It sounds as if you have a leak between the shutoff valve at the tank and
the appliances. Sitting for a while, the heating and cooling of gas in the
lines draws in air to the point that you need more gas for combustion. I
have to do purge the system by running the burners if I take it apart for
any reason.

Jim

On Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 11:36 AM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:

> Well, just to update on this trivial situation (seen as trivial now):  I
> had totally forgotten that when I leave both the refrigerator and the stove
> off for more than a week or so in cold to cool weather, there is an
> important trick to getting the refrigerator lit -- light the stove first,
> and let it burn for a minute or so.  I think I got this tip from Brent
> Christensen's post maybe three years ago, and have found it handy a handful
> of times.  Anyway, I did that this morning, and the refrigerator worked
> properly.  I think that what happens is that the propane is not flowing
> enough to get fuel to the refrigerator igniter, but that the tiny amount
> that reaches the stove burner will ignite and once burning initiates more
> flow.  This hypothesis is reinforced by the fact that the initial stove
> flame is very low, then grows to full size.  Then I can light the
> refrigerator.  Initially, the orange lamp indicating propane flow and
> current was steady, as before.  After a minute with the stove burner
> burning, the lamp began to flash.
>
> I'll recheck this afternoon and see how the ignition process goes, but I
> think I don't have anything wrong, just cold propane.  Last night I had
> concluded that my trip this weekend would be without a refrigerator.  That
> is not a critical concern this time of year, for sure, but we are having
> exceptionally warm weather.  Yesterday's high reached 67 F.  We have had
> above freezing temperatures most mornings this entire year, with the lowest
> in January being just under 20 F.  Our total snowfall this winter has been
> one inch.  Given the forecast for the weekend (lows mid to upper thirties)
> where I am going in Arkansas, I went ahead and filled the water tank in the
> camper.  If it looks to get colder, I can always drain it.  There is spring
> water at the campground.  I can use that for cooking and washing (usually
> do, even if I have water with me -- prefer the native water for coffee
> anyway, just a quirk I have).
>
> Thanks for your help, David
>
> mcneely
>
> ---- David Vickery <david_vickery@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > You are going to have to pull it out.  I remembered I posted this on
> samba about another guy an electronic ignition problem, that you may
> find helpful.  I think the spark may be grounding.
> >
> > From http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/Mandiag.pdf  which is a great
> resource.
> >
> > The igniter reigniter, used on certain Dometic
> > model refrigerators, operates on 12 volt current.
> > On gas operation the igniter senses the resistance
> > through the flame between the electrode
> > and burner. When there is no flame at the
> > burner, the resistance is high and the igniter
> > begins sparking to light the burner. As soon as
> > the flame is lit, the resistance between the
> > electrode and burner drops and the igniter
> > stops sparking. The resistance is monitored by
> > the igniter, and, if for any reason the flame
> > goes out, the igniter begins sparking until the
> > burner is lit. This insures that the flame will
> > always be lit when desired. Each time the
> > igniter reigniter system sparks, a light will
> > illuminate on the lower left front corner of the
> > refrigerator.
> > If the electrode does not spark first, make sure
> > the igniter is receiving 12 volts. If the igniter is
> > receiving 12 volts and produces no spark, it
> > must be checked for operation.
> > (61)
> > Turn the refrigerator off and remove the wire
> > between the electrode and igniter. Now turn the
> > refrigerator to the gas mode. If no internal
> > clicking sound is heard the igniter is defective.
> > It is important to remove the high voltage wire
> > that goes to the electrode from the igniter when
> > you are checking the igniter for operation. The
> > high voltage wire and the electrode can be
> > shorted to ground causing the igniter reigniter
> > to think that the flame is lit, resulting in no
> > spark on gas operation.
> > (62)
> > The distance between the tip of the electrode
> > and the burner, known as the spark gap,
> > should be 3/16 of an inch. A greater distance
> > will create a slow spark causing the light to
> > blink. A lesser distance will create a fast spark
> > that may not light the burner.
> >
> > --- On Thu, 2/2/12, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET> wrote:
> >
> >
> > From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
> > Subject: refrigerator failure, '91 VW Vanagon GL Campmobile
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Date: Thursday, February 2, 2012, 8:16 PM
> >
> >
> > I have been smug all this time about my dometic refrigerator operating
> well, cooling effectively, and being easy to light.  Well, it won't light,
> now.
> >
> > When I push the switch for propane (the propane one of the three push
> switches at the right of the refrigerator control panel) and go through all
> the proper machinations, it does not light.  Another symptom is that the
> orange lamp that should flash to indicate that the propane switch is
> working does not flash.  When I push the switch, the lamp just comes on and
> glows with a steady orange light.
> >
> > I am following the lighting protocol correctly.  this is the first time
> I've ever had trouble with lighting the thing, and it has me exasperated.
> Usually, I run the refrigerator on A.C. for a few hours.  When the box is
> good and cold, I know that the heater box is good and warm.  Then I just
> open the propane valve at the tank, open the refrigerator, pump the pump a
> few times, push the propane switch, the lamp begins flashing, I make sure
> the propane valve on the control panel is turned to on, turn the thermostat
> to maximum, hold the safety button down, and pump a few times.  The
> refrigerator fires up.  So, if the lamp glows steadily rather than
> flashing, what does that indicate?
> >
> > When I first got the beast, I pulled the refrigerator and cleaned
> thoroughly.  It really wasn't that dirty.  That was three years ago.  The
> refrigerator has worked great ever since, until now.  It has probably sat
> for longer without being operated in a couple of recent spells (about two
> months two different times) than any time in the three years I've had it.
> Are there things that go bad in that time?
> >
> > Any help appreciated.
> >
> > mcneely
>
> --
> David McNeely
>