Fridge flame going out all the time

newcamp

I've been testing out my fridge the last few days and yesterday everything seemed to be working.

I turned it on today to test it some more, but there seems to be a new problem.

The flame went out almost directly. I did not have this problem yesterday or before! In the last few days I have run it for hours without having to reignite. Flame has been constant.

Today it is like this: I start it up, then let go of the push-in knob. The red line stays in the green field and everything seems fine. Then after 15 or 30 seconds suddenly it drops. If I push the knob in again and ignite it starts up immediately with one click. Back in green, but then after another 15 or 30 seconds it drops again. 

The tank is supposedly full (per dealer). I put on the stove to test. The stove runs fine. 

I tried with the flame on medium, high or highest... always the same result. Starts up fine then goes out suddenly. 

Anyone recognize this problem? Thankful for any leads! Thanks,

ChanW

The thermocouple nut on ours was loose (at the controller), which gave similar symptoms.

After I tightened it up it worked again, but then worked itself loose every so often. 

I finally put a touch of loc-tite on it, and it's been fine for 6 years or so. It made all the difference with the hard starting problem.

I don't know anything about the 2020, but on our Tab it's accessible underneath the stove top. Had to loosen up the corner hold-down screws to get the stove top to lift.

newcamp

Thanks for the input! I lifted the stove, this is what is under it

I couldn't figure out what specifically to look for, but nothing seemed loose. 

Next I opened the side vent on the outside. Then removed the metal cover plate in front of the burner:

Sorry that the picture got rotated left. Don't know how to fix that. 
Here too, nothing seemed loose and everything looked clean. 

Next I started the flame:

The funny thing is, now the flame kept burning with no problem on any level!

I put the metal plate back

and then the plastic vent cover. Now the flame died within a minute!

Tried again and it died right away.

I took of the metal plate again and lit it up. Burning fine! I put back the plastic cover without putting the metal plate on first. Burning fine!

So what could cause it to go out when the metal plate is there???

Also, I didn't feel like it was correct to leave the metal plate off. It might radiate too much heat in the long run. Probably safe, but not correct and not feeling super safe. 

In the end what I did is this:

I lightly flared out the edges of the metal plate. I felt like maybe the plate was crimping the burner assembly and causing something to go into the wrong position. I replaced the metal plate back in. Started up the flame again. 

Now it is burning fine with everything assembled back!

I have no idea what I did, but I somehow "fixed" it    

I left it on for a few hours with no problem. The temperature in the fridge also went down to 35 degrees while burning on medium flame the whole time, so efficiency is good!

Seems good for now, but if anyone has any other information about what I could look for, that would be great, because I feel like this might not be permanent, but you never know...

newcamp

More trouble,

Went camping and the old thing was back. flame going out immediately every time I let go of the knob.

With the metal cover off this time, I could see that the flame goes out as soon as pressure is taken off the knob. 

After some fidgeting, I decided to jamb a screw bit in front of the knob, just to keep the food from spoiling. Always monitoring the flame. Turning it off if leaving the camper and turning it off when going to bed.

Then the next morning, it was suddenly working again. Kept working fine the rest of our stay!

Now I came home and decided to test it again. Old problem back again! Not able to keep the flame going.

I have tried to move the thermocoupler sideways to see if it needs to be more centered over the flame. Not working.

Thanks for reading, Thankful for any leads!

ChanW

The thermocouple for the flame sensor is the medium sized tube. 
The tiny tube looks to be the fridge interior temp sensor (comes out of inside the fridge), and the large one is the gas supply.
See if that brass nut at the base of the thermocouple tube is tight. (Snug it with a wrench)

Also check the union in that line.

newcamp

Thanks!

I did check those nuts, but only with finger strength. Didn't seem to be loose. Maybe I will check with wrenches too, to see if it can be tightened.


Also, to follow up, yesterday, I reset the spark gap (manual says it should be between 1/8 and 3/16 inch). Afterwards, the fridge was burning fine.

Again, I don't know if I fixed it by doing that. Will have to ignite it again today to see. 

Next step will be to take of the burner and clean it with alcohol and compressed air. The flame has sputtered at times, but mostly burns with a good flame. Some people say it should be cleaned every two years anyway...

Thanks for reading on...

ChanW

Huh! Yours is def different from mine if you can get to the spark gap that 'easily'.

I don't think I've ever seen reference to setting the 'spark gap' for the earlier three-way.

Keep us updated on your solution. 

db_cooper

We recently had similar symptoms with our older 3-way (2015 320),  and I found the service manual very helpful.  Our burner box is not easily accessible, and I was sure it was the thermocouple causing the flame to go out as soon as I released the igniter button, flame would only stay on while button pushed in.

Using the troubleshooting flowchart, we found the relighter was bad.  It wasn't a cheap part, but it was the problem, fridge stays lit easier now than it ever did since new.

https://norcold.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/626800B_SM_N41N500N51.pdf

If that's not the one for your model, just do a search, they are all available.  

newcamp

db_cooper said:

We recently had similar symptoms with our older 3-way (2015 320),  and I found the service manual very helpful.  Our burner box is not easily accessible, and I was sure it was the thermocouple causing the flame to go out as soon as I released the igniter button, flame would only stay on while button pushed in.

Using the troubleshooting flowchart, we found the relighter was bad.  It wasn't a cheap part, but it was the problem, fridge stays lit easier now than it ever did since new.

https://norcold.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/626800B_SM_N41N500N51.pdf

If that's not the one for your model, just do a search, they are all available.  

Thanks! You just made me realize I had the wrong manual. I only had the owners manual which gives some good information, but now I found the service manual which has a troubleshooting flowchart too. Hopefully this can help me pinpoint the issue. I had to go to another site than Norcold to find the service manual.

newcamp

On mine, the burner is easily accessed by the lower vent on the outside. It is sort of tucked into the front part of the vent opening, so not super accessible, but still reachable. 

I started the fridge yesterday again with no problem... I will keep trying it every day. If it ever fails, I will clean the burner orifice (learning some new words here ) 

AldebaranJill

@db_cooper @newcamp

My 3 way fridge has never been easy to light, but recently has been much much harder. Having to hold in the red button longer and longer so that when I let go, the green light stays lit. But once it lights, it stays lit and never goes out. 

In reading, it seems like this issue is a sooty thermocouple. I have a 2013 T@B Maxx. I want to clean the thermocouple, but not sure how to access it? Advice please!

newcamp

This pic (sorry that it is rotated 90 deg CCW) shows the burner with the cover removed.

You can find this behind the lower vent on the outside. Then you have to just remove the metal plate (see my other pictures above)

The green arrow shows the screw to loosen the thermocouple. 

Get some 99% alcohol on Amazon.

After cleaning the couple, and you put it back, also make sure it is centered over the burner (the four slots where the flame is). if it is off center, then this could be another cause of the trouble. it should be inside the flame, when burning.

I ended up accepting that I always had to hold the button for 60 seconds each time. Then it would work fine. I also cleaned the burner orifice and the igniter with the alcohol. 

I was able to do this by watching YouTube videos not for this specific model, but similar ones. 

I got the fridge to work for me, but I am not sure if it was the cleaning of those parts that did it, or just realizing that you have to hold that button for a loooong time if you want it to stay lit. 

I actually sold my T@B but I got an email notification about your question and I hope this helps you out. 

pthomas745

@newcamp I took the liberty of rotating your photo and re inserting it on your comment.  If this orientation is not correct, please let me know!