Fridge won't run on A/C

dand · 09-25-2020, 10:55 PM

Freedom elite 22he. Dometic fridge was running fine on 110v. Then pulled off site for about 5 hours and it switched to propane. Got back to camp, plugged back into shore power. Turned fridge back on. Auto light doesn't come on. I hear it running on propane, but auto light never comes on. Checked all breakers. There all ok. Why won't it come on 110v and why doesn't the auto light come on?

Pete'sMH · 09-25-2020, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dand

Freedom elite 22he. Dometic fridge was running fine on 110v. Then pulled off site for about 5 hours and it switched to propane. Got back to camp, plugged back into shore power. Turned fridge back on. Auto light doesn't come on. I hear it running on propane, but auto light never comes on. Checked all breakers. There all ok. Why won't it come on 110v and why doesn't the auto light come on?

Maybe the switch got bumped. Did you try switching it manually to electric mode exclusively? The mode switch should sequentially go from off to auto to gas to electric and back.

dand · 09-25-2020, 11:57 PM

I also turned the propane off. I could hear it clicking trying to start and then shut down. As soon as I turned propane on again it fires up

dand · 09-26-2020, 12:00 AM

It doesn't have an electric exclusive. When the auto light is on it checks for 110 and if not available switches to propane. But my auto light isn't coming on at all, even when it's running on gas.

dand · 09-26-2020, 12:13 AM

This is a 2019 unit. I'm hoping it's not the control board on the fridge going out already

dkoldman · 09-26-2020, 12:41 AM

I have Norcold so I may not be much help, but did you verify power tro the refrigerator and did you verify everything else electrical is working like normal.

I got confused when you say "when you came back after 5 hours you turn the Fridge back on"? Are you saying you have only on & off switch? When off nothing happens but when on the Auto Light comes on? Seems like it should have some way to let you know if Fridge is running off propane or electric?

Our unit allows Propane only, Electric only, Both (will use Propane only if no Electric) or Off.

Basically we never turn the Fridge off (unless at a gas station), it is otherwise always on Both. Had it been us, when you unplugged to leave, the propane indicator would have came on and ran for the 5 hours.
When we returned and plugged back to shore power the Electric indicator would have come indicated the propane was off.

Sometimes there are delays and we may see a red light but after few minutes it switches to the correct power source.

I am gonna assume you got all of this down and doing the right thing, if so a defective control boards is all it can be.. But I think it is odd you can't just turn for Electric only

dand · 09-26-2020, 01:04 AM

This is a 2 way fridge. Where would this fuse that the owners manual refers to be located. I took the panel off below and didn't find any plug ins. Would they be behind the outside access panel. How do you remove that to check?

dand · 09-26-2020, 01:12 AM

Dkoldman
When we unplugged from shore power at campsite it automatically switched to propane when it no longer detected 110v. When I got back to campground I turned it off then connected to shore power, then turned fridge back on. This is when it started acting up. It doesn't have an indicator to show whether it is on 110v or propane, just the auto light which is not coming on at all

dkoldman · 09-26-2020, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dand

When I got back to campground I turned it off then connected to shore power, then turned fridge back on. This is when it started acting up.

Any reason you felt a need to turn fridge off when running on propane because you are about to connect shore power? i.e. is that some safety thing you read someplace?

We have propane running while we are driving but when know we are going to get gas, my wife turns the fridge off, when we get back on the rode she turns it back on. It is always in what you call Auto Mode. When we get to campsite we just plug in and it automatically switches to electric.

But in regard to your problem, I think you are on right track. Tomorrow, I may go looking for two things on my Fridge.
1. Verify source (plug) where the 110 v come in for the fridge
2. Verify location of any fuse that may control the fridge. ( I think that will be easy in my coach)

dand · 09-26-2020, 02:08 AM

I think I saw it on a post that you should have as little on 110v when connecting to put less strain on converter

dkoldman · 09-26-2020, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dand

I think I saw it on a post that you should have as little on 110v when connecting to put less strain on converter

My model has fault codes for all conditions but if I assumed that it was "no" "AC" then troubleshoot is
1. Check power to the Fridge
2. Check fuse
3. See Dealer

I looked and I saw nothing that would say to turn propane off, before connecting shore power. I did see all kinds of warnings about the sensitivity of the control boards.

When you get fuse reset, if it were me; I would not turn off unless you plan on storing. I think as a general rule it is a good idea to turn AC units before disconnecting shore power, but in my coach the reverse is not true or necessary. i.e. When Shorepowere is turned on I have Power Control Center that in addition to the ATS built in delay before sending the power will access I much current I have incoming and will ensure when power is available for 1 or both ACs, Fridge, Microwave etc.

But the real reason, why I believe it to be okay is say you have AGS on and set to automatic. You lose power. Your fridge switch over to Propane. Moments later the generator fires up, it will then switch back to electric. Same would be true had power been out for 5 hours, and then power is restored. No where in either of those flows would be a need or suggestion to turn the propane off (Fridge off) before power is restored.

Who knows what may have happened with all of the sensitivity of electronics and built in safety features that we may not be aware of. Good luck wait to see how you resolve.

HarryTh · 09-26-2020, 04:58 AM

I didn't see it mentioned above but I believe the refrigerator also needs 12 volts to operate on gas. Does the light in the ref. come on when you open the door? Do your inside ceiling lights and fan work?
Harry

cavie · 09-26-2020, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dand

Freedom elite 22he. Dometic fridge was running fine on 110v. Then pulled off site for about 5 hours and it switched to propane. Got back to camp, plugged back into shore power. Turned fridge back on. Auto light doesn't come on. I hear it running on propane, but auto light never comes on. Checked all breakers. There all ok. Why won't it come on 110v and why doesn't the auto light come on?

you can't just turn it on. You must push the auto button also.

lwmcguire · 09-26-2020, 11:18 AM

Your converter supplies 12 volts, so no need if worrying about that

Inverters supply 120 volts

Update on the fridge?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dand

I think I saw it on a post that you should have as little on 110v when connecting to put less strain on converter

dand · 09-26-2020, 02:12 PM

There is no button for auto. Only on/off and gas exclusive. The auto and check lights should both come on when the on button is pushed in, but only the check light comes on and then I hear the gas fire up

dand · 09-26-2020, 02:32 PM

Got it figured out. The gas button needed to be pushed in to put fridge in auto. I had always assumed that pushing the gas button in would put it in gas mode exclusive, but it is just the opposite. Thanks for all your help

cmore · 10-02-2020, 07:42 PM

Thanks for sharing,

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