Member Since: 01 Feb 2011
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3171
Caravan fridge playing silly b*ggers
Caravan fridge has started to play up, to be honest I've had my suspisions that something was about to go for a few months now. Caravan is a 2009 Bailey Senator Califiornia, Fridge is Dometic RM8550.
In a nutshell, the fridge struggling to stay alight when running on LPG. All electrical (240v and 12V) cooling functions are ok. Have had the fridge out, cleaned the burner etc and flame is good - it has improved it slightly but still not right
I know it's still in warranty but don't fancy the 70 mile round trip to the dealer so decided to opt for the DIY route. One of it's early symptons was that the indicator (galvanometer) began to struggle to get into the 'green'. This, rightly or wrongly, leads me to suspect that the thermocouple is the source of the problem and needs to be replaced, problem is, an OEM part is quite expensive at circa £35 and if it isn't that then it's money I could has used for more D3 bling
So, my questions to the worldly wise
Does it sound like the thermocouple to you ??
Is it possible to use a 'universal' (only £3 odd ) such as those sold by BES (http://www.bes.co.uk) ??
All advice gratefully received
2nd Sep 2011 7:39 am
Grunders
Member Since: 30 Apr 2011
Location: Manchester
Posts: 2334
In my opinion as its under warranty i'd go down that route... 70 miles isn't a vast mileage and in reality if its not the thermocouple it could end up costing you a lot more than the the fuel you would use...If it ain't broke... Take it apart anyway, how else you gonna find out how it works
Thermocouple must be ok as gas stays alight. Try replacing the jet. Simple job but may do the trick.
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2nd Sep 2011 8:33 am
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70 miles is maybe £15-20 in fuel. and as under warranty, it doesn't matter what part is needed it should be fixed. Bodsys Brake Bible
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2nd Sep 2011 9:05 am
Grunders
Member Since: 30 Apr 2011
Location: Manchester
Posts: 2334
Additionaly, you will be working on the lpg system, it will need checking and certifying by a qualified person You could invalidate your insurance worse still be prosecuted if something went wrong,.... Its not worth the risk for £20 worth of fuel
That is presuming your not qualified that is......i may be wrongIf it ain't broke... Take it apart anyway, how else you gonna find out how it works
2nd Sep 2011 9:48 am
highbayrack
Member Since: 09 Jul 2008
Location: Northamptonshire
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We just returned from holiday, and ive got the exact opposite problem, it stopped working on the electrics, but LPG is fine Maybe we could swap something On a mission to find the perfect Pork Pie. Just Found it (I think)..(Yes I have)
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I asked a caravan engineer friend of mine for his professional input and this is what he came back with:
I would say that the problem is not the thermocouple. You have made the same mistake that most people make. Whilst cleaning the burner you need to replace the jet no.45. Although you will see nothing wrong with it. The jet always requires replacing. As i said you need a no.45 jet. However, as you say the fridge is still under warranty in fact for 3 years. You dont have to take it back to the dealer, go to dometics website: www.dometicapproved.co.uk Go to find an engineer, put in your postcode and find the nearest engineer to you. He is obliged to come out and repir your fridge on site under warranty. Do not tell them that you have taken the fridge out or tried to do anything with it, that is there get out clause.
Either one of those suggestions will get you going again. I would go the warranty route first as parts for anything now are a ridiculous price.
Regards
PaulI'm not as good as I once was........but I'm as good once as I ever was.
2nd Sep 2011 12:31 pm
maplecottage
Member Since: 01 Feb 2011
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3171
Cheers to all for feedback - looks like I'll take the warranty route and thanks to Paul for pointing me in the direction of the Dometic website
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2nd Sep 2011 12:46 pm
roverdrive
Member Since: 08 Oct 2009
Location: Wirral
Posts: 181
Don't think you would have got much bling for £35 anyway Mike - 47° 51' N 19° 43' W
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2nd Sep 2011 1:10 pm
buellbeast
Member Since: 30 Jul 2008
Location: Exile
Posts: 1885
You'll probably find, in my experience, that Dometic will just replace the complete unit so worth a round trip to the dealers Club Forum Criminal !!!
2nd Sep 2011 5:22 pm
npinks
Member Since: 30 Jan 2008
Location: Leeds
Posts: 1943
I used to do a 50 mile journey to my caravan dealer for a service, 50 miles back home then a week later same again to collect the thing again, not funny when they haven't fixed the problem and you need to go do the same again a week later
2nd Sep 2011 8:58 pm
Barry C-All
Member Since: 13 Nov 2008
Location: Essex
Posts: 169
Just a thought, do all the other gas appliances in the caravan work OK, or maybe you have a partially blocked, (or blocking)gas regulator at the LPG cylinders.
3rd Sep 2011 10:17 am
Phil1644
Member Since: 14 Nov 2009
Location: Probably still in work!
Posts: 303
I read somewhere in one of the magazines that the new "onboard" regulators are prone to failure. We arrived at the Denham CC site at Whit and the hob/oven wouldnt light. Desperate for some tea I called a mobile caravan engineer that the Warden recomended. He turned up, immediately diagnosed it as a faulty regulator and had a big box of them on his van. He said he did dozens of them......!
3rd Sep 2011 5:28 pm
Discolegal
Member Since: 27 Jul 2010
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 78
I was having gas power problems, then the dealer suggested a change of regulator, made all the difference
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) such as those sold by BES (http://www.bes.co.uk) ??
Maybe we could swap something 
