when your fridge don't work off electric ?????

[jeff_374543278]

when your fridge don't work off electric ?????but works off gas .disconnect the power before any work .

its the long element at the back of the fridge undo all screws that is securing the fridge,and extract the caravan fridge forward be carefully and ease forward if the fridge as never been taken out it could be held back with cable ties cut these and the fridge will come out . there is a element that pushes down the back of the fridge in to a thick padding cut cable ties before this trying to pull the element out take part to caravan center get replacement renew in the order you have taken it out even with the live earth and neutral follow this and guess what you just saved your self £40+ vat in call out fees for a element that cost less than £23.00 .before taking fridge out make sure the caravan is level this will also stop the fridge/mini freezer from working .

 

[RonD]

Jeff,

You didn't mention the possibility of having to disconnect the gas supply to bring the fridge out. I had this job done by a caravan technician, last year. I personally wouldn't attempt it, my gas supply had to be ondone and remade and the expanding foam insulation replaced to reseal the fridge.

Ron

 

[Damian]

Yet again I see a complete novice suddenly become an experienced technician, but failing to carry out even the basic safety checks, and failing to address the issue of gas connection and pressure testing after the job is done.

It is all very well thinking you have saved some money but if you get it wrong, in the diagnosis to start with, then it will cost a lot more in the long run.

 

[jeff_374543278]

Yet again I see a complete novice suddenly become an experienced technician, but failing to carry out even the basic safety checks, and failing to address the issue of gas connection and pressure testing after the job is done.

It is all very well thinking you have saved some money but if you get it wrong, in the diagnosis to start with, then it will cost a lot more in the long run.

well i did mine and it was easy to do and you only have to be a novice to do it ,and its saved me

 

[Martin_E]

I agree with Damian with regards to the safety checks.

Many people may not know but as soon as you move your fridge, water heater, heater etc, for anything then you have effectively put stress on the gas connection, and as such a gas soundness test will need to be carried out.

 

[Parksy]

Nobody with half a brain would risk pulling their fridge out without a gas soundness test being carried out immediately afterwards before re connecting the lpg bottle.

I have a feeling that because some forum doubt appeared over the Protimeter we may have a bit of a wind up merchant in our midst.

Forum member considering taking advice from 'Jeff' should read through the various posts including those hidden in the comments boxes and make up their own minds.

This thread might be a good place to start.

 

[jeff_374543278]

hi

look i am no wind up wind up merchant just give me a chance and i will prove my readings with the protimeter trouble is you don't give anyone a chance .if you look at what i said i had done easy it don't mean people have to do it .and any way on my bailey ranger the gas pipe had a small screw with a collar on it holding the gas pipe and when they undone this the fridge came out easy .when they repair the fridge they don't test the gas any way because well they did not on mine anyway this is how i know how to fix this on my caravan ,if you have an on site call out they just do the repair and leave .no offence but you are the one that should get a brain your jumping to conclusions all the time in this forum and you are a moderator , a forum is to give ideas to others and pass on what they know .so stop running people down when you have no idea what your on about ,so what qualifications do you have do knock our people all the time in what they say .lets get one thing straight the reading on my caravan are correct and i don't care what other people say and i will prove it .all i see on the forum is people give links to old caravans sites on how to do damp repairs these sites are way out of date and are no use to people with modern caravans as things have moved on since the stone age . the problem here i have had a lot of praise for my videos on YouTube may be there is a few that don't like this and there is a reason behind it

 

[machighlander]

bees and bonnets jeff !

 

[Damian]

Just a few observations from Jeffs latest posting.

First the protimeter issue, anyone can stick prongs in wood and get a reading, whether or not the reading you get is a true reflection of the situation is another matter.

Many things have to be factored in, like what type of wood are you testing? what is its normal moisture reading in ideal conditions, what is the humidity on the day of testing? has the van been fully acclimatised at the time of test? etc etc etc.

For those reasons alone, that explains why the workshop have found differing readings.

Secondly, working on appliances.

There are very strict regulations in force to ensure the safety of the appliance and its users from , at worst, death by , for want of a better word, "fiddling with" by people who know nothing about what they are dealing with.

If , in Jeffs case, the fridge was pulled out on its gas pipe, then the person doing that is incompetent and a cowboy and should be stopped from working on anything relating to caravans.

There is only ONE way of removing a fridge correctly and that on all modern vans requires the gas pipe to disconnected, which then requires a gas pressure test on refitting.

Contrary to Jeffs ascertation that modern caravans have moved on from the stone age, sorry but they have not. That is why vans still suffer from water ingress as although some of the sealants have evolved, many have not and the build system certainly has not(with the exception of the Pegasus and time wil tell if that is sucessful or not)

The forum is here to give help and advice but not to advocate unsafe and dangerous methodolgy and dangerous short cuts.

Jeff states that he thinks there is a reason behind not liking his (in his view)excellent video, however in a way he is right because he does not show its use correctly and his other postings show a distinct lack of understanding of the regulations and dangers associated with the main power sources in caravans.

Saying that moderators do not know what they are on about,,,sorry to disappoint you but I do know exactly what I am on about and have the qualifications to substantiate my postings.

What I will say now is that futre postings giving erroneous and unsafe information WILL be deleted without notice, and that is from any poster.

In reply to Highlander, yes it is bees and bonnets, but it is all about safety, and that of others who may have the misfortune to park up next to a "fiddler"

 

[Parksy]

hi

look i am no wind up wind up merchant just give me a chance and i will prove my readings with the protimeter trouble is you don't give anyone a chance .if you look at what i said i had done easy it don't mean people have to do it .and any way on my bailey ranger the gas pipe had a small screw with a collar on it holding the gas pipe and when they undone this the fridge came out easy .when they repair the fridge they don't test the gas any way because well they did not on mine anyway this is how i know how to fix this on my caravan ,if you have an on site call out they just do the repair and leave .no offence but you are the one that should get a brain your jumping to conclusions all the time in this forum and you are a moderator , a forum is to give ideas to others and pass on what they know .so stop running people down when you have no idea what your on about ,so what qualifications do you have do knock our people all the time in what they say .lets get one thing straight the reading on my caravan are correct and i don't care what other people say and i will prove it .all i see on the forum is people give links to old caravans sites on how to do damp repairs these sites are way out of date and are no use to people with modern caravans as things have moved on since the stone age . the problem here i have had a lot of praise for my videos on YouTube may be there is a few that don't like this and there is a reason behind it

I rest my case!

 

[machighlander]

In reply to Highlander, yes it is bees and bonnets, but it is all about safety.

safety and well being are paramount in every walk of life, totally agree with deleting any future posts which you ( the mods) deem to be misleading to others.

p.s. if my replies dont show ok then its down to my reply box being half hidden.

 

[machighlander]

got that one ok

 

[jeff_374543278]

got that one ok

all i can say this is how they done my fridge and when it when faulty after a year i just repeated what he had done .i did see the gas mains on the top but it did not cause a problem may i was lucky you never know .

 

[jeff_374543278]

all i can say this is how they done my fridge and when it when faulty after a year i just repeated what he had done .i did see the gas mains on the top but it did not cause a problem may i was lucky you never know .

 

[gary]

Jeff, I think your falling into a common trap? that is in your enthusiasm to help others you are not stopping to think who those others might be?

In the case of the damp meter, when the posts first appeared I thought it was just another chancer trying it on touting his wares on the forum.

It did though later become obvious that all you were doing was suggesting that particular make is very good, something as I said I can fully agree with.

Perhaps it would have been better then to start off on the right foot and make your motives clear first instead of wading straight in?

Here though, you write a few scant words in explanation of how to change a fridge element, in your opinion, to those above that have rebuked you, plus me, your advice would be comical if it was not so potentially dangerous!

What you have to remember first is who you are giving that advice to, as you cannot possibly know that, then the next thing to remember is you don't want be responsible for some complete strangers injuries who thought he could follow what you say in the hope of saving himself

 

[jeff_374543278]

the way i tested the van is no different to when a tech dose it this is how i know how to test a caravan but a lot of factors at the time can cause the same reading may be .but you dry the van out in normal air temperature for an hour or so by opening all the cupboards windows and skylights before testing it is no reason for this to be wrong .so none of you on here agree in self testing as a way to keeping an eye on the damp in your caravan .and the levels of damp in my van is no way condensation i will prove this to you all when i have the final results if i am wrong i will hold my hands up high and apologise . i will get the van tested in due course this is why i have taken the videos off for now as i don't want to get in to trouble with anyone ,because a lot have said about the damp and other causes i have taken action not to show them till the facts of the tests are given to me so please have some respect for me as i will have respect from forum members that have brought this question up about the testing on how to use these meters

 

[xtrailman]

I can confirm what Jeff has said.

I have had three elements fitted to my bailey over the last 5 years.

When the first failed in the first year the dealer sent out a fridge engineer to repair my fridge. I watched. the qualified refrigeration engineer of mature years, pull the fridge part way out while still connected to the gas. I did point this out to him, but he said he had repaired a lot of fridge's in this way.

He did check the connection with leak detector, but did NOT carry out a pressure test.

The second was replaced in the 3rd year by the dealer, he removed the fridge to repair it, no idea if they did a pressure test, i would image they did.

The last one i changed in the 5th year, i disconnected the gas union rather that stress the joint.

I can't understand why these connections are not done with a flexible gas hose, after all the cooker i have just removed from my kitchen was fitted with one.

So i think Jeff should be given some slack here, he's only done what the so called experts have done for me.

 

[jeff_374543278]

may be someone can add some advise on how to use these meters instead of makeing criticism because them that can dish it out also know how to test the caravan ,may be someone with the know how can put this in the forum .

 

[Damian]

Quote "I can't understand why these connections are not done with a flexible gas hose"

Simply because the Gas regulations forbid the use of flexible hose inside caravans.

LPG is a very different gas to domestic Natural Gas.

It is corrosive and a seeking gas whereas Natural Gas is not.

 

[machighlander]

Quote "I can't understand why these connections are not done with a flexible gas hose"

Simply because the Gas regulations forbid the use of flexible hose inside caravans.

LPG is a very different gas to domestic Natural Gas.

It is corrosive and a seeking gas whereas Natural Gas is not.

and there by the lesson should be learned jeff. no harm intended buddy, but if you have an idea or some other sysway to cvarry out repairs, please make sure they are within the current legislations or manufacturers guidelines, im new in here and could possibly take your advice on board, then realise when its too late that i have left myself wide open to a disaster.

 

[jeff_374543278]

in my bailey ranger its made of copper pipe and it as 2 plastic collars holding it in place on top of the fridge with 2 screws to hold them in place .once he had undone these the fridge came out ok .when the guy done ours he did not test the gas afterwards this is why i passed the info in the forum .may be he was a cowboy fitter .this info you gave i only know of but i will make sure next time i have it done he will test the gas .

 

[xtrailman]

Thank you for explaining damien, i assumed that a flex hose would be ok ,as one is used to connect the gas bottle, i find it odd that its ok to use in a vented box, but not in a vented van.

All i can say regarding my "professional" repair is the chap works full time repairing refrigerators for a well known sheffield company. So my experience is a mirror of jeffs.

 

[DeliDave]

It is stated in the gas regs that whenever a gas connection is disturbed a drop test should be carried out.Ring Gassafe and ask their technical department if you dont believe me.

 

[DeliDave]

sorry meant that nicer than it sounds just pointing out that those engineers arn't doing it properly

 

[gary]

The main problem with connecting fridge or oven with rubber hose is two fold.

First the hose is out of sight and difficult to check, in practice this meant it never got checked.

Second it's subject to heat, particularly I'd imagine the oven which I've never actually come across connected in this way, many fridges though were connected with hose before the regs changed and I've seen the awful state those hoses got into.

Under the current regs copper or steel pipe must be used, this being connected with a compression union, you would be amazed how many times these simple joints are over tightened by the DIY'er causing a leak from the brass gland nut which has subsequently cracked under the pressure.

So what can appear straight forward to the watcher is often more involved than experts make it appear!