Fridge - Getting it Lit - ha ha

[Andy_374346145]

Hi

I've recently bought a second hand van - 6 years old... generally very impressed with it. First three times out I've had enormous problems lighting the fridge. It's an automatic ignition so you turn on the main dial to gas, and it starts the ignitor (shown by the flashing light and the ticking noise)and you then hold in the Min/Max knob till it lights and hold in for 10-15 seconds before releasing.

Problem is.....when released it obviously goes out as the auto ignite comes on again. I've sat there on three occasions now holding the knob in for varying times between 10 seconds and 3 minutes but still the same.....goes out when released.

If you then leave it for half an hour and try again.......it works !!!!!!.

At first i thought it might be damp and as you sit like a lemon holding the knob in to keep the gas lit, it dried it out making it easy to light later. However, before I left the last camp I turned it off then tried to light it again immediately, (having been on for 2 days it obviously wouldn't be damp)....but the same thing happened.....still wouldn't light.

Thought it might be the thermo-couple device but then that should still have been hot enough having just turned it off, to light again straight away.

Any ideas or similar experience would be so helpful as i still have a sore thumb from holding the damn button in for so long.........Thank you

 

[PaulHull]

Mine's a manual ignition but I still spend god only knows how long getting it going!

Not very helpful but everyone needs a little rant

 

[J.Lo]

Could be air in the pipes,try lighting a cooker ring for a few seconds to clear it. J.Lo

 

[PaulHull]

...or swearing at it

 

[Andy_374346145]

Hi thanks J.Lo........tried lighting the cooker ring thing......it's definitiely lighting OK....just won't stay lit.

Glad to know I'm not the only one Paul......oh...and I did certainly swear at it......

 

[gary]

Turn the control knob to max and pull the knob off, try lighting without knob in place and see if the flame stays lit now.

If it does find something no more than 2mm thick that you can drop in the knobs spindle hole to hold the knob back a little off the fascia

 

[JeremyClarksson]

Turn the control knob to max and pull the knob off, try lighting without knob in place and see if the flame stays lit now.

If it does find something no more than 2mm thick that you can drop in the knobs spindle hole to hold the knob back a little off the fascia

I have always had this problem with old and new caravans, I always check for gas first by lighting the cooker and then the fridge always lights when tried - it may be just purging the air from the gas lines does it and that will always be quicker with the cooker rings.

 

[JeremyClarksson]

I have always had this problem with old and new caravans, I always check for gas first by lighting the cooker and then the fridge always lights when tried - it may be just purging the air from the gas lines does it and that will always be quicker with the cooker rings.

 

[Gilitygirl]

Hi

I also had that problem this weekend. I tried to light it as soon as I'd arrived on site and got a bit frustrated and gave up.

Pottered around and got awning up, lit the rings - no probs with gas flow...boiled the kettle and hey presto! Easily lit fridge.

Curiouser and curiouser!

 

[Rubix]

Sounds like it's air in the pipes, ours is manualy lit, so I try and let some gas through before I press the ignite button.

You don't have that choice though :-(

 

[Andy_374346145]

Thanks for all your suggestions......I particularly like yours Gary the one about removing the knob to see if it works when you can push it in further......I'll definitely try that one.....Thanks

I don't think it can be air in the pipes as it wouldn't re-light immediately after being on for 2 days......I'm out next weekend so will give it it try.

Thanks