Refrigerator woes

[TSman]

My 5 year old Dometic ac\ propane refrigerator is acting up after no problems in the past. Works fine on ac. When starting in propane, it sounds like it is starting to light but instead of a steady burn, it makes a popping for up to 30 or 40 times before it may catch and keep running. At first, I thought it may be altitude even though it had worked in the same place previous trips ( Rocky Mtn NP) but now I am at lower altitudes and it may be working fine when I go to bed, but during the night, the popping returns. If I turn the refrigerator off then on, it sometimes works but sometimes it takes several tries. I have removed the shields and cleared the area and it appears the burner is working but at night, it will act up. I tried looking it up but have not been successful.
Somebody please help!

[Bama Rambler]

It sounds like spider webs in or at the orifice. Have you cleaned it out?
It could also be moisture in the propane, but you'd see that in the stove burners and it'd affect the furnace too.

[TSman]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

It sounds like spider webs in or at the orifice. Have you cleaned it out?
It could also be moisture in the propane, but you'd see that in the stove burners and it'd affect the furnace too.

Thanks for the reply. I did clean it out and it does work sometimes. No problem with the furnace or stove. I did totally empty my propane tank just prior to the trip. Thought the gauge was broken but it was totally empty.

[TSman]

Ok, I lost a lot of propane and then found a leak. Soapy water on regulator confirm the regulator is bad. The popping noise when turning on or off is apparently a sign of a bad regulator. Replaced it and all is good.

[cboss]

A Happy Ending is always good!

[5picker]

Originally Posted by TSman

Ok, I lost a lot of propane and then found a leak. Soapy water on regulator confirm the regulator is bad. The popping noise when turning on or off is apparently a sign of a bad regulator. Replaced it and all is good.

Glad you found the issue.

i had the same problem on a SOB (some other brand) and it turned out to be the regulator as well. I had trouble with the water heater and the furnace lighting too.

On mine, if I lit all three stove burners along with the oven, the stove burners would almost go out when the refrigerator, furnace or water heater tried to light.