Cleaning fridge burner

[Mandarin]

We're having some problems with the gas operation of the fridge,. The service guy looked at it in February and said the burner was shot but he'd cleaned it and it should be ok, but it's somewhat erratic about lighting - so we're having it replaced as soon as Truma sends the part.

We know that the fridge should be run on gas regularly to keep the burner from filling with dust but when I checked the Dometic manual it says the burner should be cleaned 3 times a year if it's used on gas a lot. Any ideas how to do that? I don't want to be taking the fridge out, so can the vents be taken out to access the burner? Or???
(Does anyone actually do this??)

 

[Damian]

First of all, if the service guy said the burner was "shot" why did he not change it there and then?
I would be looking at a different service person in future.

Secondly, I know the manual says about the frequency of cleaning but I do not have a single customer who has this done.
What is more important is the regular use of gas , even for just 20 minutes each time the van is used, to keep the burner clean and the controls working.

 

[otherclive]

When the van is being checked out prior to a trip I would put the fridge on gas for 20-30 minutes to check that it is cooling and as an aid to keeping the burner clean. Do the same for water and heater and cooker but for a shorter time. I was advised against cleaning the fridge burner and especially not to wire it out. But if it requires cleaning I would prefer to install a new one anyway.

 

[DaveA1]

As Clive above. I also start the cooling, before a trip, on gas. Remember being told it'll cool quicker on gas, who by, haven't a clue.
I've take the vents off to hoover any dust that has collected behind the fridge but that's all I've ever done.

 

[ProfJohnL]

As Clive above. I also start the cooling, before a trip, on gas. Remember being told it'll cool quicker on gas, who by, haven't a clue.

These fridges run using the absorption principle.

All the fuels do is to provide heat to a specific portion of the refrigerant circuit. Each of the fuels (Gas Mains or 12V when towing) adds roughly the same amount of heat so the fridge will work as effectively on any source, BUT when towing there are lots of other things going on such as windage due to traveling which might reduce the ability of 12v to wark as well as when its startionary.

But there is little difference between gas and 230V ac, both will cool the fridge with no perceptible difference.

 

[Mandarin]

Thanks all, I must admit we've tended to run this just on electric until recently - which is probably why we're having problems now. The service guy explained that these fridges are primarily designed to run off gas and the electric part is a 'bolt on' in the design and he got it working in the service. we would have tried gas during the last three months, but Covid put paid to that.
(I don't really feel that not having the part in his van at the time a service a reason for finding a new engineer.)

Anyway the new part's on order and in future we'll be making sure to use gas for the initial cooling on every trip.

Meanwhile do the fridge vents just pull off the side of the van or is there some sort of clip ?

 

[DaveA1]

On my van if you look in the top of the second vent there are two black clips pull them down and the vean drops out from the top.
Other vents I;ve seen do similar screws turn a quarter turn and again the vent comes out from the top.

 

[ProfJohnL]

The service guy explained that these fridges are primarily designed to run off gas and the electric part is a 'bolt on' ...

??? I have no idea where your service guy gets this impression, the fridges are competently designed to ruin as effectively as possible on any of the fuels. Because there are three systems in place may compromise the ultimate efficiency, but the deficit is small, with exception of 12v power when towing as explained above.

Intrinsically the fridge will be most fuel efficient using 230V mains, becasue the thermostat turns off the element when no further cooling is required, where as the gas can be modulated but it has to keep the flame burning even when no cooling is required.