b4 calling out the fitter can anyone help with this issue, my 3 way fridge on my bailey champagne 1993, works on both gas and mains elec, however on getting on site i have to first freeze the unit using gas first. then after about half hour i can turn off the gas and it runs for days and days on mains hook up alone, it will not get cold by using mains only when first on the site??? what gives? any help will be appreciated, the fridge was checked 14 months ago and was working fine all last year.
fridge problem help needed
- Thread starter ww2nut
- Start date
Damian
Moderator
If the fridge is the original one fitted at manufacture iti s now 18 years old and I suspect the coolant is well past its efficiency, probably contaminated with rust and takes a lot to get it moving and vaporising.
I concur with Damian,
As for repair or new, At 18years old whilst it might be possible to re-gas it, the chances are it won't last very long. I think it would be most cost effective to go for a new one, or you might find a recent secondhand one on ebay or at a caravan breakers.
As for repair or new, At 18years old whilst it might be possible to re-gas it, the chances are it won't last very long. I think it would be most cost effective to go for a new one, or you might find a recent secondhand one on ebay or at a caravan breakers.
Damian
Moderator
First lets get one thing straight.
It is NOT POSSIBLE to re gas fridges,,,,,,,end of story.
All this talk of re gassing is total rubbish.
On some Dometic fridges it is possible to replace the complete cooiling coil, but not all, and on an 18 year old van , the answer is a definite NO.
Thetford fridges CANNOT have new cooling coils, as it is a Dometic Patent, as is the through the van body venting system.
It is NOT POSSIBLE to re gas fridges,,,,,,,end of story.
All this talk of re gassing is total rubbish.
On some Dometic fridges it is possible to replace the complete cooiling coil, but not all, and on an 18 year old van , the answer is a definite NO.
Thetford fridges CANNOT have new cooling coils, as it is a Dometic Patent, as is the through the van body venting system.
The OP says his refrigerator works on mains and gas but complains that it takes a long time to cool initially on mains, so he uses gas for this purpose.
Some questions for the OP………
Do you realise that your absorption refrigerator will take 24 hours to reach working temperature and longer if you load with relatively warm food.?
Is your 240 volt mains thermostat working properly and is the setting correct?
Does your refrigerator work on 12 volts and do you use this setting to cool the refrigerator whilst driving to a site?
If you have access to mains power at your storage, do you run your refrigerator on mains for 24 hours before setting off?
Do you realise that your absorption caravan refrigerator will not have the same performance and fast cool down as your compressor domestic refrigerator?
Some questions for the OP………
Do you realise that your absorption refrigerator will take 24 hours to reach working temperature and longer if you load with relatively warm food.?
Is your 240 volt mains thermostat working properly and is the setting correct?
Does your refrigerator work on 12 volts and do you use this setting to cool the refrigerator whilst driving to a site?
If you have access to mains power at your storage, do you run your refrigerator on mains for 24 hours before setting off?
Do you realise that your absorption caravan refrigerator will not have the same performance and fast cool down as your compressor domestic refrigerator?
Hello Damian,
On the subject of re-gassing fridges, My father about 35 years ago had an Electrolux absorption caravan fridge. It was out of warranty, and the fridge stopped working. On inspection he found part of the evaporation circuit had an abrasion from some foreign body that had ruptured the pipe. He repaired the pipe, and then took the fridge to a company who designed and manufactured Air Conditioning units, together they managed to recharge the system.
The fridge was still working very well when it was sold in the 1980s
That was a specialist repair, which in theory could still be carried out to day, but I agree that the skills and tools would be beyond most caravan dealers or refrigeration suppliers accessible to most caravanner's.
In the OP's case the age of the unit would count against it.
On the subject of re-gassing fridges, My father about 35 years ago had an Electrolux absorption caravan fridge. It was out of warranty, and the fridge stopped working. On inspection he found part of the evaporation circuit had an abrasion from some foreign body that had ruptured the pipe. He repaired the pipe, and then took the fridge to a company who designed and manufactured Air Conditioning units, together they managed to recharge the system.
The fridge was still working very well when it was sold in the 1980s
That was a specialist repair, which in theory could still be carried out to day, but I agree that the skills and tools would be beyond most caravan dealers or refrigeration suppliers accessible to most caravanner's.
In the OP's case the age of the unit would count against it.
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