17 FQ w/Dometic 2351 won't light

thewheelman · 06-08-2019, 11:41 PM

We're on day 24 of a 30 day trip and the fridge is driving me crazy! National Parks tour so we are seldom staying more than 1 night at a time. Fridge works fine on shore power and did for some of the trip on gas, but now.......we drive 6 hours and it's 54 degrees in the fridge. All we're keeping in it is soft drinks and chocolate candy! But I'd like a nice cold coke at the end of the day. The pilot light is on, but it doesn't seem to be igniting.......

Any ideas of what to try? I'd rather do it myself rather than waste a day of our trip at some dealership.

Thanks in advance!

MtBiker · 06-09-2019, 02:45 AM

Pilot light? What pilot light? Should be no pilot light.
Electric start and lights on demand. Propane mixes with air in the tube and then fires off at the igniter.
If a spider or something is in the tube and restricting flow then the igniter will not have the proper mix to allow ignition.

thewheelman · 06-09-2019, 11:47 AM

Ok, no pilot light, but there is a small blue flame in there and the stack is hot as is the other metal shields. So, if it's lit, why isn't it cooling. We've been over some really winding mountain roads on which I thought the camper might pass us, would that kind of rocking and bouncing effect the fridge cooling. I know they have to be level and my rig is pretty well leveled up.........I'm at a loss!

Scrapper · 06-09-2019, 12:18 PM

Is the freezer compartment cold? If it is then check inside the fridge at the cooling fins on the back wall. The thermistor may have slid down or fallen off the fin which can happen from being bumped or from rough roads. It is usually on the right side. You slide it up the fin for colder and down for warmer. If it fell off then your fridge compartment will not get cold.

thewheelman · 06-10-2019, 12:34 AM

Thanks! I checked, the thermister is on the left of my fridge and appeared to be in place. However, that's the same side on which I placed my interior circulation fan. Would that make a difference? I doubt it as on shore power, this thing has iced up some drinks we had in it. Now, it's just lackluster, even over 24 hours on shore power!

Scrapper · 06-10-2019, 09:27 AM

One thing I forgot to mention, make sure the thermister bulb is flush with the top of the plastic clip.

Twisterbret · 06-10-2019, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thewheelman

We're on day 24 of a 30 day trip and the fridge is driving me crazy! National Parks tour so we are seldom staying more than 1 night at a time. Fridge works fine on shore power and did for some of the trip on gas, but now.......we drive 6 hours and it's 54 degrees in the fridge. All we're keeping in it is soft drinks and chocolate candy! But I'd like a nice cold coke at the end of the day. The pilot light is on, but it doesn't seem to be igniting.......

Any ideas of what to try? I'd rather do it myself rather than waste a day of our trip at some dealership.

Thanks in advance!

I had a fridge that wouldn't light with LP. I rebooted the fridge by using the off button on the front, waiting a few seconds and then turning it back on. Some fridges will try to light for so long and error out. A reboot will clear it. Also, make sure you have LP in the lines. We normally light the stove top for a minute or two to ensure this has happened.

johntaylor · 06-10-2019, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrapper

Is the freezer compartment cold? If it is then check inside the fridge at the cooling fins on the back wall. The thermistor may have slid down or fallen off the fin which can happen from being bumped or from rough roads. It is usually on the right side. You slide it up the fin for colder and down for warmer. If it fell off then your fridge compartment will not get cold.

If it falls off, the fridge will run continuously and get very cold, because not being on the cold fin, the thermistor will think the fridge is hot.

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