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Norcold 3163 How To Fix
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Norcold 3163 How To Fix

Norcold 3163 How To Fix

Burner ignites but flame will not hold problem on the refrigerator in the vw eurovan
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How To Fix The "Burner Ignites But Flame Will Not Hold" Problem
Background
Many people have posted on Eurovan blogs, the problem of placing the Norcold 3163 into propane mode,
pushing the start button for an eternity, and the flame doesn't stay lit. This can result from several problems,
which will be made clear below.
Safety Information and Caveats Before Starting
Any changes made to your unit should only be attempted if the warranty has expired. By now, that should be
moot, since most original warranties have probably expired.
If you are not electrically inclined, or cannot easily follow these directions, then it is recommended you find
a qualified assistant, or, do NOT perform the changes stated below. Because this involves propane gas and
electrical circuits that can lead to a dangerous situation, it is recommended you proceed with caution.
No liability can be assumed for the use of these instructions.
To continue with these instructions, first download a copy of the 'Norcold 3163 Service Manual' found at:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/ev_update/files/Norcold%20documentation. (Must be a registered
member.) References from this service manual are used in this document.
It is recommended you print out and read through these instructions in their entirety, to familiarize yourself
with the work that will be accomplished.
Verifying the Symptom
1. Turn on the propane valve at the external tank – fully counterclockwise. (BTW, the tank valve seats
at both ends; fully closed and fully open. Always turn it either fully open or fully closed, firmly
seating it at either end.)
2. From the 'User's Operating Guide' (found at the link above), we first put the unit in 'propane mode'.
This is done by pressing the 'E' button shown below, the one with the flame graphic.
on the Norcold 3163 Refrigerator
in the VW Eurovan
Page 1 of 15

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Summary of Contents for Norcold 3163

  • Page 1 VW Eurovan Background Many people have posted on Eurovan blogs, the problem of placing the Norcold 3163 into propane mode, pushing the start button for an eternity, and the flame doesn’t stay lit. This can result from several problems, which will be made clear below.
  • Page 2 3. Immediately, you should hear a continuous ticking or clicking sound coming from underneath the refrigerator. This is the electronic igniter – a high voltage spark, jumping across to the burner. It will continue indefinitely unless the burner either lights or you press a button other than Propane. If you do not hear the continuous ticking sound (assuming you have a quiet environment to hear it), the electronic igniter may be bad, or a 12V fuse may be blown (located on the top of the refrigerator).
  • Page 3 Next, the exhaust vents must be detached at the rear of the fridge. To get to these, the rear cabinet panels under the sink must be removed for access. 2. Open the cabinet door to the left of fridge and loosen the screws holding the door to the hinge bars. Slide the door off the hinges and set it aside.
  • Page 4 9. Gently pull the hoses from the wall vent structure (7); a press fit. The hoses should have Neoprene O-rings on the ends (8), as seals against the vent housing. If you tear one of these O-rings, they can be replaced with standard Neoprene rings from the local auto or hardware store. They prevent exhaust gas from leaking into the van’s interior.
  • Page 5 (Two wrenches should always be used to prevent over torque and stripping any threads.) 16. Slowly continue to pull the fridge out of the cabinet. It will slide on its brackets and should not scuff the vinyl flooring. Swing the right rear corner out first. This allows the fins on the left to clear the cabinet opening.
  • Page 6 3. Gently pull the lower half away, while keeping the thermocouple, igniter, and gas line attached. 4. Tilt the fridge back to its upright position, with the lower half of the burner box sitting next to it. Now you are ready for some testing. There are several issues that could be preventing the flame from staying on.
  • Page 7 If you find an after-market thermocouple the right length, be absolutely sure the threads on the nut are an exact match for the threads on the Norcold gas valve. Use a thread gauge, if in doubt. Note: Do NOT use thread sealing tape or pipe dope on these threads! The flange nut will self seal on the ferrule, when tightened.
  • Page 8 5. The thermocouple only puts out about 30 millivolts, so any ‘loose’ connections at the gas valve will quickly cause loss of thermocouple voltage arriving at the valve end. Using two open-ended wrenches carefully ensure that the thermocouple is tight where it enters the interrupter, and the interrupter is tight in the gas valve.
  • Page 9 13. Press the Propane button (E), then the Safety Valve button (A), on the front panel. The burner should light and the panel lamp should remain on. If the burner stays on when the Safety Valve button is released after 20 seconds, the relighter module is the culprit (it was bypassed in this experiment). You can stop here and replace the relighter module, or proceed with an alternate solution that will solve the problem, for a lot less expense.
  • Page 10 The interrupter’s sole job is to cut off the gas supply, whenever the fridge is not being used in Propane mode. The new relay will do the same task, but with guaranteed success, because it too will be energized by the Propane button, but disabling the gas valve when the panel control is off or put in other modes.
  • Page 11 “Propane” button Wiring Diagram N.O. (coil polarity is unimportant) 12VDC Relay Page 11 of 15...
  • Page 12 Physical Connections Remove WHT wires from interrupter. Insulate and set aside. (coil polarity is unimportant) 12VDC Relay Page 12 of 15...
  • Page 13 Final Drawing and Suggested Wiring Details - from Paul Gloger Wiring colors above are suggested for ease of identification, but other colors may be substituted. Page 13 of 15...
  • Page 14 Installation and Testing of the New Relay Circuit 1. Remove the +12V and 12V GND wires from the terminal block and set aside, ensuring the +12V does not short to any other metal or wires with some temporary tape as insulation. 2.
  • Page 15 16. Tip the fridge on its side and reapply the burner box and base cover. Ensure that all wiring and the gas line are not abrading any sheet metal. 17. Tip the fridge back up, connect the van’s 12V wires, plug the 120VAC cord into the van’s duplex socket behind the fridge, and reconnect the gas line.