Old Fiat Ducato RM212F absorption fridge (Can't solve it!)

Jun 1, 2022
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Dear forum members,

I come here out of pure despair. I own a RM212F fridge from roughly 1989 in my camper and It does not seem to cool anything inside the fridge.

I tried the following:

1. Clean fridge rear removing dust etc
2. Clean flue and gaspipes en blow out the vent for gas to be able to pass ( Yes it works on gas and has a good blue flame!)
3. Checked both the 12V and 230V heating element and they both work.
4. Everything gets hot, YES!

5. Yet the fridge is not cooling. I tried to turn it around, leave it for a couple of hours (10) , then turn it back around and try it again, yet no real result and I can't say if it is actually cooling or not. When I turn it around I do hear a little fluid moving, not like a lot but like a little at least, I don't see any ammonia leakages mostly these fridges are welded pretty solid .. Doesn't seem as if the inside is getting cold at all. (even after like 12 hours not much happening). I put sme beers insidde and some water. I tried the highest setting and now trying a very low one (forum people told me sometimes it works only on a low stand?).

I'm so frustrated, I have been going on for like 4 days on this fridge.. I'm actually going on a holiday this monday so You can assume my frustration when I find this out just a couple of days ago.

Any advice would be lovely and immensely appreciated. Checking this topic on a regular basis and will post if I find a solution for future viewers!
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Firstly the fridge is at least 30 years old, and they can usually stop becasue of a refrigerant leak - but you tell us there's no amonia smell. and you can still hear fluid, which tends to discount that thought.

THe vent holes in the caravan body work should be open to allow good ventilation over the condenser coil on the back of the fridge.

It's very important the ridge stands on a truly horizontal floor otherwise the angle can prevent the refrigerant circulating properly.

It's possible the inner surface of the refrigerant circuit has corroded and some has dislodged and blocked the circuit at some point. If this is the case moving the fridge around may dislodge it but otherwise it cannot be repaired.
 
Jun 1, 2022
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Alright it is fixed lads! So I serviced the fridge and eventually I turned it back on.

1. I didn't wrap the heating coils back in the isolation, which I did because I was like ok maybe that gives a difference?
2. I tested the fridge on a high stand. I have stances 1 to 8 and put it at about 6 to 8 (max).
It didn't cool but when I turned it very low to stance 3 it did and even froze the freezing compartment.

I can't say why it works now but I hope people in the future read this and area helped! I read on another forum that this has to do with the way the fridge works. If there is nothing too cool and the liquid gets too hot, it will be too hot when it goes in the fridge and won't cool. Putting it lower seems to work great and it works excellent now!
 
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