Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum

I've been trying to troubleshoot my refrigerator for the past few
months. For some reason, when it is on A/C power, it cools just fine.
When I'm on LP gas, the unit will not cool below 50 degrees! I've
cleared rust from the burner, adjusted the flame height and seem to
get plenty of heat to the evaporator coil. I've also tried installing
some cooling fans on the condenser coils and inside the unit, but with
little or no change. Does anyone have any idea as to why there is a
disparity between using electric vs. gas? I would normally think that
gas would be far superior, but that does not seem to be the case and
I'm getting tired of warm beer.

The only other thing that I can think of...remove the flame cover, use your hand and bang on the chimney to release any rust up in there, vacuum up the rust that falls down over the burner, try the gas again. I've done this on a few coaches and it helped. Warm beer is better than no beer.




--
Curt Sprenger
1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
Anaheim Hills, CA

SHane,

This is a strange symptom as propane is usually the best source of
heat., but I would check the propane gas pressure and regulator.
If you have the old single stage regulator , it may be better to
change
to the later two stage regulator. The Refrig mfg once had different
size gas orfices for higher altitudes and different ambient
tempertures.
But I do not know if is still available, the size was stamped on the
brass orfice casting.

Bill 88 FC Michigan


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "sfedeli3" <sfedeli3@...>
wrote:
>
> I've been trying to troubleshoot my refrigerator for the past few
> months. For some reason, when it is on A/C power, it cools just
fine.
> When I'm on LP gas, the unit will not cool below 50 degrees! I've
> cleared rust from the burner, adjusted the flame height and seem to
> get plenty of heat to the evaporator coil. I've also tried
installing
> some cooling fans on the condenser coils and inside the unit, but
with
> little or no change. Does anyone have any idea as to why there is a
> disparity between using electric vs. gas? I would normally think
that
> gas would be far superior, but that does not seem to be the case and
> I'm getting tired of warm beer.
>

In a message dated 5/27/2008 7:12:47 P.M. Central Standard Time, sfedeli3@... writes:

The beer is still at 40 degrees, but
we'll see where it goes overnight-

40 degree beer on a 110 degree day is not a bad thing.

Ernie Ekberg
83PT40
Livingston, Montana

Shane: I would bet that it has to do with the flame. The gas/air
mixture could be at fault or the flame is not hitting the designated
target.

R.e. (Ron) Marabito, Dallas, tX 92WB40

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "sfedeli3" <sfedeli3@...> wrote:
>
> I've been trying to troubleshoot my refrigerator for the past few
> months. For some reason, when it is on A/C power, it cools just fine.
> When I'm on LP gas, the unit will not cool below 50 degrees! I've
> cleared rust from the burner, adjusted the flame height and seem to
> get plenty of heat to the evaporator coil. I've also tried installing
> some cooling fans on the condenser coils and inside the unit, but with
> little or no change. Does anyone have any idea as to why there is a
> disparity between using electric vs. gas? I would normally think that
> gas would be far superior, but that does not seem to be the case and
> I'm getting tired of warm beer.
>

Re-aim the flame
Stephen 77fc35


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "ronmarabito2002"
wrote:
>
> Shane: I would bet that it has to do with the flame. The gas/air
> mixture could be at fault or the flame is not hitting the designated
> target.
>
> R.e. (Ron) Marabito, Dallas, tX 92WB40
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "sfedeli3" <sfedeli3@> wrote:
> >
> > I've been trying to troubleshoot my refrigerator for the past few
> > months. For some reason, when it is on A/C power, it cools just fine.
> > When I'm on LP gas, the unit will not cool below 50 degrees! I've
> > cleared rust from the burner, adjusted the flame height and seem to
> > get plenty of heat to the evaporator coil. I've also tried installing
> > some cooling fans on the condenser coils and inside the unit, but with
> > little or no change. Does anyone have any idea as to why there is a
> > disparity between using electric vs. gas? I would normally think that
> > gas would be far superior, but that does not seem to be the case and
> > I'm getting tired of warm beer.
> >
>

Well, thanks everyone!! I'm very grateful for the suggested remedies.
Here is an update- I removed the cowl around the burner and put a 90
degree bend in a piece of old fuel line and blew 150 psi air up into
the stack while banging away on the sides. Probably 2 or 3 tablespoons
of rust came out, not as much as I thought should. I also checked the
flame and it is centered right under the hole in the bottom of the
stack. There is a nice strong blue flame- and it certainly gets warm!
I had installed two muffin fans on the condenser coils last summer to
no avail, so I relocated them to the top of the compartment, just
below the lid. There is a considerable amount of warm air now
exhausting through the vent. The beer is still at 40 degrees, but
we'll see where it goes overnight.

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Stephen Birtles"
wrote:
>
> Re-aim the flame
> Stephen 77fc35
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "ronmarabito2002"
> wrote:
> >
> > Shane: I would bet that it has to do with the flame. The gas/air
> > mixture could be at fault or the flame is not hitting the designated
> > target.
> >
> > R.e. (Ron) Marabito, Dallas, tX 92WB40
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "sfedeli3" <sfedeli3@> wrote:
> > >
> > > I've been trying to troubleshoot my refrigerator for the past few
> > > months. For some reason, when it is on A/C power, it cools just
fine.
> > > When I'm on LP gas, the unit will not cool below 50 degrees! I've
> > > cleared rust from the burner, adjusted the flame height and seem to
> > > get plenty of heat to the evaporator coil. I've also tried
installing
> > > some cooling fans on the condenser coils and inside the unit,
but with
> > > little or no change. Does anyone have any idea as to why there is a
> > > disparity between using electric vs. gas? I would normally think
that
> > > gas would be far superior, but that does not seem to be the case and
> > > I'm getting tired of warm beer.
> > >
> >
>

Shane,
the link below is a good source for the repair. if you make it too hot
you could damage the works. You may want to remove the fan mods and
other add on's make the repair then reacess the mods.

http://www.rvmobile.com/Tech/Trouble/gassys.htm

GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa