Lighting 3 way refrigerator pilot

Danner

Help...i bought a new tab 320 at the end of Jan .   I tried to use the refrigerator propane for the first time last weekend....followed the documentation instructions to light the propane pilot...I tried and tried and could not get it to light.  Any suggestions?

Sharon_is_SAM

https://www.google.com/search?q=tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com+Lighting+Norcold+on+propane&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

I did a Google search.  If you haven’t tried it yet, this is a great search method:  Cooy the link, then follow with your search item.

tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com Lighting Norcold on Propane

ChanW

Is your Tab actually new? Or an earlier year?

At any rate, ours was completely a pain to light right from the beginning. Though we were able to get it lit, it always took perseverance. it got more difficult over time, and wouldn't stay lit in the end.

I finally opened the top one day, and checked the thermocouple connection to the gas valve. It was loose. Once I tightened it up, lighting the Three Way was a breeze.

Either it came from the factory loose, or it loosened from vibration on the road. If I remember right, it did repeat itself, and loosened up again after some months. I finally used a little Loctite to make sure it didn't loosen again.

Danner

Chan...yes my tab is brand new...2018.  When you say you opened the top...what do you mean?  The panel on the outside of the trailer?  Or somewhere inside?

klenger

I think he is referring I think he is referring to removing the stove top to get to the fridge mechanism.  

DougH

My Norcold died this week.  It has power, but won't cool on AC or DC anymore.  Never could light it on propane. Wonderful news. Now I can put in just a bigger AC fridge freezer, or find an AC/DC one.  DW agreed we can get rid of the storage under the fridge, and replace the Norcold with a slightly taller unit.  By next year we can have frozen pizza! 

ChanW

I'm sorry @Danner, that wasn't too clear. 

I can't speak for the newer Tab, but on ours, lifting the stovetop exposes the electrical and gas control guts of the three way fridge.

The stovetop is held down to the countertop by anchor type toggle-bolts on each corner. These screws are hidden under the corner pads for the glass top. Turn these screws a little to loosen them, not too much, just turn them enough to swing the toggle bolt anchor out from under the counter top. If you make the mistake of loosening the screw all the way, the toggle nut anchor will fall off and be very difficult to retrieve.

Once they're all loose you can lift the stovetop up. I usually just set the stovetop aside on the sink, leaving its gas line connected.

 Under there you'll see the main gas control valve (has gas lines connected to it), and attached to that main valve is also the thermocouple.

The thermocouple senses the heat of the pilot flame, and acts as a safety - if the flame goes out it shuts off the gas valve.

The thermocouple is interfaced to the pilot light by a tiny flexible metal tube. The tube is attached to the gas valve with a nut. The nut can loosen up. I put a dab of locktite on the threads and tightened it up.

HTH!

dragonsdofly

@Danner, if you have a 2018 t@b 320 S, you have the new norcold fridge. It is black with wood tone panels, if I am correct. Then, I think you access the working fridge parts through the lower fridge vent on the door side of the trailer. You don't have to remove the stove top to check out those parts. Please use the search function in the upper right hand area of your screen and a few key words to pull up threads with the info you may need. I seem to remember someone posting a picture/pictures of the working parts exposed after they removed the vent cover. Good luck.

Sharon_is_SAM

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/6733/2018-norcold-fridge-won-t-start-on-propane/p1

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/5485/2017-norcold-3-way-n180-3-refrigerator-cooling-issues-when-ambient-temperature-is-above-90-degrees

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/5158/norcold-trouble

dragonsdofly

@Sharon_is_SAM, thanks. Thought I had remembered a thread with photos and info.

Photomom

Make sure there is propane in the tank and the tank is on. It’s often helpful to light a stove burner for a few seconds to get propane flowing.

klenger

On mine, the marking on the LP knob is not real clear as to which position it should be in.  I believe that fully CW is the OFF position (again, not clearly labeled) and the next setting CCW is the LP HIGH setting.  I was trying to light it with the knob in the OFF position, which obviously won't work.  I also found that after lighting the pilot, if I listed very carefully, I could hear the gas control valve finally turn on, and then could let go of the pilot button.  It took quite a while for the gas control valve to turn on, even after the meter went into the green marking.   It would be very helpful if the controls had some king of indication that the pilot was on and the gas control valve turned on.  Better yet, a control board (like most all RV refrigerators have) that would do all of this automatically would be nice.  Just because the fridge is small doesn't mean it needs to be stupid.  I wonder if a clever person could actually install an RV refrigerator control board in this fridge?  In the end, it still works the same, but lacks the smarts.

Canadian_Tabber

We always have a bit of a time getting the pilot to go when running the fridge on propane. We continuously have to click the ignition button for a full 30 seconds before it will light, and usually it takes a few tries before it will go. I've heard someone say to light the stove first and let it run for a few seconds to get the propane flowing, but we haven't tried this yet. We will be de-winterizing our T@B soon, so I'm hoping we don't have too many troubles getting the fridge to light using propane!

EricStein

I recently purchased a 2019 T@B 320S Boondock Lite.  We tried to get the Norcold fridge started/running on propane and failed miserably.  Tried a variety of the things listed in the forum threads.  Contacted my dealer (Tom's Camperland) and spoke with Triston.  He walked me through opening up the lower panel cover on the outside of the trailer (behind the door).  These vents are for the fridge.  Inside, there is a metal housing/box on the right.  On the right hand side of that box, there is a window/flap... rotate that open.  After removing the lower vent cover and and with the switch on fridge turned to propane, and with my son holding in the button on the right for gas (high selected), I used a BBQ lighter to light the furnace (first I had to rotate open the little vent cover on side of metal box).  I had to click the BBQ lighter a few times but it did light and the gauge on the fridge went in to the green and stayed there!  Apparently, this indicates that the issue is with my starter (the electric spark button thing). In that same metal housing/box in the lower vent opening, there is a red wire leading into the bottom.  That red wire has a ceramic insulation housing on it and the a metalic lead coming out of it in the shape of an L.  This is the starter.  Basically, the tip of the starter needs to be about 1/8" away from the gas tube it is positioned over.  I had to loosen the screw that holds this wire/ceramic insulator in place, rotate and slightly bend the L of the started so that it was ~1/8" away from gas tube.  Tightened up the screw, put the cover back in place and the unit fires right up now using the prescribed methods in the users manual! 

Sharon_is_SAM

Good to know!  I think that’s a first here on the forum.

MarkS

Thanks for the helpful details @EricStein.  My 2018 T@B 320 frig internals are just as you describe.  I can see the spark igniter sparking and even tried a BBQ lighter but still can't get mine to light.  It is pretty breezy today and the camper is far from level so those could be contributing factors.  I'll try again later but will probably get the dealer to take a look.  I need this to be more reliable if I decide to go off grid.  I also broke one of the black plastic fasteners removing the access door :-(  Anyone know if they are available anywhere?  Otherwise I'll just get some spares when I'm at the dealer.  

4ncar

@MarkS have you been able to light the stove? The suggestion has been made, but I didn’t see if you replied yes or not....

MarkS

@4ncar it's still pretty breezy here so I haven't tried again.  I'm missing what "suggestion has been made"?  I don't see any posts between yours and mine.

rajamar

Anyone having trouble starting the fridge on propane should review this post:
http://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/7717/norcold-3163-3-way-refrigerator-wont-start-on-propane-what-fixed-mine-general-diagnostic-advice
There are detailed trouble shooting steps available to pinpoint the cause of the problem.

dragonsdofly

@MarkS, you may have hit upon something in a previous comment. Igniting the fridge can be difficult if not level. The primary offense is side to side, with some being so sensitive they will not light or stay lit if they are off level only one or 2°. Front to back is not as critical, but over a 3° variation from level can be troublesome. I'd level your trailer first, and test the other suggestions if leveling doesn't solve the problem first.

klenger

One issue that caught me with lighting the Norcold fridge is having the LP knob (# 294) turned too far CW.  See attached image.  Full CCW is the lowest setting and full CW is off.  If you have the control set too far CW you will actually turn off the LP instead of setting it to the highest setting. I find it best to set it to the 1 O'clock setting to light it.  Once lit, you can slowly turn the know more CW and watch the meter to see at what point is shuts off.  I believe the manual also states that the LP will be easier to light if you can cool down the fridge with AC power first. 

Homebodyatheart

@Danner try this first:
-make sure Tab is level
-light a stove burner for a moment to pull propane through the lines, then turn off
-turn the knob on far left to propane symbol
-with your right hand turn the propane temp control knob on the far right to MEDIUM and hold it in
-with your left hand keep pushing the igniter button (pushing not holding) until the little red line is in the green, not
white. Once it’s in green you can let everything go because your fridge is now on propane. It’s finicky but it works and doesn’t use much propane. Good luck!

MarkS

I finally got my frig to light on propane!  The key was what @klenger suggested - setting the temperature (fuel) knob to 1 o'clock.  What I missed the first time was to also depress the knob while in the 1 o'clock position.  Now I just need to get the small access panel back on without cutting my fingers and replace the plastic access door fasteners I broke when I removed them :-/

RollinWithShirley

Altitude is also a factor!  I have had trouble lighting my Norcold on propane.  It is working right now so I don't want to jinx it.  When I talked with Norcold they said that they can be unreliable above about 4500 feet over sea level.  I live at 6200 so that wasn't good news. Are there other options for high altitude?

bergger

We live at 10,200 feet and all our propane appliances, fridge, stove, alde work like champs. Never had any issues with ignition. I’ve always wondered if manufacturers and dealers use elevation (not altitude) as an excuse for other issues with appliances. Even all the appliances on my old pop up worked fine as do all my camp stoves and my shop heaters. 

pthomas745

One of the adjustments on the trailer that rarely get mentioned is the proper adjustment of the propane regulator.  The are adjustable.  Since propane systems should require specialized skills and care, the manufacturers of these devices will simply not explain how they really work, and how they might work better with simple adjustments.  So, we get comical "solutions" like saying "can be unreliable above 4500 feet". 

This thread has some comments about how a propane system can be measured and adjusted by...a propane professional, if you wanted to go that far.  We obsess about tires and batteries, but what about our water column inches? See the comments toward the end of this thread by "markhanks".

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/13602/dometic-stove-doesn-t-light-at-higher-elevations/p1

My trailer has never had any issues with lighting at higher elevations.  Last summer, at high elevations in Utah (8000 feet or so) and temps above 95 degrees at those altitudes, my three way fridge really didn't work at all.  It would light and run, but the combo of very high heat and elevations are a well known problem with an absorption fridge.