Dometic Fridge - no red light = no piezo/spark?

[VicVan]

Hi all

Trying to start the Dometic fridge on LP. This thing hasn't been used in a while apparently.
When I select the Gas mode on the switches to the right, the manual says that the red light above should start blinking (sign that the piezo is sending sparks).

Nothing, no blink, no light, no spark that I can hear.

What I've done so far: I checked the fuses on the B-pillar, they're good. Only the right one has +12V, the other one has 0.
The fridge works on 110V and on 12V.

Any thoughts ?
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[davevickery]

If it lit instantly, then you wouldn't see it sparking. The sparking stops as soon as it is lit. That seems to me the most likely option without looking at it in person. The plug under the sink could be loose or unplugged, but it wouldn't work on 12 volts if so. So maybe not that. The igniter part behind that 3 button selector could go bad or the sparker wire could have come out of it. Those electronic sparker do go bad sometimes, but not too common. Mine seems to not work occasionally, I think from condensation possibly. When I try it later it seems to work fine. (I added a manual piezo as a backup). You could double check at the plug under the sink to make sure you have 12Volts there. Taking the fridge out is a hassle, so start with anything you can do with it in place.

[Ahwahnee]

Mine is somewhat different as it is an 84... but it looks to me like you have the gas turned off.

For starting I think the dial with OFF and ON should be turned to ON.

Also the dial that turns from MIN to Max should be on MAX.

I will also mention since you are new to this - the valve on the propane tank also needs to be open.

[Paulbeard]

[VicVan]

[DLJ]

The newer lighting systems are a lot more user friendly. (electric ignitor)
First check to see if you have e gas on. When you activate the ignitor the red light should start blinking (you can hear the sparking). The pilot light sometimes starts off very quick and the red light should go off.
If all this fails, then I would suggest that you remove the refrigerator and check voltage at the electronic lighter. If you have power to the ignighter and it still doesn't work then its the ignitor that failed. Go
Weskit has replacements.

[kamzcab86]

[Tobias Duncan]

You will need to pull the fridge.
The ignition may be bad so pull it out and look on the bottom for browning.
Could also be the wire that goes to the ignitor in the combustion box.
Might as well upgrade the fan and check valve while you are in there.
First time this project takes forever.
Second time is easy .

[VicVan]

Thanks for your responses.
I'll try to fire it tomorrow.
Fingers crossed!
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[Abscate]

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_________________
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[cmayna]

[Vanagon Nut]

[davevickery]

There is no need for all these starting tricks with the electronic ignition fridges. You just push the button and they flash very noticably as they spark, and as Kamz pointed out you can also hear it, and if you don't turn the gas on, they will spark and flash indefinitely because they won't light. That's the sure way to know if the sparker system is the problem.

It is pretty simple to remove the fridge to work on it. You can bench test it with an LP tank with a regulator and a car battery. It takes maybe 15 minutes now for me to take mine out, but I imagine it was only 30-40 the first time plus reading up on how to do it. Tilting it backward as you slide it forward so the exhaust pipes don't get hung up is a good tip. And going around the outside to make sure the flue is clear as you take it out.

The only upgrade that is worth doing while you have it out is to upgrade the fan to a higher CFM/lower draw computer fan and possibly a manual switch if you want. If you want to do the city water exhaust port mod, it would be a good time to do that, but being from BC, you may not want to bother with either.

There are generic options for the electronic sparker that are cheaper than the GW one, if you need that part. The piezo wire going into that electronic sparker unit on top of the fridge may not have a good connection too.

[Vanagon Nut]

The computer case fan can certainly be more electrically efficient but using a piece of paper to test, I found that the blade on the Dometic fan seemed to move more air than the case fan on hand. But then there's many differently rated computer case fans. The city water fan mod I did was very useful here in BC and abroad. Installing a small CPU fan inside the fridge can be of great benefit. It's much smaller than those large D cell battery type fans that sit in the fridge and it moved more air around.

Neil.

I secured this CPU fan to the cooling unit. On another fridge I think I mounted it to the interior top of fridge box.

_________________
1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[kamzcab86]

[VicVan]

Thanks for all your responses

I have made some progress: I know have a spark! The light links and I can definitely hear the piezo going to town.
Reminder: The piezo would not start at all.
While on DC mode, hooked up to 110V, fridge cold, I pushed the "gas mode" button (switch on the right, see my picture above). It was dark out so I noticed the red light slowly getting back to life. It stayed on for say 10 seconds, then started flickering, then nothing, fonr another 5 secondes. And then, out of nowhere, tick tick tick tick ! It's alive !

I don't know what happened there. It feels like I defibrillated the piezo with 110V. Now it's alive again

All I have to do now is get the propane to ignite. I guees I'm back at all the existing topics on how to light the thing up.

I'm glad I don't have to take it all apart now, a few days away from leaving. I'll keep you posted.
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[VicVan]

Well... It works !

Not really sure what the issue was. I guess it'll stop working randomly somewhere down the road, typically in Death Valley right after I packed the fridge with ice cream.
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[elizer]

Death Valley + Dometic + ice cream = ice cream soup.

I find that after the first light of the season the fridge starts up on gas a lot easier every time after.

[cmayna]

Glad to hear you got it back up and running.
_________________
'90 Westy / automatic.
If I'm not working on the camper or my '50 Chebbie truck, I'm either fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.


Craig

[davevickery]