Frig RM 3801 Operation

[Curt Sprenger]

Our coach has been sitting here at home since early June. The propane
consumption since then was 25 gallons of propane; should have been
NONE.

Time to investigate this one...My findings...The frig. in our coach is
the RM 3801. The frig. display shows it's operating on AC, but it's
actually operating on propane. Now I know why the 25 gallons of
propane were needed to top up the propane tank today.

I tried other frig. settings...
Tried the GAS and get a "RED X over the flame" light, indicating no
ignition, but the frig. continues to operate on propane.
Tried the full automatic setting, and the AC/GAS setting, and it's
still operating on gas.

The terminal (wire) block has Ground, AC (my assumption), and DC. The
Ground/DC reads 13.65 volts on the meter. The AC shows no reading on
the meter. The frig. AC cord is plugged into a good outlet as it reads
122 volts on the meter.

All input is be appreciated.

Thanks,

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

[Don Bradner]

I don't think there is any way that a refrigerator should use 25 gallons of
propane in 1-1/2 months. High end should be around 7 gallons per month, and
that's normal use with regular opening/closing of the door.

When you say it is "still operating on gas" should we assume that you are seeing
the flame?

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Eureka, CA

On 7/18/2007 at 3:23 PM Curt Sprenger wrote:

>Our coach has been sitting here at home since early June. The propane
>consumption since then was 25 gallons of propane; should have been
>NONE.
>
>Time to investigate this one...My findings...The frig. in our coach is
>the RM 3801. The frig. display shows it's operating on AC, but it's
>actually operating on propane. Now I know why the 25 gallons of
>propane were needed to top up the propane tank today.
>
>I tried other frig. settings...
>Tried the GAS and get a "RED X over the flame" light, indicating no
>ignition, but the frig. continues to operate on propane.
>Tried the full automatic setting, and the AC/GAS setting, and it's
>still operating on gas.
>
>The terminal (wire) block has Ground, AC (my assumption), and DC. The
>Ground/DC reads 13.65 volts on the meter. The AC shows no reading on
>the meter. The frig. AC cord is plugged into a good outlet as it reads
>122 volts on the meter.
>
>All input is be appreciated.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Curt Sprenger
>1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
>Anaheim Hills, CA

[dthollis1961]

Curt,

There is an excellent troubleshooting guide at
http://www.rvmobile.com/

David Hollis 84FC35 Springfield,IL

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Curt Sprenger"
wrote:
>
> Our coach has been sitting here at home since early June. The
propane
> consumption since then was 25 gallons of propane; should have been
> NONE.
>
> Time to investigate this one...My findings...The frig. in our coach
is
> the RM 3801. The frig. display shows it's operating on AC, but it's
> actually operating on propane. Now I know why the 25 gallons of
> propane were needed to top up the propane tank today.
>
> I tried other frig. settings...
> Tried the GAS and get a "RED X over the flame" light, indicating no
> ignition, but the frig. continues to operate on propane.
> Tried the full automatic setting, and the AC/GAS setting, and it's
> still operating on gas.
>
> The terminal (wire) block has Ground, AC (my assumption), and DC.
The
> Ground/DC reads 13.65 volts on the meter. The AC shows no reading on
> the meter. The frig. AC cord is plugged into a good outlet as it
reads
> 122 volts on the meter.
>
> All input is be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Curt Sprenger
> 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
> Anaheim Hills, CA
>

[ac7880]

There are also troubleshooting and repair service manuals online at:
http://bryantrv.com/docs.html

Dan
94 BB BMC 37'

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "dthollis1961"
wrote:
>
> Curt,
>
> There is an excellent troubleshooting guide at
> http://www.rvmobile.com/
>
> David Hollis 84FC35 Springfield,IL
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Curt Sprenger"
> wrote:
> >
> > Our coach has been sitting here at home since early June. The
> propane
> > consumption since then was 25 gallons of propane; should have been
> > NONE.
> >
> > Time to investigate this one...My findings...The frig. in our
coach
> is
> > the RM 3801. The frig. display shows it's operating on AC, but
it's
> > actually operating on propane. Now I know why the 25 gallons of
> > propane were needed to top up the propane tank today.
> >
> > I tried other frig. settings...
> > Tried the GAS and get a "RED X over the flame" light, indicating
no
> > ignition, but the frig. continues to operate on propane.
> > Tried the full automatic setting, and the AC/GAS setting, and it's
> > still operating on gas.
> >
> > The terminal (wire) block has Ground, AC (my assumption), and DC.
> The
> > Ground/DC reads 13.65 volts on the meter. The AC shows no reading
on
> > the meter. The frig. AC cord is plugged into a good outlet as it
> reads
> > 122 volts on the meter.
> >
> > All input is be appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Curt Sprenger
> > 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
> > Anaheim Hills, CA
> >
>

[Gardner Yeaw]

Curt,
I'd be checking for leaks. If you have a quick disconnect for a
grill then get a preasure guage and adapter so you can plug it into
the quick disconnect. Charge the system and then shut it off at the
tank. I don't know the acceptable rate of preasure loss, but it
should be available somewhere on the net, or from Bluebird. If there
is a loss start shutting off the valves to the various components to
isolate the fault. Trying to find all the connections and test with
soapy water might be a real miserable task. If you can isolate it to
a specific area you are ahead of the game.

garnder
78FC33


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Curt Sprenger"
wrote:
>
> Our coach has been sitting here at home since early June. The
propane
> consumption since then was 25 gallons of propane; should have been
> NONE.
>
> Time to investigate this one...My findings...The frig. in our
coach is
> the RM 3801. The frig. display shows it's operating on AC, but it's
> actually operating on propane. Now I know why the 25 gallons of
> propane were needed to top up the propane tank today.
>
> I tried other frig. settings...
> Tried the GAS and get a "RED X over the flame" light, indicating no
> ignition, but the frig. continues to operate on propane.
> Tried the full automatic setting, and the AC/GAS setting, and it's
> still operating on gas.
>
> The terminal (wire) block has Ground, AC (my assumption), and DC.
The
> Ground/DC reads 13.65 volts on the meter. The AC shows no reading
on
> the meter. The frig. AC cord is plugged into a good outlet as it
reads
> 122 volts on the meter.
>
> All input is be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Curt Sprenger
> 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
> Anaheim Hills, CA
>

[Curt Sprenger]

Yes, Don, you read my post correctly, I (was) still seeing the flame, read
below.

I've figured out the problem, I think. The problem is a stuck gas solenoid.
Might be a little more to that but time will tell.

What I've done this evening is to turn off the gas valve feeding the frig.
The frig. is now operating on AC. When I get back from our trip I'll
resolve the gas solenoid problem. The generator will be running on our trip
(while driving) so AC which will keep the frig. operating cold. The RV park
AC will take over when I get there.

Thanks everyone for your replies, much appreciated.

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


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[williamcharrison]

Hi Curt,
I had a similar problem with mine last year. It turned out to be
the little brass shutoff valve on the connector for the external
propane grill located at the tank. I shut the main valve off
and removed the tapered valve and cleaned it, no more leaks.
By the way, on the Jabsco pressure regulator valve replacement,
the valve mounting flange is a 4" square and the recessed compartment
opening is just over 5" so you can turn the valve about 20 degrees
before the (square root of 32) diagonal comes into play.

WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Curt Sprenger"
wrote:
>
> Our coach has been sitting here at home since early June. The
propane
> consumption since then was 25 gallons of propane; should have been
> NONE.
>
> Time to investigate this one...My findings...The frig. in our coach
is
> the RM 3801. The frig. display shows it's operating on AC, but it's
> actually operating on propane. Now I know why the 25 gallons of
> propane were needed to top up the propane tank today.
>
> I tried other frig. settings...
> Tried the GAS and get a "RED X over the flame" light, indicating no
> ignition, but the frig. continues to operate on propane.
> Tried the full automatic setting, and the AC/GAS setting, and it's
> still operating on gas.
>
> The terminal (wire) block has Ground, AC (my assumption), and DC.
The
> Ground/DC reads 13.65 volts on the meter. The AC shows no reading on
> the meter. The frig. AC cord is plugged into a good outlet as it
reads
> 122 volts on the meter.
>
> All input is be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Curt Sprenger
> 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
> Anaheim Hills, CA
>

[Tom McCarthy]

Curt,

I lost 30 gallons to the same BBQ quick release valve. The nut on
the valve handle was loose allowing the valve to move open slightly.
I ordered a replacement from BB for $23 and will replce it when it
arrives. So far, the tightened nut appears to have stopped the leak.

Tom McCarthy
95 PT42
Poway, CA


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "williamcharrison"
wrote:
>
> Hi Curt,
> I had a similar problem with mine last year. It turned out to be
> the little brass shutoff valve on the connector for the external
> propane grill located at the tank. I shut the main valve off
> and removed the tapered valve and cleaned it, no more leaks.
> By the way, on the Jabsco pressure regulator valve replacement,
> the valve mounting flange is a 4" square and the recessed
compartment
> opening is just over 5" so you can turn the valve about 20 degrees
> before the (square root of 32) diagonal comes into play.
>
> WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Curt Sprenger"
> wrote:
> >
> > Our coach has been sitting here at home since early June. The
> propane
> > consumption since then was 25 gallons of propane; should have been
> > NONE.
> >
> > Time to investigate this one...My findings...The frig. in our
coach
> is
> > the RM 3801. The frig. display shows it's operating on AC, but
it's
> > actually operating on propane. Now I know why the 25 gallons of
> > propane were needed to top up the propane tank today.
> >
> > I tried other frig. settings...
> > Tried the GAS and get a "RED X over the flame" light, indicating
no
> > ignition, but the frig. continues to operate on propane.
> > Tried the full automatic setting, and the AC/GAS setting, and it's
> > still operating on gas.
> >
> > The terminal (wire) block has Ground, AC (my assumption), and DC.
> The
> > Ground/DC reads 13.65 volts on the meter. The AC shows no reading
on
> > the meter. The frig. AC cord is plugged into a good outlet as it
> reads
> > 122 volts on the meter.
> >
> > All input is be appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Curt Sprenger
> > 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
> > Anaheim Hills, CA
> >
>