Refrigerator Won't Work on LP

**Hitchhiker** · 03-11-2007, 02:05 PM

I'm driving home with a brand new trailer, picked up on 3/7. The refer was working fine on LP until we stopped at a rest stop about noon today, now it won't run on LP.

It's a Norcold 4 door Model #1200LR. When I put the 'Mode' button on either Auto or LP the green 'ON' light comes on for about 20 seconds then the tone alarm beeps. Indicator reads 'no FL'.

I tried recycling numerous times, turned off and back on, etc.

Anyone have any ideas why?

**Hitchhiker** · 03-11-2007, 02:05 PM

I'm driving home with a brand new trailer, picked up on 3/7. The refer was working fine on LP until we stopped at a rest stop about noon today, now it won't run on LP.

It's a Norcold 4 door Model #1200LR. When I put the 'Mode' button on either Auto or LP the green 'ON' light comes on for about 20 seconds then the tone alarm beeps. Indicator reads 'no FL'.

I tried recycling numerous times, turned off and back on, etc.

Anyone have any ideas why?

Frankie · 03-11-2007, 02:17 PM

No fl means the burner failed to ignite.
Check your lp, make sure it is on
make sure your electrode gap is 1/8 to 3/16
could be that assembly that is bad.
Bad board. Check for sparking in the bottom burner tube. Check for voltage between GV and GV_GRD, if no its a badboard.If yes its probably a bad gas valve.

**"007"** · 03-11-2007, 02:42 PM

Richard, I had the same problem when I got mine they were going to pull it out but I went camping that weekend and it finally started to work. I kept putting on auto when it finally stayed lite. It must have had to burp air in line cleared out. Has work for 3 years now and cooling fans also work. Just keep forcing it on gas or electric I would guess it will clear up.
Just make sure as Frankie said the valve behind fridge is on and the main one fully open. May have some loose wiring also from vibration if you hear no spark noise check wiring.
When it gets hot check for the fans they should cycle off and on if that thermister switch is working.

Congrats

can't wait to see your new baby.

**Hitchhiker** · 03-11-2007, 02:51 PM

Thanks Frankie and Roger.

We pulled into a CG for the night, put the refer on AC.....works fine on AC.

After making this post and getting the rig all set up, I tried it again on LP. Now it works fine and has been running several minutes on LP. I can hear the burner running.

Now I'm wondering why it wouldn't run on LP for the latter half of the day while driving down the highway when it was just fine all morning and is fine now.

Air in the line like Roger is suggesting?????

**"007"** · 03-11-2007, 02:57 PM

I would check for some loose wiring some place 12v connector or back towards fuse fridge needs 12v on both AC and gas. If wind put out flame couldn't relight on the 12v's.

GaryKD · 03-11-2007, 03:39 PM

Take a look and see if the flame could be having difficulty with the passing wind, while driving down the road. This is an old problem and I hope the RV mfgs have taken care of it, but one never knows.

JavaJelly · 03-12-2007, 03:22 AM

My refrigerator didn't work on LP either, or it was sporadic. It was a mystery until I got it to Newmar. They did a simple Water Column check and found it to be low and adjusted the regulator. Problem gone.

**Hitchhiker** · 03-26-2007, 07:38 PM

I'm still chasing this refrigerator not lighting problem, we're home now and the trailer isn't being used. I've been going out and trying the refrigerator on gas about every day for over a week. Up until this afternoon it was lighting every time on the first spark of the igniter. Today, it wouldn't light so I started checking stuff.

The gas solenoid was getting power while the refrigerator was trying to light so I suspected a bad solenoid. Checked it out and it seems to be fine. Took the main supply gas line loose from solenoid and discovered no gas flowing. Checked both gas bottles, both full. Took them out and shook up and down, thought maybe an OPD valve was stuck. Still no gas flow. Switchover valve indicator window is green for either tank.

Started to rain so I quit for the evening, will connect each 40# bottle to my gas barbecue grill tomorrow to test the bottles. If that test proves the bottles are OK, I'll probably go to town and buy a new regulator and try it. Don't know how to test the regulator other than substitution with a known good one.

I'll post what I find, but my hunch is that the regulator is bad. Never had one go bad in 35 years of RVing but I suppose there's the first time for everything

NeilV · 03-26-2007, 11:35 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hitchhiker:
I'm still chasing this refrigerator not lighting problem, we're home now and the trailer isn't being used. I've been going out and trying the refrigerator on gas about every day for over a week. Up until this afternoon it was lighting every time on the first spark of the igniter. Today, it wouldn't light so I started checking stuff.

The gas solenoid was getting power while the refrigerator was trying to light so I suspected a bad solenoid. Checked it out and it seems to be fine. Took the main supply gas line loose from solenoid and discovered no gas flowing. Checked both gas bottles, both full. Took them out and shook up and down, thought maybe an OPD valve was stuck. Still no gas flow. Switchover valve indicator window is green for either tank.

Started to rain so I quit for the evening, will connect each 40# bottle to my gas barbecue grill tomorrow to test the bottles. If that test proves the bottles are OK, I'll probably go to town and buy a new regulator and try it. Don't know how to test the regulator other than substitution with a known good one.

I'll post what I find, but my hunch is that the regulator is bad. Never had one go bad in 35 years of RVing but I suppose there's the first time for everything </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Richard,

Maybe I am missing something here. This is a brand new trailer still under warranty?

**RV Wizard** · 03-26-2007, 11:52 PM

Richard, you can make a U tube manometer from a piece of neoprene tubing. Staple or tape it to a board in the shape of a U and tape a ruler down the middle of it or mark 1 inch marks down it. Attach one end to a gas source like the orfice on the stove and turn on the gas. Look for a gas pressure of 11" while a good load is on like water heater. Regulators can be adjusted if only off an inch or so. Lets us know what you find and good luck.

JavaJelly · 03-27-2007, 12:47 AM

I believe RV Wizard has it right, the water column is low and can be adjusted at the regulator, if not off too much. His homemade tester idea is pretty cool.

Having had almost every possible problem w/the Norcold on my new rig, I have had to learn a great deal about them. This includes a bad cooling unit, thermistor, poor air circulation, bad heating element and LP not working.

For the LP problem, the water column was low and had to be adjusted. Still waiting to see the results in warm weather.

**Hitchhiker** · 03-27-2007, 03:28 AM

Scott and Mike,

I'll work on this some more today, it started raining yesterday so I quit for the day. I didn't consider low WC because most of the time the refrigerator would work fine. Maybe I'll rig up a manometer like you describe and actually test it when it's not working.

Neil,

Yes.....the trailer is brand new and has a full warranty for 18 months ....bought on March 7 in KS. But, as we all know, new stuff has problems too. It's just a PITA to use the warranty if I can fix it myself.

**Hitchhiker** · 03-27-2007, 09:21 AM

I found the problem!

When I took the gas line loose from the regulator and also disconnected the line going to the refrigerator and couldn't blow air through it, I knew something fishy was going on. I hooked up my air compressor and tried blowing 80# of air through and it still wouldn't go. Geesh!

After close scrutiny of the entire gas system, I found the flexible gas line under the kitchen slide was kinked and blocking the gas flow. Apparently, when NuWa routed it along a flexible bracket they installed the plastic cable ties so tight that the line would crimp tight when the slide was in. I didn't think about it at the time, but that accounts for why the refrigerator would work most of the time and not others. It was crimping when the slide was in consequently causing the refrigerator's flame to go out. If I recall correctly, the one time I verified gas flow at the range, the slide was open. Who would have ever 'thunk' it?

I pulled the line out thinking I could turn it 90 degrees to get the kink out, but unfortunately it had been kinked so tight the outer rubber was broken and the inner cord was visible. It's history, would probably eventually start leaking.

Called the HitchHiker factory, they're shipping a new gas line today and it should arrive in a few days. Great service!

Here's a couple pictures of the gas line I took after removing it from the trailer.