Propane noob question (lighting Dometic)

[John-y25]

Hello!

I'm having some problems with my Dometic on propane. I tried using it for the first time today. I know I have propane in the tank since the stove burners are working fine.

When trying to ignite the fridge, it doesn't work. I can't hear or smell any propane while holding the safety button on the fridge. I followed most videos found on Youtube.

I tried with a lighter through the small pilot hole but nothing seems to happen. Do I have a problem with gas getting to the pilot?

What else should I check?

[MsTaboo]

Here is some additional information about these troublesome units.
http://www.vanagonauts.com/refrigerator-madness228.htm
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'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

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[John-y25]

But am I supposed to smell propane?

[sphet]

[sphet]

To be clear you followed the instructions on the inside of the fridge door, pumping and then holding the safety while you click the ignitor?
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1982 Diesel Westfalia 1.6 NA - The Shellakabuukiee

[John-y25]

[John-y25]

[Ahwahnee]

As mentioned, running it on 110VAC overnight often makes it much easier to light.

Blowing some air into that tube at the bottom may also help (may improve the mixture in the little burner box and stir up and dust in there).

If oyu see the green light come on (if you have that model) continue to hold the button in for some time to get the thermo switch warmed up enough that the gas stays on.

You might mention what year you have or better still post a photo of the controls as they changed thru the years.

Sorry, corrected that.

[John-y25]

[kamzcab86]

A) Run it on 120V first... couple hours, overnight, whatever.

B) Open gas valve all the way and turn LED panel on.

C) Turn gas dial on fridge from off to on (12 o'clock position), and turn temperature dial to 10 o'clock position.

D) Run the stove for a minute (optional, but sometimes helpful).

E) If your 1990 has what is shown below...

...then you have an electronic ignition fridge:

F) Pump air, about 15 strokes.

H) Push in the gas (flame) button. Red light should flash and, if in a quiet area, you should hear the <click, click, click> of the ignitor. If you do see/hear this, proceed to next step. If you don't, probably time to pull the fridge.

I) Press and hold bypass button while continuing to pump air until green propane light on panel is lit and the flashing red ignitor light goes out. Once the green light is lit, stop pumping air but continue holding bypass button for another 10-30 seconds.

Fuse #3 has nothing to do with the 1990 fridge. The two fuses on the B-pillar behind the driver's seat are for the fridge, LED panel, and water pump.
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~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子

[John-y25]

[kamzcab86]

[cmayna]

Just to make sure we're on the same page, why don't you post a pic of your fridge's control panel.
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'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

[John-y25]

Ok so I got the fridge out of the cabinet since LP didn't want to work at all. I cleaned everything this morning and will be testing from a bbq propane tank tonight.

Two questions though:
-When blowing the pump (the little knob on the left (A)), there doesn't seem to be air coming out of it. I disconnected the pump from tube that goes down the combustion chamber, and blew air and it passed through. When pumping at the pump though, there is no air coming out. Am I supposed to feel air coming out of the pump when no tube is connected to it?

-I disconnected the fan since it was really noisy to swap with another computer fan I had. I plugged the fan on a 12v source in my shed, and it made no noise at all. What can cause it to make noise when installed on the fridge? There were no wires going in the fan or anything..

[Ahwahnee]

[bobbyblack]

My fridge saga took two removals to finally find the (last) culprit. I didn't do the pump mod suggested on samba or GW, but if your pump isn't doing anything, thats an idea to fix.

1, my 'drain tube' (the little pipe that runs out under the fridge grill under the fridge was corroded stuck. And full of yuck. I got that resolved.

2, my combustion chamber not only had more yuck in it just waiting ot fall down into that tube again, but the gasket was fubar.

3. inside the combustion chamer, there is a hollow tube that holds the jet, and has a few other spaces for the flame. Mine had creepy cacoons in there. This was the very last thing I found, after thinking I had done everything else possible.

Yes, I did hook it up with a grill tank, and 110V, and put in a different fan, and check the thermo circuit to be sure the fan kicked in and blew the right direction.

After that, I STILL had trouble, until I chatted this all up here A LOT. Best solution/answer was that I was flooding the combustion chamber! It took one pump, one second of gas 'on" and one click, and it was working. So, like 1.5 seconds.

Good to clean everything up and all that, but the flame tube with the cocoons in it was the actual problem with mine.

I took an inordinate amount of time to wrap the wire from the ignitor button to the chamber, as it seemed like the fabric like material was bound to touch the van at some point and make the spark function a mute point.

I made sure to get my method of starting the gas system refined multiple times while it was out of the van, so I could remember how mine really worked... No pumping 15 times, or all that other mumbo jumbo for mine, now that it is clean, has a good seal and the spark wire is insulated.

Good luck!

-bobby
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[DanHoug]

one starting tip, once you've rehabbed the frig by cleaning the pan, renewing the gasket, cleaning the drain tube, lubing the pump, cleaning the jet orifice, cleaning the glass window, cleaning and polishing the sight tube, and tending to the ignitor-- is to start the frig on low, just pilot, by turning the temp knob all the way to the "OFF" position. this does NOT shut the gas off as the pilot will remain lit. keep it on pilot for 3 or more hours THEN turn the temp knob up to the desired position (i run mine at 9:00).

my theory is that convective heat currents need to get established before the flame is brought up higher. hence the success of most of us by starting it on 120v or 12v first, then lighting the gas. the convective currents bring in fresh air, that without, will snuff out the 'on' level of the flame but seem to be enough air for the pilot.

i discovered this by finding that i was able to light it on pilot, it would remain lit, but as soon as i turned the thermostat cooler, the flame would snuff out unless the frig had been running a long while.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

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[Ahwahnee]

[B.O.B.Wanders]

[John-y25]

Well, I'll try lighting it on low tonight to start only the pilot.

My gasket is actually not in a really good shape, but it covers the whole thing up so I think it shouldn't be that bad. I can't find the gasket online, so should I use some RTV Sealant to close it? I've never used it before. If I use RTV Silicone seal, will I be able to remove it some other times to do some more maintenance?