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Fridge Won't Light for Nothin :-(

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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    Great!  WOW on the price, but you need the fridge and you sure do use it a lot. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • FuzzyYanni
    FuzzyYanni Member Posts: 110
    edited October 2016
    Woooot !!!
    BTW $50 labor seems dead cheap for the 2nd guy. Did you buy him a case of beer? :)

    "I know one thing, I know nothing."
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    The second guy didn't have to pull the fridge, just analyzed with a volt meter to determine the problem, find the part, order and then install the board (thru stovetop) - took about 15 minutes.
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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    PXL, Glad you got everything fixed! Wow, talk about an adventure though. A pretty good spank to the wallet as well. Thanks for sharing your experience, and happy trails to ya'.
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    edited October 2016
    The overnight air was a a little excessive. And the circuit board is way overpriced to begin with.
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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    edited October 2016
    Should have used my carrier pigeon with GPS! By the way......ya' never sent him back!  :s
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    He was delicious.
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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    edited October 2016
    WHAT? :o
    And now you're gonna thank me for the GPS too I suppose? :s
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    Or did 'ya eat that too? :D
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    I affixed it to a turkey - It hasn't arrived back yet?
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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    Guess I'll have to wait for Thanksgiving, huh? Did 'ya send him back with the rest of the fixings? =)
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • mickietucs
    mickietucs Member Posts: 720
    marknjudy said:
    Nice!!! Now back to your regularly scheduled life. Very happy to hear it. 
    Haven't you heard? PXL would "melt" if he had a regularly scheduled life! Just kidding - but the guy sure knows how to fly by the seat of his pants - and seems very lucky at scoring camping spots that way!
    Michele, Tucson, AZ. TV - '13 F150 & '16 T@Bitha special order.


    You never really travel alone. The world is full of friends waiting to get to know you!

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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Well, I do have a pilots license so I'm licensed to fly by the seat of my pants and wing it :-)
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    PXLated said:
    Ok, got the fridge working - new circuit board... $175-Board, $50-Labor, $75-OvernightAir = $300 + $125 for the thermocouple/labor with the first service guy.
    More when I've got a better connection.

    Ouch. Sorry about that.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Jenn - Yep, a little spendy. Replacing the board is really easy if you can find one at a more reasonable price. Be nice to have a spare in case.
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  • FuzzyYanni
    FuzzyYanni Member Posts: 110
    edited October 2016
    Spare parts...Did someone call my name? 
    hehehe
    "I know one thing, I know nothing."
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    @PXLated out of curiosity, you were getting nothing, right? No flame, no green light?

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Jenn - Was gettin flame and green light while the red button was pressed. Release the button and poof, gone.
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    PXLated said:
    Jenn - Was gettin flame and green light while the red button was pressed. Release the button and poof, gone.

    OK. My issue is the green light stays lit and I am not sure it actually lit or gas flow is so poor it is, not working properly.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Jenn - If you take the left cover off and get down low and right you can see the flame thru a little glass window - the one Ratkitty had to reinstall - if it's nice, full and blue it should be ok.


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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    PXLated said:
    Jenn - If you take the left cover off and get down low and right you can see the flame thru a little glass window - the one Ratkitty had to reinstall - if it's nice, full and blue it should be ok.

    Thanks! By cover - you mean the cover the left of the fridge, right? It might be a good excuse to use my endoscope. :)

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Yep - that left panel - 5 screws... the burner box is way back in the bottom left corner.
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  • Ratkity
    Ratkity Member Posts: 3,770
    jkjenn said:
    PXLated said:
    Jenn - If you take the left cover off and get down low and right you can see the flame thru a little glass window - the one Ratkitty had to reinstall - if it's nice, full and blue it should be ok.

    Thanks! By cover - you mean the cover the left of the fridge, right? It might be a good excuse to use my endoscope. :)
    Man, I thought of your endoscope while I was re-installing that sucker!! Geeeesh. Sure wished I had it!! LOL.
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    When messing with the thermocouple, you definetly don't want to dislodge the rubber gasket it goes thru. The service guy had a hard time getting that back in place even with the fridge removed.
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  • ChanW
    ChanW Member Posts: 3,165
    edited November 2016
    jenn

    I'm pretty sure the green light only indicates (ie: is only on if) when the flame is lit.

    We had the problem a couple of times, of the green light on, and the cooling having stopped. There was no clicking, and the counter was still warm, so I'd say the flame was still going.

    All I could guess is that the refrigerant had been overheated, or somehow got an 'vapor lock' in there or something, so the absorption cycle had got out-of-whack. 

    After letting it cool down, and re-starting it, it was fine again.
    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah! 

     A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya
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  • irvingj
    irvingj Member Posts: 335
    Chan, years ago when I was in the HVAC business, I had heard stories about absorption systems -- "if they quit for no apparent reason, try this first: turn 'em upside down for a few minutes and then turn 'em right side up and re-try."

    Seems sometimes the brine does get semi-permanently separated, the liquid part from the gaseous (used to be ammonia) part. Sounds like --and I'm certainly no expert on these systems :s-- your diagnosis might have been pretty much on the mark!

    Me, back then I stuck with good, old-fashioned, reciprocating compressor R-12, 22, and 502 systems. (Pretty much outlawed now.... :o )
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  • FuzzyYanni
    FuzzyYanni Member Posts: 110
    edited October 2016
    If you disconnect the negative voltage to the indicator lamp  but leave the positive connection on, the light will be on with no flame,

    So it is possible to have the green light stay on permanently. Obviously it doesn't indicate flame present in this case.

    The user service manual has the specifics on page 14:

    "If the negative DC supply connection is lost, the flame indicator light will remain on all the time, even without
    the flame present."


    "I know one thing, I know nothing."
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  • TabberJohn
    TabberJohn Member Posts: 588
    irvingj said:
    Chan, years ago when I was in the HVAC business, I had heard stories about absorption systems -- "if they quit for no apparent reason, try this first: turn 'em upside down for a few minutes and then turn 'em right side up and re-try."
    So if you don't want to take anything apart you just need three more people to help you flip your T@B.
    I believe that's what the outside handles are for. =)  
    2015 T@B Max S (White/Silver) -> 2014 Ford Escape 2.0L (turbo, AWD, factory tow)
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    ChanW said:
    jenn

    I'm pretty sure the green light only indicates (ie: is only on if) when the flame is lit.

    We had the problem a couple of times, of the green light on, and the cooling having stopped. There was no clicking, and the counter was still warm, so I'd say the flame was still going.

    All I could guess is that the refrigerant had been overheated, or somehow got an 'airlock' in there or something, so the absorption cycle had got out-of-whack. 

    After letting it cool down, and re-starting it, it was fine again.
    I wish that would have happen. Unfortunately, it persisted all summer.

    irvingj said:
    Chan, years ago when I was in the HVAC business, I had heard stories about absorption systems -- "if they quit for no apparent reason, try this first: turn 'em upside down for a few minutes and then turn 'em right side up and re-try."

    Seems sometimes the brine does get semi-permanently separated, the liquid part from the gaseous (used to be ammonia) part. Sounds like --and I'm certainly no expert on these systems :s-- your diagnosis might have been pretty much on the mark!

    Me, back then I stuck with good, old-fashioned, reciprocating compressor R-12, 22, and 502 systems. (Pretty much outlawed now.... :o )
    I have read about this. It might be part of the issue. I believe you can just pull the fridge and lay it on its side for 30-60 minutes.

    FuzzyYanni said:
    If you disconnect the negative voltage to the indicator lamp  but leave the positive connection on, the light will be on with no flame,

    So it is possible to have the green light stay on permanently. Obviously it doesn't indicate flame present in this case.

    The user service manual has the specifics on page 14:

    "If the negative DC supply connection is lost, the flame indicator light will remain on all the time, even without
    the flame present."

    Mine isn't on permanently, just when light it. I am going to see if there is a flame lit and check the color of the flame.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Vermonster
    Vermonster Member Posts: 80
    PXLated, I have the exact same symptoms you had with your fridge.   This discussion is very helpful.  The good news is I have all winter to figure it out.  Looks like the service manual has a good flow chart to identify the problem without pulling the fridge.  Also sounds from your episode that many service techs don't know what they are doing and I'm not inclined to pay them $60/hr to learn on the job!
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