Fridge, failure on all 3 systems (1 Viewer)

[Drexxer]

Hi all,

Currently in France and our 8505 Dometic fridge freezer seems NOT to be working on any system, 12v, gas or electric!

It has been fine for the past 2 weeks on the drive, and ok for the first night on gas but not now, not overly hot here

Any help apprieciated

Andy

 

[magicsurfbus]

Presumably the gas is ignited electrically, so the problem could be electrical if you haven't run out of gas. When you try to start it on gas do you hear the ignition sparking, like on the cooker? Try listening by the bottom vent outside.

Alternatively, does your gas system have a crash sensitive shut-off valve that might have triggered? Ours is reset by pressing a green button close to the regulator in the gas bottle compartment.

When you say it's not working on 12v, you're saying that some sort of indicator light that normally shows when the engine's on is no longer showing, or it's bleeping a warning at you? All that 12v does is maintain the existing temperature rather than cool it down, so if one of the other two systems has failed the 12v isn't going to make it any colder.

Electrical issues could be down to a fuse blowing. Check your main fuse board, wherever that might be. It varies from vehicle to vehicle.

 

[bigtwin]

Things that are common to all three energy sources include:

12V supply
Control panel/board.

Have you checked the 12V fuse for the fridge?

Ian

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[SandraL]

Does the lcd display fuction correctly? Ours would not switch on and part of display was missing. The ribbon cable from control panel to pcb on rear of fridge was not fully pushed home on pcb.
If display is dead also check the 12 v supply to fridge is present at rear of fridge. Not the 12v for cooling with engine , the 12v control supply.

 

[Drexxer]

Msb

Fridge ignites on gas ok, just temp does not drop, currently 16.8`, same on electric, so 12v just maintaining it

No shut off valve

Thank you

Andy

 

[Drexxer]

Bigtwin

Have 12v at fridge, checked out on multimeter

Thanks

Andy

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[Drexxer]

Sandral

Lcd display ok, changes between functions fine just temp not dropping

Thanks

Andy

 

[bigtwin]

If the 12V supply is ok and you're sure that the gas has ignited (can you feel hot air coming out of the top vent?), then that suggests to me that the refrigerant is not circulating properly.

Is the van level?

Ian

 

[Drexxer]

Van is level and heat coming out of top vent, also took top vent off and put small fan in to remove heat, but still no change!

Andy

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[tonyidle]

Presumably the gas is ignited electrically, so the problem could be electrical if you haven't run out of gas. When you try to start it on gas do you hear the ignition sparking, like on the cooker? Try listening by the bottom vent outside.

Alternatively, does your gas system have a crash sensitive shut-off valve that might have triggered? Ours is reset by pressing a green button close to the regulator in the gas bottle compartment.

When you say it's not working on 12v, you're saying that some sort of indicator light that normally shows when the engine's on is no longer showing, or it's bleeping a warning at you? All that 12v does is maintain the existing temperature rather than cool it down, so if one of the other two systems has failed the 12v isn't going to make it any colder.

Electrical issues could be down to a fuse blowing. Check your main fuse board, wherever that might be. It varies from vehicle to vehicle.

This isn't true and keeps being stated as fact. If the fridge 12v supply from the starter battery (used whilst travelling) is in fact 12v or more the fridge will work better than when its on hook-up. If it doesn't it is because the supply wiring is too thin.

 

[seanoo]

T

This isn't true and keeps being stated as fact. If the fridge 12v supply from the starter battery (used whilst travelling) is in fact 12v or more the fridge will work better than when its on hook-up. If it doesn't it is because the supply wiring is too thin.

the 12v element and the 220v element work pretty much the same.

 

[Mikey RV]

Ours has a blip every now and then. Fridge works but temp not what it should be. I take off the outside covers, tap the coolant pipes, turn fridge up to max and most times it works, or a drive sorts it. The pipes corrode from the inside and get blocked, tapping them unsettles it and it carries on. I expect one day it won but untill then that's what I do.

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[magicsurfbus]

I stand corrected on the theoretical superpowers of the 12v element then, though I've yet to see any evidence myself

@Drexxer - our fridge once failed to chill below 16 degrees but it was as hot as Hades outside, which I suspect is not the case for you. Another possibility might be the thermostat control (dial? buttons?) or possibly the temperature sensor that sits inside the chiller compartment. Surely it has to be a component that's common to all three power sources.

 

[two]

I don't think it'll be the thermostat because I don't think the thermostat is used to control 12V.
Did the fridge fail slowly (cool progressively less well)? It may be that you have lost the coolant/Ammonia.

 

[sallylillian]

Sorry to say that it sounds like a problem condenser unit, just had mine replaced inside warranty on a 2 year old 8555. We had a failure initially on EHU, it was hot at the element and shroud but not cooling below 15, so switched to gas and it worked, ran on gas for 2 days then switched to EHU and all fine. But as it was inside warranty engineer suggested replacing condenser. Easy to do but costly if out of warranty. I would switch off completely for 3-4 hours, you will lose your frozen stuff, then when system cooled and gas reurned to settle as liquid in condenser switch back onto gas and remain so as its heating is more aggressive so if its just a circulation problem it will blast it through? If not looks like a new condenser. You will need to do a cost analysis as it may be more cost effective to replace the fridge.

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[Richard n Ann]

If replacing the fridge, consider a compressor type if you have solar and good battery. You can also get compressor kits to fit onto an existing fridge/box.

 

[tonyidle]

I stand corrected on the theoretical superpowers of the 12v element then, though I've yet to see any .

I agree with you. Very few are wired adequately so they perform as you say.