No cold beer !

H

headlight

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Swift Suntor 590RL
Arrived at a site yesterday, no hook up, and for the first time my fridge won't work on gas.
The fridge is an old Dometic 3 way manual selection and has never had any problems before.
It lights fine but when I take my finger off the knob, no matter how long I hold the knob in, the flame goes out.
I'm assuming dirty jet or faulty thermocouple ?
 
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Toady just rang him and spoke to his wife.
He is busy and off on holiday on Thursday then fully booked when he gets back.
 
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That is a shame. Try Pembrokeshire Caravan Care 01834 831714 or 07803 146416.

Where are you staying at present?

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Toady said:
PS What’s the model of your fridge?
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Hi Toady it's a Dometic RM 7270.
It's an old fridge, everything is manually selected, no electronics.
Basically if you have a spark and gas it should work.
I have a spark and gas at the pilot as it ignites first click but when I release the button, no matter how long it has been pressed in the pilot goes out.
It was working fine on gas 2 weeks ago when we last used it.
I am staying at Port Eynon.
 
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Have you tried tapping the valve as I mentioned?

this is exactly what my fridge was doing, it was stuck valve that is opened by the thermocouple
 
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repairer said:
Have you tried tapping the valve as I mentioned?

this is exactly what my fridge was doing, it was stuck valve that is opened by the thermocouple
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I can't see the valve as it's to high up from the vents.
I think the fridge would need to be removed.
 
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The areas I would be looking at as have been mentioned are:
Gas valve - tap with spanner
Thermocouple- test with electrical tester (YouTube)
Control contacts - turn knob multiple times
Wiring - remove, clean and replace

Try the other number of Pembrokeshire Caravan Care. He is mobile so if you are heading towards Pembs then he may be able to meet up and assist.

Let me know if you are heading to Pembs.

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I believe the gas valve for that model is behind the thermostat knob. If its the thermocouple you will need to pull the fridge forward since you need to get to the front top of the fridge, as well as the burner.
 
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Toady said:
The areas I would be looking at as have been mentioned are:
Gas valve - tap with spanner
Thermocouple- test with electrical tester (YouTube)
Control contacts - turn knob multiple times
Wiring - remove, clean and replace

Try the other number of Pembrokeshire Caravan Care. He is mobile so if you are heading towards Pembs then he may be able to meet up and assist.

Let me know if you are heading to Pembs.
Click to expand...
No not heading to Pembrokeshire in the motorhome in the foreseeable future.
William from Caliam has just rung me and provided I take the van to his house he's going to try and fit me in in a few weeks time when he's back from his holiday.
Meantime I have today bought an electric cool box to keep me going until he can hopefully fix my fridge.
Thanks very much for giving me his details.
 
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headlight said:
No not heading to Pembrokeshire in the motorhome in the foreseeable future.
William from Caliam has just rung me and provided I take the van to his house he's going to try and fit me in in a few weeks time when he's back from his holiday.
Meantime I have today bought an electric cool box to keep me going until he can hopefully fix my fridge.
Thanks very much for giving me his details.
Click to expand...
Good news!
I cannot recommend him enough.
Keep us updated on what the eventual fault is.
 
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Toady miraculously after my fridge not working on gas the past 13 days I've been away, buying an electric cool box, my inverter failing and having to buy a replacement inverter and me hitting a pothole going to get the replacement so my van is now in a garage awaiting a new spring, wheel, tyre and driveshaft, my van not my motorhome, my fridge has just started working on gas fine.

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I have just read your tale of woe and am disgusted at the way Dometic treat their customers. I believe your problem is one of the most regular reasons for a call out and one that is most profitable to them. The whole thermocouple is not very expensive from £5 to £50 at worst and fitting can sometimes be done in 15 minutes (mine was in Hispavan in Vera Spain. No booking, I just dropped in).
 
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headlight said:
Toady miraculously after my fridge not working on gas the past 13 days I've been away, buying an electric cool box, my inverter failing and having to buy a replacement inverter and me hitting a pothole going to get the replacement so my van is now in a garage awaiting a new spring, wheel, tyre and driveshaft, my van not my motorhome, my fridge has just started working on gas fine.
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That’s great news! You’re luck had th change at some point 😂
 
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Ah well more of the same.
The fridge must've ran fine overnight as this morning the temp was 4c.
Made a cuppa and the gas ran out.
Swapped gas bottles and the fridge won't work again exactly the same as before.
The pilot light jet ignites first push but when you release the knob it goes out.
Back to using the electric cool box.
 
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headlight said:
Ah well more of the same.
The fridge must've ran fine overnight as this morning the temp was 4c.
Made a cuppa and the gas ran out.
Swapped gas bottles and the fridge won't work again exactly the same as before.
The pilot light jet ignites first push but when you release the knob it goes out.
Back to using the electric cool box.
Click to expand...
Jeez if it wasn't for bad luck you would have no luck at all :(
 
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Gromett said:
Jeez if it wasn't for bad luck you would have no luck at all :(
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I'm being philosophical about it :giggle: .
It's an old fridge, it has worked perfectly for my 15 months of ownership, last hab check was 18 months ago and the paperwork says that the fridge was checked and working fine.
I also have previous hab checks paperwork all showing everything fine.
Although the paperwork that came with the van is comprehensive, there is no paperwork to say that the fridge has ever been serviced or had any work done to it and considering the amount of paperwork I would have thought the previous owner would have kept it as I've even got invoices for single bulbs.
So I'm taking the view that the fridge has never been touched as its always worked fine.
When my trip is over I'm getting the fridge looked at and think that a new jet, thermocouple and possibly flue clean and it will be working fine again.

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Toady I'll be ringing Calliam again a week Monday, when I think he's back from his hols, and hopefully taking the motorhome to him for a day so he can fix the fridge.
Luckily I doubled the solar a couple of months ago "just in case" so I am able to cope with the electric cool box's continuous 4amp draw.
If I hadn't I would have had to of been careful using it.
 
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headlight said:
Toady I'll be ringing Calliam again a week Monday, when I think he's back from his hols, and hopefully taking the motorhome to him for a day so he can fix the fridge.
Luckily I doubled the solar a couple of months ago "just in case" so I am able to cope with the electric cool box's continuous 4amp draw.
If I hadn't I would have had to of been careful using it.
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Fingers crossed he sorts out your issues and gives the fridge a good service. Nothing worse than being away on your hols and a fridge on go slow.

It will be interesting to know what the actual fault is??
 
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Toady said:
Fingers crossed he sorts out your issues and gives the fridge a good service. Nothing worse than being away on your hols and a fridge on go slow.

It will be interesting to know what the actual fault is??
Click to expand...
Yes.
 
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Toady said:
Fingers crossed he sorts out your issues and gives the fridge a good service. Nothing worse than being away on your hols and a fridge on go slow.

It will be interesting to know what the actual fault is??
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Update.
Calliam Caravans fixed my fridge today.
It's had a new jet, gas valve and selector.
While he was at it he renewed the thermal paste.
It appears to be working fine.
Next trip in a couple of weeks time fingers crossed I'll have cold beer.
 
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Captain Yoghurtpot said:
That seems like a massive overkill on their part to say all those things need removing due to covid.
More likely its to protect them from any potential claim for damage or loss from belongings in the van.
Madness I know, but since Covid the world seems to have gone off on one.
Good luck in your search.
PS: quick tip for cold beer, fill bucket with cold water and stand tins/ bottles in that.
Might mean a few trips to the water tap to keep water refreshed and cool,but if needs must.........
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Seriously They are simply totally ignorant of understanding RISK. The media are responsible for people becoming absolute morons in this field. With absolute panic induced broadcasting.

On the lighter side of things though this is a serious emergency. I mean, NO cold beer. How much worse can it get 🍺🍺😂

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BikerGraham said:
Seriously They are simply totally ignorant of understanding RISK. The media are responsible for people becoming absolute morons in this field. With absolute panic induced broadcasting.

On the lighter side of things though this is a serious emergency. I mean, NO cold beer. How much worse can it get 🍺🍺😂
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Just Cold Water and NO BEER!
 
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headlight said:
Still no cold beer.
I tried all the suggestions above yesterday and the flame still won't stay alight when you stop pressing the knob in.
I even kept the button pressed in for 30 minutes, the flame stayed lit but as soon as I let the button out the flame went out.
I assume the thermocouple has failed and is not opening to allow gas to the burner.
I think I'm going to have to get somebody to look it.
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No cold beer. That is not on, nowt like a cold beer at the end of the day when on holiday in the van.
 
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Ginam said:
No cold beer. That is not on, nowt like a cold beer at the end of the day when on holiday in the van.
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Oh now come on Gina, at the end of the day !!!!!

I suppose that means after breakfast 😳😳
 
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