Lighting a propane fridge

[catfishwv]

I bought a used popup a 93 palomino and the fridge runs on propane. the question I have is do I need the battery hooked up to light it? its got a click button to ignite it outside but how do i tell if its on? I cant see anywhere a pilot light would be.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

There is no pilot light on a propane fridge, they either have a pizeo lighter(the click lighter) or they have electronic ignition, electronic ignition requires a battery that is up to snuff. Does your fridge have an electronic panel on the front? If so, there should be an indication light in the electronic panel.

If it is just a manual start, with the pizeo lighter, there should also be a red button to hold in while getting it started, that is the thermal couple bypass switch, once the thermal couple warms up, it allows propane to feed the burner.

Your fridge should also run on electricity when the trailer is plugged into shore power, they normally have an electric element in the chimney that heats up while plugged in.

What model of trailer is this?, there should be a model number or name on the trailer, what brand of fridge is it? Norcold or Dometic? Let me know and I can look through my manuals to see how that specific model works.

 

[catfishwv]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

I think its a manual only from what i was told the popup is a 93 palomino. there is a toggle switch that i flipped to on and then pushed the clicker numerous times I never could tell if it was lit or not

 

[catfishwv]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

as for the brand it is i will have to pop it back up. I ordered new canvass for it yesterday and it wont be in for 4 weeks

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

Well when you get the information, let me know, in the time being, you might be able to get the model number off the fridge, through the access panel on the outside of the trailer, I can look it up by that as well, the toggle switch should be for changing between electric and propane operation. Palomino made several different models of trailers, such as the "Filly" "Shetfield" etc. and they normally placed that name somewhere on the outside of the trailer on the body.

 

[catfishwv]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

its a mustang dd

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

Okay,

it should be a dometic, unless it has been changed over the years by someone, it should be easy to start, the toggle switch should say LP/Elec, make sure it is flipped to the LP side, make sure the tank is turned on, some models have a red button you push in and hold, then push the pizeo button a few times and you should see a blue flame coming out of the burner, continue to hold the thermocouple button for about a minute to allow it to heat up. It should take a few hours to cool down, you might also have a 3 way fridge, which means it will run on electric, LP as well as 12v. The 12v is only for maintaining temp while traveling, it will not work to cool the fridge down before running a battery dead if your not hooked up and towing. If your in a campground with AC hook up, plug in the trailer, then flip the fridge to Elec.

If the burner does not keep lit when you release the thermocouple button, then the thermocouple is bad and needs to be replaced, if it will no cool down on Electric, it means the element has gone bad and needs to be replaced. If you can't get it to light on LP, then the burner may possibly be plugged, take the shield off and blow out with an air compressor..

You might also get a hold of Palomino and see if they still have the specifications or an owners manual available you can get

http://www.palominorv.com/

 

[catfishwv]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

they gave me a generic model manual its not specific i guess it's outdated to far. and the switch just says on and off

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

Do you have a digital camera, that you could take a picture of the backside of the fridge through the access panel? If it just says on/off, it sounds like it might be just a propane fridge, which is really quite rare in that model year.

 

[catfishwv]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

yeah i can get one when I get home with my iphone. and its just got on and off its a toggle switch. when its turned to on you can turn the control valve when its off you can't so i am assuming its a propane only deal. I assume the furnace works from the same area cause i cant see anywhere to lit the furnace either.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

Ok,

Then you have a propane only fridge, same lighting procedure, there should be that thermocouple button, there may be a little door over the burner area, so if your pizeo lighter does not work, you can use a BBQ lighter to get it going as well.

You furnace should be an electric start furnace that is controlled by the thermostat, the toggle switch on the fridge will have nothing to do with the furnace, those work off the thermostat, when you turn it up, it charges the starter in the furnace which the squirrel cage will start spinning then the electric lighter will ignite the propane..

Like I said, if you can get a picture, that would help me to determine which model it is.

 

[catfishwv]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

will take one this evening thanks for the help

 

[Mntom]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

There should be a little 'window' or a mirror that allows you to light the fridge and see the flame from the burner. Look for a round 'port' that is close to where the clicker is.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

There should be a little 'window' or a mirror that allows you to light the fridge and see the flame from the burner. Look for a round 'port' that is close to where the clicker is.

It depends on who made it, Norcold used the window system for a few years, Dometic used a flip down cover over the hole to see the burner.

 

[catfishwv]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

It depends on who made it, Norcold used the window system for a few years, Dometic used a flip down cover over the hole to see the burner.

s1081.photobucket.com/albums/j341/wvcatfishhunter/

 

[catfishwv]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

add the h ttp it wouldnt let me post the full link but thats the pics of it

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

Just cruising the forums and I know absolutley nothing about propane fridges. But I seen the pictures and I would not even attempt to light that fridge with the rats nest and other flammable stuff around it.

 

[catfishwv]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

I just bought the camper i wanna know how to light it. I dont plan on using it till I get it cleaned up

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

Yup, that is in older Dometic LP only fridge, to light is simple, make sure the tank is turned on and the toggle switch is in the right position as you see currently in your pictures, picture number 3 shows the red button I was talking about, you have push and hold that and then hit the striker button, which is the black button under the burner. I would take the enclosure off of the burner and double check the burner to make sure it is clean and not covered with mud or other dirt from bugs or rodents. The burner should produce a small flame that is blue, it will be about 3/4 " in diameter and should be about 1 in tall, if you get a lot of yellow in the flame, then the burner is dirty or the air vents are plugged and it will have to be cleaned. Turn the temp switch(if it has one, some didn't) inside the fridge up to its max setting and let it run for 2-3 hours and the coils in the back of the fridge should be cooling down by that time. If you smell any ammonia, then turn it off, that means the fridge is bad and will need to be rebuilt. If it does not start to cool after 2-3 hours, it will need to be looked at by a tech.

Now remember this is an ammonia absorption fridge, which means you will not feel cold air blowing into the fridge, the way these work, is they absorb the heat that is present in the fridge box and when it absorbs all of the heat, the only thing left of course is cold.

Just make sure everything is free of dirt and other flammables before starting it, and you should be good to go.

If you go to this link:

http://www.dometic.com/enus/Americas/USA/Customer-Support/

You might still be able to get the actual owner/operation manual for it, the model number is one that plate that you show in your 4th picture, and it begins with RM, but I can't read the rest of the numbers, but they keep the majority of their manuals online for most of the fridges they have built.

 

[catfishwv]

Re: Lighting a propane fridge

the switch is set to off in that picture. Would a standard sized dorm room fridge fit in that opening? cause if it would I would just remove the old one and use it