Our portable 3 way electrolux fridge has apparently stopped working. It's currently 'on holiday' with our friends in the Dordogne. It still gets hot at the back, but doesn't cool. OH thinks it's likely that it has lost the gas coolant. I understand (from reading adverts on ebay) that these fridges can be re-gassed, but we've no idea how much this would cost. Our friends, who regularly borrow the fridge, are prepared to pay, but as the fridge is now some years old would it cost so much as to make buying a new fridge a better option? The replacement would be around £160.00 and we'd probably go halves on it - as they use it just as much as we do!
Anyone know how you 'Re-Gas' a portable three way fridge which has stopped cooling?
- Thread starter ValA.
- Start date
Have you tried leaving the fridge in the upside down position say overnight? Current off of course, someone told me a year or so back this worked for them, I think it may have something to do with displaceing an air lock if one exists.
There are some basic things to try.
The fridge must be used on a level surface.
Although it might be inconvenient, the fridge should be turned off and allowed to fully warm up and settle for a couple of hours, before tuning it on again.
I'm not convinced that turning it upside down will have any benefit as it will move the refrigerant from the place it needs to be .
The fridge must be used on a level surface.
Although it might be inconvenient, the fridge should be turned off and allowed to fully warm up and settle for a couple of hours, before tuning it on again.
I'm not convinced that turning it upside down will have any benefit as it will move the refrigerant from the place it needs to be .
Turning the fridge upside down works, the misconception is leaving it for hours in this position, 15 seconds is all it needs and then turn it back over and repeat this several times. once this is done and back upright, switch it on, no need to wait
If that does not work then it's perhaps blocked or overheating for another reason, what though you cannot do is regas it, they don't work the same as domestic fridges and don't contain 'gas'
Daft as it is and as much as I know about caravan fridges, I've just bought a brand new freezer for home and that's not working correctly, and I've not got a tube of glue!.... service guys coming next Tuesday!!!
If that does not work then it's perhaps blocked or overheating for another reason, what though you cannot do is regas it, they don't work the same as domestic fridges and don't contain 'gas'
Daft as it is and as much as I know about caravan fridges, I've just bought a brand new freezer for home and that's not working correctly, and I've not got a tube of glue!.... service guys coming next Tuesday!!!
Thanks, apparently they've tried turning it upside down, on the suggestion of fellow campers on the site - and it's still not working.
Anyone got one they wish to sell? It will spoil our holiday having to drink warm beer!
Anyone got one they wish to sell? It will spoil our holiday having to drink warm beer!
I used in my college vacation to work for Prescold an earlier adopter of absorption domestic refrigeration, in the 1950s. The technique to get them working was indeed turning them upside down, and for whatever reason it often worked. They were left inverted for several hours in that factory, often overnight. It’s interesting to hear that just leaving them for 15 seconds also works but that was not the method used by them.
As that is not working, has there been a gas leak?
The gas is ammonia and a leak is very evident by the smell if you are anywhere near the van when it occurred.
The steel tubing that these ammonia circuits are piped in on the rear of our Electrolux/Dometic fridges is prone to corrosion [rusting through] in our caravan application where the weather can get at it; particularly near welds and soldered joints where traces of flux have been left under the paint.
If it has rusted to the extent that it leaked there appears no alternative but to replace the whole unit. If this is with a working second hand one check for early signs of rust and treat these before installing it.
As that is not working, has there been a gas leak?
The gas is ammonia and a leak is very evident by the smell if you are anywhere near the van when it occurred.
The steel tubing that these ammonia circuits are piped in on the rear of our Electrolux/Dometic fridges is prone to corrosion [rusting through] in our caravan application where the weather can get at it; particularly near welds and soldered joints where traces of flux have been left under the paint.
If it has rusted to the extent that it leaked there appears no alternative but to replace the whole unit. If this is with a working second hand one check for early signs of rust and treat these before installing it.
Thanks! I've had a look around now and found a new Dometic fridge for £147.00 - and our friends are going to price up a new one in France. I've also put a 'Wanted' Ad on our local Freecycle, and on various forums which allow contributors to advertise, just in case anyone has one they don't use any more!
That seems a fair price,
and just think you'll only have to give up the 10 pints a night for a week to pay for it
and just think you'll only have to give up the 10 pints a night for a week to pay for it
How hot is it down there?, these fridges take about 30 degrees out of the general temperature the fridge is in, ie if it's in the awning and that's at 45C, then the fridge will only get down to 15C.
If that might be the reason? then a cheap fan blowing over the lower part of the fridge can aid cooling the back of the fridge and get the beer a lot cooler.
note, if it's running on gas you will need to safely protect the flame from the affects of the fan.
JTQ, I've fixed countless fridges simply by turning over and listening for the last drop of liquid to drop and then turning back, what I want to hear is 10 seconds of dripping and at best 13 or 14, hence I say 15 seconds. All this does is remix the fluids which may have seperated into layers
What I found is it won't work or at least work well below 10 seconds, ie, there is a mechanical blockage, if I hear more I'll expect it to work once switched back on.
Once when my workshop was very hot I struggled to get what I expected to work, to work, what I then found was it's the very bottom pipework that overheats and it's this then that needs most cooling.
Also it works better if the back is fairly closely boxed in to create a chimney effect to get best use of the movement of air from the fan over the whole back of the fridge, that also applies to fixed fridges in vans.
Again if running on gas materials used must be carefully choosen
If that might be the reason? then a cheap fan blowing over the lower part of the fridge can aid cooling the back of the fridge and get the beer a lot cooler.
note, if it's running on gas you will need to safely protect the flame from the affects of the fan.
JTQ, I've fixed countless fridges simply by turning over and listening for the last drop of liquid to drop and then turning back, what I want to hear is 10 seconds of dripping and at best 13 or 14, hence I say 15 seconds. All this does is remix the fluids which may have seperated into layers
What I found is it won't work or at least work well below 10 seconds, ie, there is a mechanical blockage, if I hear more I'll expect it to work once switched back on.
Once when my workshop was very hot I struggled to get what I expected to work, to work, what I then found was it's the very bottom pipework that overheats and it's this then that needs most cooling.
Also it works better if the back is fairly closely boxed in to create a chimney effect to get best use of the movement of air from the fan over the whole back of the fridge, that also applies to fixed fridges in vans.
Again if running on gas materials used must be carefully choosen
No, it wasn't hot - it was cold and raining when they phoned - and had been for the previous four days. In fact they'd move on from the Pyrenees because they were fed up of the rain. Today is one of the first sunny days they've had! It doesn't have the gas regulator or bottle with it, as it's a long time since we used it on gas. It's always worked very well indeed on 240v, even in the hottest temperatures, and will make ice in a small ice-maker which sits on a shelf across the back of the inside part. It will even freeze anything left in contact with that shelf. (Or rather it would, now it's not doing anything at all - just getting hot at the back).
It's also been kept very level - we're (both couples) aware that it's important to keep it level at all times, and also to keep it in the shade, away from sun - though there wasn't any at the time! It also used to keep things reasonably cold in the car, running on 12v, providing the temperature was kept low and the lid not opened for a few hours before disconnecting it from 240v. We've even had it in the back of the car on our overnight stops, but running on 240v via an extension lead through the open window of the caravan!
Thanks for your help, though, but I think we'll have to bite the bullet and buy a new one.
It's also been kept very level - we're (both couples) aware that it's important to keep it level at all times, and also to keep it in the shade, away from sun - though there wasn't any at the time! It also used to keep things reasonably cold in the car, running on 12v, providing the temperature was kept low and the lid not opened for a few hours before disconnecting it from 240v. We've even had it in the back of the car on our overnight stops, but running on 240v via an extension lead through the open window of the caravan!
Thanks for your help, though, but I think we'll have to bite the bullet and buy a new one.
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500002901&langId=-1&searchTerms=4810155#pdpFullProductInformation
…… I have use one of these for over 10 years as a caravan freezer in conjunction with the normal caravan fridge and a coolbag.
It will work well in high ambient temperatures and still cool to –18degC as it uses compressor technology which is far superior to absorption technology to be found in a caravan fridge or 3 way cooler.
Mine has travelled thousands of miles and this has not damaged it.
I use it to cool drinks before drinking or putting in caravan fridge, in fact to cool anything before putting it in the caravan fridge.
Obviously it is used to store normal frozen food or ices we have bought.
We also use it for a plentiful supply of ice packs for the cool bag to keep drinks or food cool when we are out on solo car trips.
It of course has to be emptied and defrosted before you leave site and move on, but you become quite adept at this by pre planning.
It of course also needs an EHU!
At £99.99 it is a lot of cold stuff for your money and worth considering as an alternative.
…… I have use one of these for over 10 years as a caravan freezer in conjunction with the normal caravan fridge and a coolbag.
It will work well in high ambient temperatures and still cool to –18degC as it uses compressor technology which is far superior to absorption technology to be found in a caravan fridge or 3 way cooler.
Mine has travelled thousands of miles and this has not damaged it.
I use it to cool drinks before drinking or putting in caravan fridge, in fact to cool anything before putting it in the caravan fridge.
Obviously it is used to store normal frozen food or ices we have bought.
We also use it for a plentiful supply of ice packs for the cool bag to keep drinks or food cool when we are out on solo car trips.
It of course has to be emptied and defrosted before you leave site and move on, but you become quite adept at this by pre planning.
It of course also needs an EHU!
At £99.99 it is a lot of cold stuff for your money and worth considering as an alternative.
That's a great idea, and a good price - but ideally we do need something which will run in the car whilst we're travelling. This is more important than ever this time, as we've left the caravan in storage in France and we're planning on travelling down over the course of two days, then picking it up. Our old fridge would have kept things cold in the car, plugged into the 12v socket - then it could have come into the overnight hotel with us to be plugged in and cool down a bit more, then back in the car the following day.
If we'd had the caravan here I think we would have plumped for this mini-freezer instead. I will still mention it to OH as a possible alternative, as no doubt with judicious use of the freezer before we go, keeping it well covered in the car, on something to soak up any defrosted water, the door closed, and not filling it wish fish or other smelly bits, it may just keep solidly frozen things sufficiently cold until we get down to France. We do have two coolbags as well, where we've previously kept things frozen (one bag inside the other) for up to three travelling days.
Just spoken to OH and going to look at one at local Comet this afternoon!
Unfortunately it appears to be out of stock at the moment - typical of our luck! However, other stores appear to have them.
Thanks for the thought! Good one
If we'd had the caravan here I think we would have plumped for this mini-freezer instead. I will still mention it to OH as a possible alternative, as no doubt with judicious use of the freezer before we go, keeping it well covered in the car, on something to soak up any defrosted water, the door closed, and not filling it wish fish or other smelly bits, it may just keep solidly frozen things sufficiently cold until we get down to France. We do have two coolbags as well, where we've previously kept things frozen (one bag inside the other) for up to three travelling days.
Just spoken to OH and going to look at one at local Comet this afternoon!
Unfortunately it appears to be out of stock at the moment - typical of our luck! However, other stores appear to have them.
Thanks for the thought! Good one
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