Norcold 3-Way Cooling Problem on Propane

Michigan_Mike

We are meandering east from Arizona and have had cooling issues with the 3-way when the frig is running on propane.  We had some food spoil and eventually purchased a thermometer to monitor the unit and how it was cooling.  The frig does not maintain adequate cooling when running on propane but DOES maintain acceptable temperature (below  37°) when I am plugged into shore power.  I understand that both systems are redundant and should maintain proper cooling range and am wondering what I should be looking for to improve the cooling when on propane?

I do have the factory mounted cooling fan and we do run it in both modes.  And if it were a defective thermocouple valve at the propane tank wouldn't it impact the Alde or is there a separate thermocouple sitting above the frig that needs to be changed out?  We are traveling back to Michigan and I haven't pulled the stove top yet to look and was looking for some feedback from someone who's encountered similar issues.   I did have problems lighting the frig a month ago in AZ but let it sit over night and the following morning it fired right up.  I know others have had the same issue and I have never cleaned the igniter and figured that that contributed to this issue.  

I'd much rather take things apart at home when we arrive there in a week but thought I'd toss this out there and seek some ideas and input as opposed to tearing things apart and trying to troubleshoot the issue that way.   I'm just down the slope from NORAD here at Chryenne Mountain in Colorado Springs but don't have the  clearances needed to check with their technicians up on the mountain.  

Thanks!

rcuomo

Mike I have the Norcold model 180.3 three way and it has a separate thermocouple. 

rcuomo

Michigan_Mike

I've got a 2015 T@B S    My question would be, if the frig lights okay would it be the thermocouple or is this an ignition and performance issue?   The green light stays on but the temperature drops to  40° and warmer.  

jkjenn

@Michigan_Mike , this sounds identical to the issue I had in the summer of 2016. nuCamp found that although the green light came on, it was not lighting. It turned out to be a corroded ignition wire.

jkjenn

Here was my threat @Michigan_Mike
http://tab-rv.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/62223#Comment_62223

Michigan_Mike

Thanks Jenn, it gives me something to go on.  

ChrisK

Did you ever find a solution? Mine seems to be doing the same thing. The system is lighting but it was not cooling that well this weekend. There was heat coming out of the area around the fins and the fins in the fridge were getting cool but not cool enough to keep the food cool enough.

dzubot

Mine shows same symptoms as yours Chris. I haven’t been able to fix yet. My thought is that the exhaust stack from propane flame may be clogged, the propane heat may not be getting to the Coolant. Or the other possibility is that the controller is not working right for the propane, when you call for colder temps it should increase the flame, so maybe this isn’t happening.