Fridge startup problem

[Mcpics]

I have an issue ever time I turn on our Norcold fridge with lp. On startup it will click, pilot flame comes on and it keeps clicking to light even though pilot flame is on. It cycles for about 30 seconds then shuts off, I repeat this process 6-10 times before it finally stays on and runs fine.
I have cleaned the contacts on the flame starter but still have the problem. We only use our coach every other month or so.

Any thoughts would be welcomed.

[Wundertaker]

Originally Posted by Mcpics

I have an issue ever time I turn on our Norcold fridge with lp. On startup it will click, pilot flame comes on and it keeps clicking to light even though pilot flame is on. It cycles for about 30 seconds then shuts off, I repeat this process 6-10 times before it finally stays on and runs fine.
I have cleaned the contacts on the flame starter but still have the problem. We only use our coach every other month or so.

Any thoughts would be welcomed.

My first guess would be spiderwebs in the burner/orifice area...very common. Spiders are attracted to the smell of LP for some reason. Shut off LP, carefully disassemble your orifice and the burner tube...you may not even see the cobwebs as they can be very tiny. Any minute disruption to the gas flow will cause starting issues for these fridges. I clean mine every year...believe once you've done it, no big deal, easy peasy!!!

Use an air compressor with some good air flow to blow out the tube/orifice and any other parts of the system you can get to. Carefully reassemble to parts the way they came off and you should be good to go...mine doesn't give me a bit of trouble at all and I even enjoy the annual cleaning and it's really easy.

When you restart the fridge it may have to go through several starting cycles to get it to light but once it does...cold beer is on the way. It usually takes a few cycles to get the LP from the tank to the fridge and/or get any air pockets out of the line.

Let me know if this works for you....gotta have a cold brewski you know!

[Old-Biscuit]

Pilot Flame is really the MAIN FLAME (no pilot used with electronic ignition)

The Main Flame MUST 'engulf' the spark electrode/senor rod to 'prove' flame has lit.
W/O this flame proving signal returning the circuit board shuts down DC to gas vlave so raw fuel does NOT accumulate

During 'initial' lighting off LP System it can take several attempts until propane flow is established .........there is only 0.4 psi in system and regulator has to have a demand placed on it to establish flow thru system.
Depending on appliance that flow can take a while.
Fridge with small flame does not have as much demand as furnace, water heater or even stove top burner'

The fact that after several attempts if finally lights off shows that basically burner/gas orifice are clean otherwise it would continue to sputter/not remain lit.
Course a good cleaning of burner area is ALWAYS a good idea. Especially the spark electrode ------ carbon/soot will impede flame proving return signal
With only 0.4psi it doesn't take much to screw up air/fuel ratio


After extended periods of NO Propane usage........light off stove top burners one at a time on HIGH and let them all burn to help place demand on regulator and establish flow.

[Mudfrog]

Our Norcold does this very same thing at times, usually after it has been off for a month or so.

The thing will ignite right away, will have a nice blue flame, but will continue sparking anyway. It times out and the solenoid valve closes. Can take several attempts to get it to finally go.

What i have found is that i can open the outside panel and tap the burner assembly (orifice) lightly with something hard to speed up the process. I can tap a couple of times and the sparking will stop, then after a few seconds, will commence to sparking again. Repeating this strategy a few times gets the sparking to stop completely and everything will run fine.

It only happens sometimes when the the frig has been turned off for a month or two. Once lit, i can turn the thing off then back on and it will relight perfectly every time. Even after a week in AC mode, it relights fine when it automatically switches back to gas.

The electrode is in the flame and looks good. The wire between it and the electronics looks good. All i can figure is that it is something in the board itself. Being the cheapskate that i am, i haven't pursued trying to get it perfect.

[Wundertaker]

Originally Posted by Mudfrog

Our Norcold does this very same thing at times, usually after it has been off for a month or so.

The thing will ignite right away, will have a nice blue flame, but will continue sparking anyway. It times out and the solenoid valve closes. Can take several attempts to get it to finally go.

What i have found is that i can open the outside panel and tap the burner assembly (orifice) lightly with something hard to speed up the process. I can tap a couple of times and the sparking will stop, then after a few seconds, will commence to sparking again. Repeating this strategy a few times gets the sparking to stop completely and everything will run fine.

It only happens sometimes when the the frig has been turned off for a month or two. Once lit, i can turn the thing off then back on and it will relight perfectly every time. Even after a week in AC mode, it relights fine when it automatically switches back to gas.

The electrode is in the flame and looks good. The wire between it and the electronics looks good. All i can figure is that it is something in the board itself. Being the cheapskate that i am, i haven't pursued trying to get it perfect.

Refer back to post #2! A simple annual cleaning should take care of 99% of the problems. Shouldn't have to "tap" on anything to get it to work properly...if you do, there's something "wrong". The vast majority of folks never service/clean their burner assemblies in their refers then are at a loss when it doesn't work. Preventative maintenance is your friend plus you get a good "working knowledge" of the various systems that you drag around the country and expect to work flawlessly for us EVERY TIME!!!

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by Wundertaker

Refer back to post #2! A simple annual cleaning should take care of 99% of the problems. Shouldn't have to "tap" on anything to get it to work properly...if you do, there's something "wrong". The vast majority of folks never service/clean their burner assemblies in their refers then are at a loss when it doesn't work. Preventative maintenance is your friend plus you get a good "working knowledge" of the various systems that you drag around the country and expect to work flawlessly for us EVERY TIME!!!

I am keen on preventative maintenance. I keep the orifice, burner, and surrounding area clean. I routinely check to make sure the chimney is unobstructed. I've replaced the burner with brand new. The symptom indicates an improperly adjusted ignition electrode but i've checked and it is positioned properly.

For some reason the board sometimes seems to not pick up the "lit" signal from the electrode. A new board would probably fix this but it happens so rarely that i'm not concerned.