23rd Oct 2026
How to Clean an RV Refrigerator Burner, Orifice and Flue (Norcold and Dometic)
HOW-TO · PROPANE
How to Clean an RV Refrigerator Burner, Orifice and Flue (Norcold and Dometic)
Most “won’t light on propane” and “poor cooling on gas” problems start here. Norcold and Dometic both call for this cleaning once a year.
The short version
- Clean the burner, orifice (jet), flue and baffle once a year. Norcold says to clean the burner tube annually, and Dometic says “at least once a year.”
- Never push a pin or wire into the orifice. Both brands warn it damages the precision opening. Use alcohol and air (Norcold) or an alcohol soak (Dometic).
- Set the spark electrode gap to 3/16 in. (Dometic) or 1/8 to 3/16 in. (most Norcold manuals).
- A good flame is blue and steady. Yellow or flickering means the burner is dirty.
Before you start
- You’ll need two wrenches, gloves, a flashlight, compressed air, isopropyl alcohol, a flue brush, needle-nose pliers and leak-detecting solution.
- Shut it down close the valve at the propane tank, turn the fridge off and disconnect 120V and 12V. Dometic also says to close the fridge’s manual gas shutoff.
- Let it cool Norcold warns the burner box door can be hot. Wear gloves.
- Who should do it Norcold and Dometic both say this maintenance should be done by a qualified RV technician. If you’re not comfortable working on gas lines, have a shop do it.
Covers these models
Propane absorption refrigerators. 12V compressor fridges (Norcold N8DC–N20DC, Furrion Arctic, Everchill) have no burner.
Signs your burner or flue needs cleaning
- Won’t light on propane: Norcold shows “no FL” and Dometic lights the CHECK lamp. Norcold’s own no-flame flowchart starts with “Is the burner clean?”
- Yellow, flickering or lazy flame, or a flame touching the side of the flue tube.
- Flame coming out of the wrong holes. Norcold says flame at any burner-tube opening other than the slots means the tube is blocked inside.
- Cools on electric but not on gas, or gas cooling has slowly gotten worse.
- Fume smell. Dometic lists a damaged burner or dirty flue as a cause. Turn the fridge off and have it checked.
Step-by-step: clean the burner, orifice and flue
STEP 1
Shut off gas and power
Close the tank valve, turn the fridge off and unplug it from 120V and 12V. Wait for the burner area to cool.
STEP 2
Open the lower outside vent and find the burner box
The burner sits at the bottom right of the cooling unit (looking from outside), under the tall flue tube, inside a burner box with a cover.
STEP 3
Remove the burner and orifice
How you do this depends on your model:
Norcold N7 / N8 Polar
The burner, orifice and gas valve come out together as one “gas train.” Unplug the two white wires, disconnect the gas line with two wrenches, remove the two bracket screws and pull the gas train. Norcold says not to remove the burner from it, and the LP18 orifice isn’t replaceable.
Norcold 1200 / 2118 / N6 / N8 · Dometic
Remove the burner box cover (Norcold) or burner housing cover (Dometic). Disconnect the burner tube from the orifice, then remove the orifice assembly and the burner retaining screw. Use two wrenches on every gas fitting.
STEP 4
Clean the orifice (jet), gently
This is the part people ruin. The orifice has a tiny precision opening, and on many models a jeweled insert.
Norcold
Clean the orifice with air pressure and alcohol only. Don’t take the orifice out of its adapter, and never put a pin or wire in it or drill it out. The 1200 service manual says to wash it in alcohol and let it air dry, and replace it if that doesn’t clean it.
Dometic
Soak the jet in an alcohol-based solvent for about an hour, then let it air dry. Don’t put anything in the hole, and don’t blow it out with an air nozzle: Dometic says the jewel can move.
STEP 5
Clean the burner tube
Brush off rust and carbon and blow out the slots. Norcold N7 / N8: compressed air only, into the burner tube openings. Norcold 1200: you can run a 3/16 in. double-spiral wire brush through the inside, taking care not to damage the threads. Dometic: soak in alcohol solvent or brush, then blow out with air. When it goes back in, the burner slots must sit directly under the flue tube.
Burner tube too rusty or damaged?
Replace it rather than cleaning it.
STEP 6
Clean the flue and check the baffle
Rust and scale that fall down the flue land on the burner. Dometic’s procedure: remove the flue cap and baffle, cover the burner, and run a flue brush (Dometic part 0151404001) down the tube. Then check the baffle and put it back at the right height (table below). On the Norcold 1200, the baffle hangs on a retaining wire just above the flame. Norcold says not to cut or modify that wire, because it sets the baffle’s height.
Baffle missing, rusted through or bent?
A bad baffle wastes heat and hurts gas cooling.
STEP 7
Check the spark electrode
Clean the tip and set the gap from the tip to the burner (table below). On Dometic models the tip sits above the burner slots; loosen the screw to move it rather than bending it. Look for cracks in the white ceramic insulator. A cracked insulator means a new electrode.
Electrode cracked or worn?
Replace it and set the gap.
STEP 8
Reassemble and leak-test
Thread every fitting by hand first, then tighten with two wrenches. Open the gas and check each connection with leak-detecting solution. Never use a flame to check for leaks, and keep the solution off electrical parts.
STEP 9
Light it and look at the flame
Set the fridge to its coldest setting so the burner stays lit. Norcold describes a good flame as darker blue inside and lighter blue outside, steady, not touching the flue. Dometic says clear blue over the burner slots.
Blue, steady flame and the fridge cools on gas?
Done
Note the date. Do it again next year, or sooner if the RV sat for a long time (spiders and mud daubers love burner tubes).
Have the LP pressure and gas valve checked
Both brands specify 11 in. water column at the fridge, and a technician should measure it with a manometer. If pressure is right and it still won’t light, follow your model’s flowchart: Norcold 1200/1210 no FL, N6/N8 no FL, 2118 no FL or Dometic not cooling on propane.
Specs: electrode gap, baffle height and jet size
| Model | Electrode gap (tip to burner) |
|---|---|
| Dometic Americana, RM2652 / RM2852, RM3762 / RM3962 | 3/16 in. (service manuals) |
| Norcold 1200, 2118, N305 / N306 | 1/8 to 3/16 in. |
| Norcold N7 / N8 Polar | 1/8 to 3/16 in. (service manual); 3/16 in. (owner’s manual) |
| Dometic models | Baffle height above burner | Jet size |
|---|---|---|
| RM2652, RM2662 / 2663, RM2852, RM2862, RM3762, RM3962 | 1-7/8 in. | #58 |
| RM2351–RM2554 | 1-15/32 in. | #39 (2351–2354) / #43 (2451–2554) |
| RM2612 | 1-5/8 in. | #53 |
| RM2812 | 1-3/4 in. | not listed |
Dometic says to check the jet size if gas cooling is poor. Norcold orifices: LP18 on the newer 1200 and the N7 / N8, LP22 on the 2118.
Parts for this repair
Norcold Burner Orifice Assembly 629013 (1200)View part →
Norcold Burner Orifice Assembly 635614 (1210)View part →
Norcold Burner/Orifice Assembly 621957 (N6, N8, N1095 and more)View part →
Norcold Gas Valve, Sparker and Burner 639572 (N7X / N8X / N10X)View part →
Norcold Burner Tube 624683 (1200 / 1210)View part →
Norcold Burner Tube 624682 (N6 / N8)View part →
Norcold Spark Sense Electrode 61692222 (fits most models)View part →
Dometic Electrode with Conductor 2932781012View part →
Dometic Flue Baffle 2932667039 (RM2652 / RM3663 / RM3762)View part →
Dometic Flue Baffle 2932667047 (DM2852 / RM3962)View part →
Dometic Flue Baffle 2932667054 (RM1350 / NDR1492)View part →Shop by category: Norcold burners & orifices, Dometic burners & gas valves.
FAQ
How often should I clean my RV fridge burner?
Once a year. Norcold says to clean the burner tube annually and Dometic says at least once a year. The Norcold 1200 warranty also required a burner, flue and baffle service in the second year.
Can I clean the orifice with a needle or wire?
No. Norcold and Dometic both warn that a pin or wire damages the precision opening. Use alcohol and air (Norcold) or an alcohol soak with no air nozzle (Dometic). If it won’t come clean, replace it.
What should the spark gap be?
About 3/16 in. from the electrode tip to the burner. Dometic specifies 3/16 in.; most Norcold manuals give 1/8 to 3/16 in.
What does a yellow flame mean?
A dirty or blocked burner. Norcold says to call a dealer if the flame is yellow, flickers or changes shape.
Why does my fridge cool on electric but not on propane?
A dirty burner, orifice or flue is the most common cause. After that, check LP pressure (11 in. water column) and the gas valve.
Still stuck? Ask a tech with your model, serial number and what you’ve found. We’ll confirm the part before you order.
Procedures and specs from Norcold (N7/N8, 1200, 2118, N305/N306) and Dometic (Americana, RM3762/RM3962, Service Tips 81) service and owner’s manuals. Gas work should be done by a qualified technician.