Old but like new tires

[HeatherRourke]

1 hour ago, WILDEBILL308 said:

Didn't make it through Stark last summer but was in the area. Drove across just south of you on 2 to Newry and spent a week exploring the area. Nice area.

 

So it worked on 110 when plugged in? Ok this is going to sound silly, do you have propane? Can you light the stove? Sometimes it takes a while to get the air out of the line going to the refrigerator. The burner will try to light but if it doesn't will shut off after a set number of tries.  You have to turn the main switch off and try again. Look and see if there is a valve on the propane line just before the fridge. It could have been turned off for some reason. You should be able to hear the spark igniter trying to light if you go outside by the fridge. People with good hearing say they can hear the gas valve opening. That is something else that might be stuck from setting for a long time. You could try taping it with a screwdriver handle if you can't hear it open/smell propane.

If you are plugged in to shore power even if it is 15 amp you should have enough 12V power to power the refrigerator. 

Bill

  

I love it up here.  It’s beautiful and everyone is so nice and friendly.  Yes rt 2 is pretty much how I have to get to most stores and surrounding towns. 

 

As for propane, yes. Lol I’ve had to fill it several times.  The stove works with no problem. And I was told the heat uses the propane in the winter and that works as well.  I have not have no hooked up an outside grill to that gas line so o don’t know about that one.  

I found some YouTube videos on doing the burner cleaning for the fridge online. I am going to try that when it stops raining.  I’m not sure what the knobs and valves do. I’ve tried opening and closing them last summer.  I don’t recall hearing the sound of propane running through like wen I turn the tank on or off. I’m going to look up the plans or schematics for the fridge from the site RayIN suggested and see if I can get a better idea of what is what.   

What is the main switch? The circuit beaker? 

The fridge runs only when the generator runs or if the camper is plugged in. Even if the 50amp is downgraded to  standard electric cord to my house.

I’m hoping a cleaning and turning on a valve will do the trick. 

 

[HeatherRourke]

1 hour ago, kaypsmith said:

If the flue (chimney) is restricted it will not light, as Brett indicated, go through the flue cleaning process, something as simple as a mud dauber best or bird nest can really mess up the thought process for making the fridge work on LP. Sorry for the change in subject, but other mentions here made me do it.

No problem. 😆  The tires springs and fridge are the only things i want to take care of before spending my money doing cosmetic updates. 

*future thread..  what to do with the hole in the dash one I remove the old tv.

 

I found YouTube videos. On how to clean everything out. I’m going to give that a try and make sure all the valves are open. 

[wildebill308]

6 hours ago, HeatherRourke said:

What is the main switch? The circuit beaker? 

That will do it but, I was thinking the on/off switch on the fridge. When you turn it on, to try to get it to run on propane that it is not on auto but on propane.

 

6 hours ago, HeatherRourke said:

The fridge runs only when the generator runs or if the camper is plugged in. Even if the 50amp is downgraded to  standard electric cord to my house.

What I may not have been clear on is you don't need the batteries to be fully charged if you have shore power. The converter will produce all the 12V power you need to run the circuit board/controls. Try making shure propane is selected and see if you can hear the igniter and or the valve open. 

Bill

[HeatherRourke]

1 hour ago, WILDEBILL308 said:

That will do it but, I was thinking the on/off switch on the fridge. When you turn it on, to try to get it to run on propane that it is not on auto but on propane.

 

What I may not have been clear on is you don't need the batteries to be fully charged if you have shore power. The converter will produce all the 12V power you need to run the circuit board/controls. Try making shure propane is selected and see if you can hear the igniter and or the valve open. 

Bill

It has been pouring all day here so I have not been able to do the burner clean.

i did hang out and try to mess with the fridge though to see and hear exactly what was going on. 

I turned it to LP instead of auto and turned it on and off several times when standing in front of the fridge and went out in the rain a couple times to see what  I could see and hear from the panel outside.  

Everything from the propane is open (unless something on the inside is stuck, all the valves are on open) and the stove lit up no problem. 

When i would turn it on it makes the clicking sound, then I hear the flame going.  Then it shuts off and gives me the “no fl” error code. 

When I was outside I was able to see the flame going inside the little box.  It continued to click like it was still trying to ignite even though it was lit until it goes into the error.

 

[wolfe10]

Very likely the burner area tune-up will fix it.  May just be rust in the burner tube. May just be carbon on the ignitor/thermal sensor, etc.

[HeatherRourke]

31 minutes ago, wolfe10 said:

Very likely the burner area tune-up will fix it.  May just be rust in the burner tube. May just be carbon on the ignitor/thermal sensor, etc.

I can’t wait to try it. It is supposed to rain all day tomorrow as well but Sunday should be good.   I hope that fixes it.  I would be much more Convenient  to be able to drive cross country with my fridge in use. 

I am going to look for more videos on the cleaning. The ones I found were on different fridges than the one I have. 

These forums are quite wonderful! 

[f433921]

Most likely you will find rusty deposits on the burner and igniter, just us shop vacuum to clean area and you will be good to go. You should also clean the entire chimney stack, you have to go on roof and remove vent cover above the refrigerator, you will see a cleaning rod in the center of the stack, you pull the rod up and down several times and is cleans the inside of the tube.

Jim

[wolfe10]

While a shop  vac MAY remove enough rust to get the unit going again, it is very little more work to remove the burner (one screw) and verify that it is clean and that the slots are not eroded.

[HeatherRourke]

On 4/27/2019 at 8:09 AM, F433921 said:

Most likely you will find rusty deposits on the burner and igniter, just us shop vacuum to clean area and you will be good to go. You should also clean the entire chimney stack, you have to go on roof and remove vent cover above the refrigerator, you will see a cleaning rod in the center of the stack, you pull the rod up and down several times and is cleans the inside of the tube.

Jim

This was. What is above the fridge when I climbed on top. I took the cover off  and there is some screen type thing that will not come off. There are no screwes or anything that I could find.  There is tha stack beside it, but I do not see a way for that to come off either.  If I look down the screen park I can see where the openeing is for the fridge that I was working on. 

[HeatherRourke]

On 4/27/2019 at 8:14 AM, wolfe10 said:

While a shop  vac MAY remove enough rust to get the unit going again, it is very little more work to remove the burner (one screw) and verify that it is clean and that the slots are not eroded.

I found a few videos  and took the pieces apart and cleaned everything out with a vacuumed and blew it out with a can of compressed air like they used on the videos.  I banged on the chimney after removinnthe other part and a little black soot/ flakes stuff came out.  Some also came out of the burner piece. I reassembled everything on turned everything back on and tried to see if it fixed it.  It continues to do the same thing. It makes the clicking sound and ignited instantly, but the clicking sound continues then it all stops and the fridge goes into the error.

is that little stick thing too close? I read somewhere online it should be a. Certain distance from the burner. 

[kaypsmith]

That clicking sound is most likely the igniter continuing to try to ignite. The pictures of the burner shows it to be in very poor repair.

[richard5933]

Here's a longer description of what others have already mentioned - there is need for some cleaning in there.

https://thenorcoldguy.com/blog/norcold-refrigerator-not-staying-lit-on-gas-mode-propane-lp-all-models/

[HeatherRourke]

1 hour ago, richard5933 said:

Here's a longer description of what others have already mentioned - there is need for some cleaning in there.

https://thenorcoldguy.com/blog/norcold-refrigerator-not-staying-lit-on-gas-mode-propane-lp-all-models/

I will try some steel wool on the igniter and burner an see if that works.  

The blog lists many things it could be if it is not the burner. 

 

[wildebill308]

I am going out on a limb here, but it could be the thermocouple is bad. That is the tube glowing red in the picture (over the burner) or better known as "that little stick thing". This is what tells the control board that the flame has lite. The continued clicking of the igniter makes me think that may be the problem. "It all stops and the fridge goes into the error" this is because it is not geting the signal that the burner lit.

Bill

[wolfe10]

From your pictures, the burner tube is pretty badly rusted.  They are not expensive.

Did you also clean the gas jet (just remove and soak in alcohol)? Doesn't take much to clog it up.

[wildebill308]

52 minutes ago, wolfe10 said:

From your pictures, the burner tube is pretty badly rusted.  They are not expensive.

Did you also clean the gas jet (just remove and soak in alcohol)? Doesn't take much to clog it up.

I would first change the thermocouple per my poste above. Yes the burner tube could be cleaner and there could be some plugging of the orifice. The big problem is it isn't seeing the burner is lite and shuts it down after the end of the timed ignition cycle and displays the error. 

Bill

[wolfe10]

Absolutely could be a bad thermocouple.  BUT (big BUT) if the flame is too small because of clogged jet, low propane pressure or damaged burner tube, a good thermocouple will not function properly and if it does, BTU's may still be too low for good refrigerator performance.

Plus cleaning the jet is free. Cost of burner tube and labor involved is lower AND it IS BAD.

[wildebill308]

2 hours ago, wolfe10 said:

Absolutely could be a bad thermocouple.

Cleaning and polishing are nice. BUT (big BUT) if the flame doesn't stay on?

HeatherRourke, You can find a lot of parts on Amazon. 

Bill

[jleamont]

Judging by the photos, I would consider replacing all of the above. Once its open its not so bad, you don't want to go into all of that twice and lastly if it only works for a short time, Murphy's law it will fail on the road and then it will become more costly as you will most likely have to pay someone to repair it. 

[HeatherRourke]

16 hours ago, wolfe10 said:

From your pictures, the burner tube is pretty badly rusted.  They are not expensive.

Did you also clean the gas jet (just remove and soak in alcohol)? Doesn't take much to clog it up.

I am not sure what the gas jet is. Is that the burner tube? Soak it in rubbing alcohol? 

I have some strep wool,  so I’m going to try to clean those pieces again with the wool and blow them back out and see what happens.  I don’t think it can hurt.  

 

Im getting the whole new set of tires and springs in a couple weeks so money is going to be tight. I hope a thermocoupler is not super expensive if this doesn’t work. 

[wolfe10]

The gas jet is the brass part from which the gas exits and goes into the burner tube. Follow the gas line from solenoid valve to find it.

Haven't looked, but there have to be some U-tubes of this.  Hasn't changed in the decades I have been annually doing the burner area tune-up. 

Again, before spending much time on that rusted burner tube (slits no longer clearly defined), just replace it.  Andy RV parts house should have one in stock.

If the refrigerator performs properly on 120 VAC, it IS worth fixing the propane part of it.  If the cooling unit is bad (doesn't work on either source of heat, don't waste your time/money.

[rayin]

Oddly enough, I turned on my Norcold 1200LRIM yesterday to make ice and insure there was no problems with either frig or ice-maker. I unplugged the MH from 120VAC last night to make sure the frig ran on LP OK. This morning I checked the frig and ice tray had water in it, and the eyebrow control board was flashing NOCO.

Well since I'm basically a lazy guy, I tried the KISS principle first. I unplugged/replaced all accessible wiring plugs in plain view. Went inside and started the frig on LP, SUCCESS. Then I turned the frig off and cleaned the LP burner,(BTW mine is brass) which made a brighter, fuller flame from the slots. Our MH has not been used since Oct. 2018, natural corrosion had insulated one or more low voltage terminal connections.

This is the stem type wire brush I used to clean the burner tube.

[HeatherRourke]

39 minutes ago, RayIN said:

Oddly enough, I turned on my Norcold 1200LRIM yesterday to make ice and insure there was no problems with either frig or ice-maker. I unplugged the MH from 120VAC last night to make sure the frig ran on LP OK. This morning I checked the frig and ice tray had water in it, and the eyebrow control board was flashing NOCO.

Well since I'm basically a lazy guy, I tried the KISS principle first. I unplugged/replaced all accessible wiring plugs in plain view. Went inside and started the frig on LP, SUCCESS. Then I turned the frig off and cleaned the LP burner,(BTW mine is brass) which made a brighter, fuller flame from the slots. Our MH has not been used since Oct. 2018, natural corrosion had insulated one or more low voltage terminal connections.

This is the stem type wire brush I used to clean the burner tube.

I found a new burner tube online for $30. So i am going to go and order a new one anyways. I figure it is already partly corroded. and if that is not what is causing the problem, it will most likely continue to corrode and cause future problems so i am going to replace it now. I am going to clean it again tomorrow with the wool and see if that works anyways. I have a regular wire cleaner brush, but it does not look as stiff as that one does. But I can try to use that too. 

I will snoop around tomorrow as well and try to follow the wires and make sure everything is attached securely. I assumed it all was because it works when plugged in. Makes since LP uses different components and something might be off. 

 

[wolfe10]

With the burner tube removed, you can visually tell if it has deposits in it.  But, the slit dimensions are important for burner function-- that is why I recommended replacement.

[HeatherRourke]

2 hours ago, wolfe10 said:

The gas jet is the brass part from which the gas exits and goes into the burner tube. Follow the gas line from solenoid valve to find it.

Haven't looked, but there have to be some U-tubes of this.  Hasn't changed in the decades I have been annually doing the burner area tune-up. 

Again, before spending much time on that rusted burner tube (slits no longer clearly defined), just replace it.  Andy RV parts house should have one in stock.

If the refrigerator performs properly on 120 VAC, it IS worth fixing the propane part of it.  If the cooling unit is bad (doesn't work on either source of heat, don't waste your time/money.

The fridge works perfectly on regular power. I wish i could get it to work on regular power just when I am driving it.  I Found the burner online. which I can have by wednesday. I was looking at the diagram to see where the gas jet is so i can get a better idea of what to look for to take apart and clean out. 

this is the parts list i am looking at and the diagram for my model fridge. 

https://www.thetford.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/PL_N64N84_623423_20160128.pdf  is the gas jet in this diagram anywhere? Is that what they are calling the "Pressure tap"?

Also, I was trying to find the thermocouple on the diagram as well since I have no idea what that is either. But I cannot find it. Does that go under a different name or is it just not in the Norcold Partlist that I have? If the new burner and cleaning the gas jet does not work, i assume that would be the next thing to try? 

 

If all else fails. I use the camper for work. I have a month to try to figure it out and fix it. If not I will do what i did last year. Just drive to my location and stop at the local grocery store before parking and hooking up. My first couple jobs are in NJ, and DE. so its not that bad of a drive between here and there. I definitely would like to have i functioning properly before i head out west again for work.

 

Thank you!