Results for "propane troubleshooting"

Propane Medium 30 minutes 166 👍 2

RV Water Heater Pilot Light Won't Stay Lit: Thermocouple Troubleshooting Guide

Three different RV shops quoted me $400+ to fix my Suburban water heater's pilot light that won't stay lit and I'm wondering if I can tackle this thermocouple issue myself. the pilot lights up just fine, but the second I let go of that button it dies. I can hold it down for like a minute and think I've got it, but nope - releases and it's gone.

I'm wondering if this is one of those thermocouple things I keep hearing about? Like, is that the little sensor thingy that's supposed to keep the gas flowing when there's a flame? Pretty sure that's what's acting up but want to make sure before I start messing with it. …more

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Ac Refrigeration Medium 30 minutes 165 👍 0

RV Refrigerator Ammonia Smell: Leak Repair & Safety Guide

Last spring when I opened up my RV for the first camping trip, that same overwhelming ammonia stench hit me the moment I cracked open the refrigerator door. It seems to be getting worse and I can smell it throughout the coach now. I'm scared this might be some kind of refrigerant leak but I'm not sure.

Is it safe to keep using the refrigerator? Should I be concerned about health risks from breathing this in? I don't want to make the situation worse or put my family in danger. What should I do immediately to stay safe? …more

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Propane Easy 30 min 163 👍 0

RV LP Gas Detector False Alarms: Complete Troubleshooting Guide

Already tried everything but my RV's LP gas detector has false alarms in the garage, keeps beeping at random times, AND won't reset properly. Even with the LP tank completely shut off, the alarm still goes off within hours. It's located in the bottom of the fridge cabinet.

I've checked everywhere for actual leaks - can't smell anything, and all my appliances still light immediately when I take the RV out. The detector seems fine outside but becomes a nightmare indoors. I'm wondering if it's the sensor going bad, poor placement, or if there are other things that can trigger these detectors besides actual propane leaks?

I really need a complete breakdown of what causes these false alarms and how to fix this issue once and for all. Should I be looking at replacing the detector entirely, or are there troubleshooting steps I'm missing? …more

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Best RV Generators

4.6 (18,900 reviews)

Propane Medium 45 minutes 159 👍 0

RV Gas Detector Beeps Every Minute at Night - How to Fix

Before my wife mentioned it, I had no idea our RV gas detector was beeping every single minute from 7PM to 7AM—now it's driving me absolutely crazy. It only does this during nighttime hours - never during the day. I'm plugged into shore power with 4 batteries (2 coach, 2 engine). What would cause this specific timing pattern? Is it actually detecting gas or is something else going on with the detector itself? …more

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Ac Refrigeration Medium 2-3 hours 143 👍 0

Norcold RV Refrigerator Won't Stay On Propane - Complete Troubleshooting Guide

Called my buddy at midnight when my Norcold RV refrigerator quit staying lit on propane — need to figure this out before our food spoils by morning. and by dream, I mean my Norcold refrigerator has decided it's too good for propane! The thing fires up just fine on LP gas - I can hear it purring away like a happy cat. But then, like a fair-weather friend, it abandons me after an hour or two and shuts itself off.

I'm starting to feel personally rejected by my own appliances. The electric mode works perfectly fine, but when I'm boondocking, my generator and I aren't exactly best friends either. I've heard this could be a thermocouple issue, burner problems, or maybe the control board throwing a tantrum. How do I figure out which component is giving me the cold shoulder (pun intended)? Any diagnostic tips to help me troubleshoot this temperamental beast? …more

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Ac Refrigeration Hard 4-6 hours 136 👍 0

Samsung RF18 Refrigerator Installation Guide: Bounder 35E RV Door Opening Dimensions

Apparently I'm tackling my Samsung RF18 residential refrigerator install in my Bounder 35E this Saturday — what measurements and prep work do I need ready for the door opening? I've measured the door opening and it's just barely larger than 24.5 inches at the narrowest point, and Samsung lists the RF18 at exactly 24.5" wide with doors removed.

I'm worried I might get the refrigerator delivered and then find out it won't actually fit, or worse - damage something trying to force it through. Has anyone successfully done this installation? I know some people remove windows for residential fridge installations, but I really don't want to go that route if I can avoid it. The measurements seem so close that I'm concerned about whether this is actually feasible or if I'm setting myself up for a costly mistake. …more

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Electrical Medium 1-2 hours 134 👍 0

Ford F53 RV Chassis: All Headlights Out - Complete Diagnosis & Repair

Pulled out my multimeter on this dead F53 headlight situation and I'm getting 12.4V at the relay when every Ford manual says it should read 12.6V. My 1999 Mountain High Pinnacle Class A with 76,000 miles on a Ford F-53 chassis has me stumped - ALL four headlights (both high and low beams) just went completely dead, but here's the weird part: every single other light works perfectly. Taillights, brake lights, turn signals, markers - they're all fine.

When the headlight switch is on, there are no headlights at all, and the blue high beam indicator remains constantly lit. I noticed a strange clicking sound from under the hood about every 20-25 seconds, which continued even after disconnecting the coach and chassis batteries.

I've already replaced the headlight switch thinking that was the culprit, but the same problem persists. No headlights whatsoever when I flip the switch, whether I'm on high or low beam. I'm starting to think it might be the combination switch or maybe a relay with a potential dead short, but I don't want to start throwing parts at this thing without some guidance.

Has anyone dealt with this exact scenario on a late 90s Ford chassis? What should I be checking first? I really need to get this sorted out before my next trip. …more

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Ac Refrigeration Medium 2-4 hours 131 👍 0

Norcold RV Refrigerator Not Cooling Properly: Complete Temperature Troubleshooting Guide

Before the summer heat kicks in, my 20-year-old Norcold absorption refrigerator only stops cooling when it's above 85 degrees outside — works perfectly fine the rest of the time. I've been tracking its performance with a recording thermometer for 5 days.

Here's what I've observed:
- Cooldown takes about 4 hours
- Freezer varies between 0 and 5 degrees
- Every ~24 hours the unit shuts off to defrost, heating to about 20 degrees
- Time to warm from 5 to 20 degrees is around 1.5 hours

I changed the temperature setting from 7 to 5 on day 3, which seemed to affect the temperature. The refrigerator section is hovering between 30 and 35 degrees during this time.

Is this temperature pattern normal for an absorption fridge, or does this sound like something that needs to be fixed? I'd really appreciate some guidance from more experienced RVers about what these temperatures might indicate. …more

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Propane Medium 45 minutes 131 👍 0

RV Furnace Blowing Cold Air? Fix Ignition Issues Fast

Staring at my RV furnace blowing cold air at 2 AM with the fan running — desperately need this fixed before morning hits.
I can hear it trying to ignite but it never actually lights. What are the most common causes when a furnace won't ignite? Need to know what components to check and how to diagnose ignition problems myself. …more

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Engine Medium 2-3 hours 129 👍 0

Onan Code 36 Fix: Complete Troubleshooting Guide for RV Owners

Got my tools spread out and I'm determined to fix this Onan QP 3600 LP generator (Model 3.6KY-26120R) that's throwing code 36 myself — where's the best place to start? The unit starts immediately but shuts down right away. I have plenty of propane and the oil level is fine.

What specifically does code 36 indicate on Onan LP generators? What are the most common causes that would make this code appear? …more

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Ac Refrigeration Medium 2-3 hours 126 👍 0

Dometic RV Fridge Won't Ignite Gas Mode: Quick Fix Guide

Pulled out my entire toolbox and I'm determined to fix this stubborn Dometic RV fridge that won't ignite in gas mode myself — where should I start? The thing works absolutely flawlessly when it's set to AUTO mode - switches from electric to gas without any issues, ignites on the first try, everything's perfect.

But here's where it gets maddening: the moment I manually switch it to gas mode, it completely refuses to ignite. I can hear the gas valve cycling on and off, but the ignitor just won't fire. It tries a few times then gives up and throws the CHECK light. I've been troubleshooting this for weeks and I'm stumped - why would AUTO mode work perfectly but manual gas mode fail every single time?

I'm really hoping this is something fixable because everything else about this fridge works great. Has anyone experienced this weird AUTO vs manual gas mode issue before? What should I be looking at? …more

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4.6 (9,800 reviews)

Electrical Medium 2-4 hours 120 👍 0

RV Chassis Battery Draining & Dead Outlets - Troubleshooting

Finally followed the manual's advice to check the converter first when my outlets died, but my RV chassis battery keeps draining even though the converter tests perfectly. here and I'm at my wit's end with my 2018 Winnebago Vista. The chassis battery keeps going completely dead every few days, even when we're plugged into shore power at the campground. I've already replaced the battery twice thinking it was just old, checked all the obvious stuff like dome lights and radio, and even had the alternator tested - everything checks out fine.

What's really driving me crazy is that this just started happening about a month ago out of nowhere. We've been full-timing for three years without any major electrical issues. I'm wondering if there's some parasitic draw I'm missing or if the battery isolator could be acting up? Has anyone else dealt with this nightmare? I'm getting tired of jump-starting this thing every other day and my wife is about ready to sell the rig and get a travel trailer instead! …more

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Ac Refrigeration Medium 45 minutes 119 👍 0

Norcold N842IM 'No CO' Error Fix - Complete Propane Troubleshooting Guide

Apparently everyone has a different theory about my Norcold N842IM's 'No CO' error—my neighbor swears the propane tank's empty, the RV dealer blames the thermocouple, and YouTube insists it's just dirty burners. The fridge works absolutely perfectly when we're plugged into shore power and running on AC - no problems whatsoever with cooling performance or any error codes.

The real problem starts when we disconnect from shore power and head out on the road. The refrigerator switches over to propane mode without any issues initially, and everything seems to be working normally for the first several hours. However, after approximately 8-9 hours of running on propane, I consistently get an alarm and a 'no CO' error code displayed. I've been turning the refrigerator off for about an hour (though I'm not sure if that's the right amount of time), and when I restart it, it runs fine for another 8-9 hour cycle before the same error occurs again.

I'm wondering what could be causing this specific 'no CO' error to appear after this consistent timeframe when running on propane. Is this related to combustion problems, ventilation issues, or something with the propane system components? I'd really appreciate some guidance on what I should be checking and how to properly troubleshoot this recurring problem. …more

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Plumbing Medium 1-2 hours 119 👍 0

RV Hot Water Pressure Problems: How to Fix a Stuck Backflow Preventer in Your Water System

About four years into owning my 2019 Winnebago, the hot water pressure is starting to completely tank — should I repair this backflow preventer or replace the whole unit? My 2002 Winnebago with an Atwood 10 gallon water heater just lost all hot water pressure overnight. Cold water works perfectly fine, but turn that handle to hot and... nothing. Zero pressure at any faucet.

The weird thing is the tank itself has hot water and pressure - I can open the relief valve and water shoots out fine with good pressure. It's like something is blocking the hot water from getting out of the tank to the faucets. I've checked what I can reach and don't see any obvious blockages in the lines.

Anyone know what could cause hot water pressure to just disappear like this while cold water works normally? There's gotta be something simple I'm missing here. …more

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Propane Easy 30 minutes 117 👍 0

How to Fix RV Propane Detector False Alarms: Complete Troubleshooting

Every YouTube tutorial I followed to fix my RV's LP gas detector false alarms only made it beep more frequently at night. The detector appears to be responding to non-gas triggers, but I need to systematically determine whether this indicates sensor degradation, environmental interference, or if there's an actual safety concern I'm missing. What are the primary causes of false positive readings in RV propane detection systems, and what diagnostic steps should I follow to differentiate between legitimate equipment failure versus actual gas leak detection? …more

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