Electrolux RM 270 Fridge doesn't work

[Paul_5073080]

I have an Electrolux RM 270 3 way fridge that doesn't get cold. It does make some gurgling noises from the back and does push out heat from the vent on the outside of the van but the inside just won't get cold, although it does seem to get warmer? Any ideas? I did read someowhere else that it may help if I remove the fridge and turn it upside down for a couple of days to move the coolant around since it's been unused for at least 12 months, does this sound like normal practice? I don't want to go to the trouble of removing it if there's an easier solution.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Paul.

 

[Damian]

Paul, taking the fridge out and turning it upside down *usually* cures the kind of problem you have.It does not have to be for 2 days thougfh, a couple of hours is enough to allow the coolant to remix, after it has been sitting for so long.Taking it out is a pain, but not as expensive as buying an unnecessary new fridge.

 

[Paul_5073080]

Is it quite common that fridges dont work if not used for any length of time? How many people have had to take their fridge out and turn it on its head for a couple of hours? I'm really not looking forward to doing it but if there's a good chance it'll work then I'm obviously up for it!

Thanks,

Paul

 

[a_5071302]

Also, make sure your van is level before testing the fridge. They do take a while to cool down as well!

 

[Paul_5073080]

How long do they take, I left it on 240v for at least a couple of hours and it was showing no signs of getting cold.

 

[Damian]

Paul, in answer to your questions, a fridge which has been left standing, unused for a long time, the coolant settles into its different chemical elements, like having a layer of oil on water, for want of a better example, and this needs remixing if it gets like this. The easiest way to avoid this is to run the fridge for a couple of hours every few months when not being used. As for cooling,. from room temperature to coldest setting usually takes up to 24 hours to achieve. A couple of hours will not see much temp change.

 

[Paul_5073080]

Thankyou for your help. I think, based on the advice given, I'm going to remove the fridge, sit it on it's head for a couple of hours and rotate it every now and again, refit it and leave it switched on for a day or two.

MAny thanks once again,....watch this space!

 

[gary]

To turn the fridge on it's head is good advice but leaving it there for anymore than the time it takes for the 'fluids' to drain from one end to the other is a waste of time, about 15 seconds is plenty and the more it is turned the better..shaking does no harm either!!.

Things vary but in general if you can hear the fluids draining to the last drop for more than 10 seconds between turns it should work when righted and switched on.

A good fridge will drop to freezing in the ice box in an hour on gas if the outside temperature is below 20C although nothing will happen before 40 minutes have elapsed as it takes this time for the circulation to begin.

 

[Rod_5041370]

I used to fix domestic absorption fridges by taking them for a ride down a bumpy cart track.

Might be worth at try without removing it from the van but make sure all is secure first!

 

[Paul_5073080]

An update on my fridge....

I've removed it and turned it upside down for a little while rotating it every few minutes or so and switched it back on. It's still making some funny noises from the back of the fridge but from memory, I think they all do..? Anyway, since I haven't fitted the fridge back in it's proper recess I can feel the network of pipes at the back are getting almost too hot to touch, is this normal? SO far, it's been plugged in to the mains for about 45 minutes or so and still no signs of it getting cold but I think it's still too soon, going by what some of you have said.

Any ideas....does it sound normal or not?

Thankyou

Paul.

 

[rob_jax]

Paul,

In place of the (noisy) pump in a domestic fridge, caravan (adsorption) fridges work by boiling the working fluid to drive the liquid around the system. There is then a further section of the tubing that extracts heat from inside the fridge.

So should part of it get hot?, yes indeed.

Previous generation fridges will only work if levelled within 3

 

[Royston]

Paul,

I had a 7 year old Electrolux fridge, that cooled down before

trips away after 2 days things started to go off lost all our frozen food, took the van back to dealer they tried it out cooled down correctly,went away on another trip cooled down on start up but again when we further from home it warmed up again. Back Home I had stuck a thermometer inside it started initial cooling -4oC after 2-3 days up to+17oc.

This was both on electric and Gas.

Called in a corgie Caravan gas fitter, Domestic will not regas old fridges They will fit complete new cooling assy to your exsisting fridge, Not wishing to ruin this years Caravanning waiting for replacement cooling assy I purchased a brand new Domestic 3 way fridge.Cost about

 

[Yomper]

Absortion systems are notorious for "crystalising" and can be restarted by applying heat from a hairdryer to the evaporator tubes or section being careful to not leaving it resting on support while you do something else and melt all the plastic liner

 

[Nigel_5077274]

Absortion systems are notorious for "crystalising" and can be restarted by applying heat from a hairdryer to the evaporator tubes or section being careful to not leaving it resting on support while you do something else and melt all the plastic liner

Hi Paul,

I read all the advice people have given you and we have just purchased an Abi Monza 4berth caravan where the Electrolux RM212 Fridge wasn't cooling. I removed it from its hole and turned it on its head for Four hours. I then turned it back the right way up and hey presto it is now working correctly. Even after a couple of hours we had ice cubes and cold water from a container that I put in there. Good Luck!!!!

Regards

Nigel B