Where to start diagnosing broken 90 gas fridge?

[LRWORLD]

I can't figure out how to turn on my 90 fridge. Any good troubleshooting guide or places to start to get it working again? Would love to use it on an upcoming trip.

I can't get the light in the upper right corner to turn on when I am trying to start the fridge. I saw it come one once when I plugged it in to the external plug and tried it but I was never successful in getting the fridge light on below the water meter.

[J Charlton]

This reminds me of the secret recipe for cooking pike - you know, northern Pike - great fish to catch, but all slimy and full of bones - anyway, here's the recipe
1. take a piece of tin foil large enough to create an envelope for the fillet
2, place the fillet on a bed of chopped onions with some melted butter
3. cover the fillet with lemon or lime juice, more chopped onions, some salt pepper etc
4 carefully close the envelope around the fillet
5. place the foil wrapped package on a bed of coals for about 10 minutes
6. remove the "package" from the coals, unwrap carefully
7. throw away the pike fillet and eat the onions, juice etc, lick the aluminum foil if you're really hungry

I.E. throw away the Dometic POS and get a Truckfridge - you'll save yourself hours of farting around and have a real fridge that will actually cool and even freeze food.
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NAHT hightop availability May 18 2023 -
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Future availability TBD : Springfield Mass. Staunton Va, Florida, Colorado, Grand Junction Co., SLC probably late 2024

[MarkWard]

Most Dometics have a secret handshake you need to learn. Once you learn it, the Dometic can be easy to light and use. Here is my Dometic's handshake. Each one seems to have it's own. The night before we leave, I turn the Dometic on 110 volt. We also put the things we want cold into our home fridge. When morning comes, I switch the propane valve on the fridge to full on. I pump about 5 times, holding the gas safety valve on with my other hand and on the 5th pump, push it all the way in to snap. While holding the safety valve I watch the green LED under the water level LED's. It will start to glow green. It gets to a certain brightness, and I release the safety valve.

Here are a couple tips. When learning to light yours, there is a tiny lens at the bottom LR of the fridge in the corner. If it is dark enough, you can see the flame. A member posted that they used a paper towel cardboard roll to watch the flame. So, maybe try to light it when it is dusk out or in a garage. Originally I used to try to watch the flame, but once I learned the LED trick, I don't even look at it anymore. I also took the drain cap off, in the front bottom left, looks like a tire valve cap with a chain and blew compressed air through it, until all the dirt blew out the side vent. Another tip, is if the tank valve has been off, open the valve and light the stove first. There are also some good tips in the FAQ section.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798

If our Dometic does die one day, I will explore the compressor based units, but they do require power, which the Dometic needs very little. So you need a robust battery and to charge it somehow. I like the simplicity of the Dometic. We can camp for almost 3 weeks on one propane fill cooking and running the Dometic. And we can camp in the shade.
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[Tobias Duncan]

Is it the square red light for the electric ignition that will not come on? This fridge does not have the push in piezoelectric like the rest of them do.

[kamzcab86]

[Franklinstower]

my fridge used to light the first time every time. Then it was removed so I could preemptively treat for seam rust. Ever since the fridge went back in, lighting is much more difficult.
My "fridge lighting handshake" now involves blowing air through the drain hole before it will light. I use one of those mattress pumps with a small nozzle. Now I am back to lighting it every time. Blow some fresh air into the combustion chamber, hold the thermo switch in and pump the ignitor about 5 times until the green light is on. I even made ice on my last camp out!
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'89 Westy - EJ25/22 Frank 4.44 5mt
'75 Miami Blue Sunroof FI Standard Bug

[PDXWesty]

This procedure may help: http://www.frankcondelli.com/fridge.htm

And good info here: http://vanagonwestfaliaparts.com/dometic-fridge-info/
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto