Refrigerator troubleshooting

[Mark]

Hi everyone.

We have a '78 Red Dale with an Insta-Matic IM-162 fridge.  The fridge works great on electric when we're on-grid, but we're having an issue getting it to work on propane.

We follow the start-up instructions, and seem to get gas flowing (if we leave the gas valve open long enough we can smell the propane), and we get a spark from the ignitor (can see it through the view port).  

Anyone have any suggestions for how to get this to work?  Something we need to clean out?  The trailer had been sitting idle or plugged in for a few years before we bought it...possibly an obstruction I need to clear?

Thanks in Advance!

[postman]

Electricity is fairly safe. However propane is another matter. I would ask a technician.

[Grey Wolf]

The fridge in my Foretravel is a little over a year old. The last time I camped with it the fridge section did not work the first day there but the freezer worked great. ? Then the second day it got cool around 50 degrees. The third day it went down to 34 degrees. It didn't matter if I used electric or propane. A guy at the camp said it was possible that the coach was just barely level, enough to get it working after three days. Havent taken it out camping yet since then. Also I found out that if the RV sits awhile it takes turning the hot water switch on and off before I can hear the heater engage. There will develop an air pocket in the propane line that has to be bled out by turning the switch on and off several times before it engages. Not sure if any of this helps you, just thought I'd share.

[Russell E Johnson]

If you have to light it manually, the thermocouple may be bad. If it lights automatically, the flame sensor may be the culprit.