Waeco fridge - thermostat problem? (1 Viewer)

RichardA

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I have a fairly new Waeco CR-65 fridge. It's not behaving too well and I suspect the thermostat. On its first trip to a warm climate (this summer) as soon as the van warmed up, the fridge didn't want to turn off (even on its lowest setting) and I had to occasionally switch it off manually. Yet on this setting (when the van would cool overnight) it wouldn't switch on and the freezer would defrost.

Has anyone had similar problems with Waeco or do you have any suggestions.

Could someone also let me know what sort of amp/hour level the fridge should be drawing when it's on.

Many thanks.

Richard
 

pappajohn

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Current Consumption (12 volts DC):
1.6 Ah/h at +25°C ambient temperature,
1.9 Ah/h at +32°C ambient temperature,
both at +5°C interior temperature and -18°C in the freezer compartment

(when the compressor is running presumably, which may be 25/30% of the time)

welcome by the way :thumb:
 

scotjimland

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I have a fairly new Waeco CR-65 fridge. It's not behaving too well and I suspect the thermostat. On its first trip to a warm climate (this summer) as soon as the van warmed up, the fridge didn't want to turn off (even on its lowest setting) and I had to occasionally switch it off manually. Yet on this setting (when the van would cool overnight) it wouldn't switch on and the freezer would defrost.

Has anyone had similar problems with Waeco or do you have any suggestions.

[HI]Could someone also let me know what sort of amp/hour level the fridge should be drawing when it's on. [/HI]

Many thanks.

Richard

Hi , here is the power chart, but don't see your specific model .. but going by the model number it is probably 65 watt

have a look at the chart

http://www.waeco.co.uk/page.aspx?page=powercon&s=4

regarding not switching off when high ambient, it may be a lack of ventilation behind the fridge .. does it have any, or can it be improved ?

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pappajohn

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RichardA

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Thanks to everyone who replied.

I hadn't previously spotted that the spec for the fridge power consumption is on Waeco's web site. You've got it spot on Pappajohn and I definitely think there must be something wrong with my fridge because it's drawing 3.5 - 4.5 Ah/h.

Richard

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pappajohn

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Thanks to everyone who replied.

I hadn't previously spotted that the spec for the fridge power consumption is on Waeco's web site. You've got it spot on Pappajohn and I definitely think there must be something wrong with my fridge because it's drawing 3.5 - 4.5 Ah/h.

Richard
well, oddly enough....45watts @ 12v is 3.75amps

I wonder if they mean 45watt/hours, so 45watts/hour will be 3.75amps/hour....but as it only runs around 2/3rds of the time the actual amps used will be around 1.8amps per cycle...which sounds about right by the spec sheet.

certainly sounds like yours isnt turning off and running constantly.

from memory, JJ had the same problem with his and it was returned to Waeco for inspection and they insisted it was tested and deemed running correcly


Correction...JJ's was an Engle fridge
 
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scotjimland

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Thanks to everyone who replied.

I hadn't previously spotted that the spec for the fridge power consumption is on Waeco's web site. You've got it spot on Pappajohn and I definitely think there must be something wrong with my fridge because it's drawing 3.5 - 4.5 Ah/h.

Richard

did you install yourself .. or was it fitted by the convertor ?

The reason I ask, as I mentioned earlier , is there good ventilation behind the fridge ?

if the condenser on the back of the fridge isn't getting enough air circulation it will overheat and prevent the gas (returning from the evaporator) condensing back into a liquid.. this in turn would make the compressor inefficient and hence work overtime trying to get the cabinet temperature down .. a vicious cycle .. the cabinet won't cool down and the compressor working harder trying to achieve the set point temp.
 
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RichardA

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Thanks for message ScotJimland,

The fridge was fitted by the person who did my conversion and I'm taking it for him to look at next week. Just thought I'd do some homework first.

I'd thought that poor ventilation could be a reason for the problem - but then I'd heard that compressor fridges don't require as much ventilation as 3 ways? Seems that a number of people have fitted computer fans to increase ventilation - guess this could be an option if the fridge tests ok?

Richard

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scotjimland

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Thanks for message ScotJimland,

The fridge was fitted by the person who did my conversion and I'm taking it for him to look at next week. Just thought I'd do some homework first.

I'd thought that poor ventilation could be a reason for the problem - but then I'd heard that compressor fridges don't require as much ventilation as 3 ways? Seems that a number of people have fitted computer fans to increase ventilation - guess this could be an option if the fridge tests ok?

Richard

Hi Richard ..

Compressor fridges don't need external ventilation but they do need a way of the heat escaping from the condenser ..(sometimes referred to as the 'cooling' fins or heat exchanger ) the better the cooling, the more efficient the fridge will be and the least power used..

From Waeco

Install the refrigerator so that the warm air produced can easily flow away
(either upwards or to the sides). Therefore make sure there is adequate
ventilation..
the diagram shows a 2" gap behind, the airflow going under the fridge from the front , rising across the condenser and escaping from the top ..

there is a diagram in the user' manual .. PDF http://www.waeco.co.uk/docs/Ins_CR-50_CR65_CR80_CR110_B_10s_02.pdf

a compressor fridge is basically a heat pump .. if there is no where for the heat to go.. it can't work efficiently .. in fact if there were no ventilation it couldn't work at all...

If the convertor has 'boxed' it in leaving nowhere for the heat to go.. that will be the problem.. Have a look yourself.. are there gaps at the side of the fridge or a ventilation grill on the worktop .. or perhaps he has made other provision .. ?
 
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Pat4Neil

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Hi ya

We were about to but a CR110 or 15, but I have been doing my usual to much research on the Waeco. It is well documented it having this problem on the off road/long touring type forums. Australians having been having trouble with with this fridge for a few years. Exactly that running to much and defrost at night. It is a thermostat problem, I think some people sighted it in a different place, also some found that the light was on all the time and manage to disconnect that. Its supposed to be a tropical fridge, you pay a lot of extra money for it and waeco know that there is a problem.

Funny enough where we are at the moment having our conversion done, there is a spare waeco CR110 hanging about, I made them an offer for it, but they wouldnt sell it to me in the end. It had been fitted briefly to another truck, but the person rejected it for the same reasons above, it went back to waeco for testing, and they said it is fine, no problems and proved a chart to show it, but that was not probably in high temperatures or with any contents in the fridge. I know of at least 4 people first hand who have had problems with this fridge.

They are not supposed to need any extra ventilation, but I would fit a couple of those computer fans to the back somewhere. We will not be having any outside vents for the fridge in our truck and this fridge is meant to be okay for it, you have the indoor vent grill above and below the fridge, but I think the design is flawed.

I have been looking at Kissman fridges in germany there solidly built but the design doesnt look as good as Waeco metal ones. Vitro frigo is another make but they only go to -12. But I think Waeco although -18, it doesnt work to that, if you know what I mean.

Good luck, let us know what you find out.
Pat
 
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vwalan

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hi a friend of ours bought the tropical version .it works fine in very hot climates but as the temp drops it keeps switching on and off so many times a day it confuses its system and goes into alert or stop mode . that ones been back twice before the problem was found . at the moment they have a none tropical version to try out .
seems as if waeco are aware of these problems and there are lots of problems .

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RichardA

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Hi ScotJimland,

It may well be that it's a ventilation problem. Here's a couple of links to pictures of the fridge in situ. What do you think?

Thanks.

Richard

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scotjimland

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Hi ScotJimland,

It may well be that it's a ventilation problem. Here's a couple of links to pictures of the fridge in situ. What do you think?

Thanks.

Richard

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Hi Richard .. no obvious ventilation at the sides .. or top .. have you looked behind ?

I would pull it out and stand on a table then try running .. that would prove either it is lack of ventilation or indeed a fault with the unit .
 
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RichardA

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Hi ScotJimland,

That's the very thing i'll do - or rather I'll get my 'converter' to do. Thanks for your advice.

Richard

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Sanja

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Hello,
I am writting on behalf of my friend. He have waeco 12v fridge in his boat, and it stop with cooling. He checked compressor, it is fine, ventilator also, eaven he changed the gass, pressure is good.
Do you have any ideas what it could be? How he can check, try to fix?
Maybe termostat is problem?
 

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