Norcold 6162 flame is not staying on

[eXodus]

Hello there,

first my refrigerator was not working at all when I got the coach, the former owner was not using it in 4 years. Not at LP and not a AC.
I dismounted the board, replaced a 5A fuse. Hey and they fridge is cooling.


Just got to try my propane at the Norcold, nothing no flame, So I removed the cover, removed a Bee hive, cleaned everything with compressed air.
Adjusted and cleaned the ignition rod with Carb cleaner, finally got a working and nice looking blue flame.

1/8" is the measure between the rod and the burner.

But the board turns the valve off after 5-6 seconds. I also cleaned the one contact of the ignition.

I found this picture on the web:

any suggestions what I should try next ?

Can I measure something somehow ?

I haven't got the burner out yet. But looks nice and shiny

Thanks

[pvoth1111]

the flame rod or thermocouple should create a millivolt signal that excites a circuit that keeps the valve open.... if the mv is there then the board is probably toast...Dave may know how many mv there should be...

[eXodus]

Thanks, but it's not a thermocouple element in my fridge.  It's a simple piece of metal. 



just cleaned the burner with carb cleaner, switch it on , whole unit started burning and the gas stayed on. At least a couple of seconds. Now everything is black and I have to clean it again.

Bad Idea with the carb cleaner... doesn't burn very clean this stuff.

[pvoth1111]

it works off the same principle, good luck.

[DonD]

That's the igniter.

[eXodus]

@Don,

I know, but my fridge has no other element. It should work like in the picture which I posted.
Should start measuring something:

Like resistance between burner and board ground.
Ideas ?

[pvoth1111]

there are books and troubleshooting guides in the members area

[Oz]

What's the first step in troubleshooting anything?

Like pvoth said and any member who knows what a wealth of info we have will agree with: 
Get the manual from the Member Area!


   

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Ignition module is not sensing the flame.  Ignition Electrode is 2 way.  Is used to provide the spark to light the burner then sense that the burner is lit.

Service Manual: http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/page,page558.html

PDF page 24 (Fig 11.48): Spark gap - 3/16" max, 1/8" minimum.

Dave

[eXodus]

Thanks for the manual, just got through the whole lp troubleshooting,

I cleaned all contacts with a pencil erase as suggested. I cleaned the ignition electrode and the burner, both nice and shiny now.
My fuse is there and it seems as everything is fine, got no connection between ignition and burner.

I even run a additional ground cable between control board and burner, my measurements showed that I am losing 4 mv on this path. Still losing about 5 mv from the contact to the top of the ignition electrode. Seems a little bit to high ?
Should I just try to get a new ignition electrode ? Or could it be the module ?

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

I even run a additional ground cable between control board and burner, my measurements showed that I am losing 4 mv on this path. Still losing about 5 mv from the contact to the top of the ignition electrode. Seems a little bit to high ?

Not sure what you mean by this.

Do you have continuity (Figure 11.47, pdf page 23)  Close to 0 ohms.  If no, electrode bad.

Do you have an open? (Figure 11.49, pdf page 24) If you measure any resistance the electrode is shorting to ground.  If open and the electrode is adjusted properly (Figure 11.48, pdf page 24), circuit board is bad (sensing circuit is not seeing milli-voltage from electrode).

It is that simple.  I would say if you replace the board then replace the electrode also to start fresh.

Dave

[eXodus]

Continuity of the electrode is not this good.  That is what I mean with loosing 5mv.


Ordered a new one. Should be there tomorrow.  If the electrode is not the problem I saw dinosaur electronics has a universal ignition board, which should fit for around 70$ instead of 150$ for the Norcold part.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Dinosaur Electronics has a great reputation.  I had one of their boards in my furnace before rust shut it down.

[eXodus]

got the new electrode - looks much better and has a thicker insulation. Resistance ZERO, my old had about 1,6 ohms.

But still the module shuts down the gas. Just discovered that my water-heater has the same ignition board. So I tested the fridges board in the perfectly working Waterheater - same problem. No Flame sense. So I guess my ignition board is bad. Just opened it, everything is coated - no chance to repair anything.

Will test the water heater ignition in the fridge this evening (freaking hot here in Florida). I hope this works on the fridge, then I will order the replacement board.

[eXodus]

So the other way around - the Water-heater board in the fridge -
Works here perfectly Finally got my fridge up and running hey 


Just shot the order out for the Dinsaur UIB S - Universal DSI Igniter Board (Small) w/ Spade Connector should be about the same size.
Will post if its works, but probably should.

[eXodus]

Dinosaur board arrived. Fits perfectly in the Norcold and works. Has a 20 second time delay at the beginning, which could be removed but I let it there.


Problem solved, cleaning, new electrode and ignition board.

[pvoth1111]