Gas & 3-Way Caravan Fridge Problems

If your 3-way caravan fridge is experiencing any of the above problems, there are some simple ways you can start to understand the cause of the issue and find a solution. Here’s some common 3-way fridge problems and the steps you can take to assess the root cause, to help you take action.

If your fridge operates correctly on gas, but does not cool at all on 12V or 240V, one of the heating elements may be the culprit.

Faulty heating element

The most likely problem here is the 12V or 240V electric heating element is faulty. These heating elements will eventually need replacing. This is a simple task that can be carried out by a licenced gas appliance repairer.

If your pilot light is going out occasionally, or if the pilot light will only stay lit when you hold in the pilot button, the most likely problem is a faulty flame sensor (thermocouple).

Check your flame sensor

All gas fridge have a flame sensor, also known as a thermocouple, that senses that the pilot flame is going and keeps the gas line open – this is sometimes referred to as a safety valve. If the pilot light goes out, the thermocouple will send a signal to close the safety valve on the gas line, to prevent gas being discharged when the flame has gone out. If your pilot light won’t stay lit, it could mean your thermocouple is faulty. To replace your thermocouple, get in touch with you local licenced gas fitter who’ll be able to fix or replace it.

Common temperature issues you may encounter with your 3-way caravan fridge, include your gas fridge working fine on cooler days but struggling to get cold on hotter days, your freezer getting cold but not your fridge, or your fridge taking longer than 24 hours to cool. If you’re experiencing any of these concerns, these common issues could be why.

Lack of ventilation.

Gas fridges require a lot of free air flow and ventilation to the rear of the fridge. As they work from heat, they get hotter than a similar sized 12V compressor fridge. To resolve this, refer to the original manufacturer’s instructions to make sure your fridge has the required amount of ventilation.

The burner or chimney needs cleaning.

Build up of dust, soot, and even spiders or other insects that get inside the burner over time can cause the flame to burn incorrectly, and affect your fridge’s ability to stay cool. You may notice that the freezer is getting cold, but not the fridge.

the 12V heating element cannot handle the ambient temperature.

If you’re operating your 2-way or 3-way fridge on 12V, you may find it struggles on hotter days. Unfortunately this can be a normal symptom of absorption fridges as the small 12V heating element cannot produce the same amount of heat as a gas flame. For this reason we only recommend operating a 3-way fridge on 12V as a temporary measure.

Noticed your gas fridge is starting to use more gas than it used to? Try checking if your burner needs cleaning.

The burner or chimney needs cleaning.

Over time, soot may eventually build up inside the flame burner or the chimney and this will need cleaning. It is also possible that when the fridge is not in use, dust, spiders, wasps or other items can get inside the burner tube or chimney. This can cause the flame to burn incorrectly and in turn the fridge will not cool as well, especially on hotter days.

We often get asked common questions about gas and 3-way caravan fridges by our customers. We’ve compiled a list of these frequently asked questions with answers to help you get the best performance from your gas or 3-way caravan fridge.

A common question we receive from our customers is whether you can install a gas fridge into a caravan. This is not something we recommend for a number of reasons – see our detailed breakdown of the pros and cons of installing gas fridges into caravans. We always recommend 12V compressor fridges for installing in vehicles, caravans and RVs and our range of portable fridges has been voted by productreview.com.au as the best in Australia for many years. See our full range of award-winning mobile fridges.

Fridges that operate on LPG have an absorption cooling system, which makes them best for fixed, off-grid living or longer term camping. These days, absorption cooling systems are no longer the first choice for mobile situations like caravans, RV’s or boats, especially in warmer weather.

To find out why, take a look at this list of requirements that an absorption fridge needs to work efficiently in a caravan:

1. A 100% stable and level surface.
2. Extensive and correct ventilation.
3. To be kept away from heat sources like a stove, oven or direct sunlight.
4. Clean gas and a maintained burner
5. A “T” tropical rating for use in a cavity, as most absorption fridges are not tropical rated for built-in installations.

As you can see from the list above, an absorption fridge is not always a great match for a caravan. So before you book your gas caravan fridge in for repair, it might be time to consider upgrading your fridge to a compressor model.