New RPodder, quick question
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Topic: New RPodder, quick question
Posted By: EEBowHunter
Subject: New RPodder, quick question
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2013 at 11:50am
Hello everyone! My wife & I are new RPod owners...we bought a used
2010 model 171 this past December to camp out at our property. We've slept in it a few times and love it. One thing that I've noticed is our refrigerator doesn't seem to operate off of propane alone...when I switch it to that mode the LEDs blink red and stay that way indefinitely. If the generator is running and I switch it to electric the LEDs turn green and it seems happy although it doesn't seem like it gets real cold. Is there a pilot I have to light in order to make this work???...the furnace blows hot and the hot water heater works like a champ though  .
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Replies:
Posted By: bhamster
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2013 at 12:27pm
| Do you hear the igniter attempting to light? It's probably easier to hear outside but it sounds like a rapid clicking noise and if everything works there's a "puff" sound and then it's all good. It will try a few times before giving up. |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2013 at 12:34pm
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Welcome. My first reaction is you need to purge the lines more after turning on the LPG, but the water heater is father down the line and gulps propane (in other words, the line is purged if the water heater is running). I agree with bhamster, first step is to see if it is attempting to light. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: bhamster
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2013 at 12:39pm
| Along with what techntrek mentioned, I also will get a failed start on the fridge if I just turned on the LPG tank and don't run any other gas appliances. I'll usually run the stove first to bring the gas closer to the fridge. |
Posted By: EEBowHunter
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2013 at 3:22pm
| I don't recall hearing it attempt to light...I've read a few threads that talk about a gas valve or perhaps making sure its plugged in and everything seems normal but I haven't heard it attempting to light. |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2013 at 4:52pm
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To run on propane, you will also need a 12v supply - either from the battery or from your converter (when its connected to 120v). But, as you can see lights blinking, I assume that you have power. So, if you've got propane and you've run your stove for a few minutes and the fridge still won't light (let it try for a couple of minutes), my guess is that a spider has set up home in your fridge's venturi tubes. A can of compressed air for cleaning electronic equipment ( http://reviews.canadiantire.ca/9045/0690148P/emzone-emzone-air-duster-10-oz-reviews/reviews.htm - link ) will usually clear the little bugger out without any fuss. If not, a pipe cleaner or a special venturi brush from the RV shop will be needed. ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: EEBowHunter
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2013 at 5:35pm
So I got back from the property yesterday and I have a few more data points regarding the refrigerator. I connected the propane and turned the gas on. I also connected the battery as well as hooked up the Honda EU1000 generator so both DC & AC circuits had power. I then lit the stove burners for several minutes (following your suggestion above ) and tried switching the refrigerator over to propane. The error light still came on and I left it in that mode while going around back listening for the igniter *clicking*and I didn't hear it. I pulled the service panel off and verified that everything was plugged in and that there was nothing suspect about any of the lines...everything appeared fine. The fridge runs beautifully on 12V or AC power (gets nice and cold) but for some reason the propane is still an issue. Heat, stove & hot water all work fine.  |
Posted By: bhamster
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2013 at 6:07pm
| I don't think it retries once the error light comes on. At that point I think it's given up. You'll need to switch it to propane and then go outside right away to listen. If you still don't hear the clicking then it could be the igniter or the electronics. My parents had an RV fridge where the spark gap was too big, and all they had to do was bend it back into shape. |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2013 at 6:24pm
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Try it with propane after shutting if off completely like bhamster suggested. Mine was stubborn and all I had to do was to power it down and try it again.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: EEBowHunter
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2013 at 9:46am
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Will do fellas. I appreciate the suggestions and patience with this new R-podder
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2013 at 9:04pm
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Also you don't need to burn the stove for more than 10 seconds once you get it lit. At that point the lines have been purged as much as you are going to get. I agree you need to go outside immediately after selecting gas mode. On mine I think it waits about 10 seconds before trying to light the first time. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: EEBowHunter
Date Posted: 08 Apr 2013 at 2:43pm
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Update: I figured out what I was doing wrong...turns out all I needed to do was power cycle the refrigerator on the propane setting and when I turned it on the igniter lit within a second or two and it was happy all weekend. Got pretty dang cold too! I appreciate all the help!
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Posted By: bhamster
Date Posted: 08 Apr 2013 at 3:20pm
I'm confused... what were you doing before? |
Posted By: EEBowHunter
Date Posted: 08 Apr 2013 at 3:31pm
| The pod stays out at my property permanently. When we leave & button everything up I was disconnecting the battery and storing it. Well when I would connect the battery the refrigerator would power up but it had never been turned off prior to disconnecting the battery so for some reason it just never tried to ignite the pilot. It wasn't until after I power cycled it (with the battery connected) that it tried to ignite the pilot. |
Posted By: bhamster
Date Posted: 08 Apr 2013 at 4:29pm
| Interesting... so if you lost power for some reason (in this case, you disconnecting it) then it doesn't try to start again? |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 08 Apr 2013 at 8:34pm
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Huh, I'll have to try this on mine.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: EEBowHunter
Date Posted: 08 Apr 2013 at 8:38pm
bhamster...that's what I was able to deduce. The lady I bought the pod from kept the battery disconnected and stored in the trailer when it wasn't in use. I just followed her example but noticed that every time I connected the battery and went inside the trailer the refrigerator was on but when switched over to propane would never attempt to ignite. Now if I can only fix this "singing"/"pinging" propane regulator it'll be good as new  |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 08 Apr 2013 at 9:38pm
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Maybe you can teach it a new song... ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2013 at 9:16pm
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Make sure you hook up the battery and the pod to charge it overnight at least every 30 days, when its is warm. In the coldest months you can get away with 2-3 months. Many of the earlier pods had to get the regulator replaced due to pinging under high load - mine included. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: EEBowHunter
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2013 at 8:01pm
techntrek, I contacted Susan Thornberg at Forrest River regarding the pinging issue and she said it was a known issue and related to the pigtail/regulator. Fortunately she was nice enough to offer to send me replacement parts gratis Point taken on the battery...will do. Much appreciated for the information |
Posted By: dsmiths
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2013 at 9:43pm
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Susan is a great gal , she has helped me many times in the past. ------------- Dane and Donna Smith 2011 RP-172 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4 lift kit prodigy wireless brake controller |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2013 at 9:51pm
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Good to hear.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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