# Fridge Won't Start



## kev (Oct 10, 2007)

I've recently tried to start up the fridge on electric/battery, but no luck. I have it set to auto, I then turn it on and wait. It ends up saying check. Am I missing a step somewhere?


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## Northern Wind (Nov 21, 2006)

kev said:


> I've recently tried to start up the fridge on electric/battery, but no luck. I have it set to auto, I then turn it on and wait. It ends up saying check. Am I missing a step somewhere?


Is the trailer sitting level? I find that if the trailer sites for any length of time on a angle that I have problems with the fridge. Once leveled it works fine, I'm sure there is an explanation for this but all I care is it works.

Steve


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

Are you pluged in to shore power? If not then it will try to run on propane, if the LP (propane) is off it will signal the check light. To remedy this turn on one of your LP tanks (check) which side the tank selector is on. Then light a stove burner to purge the line, now the the fridge. James


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

what they said... Is the 12v battery charged?


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

As mentioned above it sounds like a Propane issue. The fridge does not run on the battery by itself but the battery must be charged to run on propane.


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## LarryTheOutback (Jun 15, 2005)

To be a little clearer...

The fridge cools on either Propane or 110VAC (house current). It does not cool using 12V (battery). The fridge does use 12VDC to run the circuitry in the fridge, to ignite the propane and to turn on the inside light.

Ed


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

LarryTheOutback said:


> To be a little clearer...
> 
> The fridge cools on either Propane or 110VAC (house current). It does not cool using 12V (battery). The fridge does use 12VDC to run the circuitry in the fridge, to ignite the propane and to turn on the inside light.
> 
> Ed


Well put Ed!


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## kev (Oct 10, 2007)

To get this straight, when I'm pulling the trailer it has to run off of propane? I always thought that it ran off the battery while on the road and then propane when you are camping. I do have the propane tank off, so if I turn it on w/a fully charged battery it should start up just fine? I'll try it. Thanks.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

kev said:


> To get this straight, when I'm pulling the trailer it has to run off of propane? I always thought that it ran off the battery while on the road and then propane when you are camping. I do have the propane tank off, so if I turn it on w/a fully charged battery it should start up just fine? I'll try it. Thanks.


That will make it work but also if the tanks are off for any length of time you will need to purge the lines (run the stove top). The fridge may still fail to start on propane a couple of times but each time the check light comes on just turn the fridge off then back on to reset it.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

kev said:


> To get this straight, when I'm pulling the trailer it has to run off of propane? I always thought that it ran off the battery while on the road and then propane when you are camping. I do have the propane tank off, so if I turn it on w/a fully charged battery it should start up just fine? I'll try it. Thanks.


The Outback refrigerators only run off Propane or 110 (each need 12v as well for circuit board control). You might be thinking of a 3 way refrig in most pop-up trailers. They would run on 12v, propane or 110v. Those are smaller refrigerators and could run with just a small amount of power from the battery only....but the Outback has a large frig and freezer....that would drain a 12v battery in nothing flat.

Then the next question is can you tow while the propane is running the frig. There has been a lot of debate on this topic on this forum and I think we are split down the middle. Personally, I leave mine off if the campground is less then 90 minutes away...longer than that I will travel with it on. Some say to turn it off while filling up at a gas station. This is another debate. I don't turn mine off when pulling into a gas station...other do.

If you get the frig running for 24hrs while at home all the food has been cooled and the freezer is ready...then you'll be fine.


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## mmblantz (Jul 1, 2007)

Oregon_Camper said:


> To get this straight, when I'm pulling the trailer it has to run off of propane? I always thought that it ran off the battery while on the road and then propane when you are camping. I do have the propane tank off, so if I turn it on w/a fully charged battery it should start up just fine? I'll try it. Thanks.


The Outback refrigerators only run off Propane or 110 (each need 12v as well for circuit board control). You might be thinking of a 3 way refrig in most pop-up trailers. They would run on 12v, propane or 110v. Those are smaller refrigerators and could run with just a small amount of power from the battery only....but the Outback has a large frig and freezer....that would drain a 12v battery in nothing flat.

Then the next question is can you tow while the propane is running the frig. There has been a lot of debate on this topic on this forum and I think we are split down the middle. Personally, I leave mine off if the campground is less then 90 minutes away...longer than that I will travel with it on. Some say to turn it off while filling up at a gas station. This is another debate. I don't turn mine off when pulling into a gas station...other do.

If you get the frig running for 24hrs while at home all the food has been cooled and the freezer is ready...then you'll be fine.
[/quote]

Ok, that clears up propane. Can you set it to electric while towing and operate the fridge off of the electrical system of the TV or does the power provided to TT from TV only power/control brakes/lights?


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

mmblantz said:


> To get this straight, when I'm pulling the trailer it has to run off of propane? I always thought that it ran off the battery while on the road and then propane when you are camping. I do have the propane tank off, so if I turn it on w/a fully charged battery it should start up just fine? I'll try it. Thanks.


The Outback refrigerators only run off Propane or 110 (each need 12v as well for circuit board control). You might be thinking of a 3 way refrig in most pop-up trailers. They would run on 12v, propane or 110v. Those are smaller refrigerators and could run with just a small amount of power from the battery only....but the Outback has a large frig and freezer....that would drain a 12v battery in nothing flat.

Then the next question is can you tow while the propane is running the frig. There has been a lot of debate on this topic on this forum and I think we are split down the middle. Personally, I leave mine off if the campground is less then 90 minutes away...longer than that I will travel with it on. Some say to turn it off while filling up at a gas station. This is another debate. I don't turn mine off when pulling into a gas station...other do.

If you get the frig running for 24hrs while at home all the food has been cooled and the freezer is ready...then you'll be fine.
[/quote]

Ok, that clears up propane. Can you set it to electric while towing and operate the fridge off of the electrical system of the TV or does the power provided to TT from TV only power/control brakes/lights?
[/quote]

The TV only provides DC power. To run on AC you need to be connected to shore power or have a DC-AC inverter.


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## LarryTheOutback (Jun 15, 2005)

mmblantz said:


> Can you set it to electric while towing and operate the fridge off of the electrical system of the TV


No. Our refrigerators operate (cool) only on 120VAC (House Current) or Propane. 12VDC is required to run the electronics of the fridge, but is NOT used to cool it.

Ed


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