'07 Adventurer 38T refrig pilot blows out

[PORCHDOG]

I have found that the pilot blows out on my 38T while on the road. Of course when that happens, the LP detector goes off and I have to stop. When I turn off the refrig or switch from gas to Ac everything is OK. This only happens when traveling. Does anyone travel running the refrig on gas and NOT have a problem? Does anyone run the refrig on the road on gas? Thanks for any help.

[Dave Rickey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PORCHDOG I have found that the pilot blows out on my 38T while on the road. Of course when that happens, the LP detector goes off and I have to stop. When I turn off the refrig or switch from gas to Ac everything is OK. This only happens when traveling. Does anyone travel running the refrig on gas and NOT have a problem? Does anyone run the refrig on the road on gas? Thanks for any help.

If it's an 07 it probably doesn't have a pilot light, instead what's probably happening is that wind is blowing back through the vent and blowing out the flame, which is then re-ignited by the system, blown out again, lather rinse repeat. You generally can't run a propane appliance while driving unless the vent has been designed for it (Dometic makes a fridge vent cover to counter exactly this problem, but it can generally only be used if your fridge vents through the roof). I have this same problem when I forget to turn off my furnace, a few miles down the road it turns itself on, gets blown out, and my LP detector goes off as the pressure from the airflow pushes all the gas into the coach.

--Dave

[ROMAD]

Have the same model/year coach and the same problem. Norcold reps at GNR said they have a "winged" flue that should solve the problem but only a service center can install it. Working with my local shop to see what can be done.

[Petro]

PORCHDOG;

I always operate my refrigerator while under way. I have never had a problem. When I travel in cold weather I run my furnace also and never have a problem.

Don

[puttin]

You can try this:

Open the fridge vent cover outside, tape off approx. 1/2 of the vent area on the inside with duct tape. Make sure you have some device to monitor the heating unit temp and/or a thermostat-controlled fan back there when you're parked. (Or just remove the tape after you're parked). This worked for me- I never had any more probs. with it going out on the road. The fan idea is a good one especially if you have a double door model (like the ones from Norcold under recall).

Drew

[Stevegd007]

OK...I too have had this problem with the refer blowing out while traveling. An its not the pilot, it is the "flame" that is running the unit. Refer is right behind the driver and I can hear it wooshing (scary) while it is trying to restart. I would say something like 60% of the time the refer blows out while traveling. REALLY irritating. I currently have my unit in the shop for the NORCOLD recall and the shop is going to "ADD" an approved baffle in my vent. HOPEFULLY this will be a fix that will work. Will no know for sure until I do another road trip.

[Mattpro]

I never run the refer while driving, I put the temp reading at 9 before we leave and turn it off when we leave and it stay's cold for hours. This past Holiday it stayed cold for an eight hour drive.

Mattpro

[Paul T]

Mine runs fine, better than when stationary, on gas while on the road for hours and hours. Back in 2006 I did have the unit serviced under warrantee and a modified stack vent was fabricated and installed. The process drove a Camper’s World Tech nuts BTW in that Norcold was quite bossey. And, the vent contraption looks really weird. My fridge is installed in the slide-out and is immediately behind the driver.

[jackrobinryan]

Had the same issue on our inaugural trip of our '07 38T.

A tech at the RV dealer in Wilmington NC diagnosed and fixed the problem in less than 15 minutes. Parts guy had the kits under his desk as they had seen it so often. Works fine on propane, on the road ever since.

An excellent service experience from the folks at Howard RV Center down there!!

[Stevegd007]

Jackrobinryan, Please....inquiring minds want to know. What WAS this fix and part your RV guy pulled out from under his desk. (part numbers, pictures, comments as to EXACTLY WHAT THIS WAS) I have been asking our repair people for years and they are absolutely stumped on how to fix this issue with the propane blow out for slide installed refers. I have a baffle on the top vent, nothing on the bottom AND every trip out my refer will blow out somewhere on the road...never fails. Over and Over. ITS to the point I do not run my refer while on the road. Hopefully on hot days my stuff will not spoil or thaw out.

[puttin]

All,

In another thread I posted that the fix for mine (an older coach that we no longer own)- I taped up about half of the inside of the vent with duct tape to decrease the air flow into the back while driving. This cured the problem for good. The fridge never over heated and the tape never showed or came off. This was done as a last resort, as I had played with it enough and was not going to pour any more leisure time into trying to follow the tech's advice and waste more money.

Try it and I'm sure you'll agree. Happy travels,

Drew

[jackrobinryan]

I do not have a part number. As far as I know, it was some sort of modified stack vent cap that did not allow the hot exhaust gasses to be pushed back down the stack while underway. I have no idea what it looked like, it all went down so quickly. About 4 yrs ago.

The coach is in storage about 500 miles from me so I can't get to the paperwork for the fix. Sorry. The folks at Norcold OK'd the fix under warranty.

He also had to replace a Hi Temp sensor that was at the bottom of the flue that failed due to that excessive heat.

Maybe a call to service at Howards in Wilmington NC would get that info...

safe travels

[PORCHDOG]

Now here is some encouraging news, I emailed Bill Mirrielees General Manager, Howard RV Center as suggested by jackrobinryan yesterday (Saturday) and he already responded that he will get with his tech on Monday and have an answer to us. As soon as I hear I will post it here. I am thinking that that is exceptional service!

[PORCHDOG]

This morning as promised I heard back from:
William A. Mirrielees General Manager,
Howard RV Center
6811 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28405
910-791-5371 ex 204
fax 910-392-0672 Howard RV Center | Wilmington, North Carolina RV Dealer
He said that they installed a Norcold "heat cap service kit" on jackrobinryan’s Norcold and that solved their problem along with a new high limit switch which may or may not have been part of the problem.. Both were done at the same time.

He said he has a heat cap kit in stock. It is $195. His labor charge for that is 1.5 hours.
Unfortunately I am in Florida and unable to go get mine done. I hope this will be a help to someone.