fridge repaired again

[xtrailman]

Our fridge has failed yet again on holiday, the same fault as the two previous failures, the 240volt element.

That works out at a life span of only 30 weeks use!

I am not sure if i am allowed to name the make, but it starts with a "D" and ends in a "C".

But any way it cost £27 and i bought it from the local accessory shop, so they must sell plenty!

It failed as usual open circuit, this time however i had to change it myself, now out of warranty, while i was fitting it i measured the element cold at 450 ohm, that's the 125 watt version, also using the old cable i looped off the element to a couple of connectors accessible via the fridge vent, so i can now test the element in the time it takes to remove the panel, less than a minute.

What a bag of rubbish these fridges are, when the company was electrolux my previous fridge NEVER broke in the 7 years i had it.

Whinge over.

 

[gary]

I would look at the problem from the other side of the coin?

You have had two elements fail in quick succession, why?

Elements are elements! the technology is well proven and universal, elements generally last forever.

With the best will in the world then, it must be damn difficult to produce a faulty one never mind two and you get them both!!

Your either incredibly unlucky then? or I would look at why perfectly good elements fail when fitted to your van? and the first place to look is wheel balance or the lack of!

Vibration being the most likely culprit

 

[xtrailman]

Gary

i would of thought that the 12 volt element would fail, if wheel balance was the culprit, that element tested ok, both elements are fitted adjacent to each other, with in 15mm.

All i can think, is that the product is poorly made.

When i had the previous element replaced, i recall at the time the engineer saying that he was changing a lot of elements, something that he hadn't noticed with electrolux.

In my experience with electric failures, problems occur with use,expansion, contraction. As the 12 volt element is in use towing, i would expect that to fail, if i was getting wheel vibration?

 

[Royston]

Hi Ray, I had a electrolux fridge were the electric eliment failed , it was replaced but the fridge kept cutting out when on site , after the then caravan dealer checked the fridge and found no fault, I called in a mobile engineer, who removed the fridge took it back to his workshop, tried all sorts of remidies even turning the fridge upside down but the fridge still kept cutting out.The back components were very rusty, in the end I purchased a brand new one (very Expensive)called in the mobile engineer who tested the new fridge , tested all the gas connections as well.It was still going well when I traded the caravan in.

Royston

 

[Gafferbill]

I agree with Gary.... since the elements are akin to a soldering iron in the design and operation, they should almost last forever.

....... I would suspect perhaps the use of a faulty generator or possibly frequenting a site with a supply problem.

 

[gary]

Actually Ray while an element is hot it is more malleable and therefore far less likely to snap, the 12v element wire itself is also a different diameter which would change it's mechanical properties further.

I would though agree at least Dometic 240v elements do appear to fail far more often than they used to, given though as I said, the element is easier and cheaper to produce than ever to a high quality, are we to believe that Dometic have deliberately used inferior materials? or are the elements failing due to a reason beyond Dometic's control?

I don't know but all I'm saying is caravan wheels should be balanced, it costs

 

[Damian]

Just to add a couple of other thoughts to the debate.

Firstly most RV appliances are primarily designed to run on gas, with electric as a secondary source.

Secondly, people I think expect far more than is capable of an element which is a mere 125w (some are 105w and others 135w), but in essence they are not much more than a big light bulb.

How long would a 100w light bulb last if left on 24/7?

 

[James_374408700]

Damian,

A light bulb runs nearly white hot i.e. at the upper end of its temperature range. The heater element merely has to give off heat.

The light bulb element has no supports to speak of but heating elements are normally supported.

I believe your analogy to be unfounded.

Jim

 

[Damian]

Damian,

A light bulb runs nearly white hot i.e. at the upper end of its temperature range. The heater element merely has to give off heat.

The light bulb element has no supports to speak of but heating elements are normally supported.

I believe your analogy to be unfounded.

Jim

As I said, just a couple of thoughts, nothing more or less.

Always happy to be corrected.

 

[Chris_374413356]

I would suspect the country of manufacture and amazingly many electrical items including heating elements are now made elsewhere and are substandard.

 

[xtrailman]

Gary

i am not convinced that wheel unbalance is the cause, my Avondale did not have balanced wheels, and over 7 years use that fridge never failed.

But i do think manufactures should provide caravans with balanced wheels, maybe new vans are, but my 2004 bailey isn't.

Maybe the number of potholes on the road could be a factor?

After all the biggest mot failure on cars is suspension parts?

Damiem

I don't except that fridge's are primarily designed to operate on gas, we NEVER use the gas on the fire for example, and we have never had to change an electric fire element. Or the water heater element, which again we have on permanently while on holiday.

30 days average live for an fridge element is unacceptable, in addition don't forget the fridge stat will be in operation, so the element is not permanently on, we only caravan in the uk, so ambient temperatures are only in the main average.

chris

I tend to agree with your statement, we have noticed that our home electric kettle or iron don't seem to last as of old, so we now only by cheap kettles and irons, when they fail we just chuck them.

 

[xtrailman]

.I cut the old element this morning, all looked as expected, an coil inside what looks like mineral insulated, out off interest i used the micrometer on the element wire, it looks very thin and came out at 0.09mm

 

[gary]

QUOTE: Maybe the number of potholes on the road could be a factor?

Are you having a laugh Ray?

What is the difference between potholed roads and out of balance wheels? apart from the actual frequency of the vibration produced, the former is intermittent and the latter is constant!!

 

[xtrailman]

Gary

My outings in the van never last longer than 2 hours, usually about 1 hour, very little time is used towing.

After all you are assuming that wheel unbalance is the culprit.

While i appreciate your feedback and opinion, logic tells me that if vibration is at fault, then i would have other similar failures to other elements fitted to the caravan, not to mention the lighting bulbs etc.

 

[gary]

Sorry Ray if that last post seemed a bit strong I'm under a lot of stress this week, the first Daughter gets married Saturday and I'm probably as nervous and on edge as her!!!

Your right though I am assuming, although the evidence is building, it's not just based on your problem then, I hear of plenty of elements failing but also other much more expensive items that I actually get involved with, like battery chargers and gas fires, thick metal physically broken yet others with no damage whatsoever?

It's not confined to one make of van either so what's the common denominator???

 

[xtrailman]

Gary

Not a problem, from what you have told me i will get my wheels balanced when the tyres are replaced, i probably would have done anyway out of habit with car tyres.

I walked my daughter down the isle 3 years ago, it was a day to remember, my biggest worry the the speech, but it was all fine in the end!

We where both nervous going to the church in the limo, but the hip flask sorted that out!.

 

[gary]

You hit the nail on the head there Ray, it's that speech that's been bugging me, I've finally got it in some sort of order now so not so worried.

I think the hip flask is a good idea

 

[Chris_374413356]

Good luck with the speech, I can remember say something like... It wasn't so much as loosing a daughter but gaining a bathroom.

 

[gary]

Thanks guys for the words of wisdom, speech went well..so I was told by 'those that expressed an opinion'?! wedding though was unquestionably a very special day