Burner Lock Out on Fridge

[Parksy]

Hi all

Our caravan is fitted with a Thetford Premium fridge which has a led display panel and automatic power source selection.

On rallies we normally run the fridge on LPG, the panel displays a flame symbol and the gas ignites automatically.

When we were on last weekends rally the fridge wouldn't work on gas, it ran for a few seconds then switched off with an error code displayed in the panel.

I've looked in the book and the error code (number 9) means a gas lockout with failure to ignite the burner after 30 seconds.

I had another look this lunchtime and removed the vent panel from the outer wall of the caravan. There is a thin galvanised tube visible which I tapped with my fingers. I tried the fridge once again and it lit and ran ok so would a burner clean be recommended?

The caravan is regularly serviced by the dealer but I haven't yet had the fridge serviced. Would a Swift approved mobile caravan engineer be able to do the work or do I need to go back to the dealership? The caravan is just over two years old.

 

[metz]

Hi Parksy, Yes at 2 years old your fridge needs a service, the chances are that the burner tube has rusted up, closing the burner ports therefore not allowing the gas to pass through pretty common with thetford fridges, a Swift Approved mobile fitter should be able to carry out the work for you with no problems.

 

[Parksy]

Thanks Metz, I'll get it sorted out after Easter.

 

[Damian]

Just a note of further info on Thetford fridges.

The makers instructions are very clear that the burner MUST be cleaned at least every year.

Parksy, yours probably has the old chromed steel burner in it which has been noted for the trouble it has caused.

When you get it serviced, make sure the guy fits a new Stainless Steel burner.

Last Summer I was called to a van here, and the Thetford fridge was putting out lethal levels of CO due to the burner being rusted.

The owner and his wife were lucky to survive, at least thats what the paramedics said who were on site attending to them.

 

[Parksy]

Thanks for the information Damian. The exhaust gas (for want of a better word) is vented from a separate port from which the plastic cover has to be removed before any gas appliance will operate. The .5" diameter pipe that I 'flicked' was behind the top rectangular slatted vent cover, it came from a sort of cylinder with some sort of textile material inside it and the top part was held by a bracket and screw. The pipe had a small wind deflector over the end and the burner could be heard operating from that area.

We are on an Easter rally but we have ehu so the fridge will be on 240v.

I noticed that the larger pipe on the back of the fridge which contains the refrigerant is rusted so I'll definitely get it all checked by a service engineer when I come back after the holiday.