Fridge uses lots of gas.. Why? (1 Viewer)

MattR

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A friend has an old Hymer with a 3 way fridge about the size of an undercounter fridge.

When on hookup, it cools well. When on gas, it uses gas very heavily (apparently, a bottle a day). Any idea why? When we have had high consumption, it was because the fridge was beneath a cupboard with lots of clothes in and it overheated. Their van's fridge just has a work top above it.

I'll be sending them a link to the forum to look at joining but they are currently slumming it on a remote beach in N Spain without Internet.
 

DBK

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A bottle a day? Even if they are small bottles something is wrong. A new jet required I think would be a start.

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MattR

MattR

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A bottle a day? Even if they are small bottles something is wrong. A new jet required I think would be a start.

I'm not knowledgeable about gas fridges. Would a faulty jet allow lots of unused gas to escape?

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DBK

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I'm not knowledgeable about gas fridges. Would a faulty jet allow lots of unused gas to escape?
I'm certainly no expert but I know with just cooking and the fridge we get through around 3 or 4 kg of gas a week. I don't think even a faulty thermostat would consume a "bottle a day" as the flame is quite small and even burning twenty four hours a day it shouldn't empty a bottle. But what other uses of gas have they, how are they heating water? Something isn't right by a long way I think. A leak somewhere might be the most likely explanation.
 

Minxy

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Apart from anything else, tell them to STOP using the fridge on gas! If it is using, more likely losing (ie a leak) as much as that there is something seriously wrong! I suggest if they DO want to use it again they get their gas system tested to see if any leaks show up before they do.
 

Lenny HB

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Apart from anything else, tell them to STOP using the fridge on gas! If it is using, more likely losing (ie a leak) as much as that there is something seriously wrong! I suggest if they DO want to use it again they get their gas system tested to see if any leaks show up before they do.
Just going to say the same, only way it could use that much would be a leak. The pipe from the burner & the control kob is steel they sometimes rust through you get pin holes on the bends.
 
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MattR

MattR

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She has a very sensitive nose for gas leaks and hasn't detected any smells. I will pass on the advice but judging by their past experiences of dealing with gas leaks in their previous home (new purchase, boiler faulty) I guess that a leak is less likely but am no expert and thank you for your replies.

They don't use the fridge on gas but do on lecky.
 

DBK

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She has a very sensitive nose for gas leaks and hasn't detected any smells. I will pass on the advice but judging by their past experiences of dealing with gas leaks in their previous home (new purchase, boiler faulty) I guess that a leak is less likely but am no expert and thank you for your replies.

They don't use the fridge on gas but do on lecky.
If they are not using it on gas then no panic, I thought they were. I suggest they get it checked as soon as they can and for the interim ensure the gas supply to the fridge is turned off.

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Lenny HB

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She has a very sensitive nose for gas leaks and hasn't detected any smells. I will pass on the advice but judging by their past experiences of dealing with gas leaks in their previous home (new purchase, boiler faulty) I guess that a leak is less likely but am no expert and thank you for your replies.

They don't use the fridge on gas but do on lecky.
If the fridge has been installed correctly and fully sealed from the inside of the van you probably wouldn't smell it inside, but you will feel the bang when it goes up.:)
 
Feb 24, 2013
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I have on occasion o_O forgotten to hook up to mains on return home, even after a month a 13kg cylinder is still going strong, I am with the others, something is seriously wrong, or they have been sold part filled bottles :)
 
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MattR

MattR

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If they are not using it on gas then no panic, I thought they were. I suggest they get it checked as soon as they can and for the interim ensure the gas supply to the fridge is turned off.

I'll check if they have turned off the supply to the fridge, but if they haven't and they aren't using gas or losing it, does that give any other clues?

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Minxy

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I'll check if they have turned off the supply to the fridge, but if they haven't and they aren't using gas or losing it, does that give any other clues?
To me if they have the gas turned on (ie to use the hob) but are using the fridge only on electric, it would suggest that the pipework etc AFTER the control knob on the fridge onwards could be where the fault lies, eg leaking.
 
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MattR

MattR

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To me if they have the gas turned on (ie to use the hob) but are using the fridge only on electric, it would suggest that the pipework etc AFTER the control knob on the fridge onwards could be where the fault lies, eg leaking.

But if they have not turned off the gas to the fridge (and just don't light it) and do not lose gas, does that suggest any clues?
 

DBK

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But if they have not turned off the gas to the fridge (and just don't light it) and do not lose gas, does that suggest any clues?
Yes, as MG suggested, the fault is probably inside the fridge. If it isn't losing gas, and they are sure of that, then it should be safe but I am wary of suggesting anything is safe given the difficulty of diagnosing such a fault at distance. The balance of probabilities is it is probably safe, but 100% safe? I don't think anyone can say that without seeing the fridge.

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Minxy

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But if they have not turned off the gas to the fridge (and just don't light it) and do not lose gas, does that suggest any clues?
As I've said the fault would have to be in the fridge 'gubbins' which are AFTER the control knob - in the 'off' position this would be prevent the gas supply from getting past it.
 

Langtoftlad

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Oh Please! - it's gas - get it properly checked out by someone qualified & experienced asap, rather than ask questions on here*


*appreciate there are some very knowledgeable Funsters but without physically seeing the problem, its going to be guesswork.
 
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MattR

MattR

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Yes, as MG suggested, the fault is probably inside the fridge. If it isn't losing gas, and they are sure of that, then it should be safe but I am wary of suggesting anything is safe given the difficulty of diagnosing such a fault at distance. The balance of probabilities is it is probably safe, but 100% safe? I don't think anyone can say that without seeing the fridge.

They do not use the fridge with gas anymore. I'm just wondering if there is an alternative to a leak that would cause the high gas use.

We went through a bottle in less than a week when we cushions directly onto the bottom of the cupboard that was above the fridge and the fridge went into overdrive with the external wall getting very warm. I am curious to know if there are other reasons for high gas use apart from poor cooling of the fridge carcass or a leak.

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MattR

MattR

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Oh Please! - it's gas - get it properly checked out by someone qualified & experienced asap, rather than ask questions on here*


*appreciate there are some very knowledgeable Funsters but without physically seeing the problem, its going to be guesswork.


They stopped using the fridge on gas.
 
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MattR

MattR

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That's as maybe
I'd still be wanting my gas system properly checked to find out where a bottle a day went.
Safety first.

So would I but I would like to be better informed about the potential issues before be taking it in.

My immediate thought was that it might need re=gassing but then remembered that I read that 3 way fridges can't be re-gassed and if it works on lecky, the cooling system must work in part but does the lecky system share the same components as the gas bit with a few exceptions?

Lots of knowledge to aquire but won't be suggesting that they take any risks.

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DBK

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So would I but I would like to be better informed about the potential issues before be taking it in.

My immediate thought was that it might need re=gassing but then remembered that I read that 3 way fridges can't be re-gassed and if it works on lecky, the cooling system must work in part but does the lecky system share the same components as the gas bit with a few exceptions?

Lots of knowledge to aquire but won't be suggesting that they take any risks.
The cooling system is the same whether on gas or electric, the only difference is the heat source but how it works is otherwise the same.
 

Snowbird

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To use that much gas there is without doubt a leak somewhere, and a pretty substantial one at that. My advice would be to turn the gas off at the bottle and not use ANY gas until the whole system had been checked by a professional.
 
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A bottle a day is mad , what Snowbird said , post above .

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scotjimland

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Gas consumption for all Dometic fridges ..http://www.jacksons-camping.co.uk/cool/ice.htm

small fridge uses 170g/24h .. and 250 to 310 g/24 h for the larger models.

I was quite surprise how much gas they do use.. away for a month and never on EHU we used about 9 kg LPG, seldom for hot water or cooking .. did most cooking on a Weber gas BBQ with it's own bottle.. and we used site showers for at least 20 nights out of a 28 day trip. and did the washing up at site sinks..

But certainly not a bottle per day..

170g x 28 days = 4.76 kg .. about half of our usage was for the fridge..
 

MotorhomersRus

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We had a gas leak.........only a small one and found it by accident really as it was outside underneath the van..........gas pipe runs from cooker under MH to fridge on other side.
Leak was just as it leaving the cooker. !!!!
 
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I suspect the flue needs a good clean. The more soot in the flue the less efficient the fridge becomes until eventually it does not cool at all.
A simple and quick job to undertake.

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