Barthmobile Portal
refrigerator

This topic can be found at:
https://www.barthmobile.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3631087061/m/432104822

01-17-2010, 02:38 PM
Jim & Barb
refrigerator
Need some help getting the "frig" to work on lp gas.

It works great on electric, however when it switches to LP it will fire up and only run for about 2 minutes. After that the frig alarm starts beeping indicating it not running.

I checked outside and can't seem to find anything wrong. I have reset it several times and each time after about two minutes the alarm goes off.

I think it keeps running out of LP but don't know why. Yes, I have a full tank of LP.

Thanks for any help.

Jim Confused
01-17-2010, 07:39 PM
bud@YXY
In order for the LP to flow, both the valve and your LP gas detector/emergency shutoff must be OK-to-go and for our frig, it seems to automatically change to electric if we are plugged in.

Bud


1993 Breakaway 36ft & 1977 20 ft
Spartan: air ride and brakes & P32(?)
Cummins: 8.3 litre 250hp, PACBrake
Allison 3060 (6 spd)
Front entry, side hallway
7.5 kw diesel gen.
1999 2dr Tracker 4X4 5spd, SMI Braking system
01-17-2010, 09:14 PM
Rusty
As Bud mentioned, both valves have to be on. Also, the reefer consumes very little gas, so the lines have to be purged of air by lighting off one of the stove burners.


Rusty


MilSpec AMG 6.5L TD 230HP; built-to-order by Peninsular Engines:  Hi-pop injectors, gear-driven camshaft, non-waste-gated, high-output turbo, 18:1 pistons.  Fuel economy increased by 15-20%, power, WOW!"StaRV II"

'94 28' Breakaway: MilSpec AMG 6.5L TD 230HP

Nelson and Chester, not-spoiled Golden Retrievers

Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not.
In either case the idea is quite staggering.
- Arthur C. Clarke

It was a woman who drove me to drink, and I've been searching thirty years to find her and thank her - W. C. Fields
01-17-2010, 09:54 PM
Sloop John B
The propane line was clogged on mine(cleaned), purged line ( pilot on cooktop has to be lit), had to clean out rear of refg., after all this I had to replace reg. on 40 pound LP tank. Great fun tracking all this down.


JKB

88 28' Regal 454
Blue/Silver metalflake
01-18-2010, 09:28 AM
Jim and Tere
Mine won't run on propane if I'm plugged in to shore power or have the generator running. Checked with refrigerator people and they said that was the way it was designed.
Jim


Jim and TereJim and Tere

1985 Regal
29' Chevy 454 P32
8411 3172 29FP3B
Gear Vendor 6 Speed Tranny
01-19-2010, 04:06 PM
billyt53
Disconnect the refer from AC power by unplugging it in the back. While standing there you should hear a click and then a series rapid clicks and them you should hear the burner light. If the clicks continue after the burner is lit, the board is not "Seeing" the flame and cuts power to the gas valve. Two minutes seems like a long to me but that may mean that you have another issue. Possible causes, the flame sensor is bad, the board is bad or the burner is full of rust from the flue and needs to be blown or vacuumed out. Of course the connecting wiring needs to be in good shape too. To check the gas pressure connect a manometer to the pressure port on the side of the valve and switch the refer on LP. It should read between 11.5 & 13.5 inches water column.


Billy & Helen Thibodeaux

Retired from Billy Thibodeaux's Premiere RV, Inc. Scott, LA 70583 I-10 Exit 97
The Farm is near Duson, LA I-10 Exit 92 then N 1 mile on right
Three Full 50 Amp RV Hookups !
billynhelen@me.com
Data Tag: 9404-3908-36XI-2C
1994 Sovereign 36' Widebody on Spartan IC (Mountain Master Lite) Chassis.
Powered by Cummins ISL9-450
Onan 8,000 Quiet Diesel Genset
Toad: 2018 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Diesel with M&G Car Brake
01-24-2010, 05:59 PM
Jim & Barb
Billy,

Do I have to move the frig. or are you talking about the outside access panel.
My frig. will work (or use to) on LP gas even when hooked up to shore power or when running the generator. It has a mode selection button as follows 1) ac mode, 2) lp mode, 3) ac auto, 4)lp auto. With the 3 or 4 selected it will go from lp to ac or ac to lp. So if your hook to shore and disconnect it will auto. go to lp. If your on lp and hook up to shore it will auto. go to lp.

When I press lp I can hear it ignite and when I went outside and felt the exhaust area it was getting hot and then shuts off.
I have not had the time to pull it apart at the outside access panel.
I did turn off the shore power and it will only click on for what seems like about two minutes and then shuts down.
I will be taking all the suggestions and go thru it one by one.
I can light all the burners on the kitchen stove and that does not affect the frig. at all.


Jim

1985 Barth
01-24-2010, 06:24 PM
Rusty
All things that need access are inside the outside compartment.

Your symptoms point to a bad thermocouple, which as Billy mentioned, tells the control board (which also may be defective) the flame is burning, and it's OK to keep supplying gas.

It could also be a bad solenoid valve or an obstruction in the gas supply line, but both are less likely.

Most RV dealers have an instrument to test control boards, so you can pull it and take, or drive to the shop and have it tested in place.


Rusty


MilSpec AMG 6.5L TD 230HP; built-to-order by Peninsular Engines:  Hi-pop injectors, gear-driven camshaft, non-waste-gated, high-output turbo, 18:1 pistons.  Fuel economy increased by 15-20%, power, WOW!"StaRV II"

'94 28' Breakaway: MilSpec AMG 6.5L TD 230HP

Nelson and Chester, not-spoiled Golden Retrievers

Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not.
In either case the idea is quite staggering.
- Arthur C. Clarke

It was a woman who drove me to drink, and I've been searching thirty years to find her and thank her - W. C. Fields
01-24-2010, 07:22 PM
Danny Z
Jim, I don't know if you have "a guy" for testing these types of things, but there's new place just North of North Port called American RV Technology. I stopped and met the owner, Frederick Lawrence, and he seems like he knows a ton about RV's. If you're up that way stop in and talk to him. He's from New York but looks and sounds kind of Jamaican and he likes to talk RV's.
Go through N.Port and just past WMS but before the Myakka, where the old 84 Lumber used to be. Look for the Regency beside the building. It's his.


79 Barth Classic
01-24-2010, 08:22 PM
Bill N.Y.
quote:
Originally posted by Danny Z:
I stopped and met the owner, Frederick Lawrence, and he seems like he knows a ton about RV's.



˙ʎ˙u ןןıq- „ǝןƃuɐ ʇuǝɹǝɟɟıp ɐ ɯoɹɟ pןɹoʍ ǝɥʇ ʇɐ ʞooן ɐ ƃuıʞɐʇ sı ǝɟıן oʇ ʇǝɹɔǝs ǝɥʇ„

Regis Widebody1990 Barth Regis Widebody
8908 0128 40RDS-C1
L-10 Cummins
Allison MT647 Transmission
Spartan Chassis
Regal Conversion1991 Medical Lab Conversion
9102 3709 33S-12
Ford 460 MPFI
C6 Transmission
Oshkosh Chassis



Quick Link: Members Only Link To Send Me A Private Message
01-24-2010, 08:56 PM
Moonbeam-Express
quote:
I stopped and met the owner, Frederick Lawrence, and he seems like he knows a ton about RV's.

If nothing else, he has good taste!




Formerly: 1997 Barth Monarch
Now: 2000 BlueBird Wanderlodge 43' LXi Millennium Edition DD Series 60 500HP 3 stage Jake, Overbuilt bike lift with R1200GS BMW, followed by 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited,
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.”
01-25-2010, 07:51 PM
Jim & Barb
Thanks for the info.
I think I met Frederick once at Charlotte Harbor RV Service.

I still haven't had time to get into the access panel, however I did notice the last time I checked it the vent seemed to get very hot when on that LP mode before it shut off.

Jim

1985 Barth Regency