Thetford T1090 compressor fridge faulty (1 Viewer)

[Neckender]

We have a new Globecar Campscout with a Thetford T1090 compressor fridge fitted, the fridge side is working fine, but the freezer side keeps defrosting and freezing.
One minute loads of water in freezer then it will ice up hours later, there is a gap at the back of the freezer which doesn't look right as I would have thought it would be totally enclosed.
Has anyone else got one of these fridges fitted in their van?
I will be getting in touch with the dealer after the bank holiday.

John.

 

[Minxy]

I assume you got this sorted - if so what was the result?

 

[Neckender]

@Minxy Girl SMC fitted a new Fridge Mel.

John.

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[Moreroaming]

Hi John.

Did you resolve the freezer problem on your T1090 ?
I have similar problem since having a T1090 new last November.
Dealer tested it this summer but no fault found then. Dealer will be looking at it again next month.
I've done lots of searches on the Internet for the freezer problem, but you seem to be the only person to post anything.
I'd be grateful if you could post on here what your freezer problem was to help me sort my freezer problem at my dealer.

I'm also hoping that once this is sorted, my 2 leisure batteries will last more than a couple of days when away from elec hook up. Without running anything else off the leisure batteries except taps and phone charger, it's a bit alarming how much drain on the batteries the T1090 is in my camper.
Looks like I'll have to invest in a solar panel.

Thanks in advance for any reply.

Phil

 

[Moreroaming]

Hi John.

Just re read this thread and saw you had a new fridge.
Still would like to know, if possible, what SMC found to replace it.
If SMC is Southdown Motor Company, they are the dealer I will be going back to.
They've been good so far with small snags I've had with my camper.

Phil

 

[Richard n Ann]

When 1 compressor runs 2 different temperature compartments there's a few different ways to configure the system, so it's impossible to say what's causing the problem. Random guesses could be sticking solonoid valve, moisture in the system, compressor not pumping properly, PCB fault or many others...

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[Neckender]

Hi Phil my original fridge just kept cycling freezing and defrosting, SMC at Newark through Thetford fitted a new fridge, mine was that new that no one at Thetford knew what to do.
They had me trying different things including gaffa taping the rear of the drip tray to see if any improvement.

Anyway I’ve found that setting the freezer to number 5 and putting your frozen food in, once iced up I found that dropping to number 4 on night setting works fine for us.

I have 2 batteries and 200 watt of solar, good luck with your fridge.

John.

 

[Richard n Ann]

no one at Thetford knew what to do.

No one knows what they're doing nowadays sadly. The knowledge in this country is lost, the things are probably designed and built in China, and when they stop working sent off to landfill.
We are becoming what was prophesied in the film 'Idiocracy'

 

[Minxy]

Hi John.

Just re read this thread and saw you had a new fridge.
Still would like to know, if possible, what SMC found to replace it.
If SMC is Southdown Motor Company, they are the dealer I will be going back to.
They've been good so far with small snags I've had with my camper.

Phil

SMC is at Newark, nothing to do with Southdown.

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[Minxy]

When 1 compressor runs 2 different temperature compartments there's a few different ways to configure the system, so it's impossible to say what's causing the problem. Random guesses could be sticking solonoid valve, moisture in the system, compressor not pumping properly, PCB fault or many others...

The problem is that its crap .. there are large gaps round the freezer compartment and the door to it isn't even insulated ... extremely poor design and will never work properly anyway. Hubby has been doing some tests and the freezer compartment varied between 9 degrees and 2 degrees, despite the main door never being opened (remote temperature gauge). Its no wonder stuff kept defrosting!

 

[Moreroaming]

Many thanks, Richard and Ann , and John.
Thank you for replying back so soon.

The many possibilities of what my freezer problem is sounds sensible and probably why the dealer has been unable to find the fault yet.
Like John, I've spent time trying various methods to pin point the fault.
With too many possibilities , I hope a new T1090 will come my way from the dealer.
The fridge freezer is a great size. Just wished mine would be reliable.
I've used compressor fridges in campers in Australia and they worked fine.
Interesting the T1090 manual says you can set to 3 once fridge freezer is up to speed. Ive never been able to run it at 3 without freezer defrosting .
Thanks John, sounds like that solar will be needed on my camper.

Incidently, I saw at the NEC motorhome show yesterday that a new model of the T1090 is out . Nice change is a better insulated freezer compartment.

I'm hoping this thread will help anyone else with T1090 problems.

I'll post again when I hopefully have a happy outcome to my freezer problem

Phil

 

[Richard n Ann]

The problem is that its crap .. there are large gaps round the freezer compartment and the door to it isn't even insulated ... extremely poor design and will never work properly anyway. Hubby has been doing some tests and the freezer compartment varied between 9 degrees and 2 degrees, despite the main door never being opened (remote temperature gauge). Its no wonder stuff kept defrosting!

Wow, surely that should be between -9 and -2 degrees?

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[Moreroaming]

Thanks again Richard and Ann.
To clarify my post ,the " 3 " setting , that's 3 blue stars settings on the the fridge control.

Looks like Thetford realised the initial T1090 was not great as you say and checked yourselves.. I'm surprised there is so little feed back on the Internet about the poor design freezer compartment on the initial T1090. Perhaps there will be now.
And now there is the new design of a sealed freezer on the latest T1090. Looks like it came out April 2018

Phil

 

[Richard n Ann]

Just found a photo of the offending model.

It looks like a fridge with a freezer part up top, sometimes these are little more use than making ice cubes. But if it gets to temperature ish (-9) sometimes at least it's capable of getting there. I'd be looking at the thermostat, what type is it? and where is the phail positioned.

 

[Moreroaming]

Thanks John. It was a guess SMC was Southdown Motorhomes.

As I said I'll post on here what happens with my T1090. Expect that will be late Nov.

Phil

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[Minxy]

Wow, surely that should be between -9 and -2 degrees?

Should be ... but it ain't!