Dometic fridge/freezer not working on gas

[walburga]

I've serviced the fridges on the several vans I've owned over the years thus:-

Remove bottom fridge vent.
Remove the wind sheild from around the burner assembly, this will be held in position by 1 or 2 small screws, and will require tugging a bit, but it's only thin tin and will take this.
Then remove the union nut between the gas inlet pipe and the 'square' section assembly, you'll need a spanner for the nut, and one to hold the the square section steady. The gas jet is 'held' in position between the end of the gas pipe and the burner. Remove the jet and replace with new one.
Then disconnect the small cable (gas ignition cable) and the thermocouple line (thin bendy metal pipe). You'll wonder were all the muck comes from during this dismantling !
Get the burner assembly onto a workbench and give it a good banging and poking with a thin copper wire...(note : burner NOT the jet)...lots of rust particles will be apparent.
Then take the top fridge vent off.
Remove upper section(s) of flue, these are usually quite loose and don't need to be gas tight. You'll see / feel a thin steel wire which is hooked over the vertical flue lowest pipe, pull this up. A 'swirl plate' is attached to this, and will certainly be covered in carbon. This needs cleaning till it shines. Then get a flue brush or something to clean / push through the length of flue. I always put a sheet of white paper a the bottom of the flue to see how much soot, rust, sh*te, etc falls down.
Then put it all back. I'm convinced that this will cure your problem.
You should see a strong blue flame (small reddish/orange tip) which will 'roar'.

Hope that helps.

Allen

 

[Oldgustaf]

Hi Allen, Thanks very much for this. Really appreciated. Going to give it a go this week and will report back.

 

[Duck Truck]

I did mention WD40

 

[EdwardFT]

... Unfortunately - and I'm kicking myself for this, I managed to snap off the head of the small grub screw that holds the burner in place beneath the flue housing. I don't think the burner can become dislodged because the threaded part is still in situ but I'm not sure I want to take the risk. So I'm now searching the Internet for a Dometic 7855L burner. I might try drilling it out first but there's nothing to get purchase on to twist it out...

Broken screws and bolts can often be removed with a left-handed drill bit. It drills itself a partial hole and then starts to unscrew the screw. You can find them online.

 

[Oldgustaf]

Thanks for tip. Will look for one.

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[sally47]

Try Mark at Coast Caravans near Aberporth , excellent service

 

[Oldgustaf]

Try Mark at Coast Caravans near Aberporth , excellent service

Oh brilliant - what a find. Thank you! He's even nearer - just 30 miles away above Cardigan. A soon as we're out of this (IMO ridiculous) Wales lockdown I'll call by.

 

[Claire Ambler]

There is a really good you tube video showing how to solve the problem. It is caused ( one reason anyway) by a sticking gas valve. Watch the video one it’s informative and two it worked for me

 

[Oldgustaf]

There is a really good you tube video showing how to solve the problem. It is caused ( one reason anyway) by a sticking gas valve. Watch the video one it’s informative and two it worked for me

Thanks Claire. Have you a link to it?

 

[jezport]

I had the same issue, took burner out cleaned jet with strand of copper cable, tapped the supply end on the ground to shake out any particles of rust etc.
A lot of the issues are caused by the condensate tub filling and overflowing on the gas pipe and running to the jet. I ran a drip pipe straight out of the vent so it drips outside of the van not into the silly cup.

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[Mike800966]

Not sure about the model of Fridge but we had a similar problem a few years ago with a gas valve, on our 7401 apparently it has a high/low mode and was stuck in the low position. In thoe days I had to call a dometic engineer who diaganosed it and replaced the part.
I would have put your problem down to being on a slope ie gas is fine but no cooling and as you say you cant check it on electric just now.
The other point is that the blue flame does roar but only gently, you would just hear it with the fridge vent covers in place so dont expect it to roar away like a roofing burner!
oh and make sure the bottom cover sheet under the burner is meeting the van wall inside or any little screws will dissappear for ever.
Mike

 

[jezport]

Not sure about the model of Fridge but we had a similar problem a few years ago with a gas valve, on our 7401 apparently it has a high/low mode and was stuck in the low position. In thoe days I had to call a dometic engineer who diaganosed it and replaced the part.
I would have put your problem down to being on a slope ie gas is fine but no cooling and as you say you cant check it on electric just now.
The other point is that the blue flame does roar but only gently, you would just hear it with the fridge vent covers in place so dont expect it to roar away like a roofing burner!
oh and make sure the bottom cover sheet under the burner is meeting the van wall inside or any little screws will dissappear for ever.
Mike

Thats the manual models only that do that

 

[Walkingmox]

We were in Norway a couple of years ago and had the same problem luckily we were close to a Burstner centre and drove there for help a guy went around to the outside vent and hit the valve with a hammer......hey presto it worked charged us £50! Showed my husband where to hit it if we need to another time, which he has now forgotten
A hammer seems to be the answer to everything ...sticking brakes in France were hit with a hammer by a mechanic....they released £50 charge no problems

 

[jezport]

We were in Norway a couple of years ago and had the same problem luckily we were close to a Burstner centre and drove there for help a guy went around to the outside vent and hit the valve with a hammer......hey presto it worked charged us £50! Showed my husband where to hit it if we need to another time, which he has now forgotten
A hammer seems to be the answer to everything ...sticking brakes in France were hit with a hammer by a mechanic....they released £50 charge no problems

May work for a sticking valve, or move any rust that has dropped onto the burner, but no substitute for a service!

 

[Duck Truck]

My wife uses the same principle with the hammer
when I don't work properly

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[Duck Truck]

The Ex Gasman
it's alright for you laughing!!!
but using copper wire to unblock my jet is no fun either

 

[Walkingmox]

We have a habitation check every year but have never been recommended to have a fridge service. Rocket switch has just broken so it is going in next week I'll ask about a service for the fridge. Mind you it has worked perfectly ever since but you never know

 

[Walkingmox]

Screw driver and a hammer are the only implements I need. They work perfectly for every job