It just unscrews.
If you can, soak it in alcohol for 30 minutes or so.
Have you checked propane pressure lately? I had a dirty jet and pressure was 8.5 wc. I just got through testing fridge on gas and temps are now 4 and 32 degrees F. Can't complain about that!

Rossue · 10-01-2021, 03:03 PM

Tip has 11mm socket; have to hold other end with larger wrench. There is a shiel you pry off first. When 11mm thread loose pull back some on the gas line to free it from a shallow tube at its end.

rubicon327 · 10-01-2021, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

We just got set up in camp, working fine on AC. After we get settled and have lunch I'll tackle the orifice. Does it just unscrew from the tip of the gas valve or is it internal?

David - if it is like the older RM2510 there is a piece that unscrews off the tip of the gas valve that contains the orifice. I usually just soak the whole thing in alcohol and it does the trick. Be sure not to dislodge the little orifice. I think it is some special kind of material and you don't want it lost. Make sure you clean the burner out of any soot and rust flakes that may have dropped down out of the flue.

davidmurphy02 · 10-01-2021, 03:36 PM

Went through all the propane stuff this spring when I was having as ll the furnace issues. Four days into this trip I was basking in the glow of a furnace that lit first time, every time....and then the fridge burner crapped out. Hopefully it's just the orifice.

davidmurphy02 · 10-01-2021, 04:34 PM

Newer fridge, DM2663LBX. Orifice unscrewed easily, now soaking in alcohol. Will brush off burner and clean out that area of dust etc. And then cross my fingers that a clean orifice does the trick. Will let you know.

At times like this I feel like an astronaut on the space station, talking to mission control while trying to make a repair.

davidmurphy02 · 10-01-2021, 05:21 PM

Success! After soaking the orifice and brushing off the burner I have a happy fridge, has been running on gas for 30 minutes now. I wanted to leave all the covers off when I first fired it up so I could se the burner and flame, but it was pretty windy so I put it all back together and crossed my fingers. Will let it stay on propane for a while just to make sure all is well before going back to auto.

Thanks for the help! Wish my furnace had been this easy to fix...

escape artist · 10-01-2021, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

Newer fridge, DM2663LBX. Orifice unscrewed easily, now soaking in alcohol. Will brush off burner and clean out that area of dust etc. And then cross my fingers that a clean orifice does the trick. Will let you know.

At times like this I feel like an astronaut on the space station, talking to mission control while trying to make a repair.

Hi: davidmurphy02... Know that an astronaut fixed the TV camera on the moon with a hammer!!!

Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

gbaglo · 10-01-2021, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: davidmurphy02... Know that an astronaut fixed the TV camera on the moon with a hammer!!!

Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Wouldn't a hammer exert much less force because of reduced gravity?

stephen99 · 10-01-2021, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Wouldn't a hammer exert much less force because of reduced gravity?

I think it's offset by the lack of air resistance.

rotorbudd · 10-02-2021, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Wouldn't a hammer exert much less force because of reduced gravity?

Mass and weight are 2 different things.

F=ma

alanmalk · 10-02-2021, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: davidmurphy02... Know that an astronaut fixed the TV camera on the moon with a hammer!!!

Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

A couple of years ago, in the wilds of Idaho, my RMD8555 burner wouldn't stay lit - the ignition sequence kept repeating continuously.
I "fixed" the problem with a few well-placed raps with a wrench. It has worked flawlessly since (although will probably quit tomorrow after reading this.)

Yes, at some point I will need to do an actual soak and clean. Hopefully some kind person will post photos of my particular fridge burner (2015, rmd8555).

davidmurphy02 · 10-02-2021, 10:17 AM

Hmmm.....when I was having all the furnace problems a few months ago I wish I had tried just banging on it with a hammer, might have saved me a lot of work!

Mesa · 10-09-2021, 01:01 PM

Can someone post a picture of what part you're talking about? Is it part of the burner at the flue or something else?

TIA

Rossue · 10-12-2021, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanmalk

A couple of years ago, in the wilds of Idaho, my RMD8555 burner wouldn't stay lit - the ignition sequence kept repeating continuously.
I "fixed" the problem with a few well-placed raps with a wrench. It has worked flawlessly since (although will probably quit tomorrow after reading this.)

Yes, at some point I will need to do an actual soak and clean. Hopefully some kind person will post photos of my particular fridge burner (2015, rmd8555).

Here ya go- the nut to the left is 11mm. Loosen that first and then pull on the tubing to free from the housing. Then use a 9/16" I believe open end on the right and same socket on the left to free the orifice. Just soak it, don't try to poke it with anything.

sunrisetrucker · 10-12-2021, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rossue

Here ya go- the nut to the left is 11mm. Loosen that first and then pull on the tubing to free from the housing. Then use a 9/16" I believe open end on the right and same socket on the left to free the orifice. Just soak it, don't try to poke it with anything.

That's a different setup than mine but I also do the alcohol soak once a year whether it needs it it or not and have been trouble free for a while now.

KirkB · 10-12-2021, 11:53 PM

That's the first photo I've seen from an RMD 8555 burner. It's a whole lot different from the 2014 era RM8551(4.3)/RML8551(6.7) burners.

Question for Rossue - is the orifice still attached to the gas input tube, or is it in the assembly with the igniter and flame detection electrodes? I'm wondering if it still makes sense to remove the entire gas inlet tube as I do on my RM8551 when I prep for the alcohol soak.

Looks like you get lots of brown flakes everywhere close to the burner like me. A small price to pay for living on the Wet Coast.

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