Dometec caravan fridge problem

[TazzyRaithby]

Hi all.
I have a Swift Challenger SE580 2018 caravan.
We have always used the electric for the fridge. But recently my daughter and son in law used the van for our Grandsons moto x meetings. They have tried to put the fridge on gas, and the fridge was warm. I have investigated to see that the gas is on, the pilot light is on and the burner is hot, but still the fridge is warm. Yet it works on electric fine. Any ideas please.

 

[Jcloughie]

Hi, and welcome Tazzy.

Hope someone can help, but initially it makes little sense. On electric, there is a heating element which generates the cooling. It is the same with the gas. And you say there is a flame.

John

 

[birdman101]

Your picture shows set on Battery and the warning triangle as car is not connected with the engine running, Set it on Auto with the gas on and if not on mains it should light automatically on Gas.

 

[TazzyRaithby]

Hi, and welcome Tazzy.

Hope someone can help, but initially it makes little sense. On electric, there is a heating element which generates the cooling. It is the same with the gas. And you say there is a flame.

John

Yes.
It works fine on electric. Gas is 100% going, I left it all night. But fridge warm.

 

[TazzyRaithby]

Your picture shows set on Battery and the warning triangle as car is not connected with the engine running, Set it on Auto with the gas on and if not on mains it should light automatically on Gas.

Sorry, yes that was just to show what type of fridge we are dealing with.

 

[IanB1485]

Just to clarify there is no pilot flame when on gas on this range of Dometic fridges , the flame you see is the main flame , the fridge ignites the flame with a spark and detects the flame is running with an electrode which uses ' flame rectification'. The gas may be burning in the wrong place or have a partially blocked jet , so not enough heat is going up the chimney , or the chimney is blocked ( very unusual).To work on a gas appliance you need to be suitability qualified.

 

[TazzyRaithby]

Hi
Thanks for the reply.
After a night , I took off the side panel on the caravan. The flame was on. The exhaust for the gas is running fine. But I check the fridge , it's warm.

 

[ProfJohnL]

You clearly needs some help to diagnose and repair the problem, Member's of the forum are at at a major disadvantage as we cannot see the details or prod things to work out what the problem is, It really needs a qualified fitter to to check the system out first hand. I suggest you contact your local Approved Workshop Scheme fitter and arrange to get together with them to sort it out.

 

[Beachball]

Hi TazzyRaithby Welcome to forum sorry I cannot help but I would get AWS Mobile Caravan engineer out to look at the fridge and he should be able to sort it and good luck

 

[TazzyRaithby]

Many thanks for everyone's input.

 

[Cherokee2015]

It might need resetting - we’ve just received a handover video for our new van and it covers this. You might find this useful from You Tube but scroll along a bit as the guy is a bit boring Fridge reset

 

[TazzyRaithby]

Hi
Yes thanks I have reset, multiple times. It just doesn't make sense that the gas is on , and heating the coils as if should , ut the fridge is definitely not getting cold.

 

[Cherokee2015]

Hi
Yes thanks I have reset, multiple times. It just doesn't make sense that the gas is on , and heating the coils as if should , ut the fridge is definitely not getting cold.

No worries - worth a try. Good luck

 

[IanB1485]

So the difference is that the heat from the gas flue is not transferring to the fridge pipe ,whereas the heat from the 240V heater element is, given the fridge pipe has tubes welded to it, one is the gas flue,the second the 240v heater element holder and the third the 12V element holder and they are all surrounded by a layer of insulation inside and outer metal jacket, the conclusion is that the gas is not producing enough heat to boil enough ammonia off to cool the fridge,which comes down to either a partially blocked gas jet, valve or mantle , in either case it needs a good looking at.

 

[TazzyRaithby]

Thank you very much for your input. I will get a professional to take a look. Its not something I can do by the sound of that.

 

[Beachball]

Thank you very much for your input. I will get a professional to take a look. Its not something I can do by the sound of that.

Keep us updated how you get on thanks

 

[toad a caravan]

I wonder if it could be due to the warm spell of weather we're experiencing at present,some people including myself fit cooling fans.i am not conversant with your fridge however. Good luck

 

[ProfJohnL]

I wonder if it could be due to the warm spell of weather we're experiencing at present,some people including myself fit cooling fans.i am not conversant with your fridge however. Good luck

As all the fuel sources heat the same portion of the refrigerant pipework, the hot weather would affect all the fuel sources in the same way, so it seems unlikely.