Help please!!

[Coolbeanz]

We have started loading the Hymer ready for the off in 10 days so Glynn decided to check the fridge. When he plugged in the EHU lead and then switched the fridge on it blew the trip in the house. We tried it on gas and it wouldn't light either so he started the engine and it appears to be fine on 12V. We then tried it on gas again and it did run for about 5 minutes before the red light came on again. He then tried a new lead just to eliminate that as the issue and it isn't the lead. We have plenty of gas as I have just tried the hob and it works. Any ideas where we should start in trying to suss out what is going wrong. The trip switch in the garage of the Motorhome also tripped out when we tried to run the fridge on 240V. As long as we don't attempt to light the fridge we have power to the Motorhome.

 

[Lenny HB]

Model of fridge would help, sounds like it could be a fault on the circuit board, one the older fridges they would control the fridge running on mains & gas, newer 8000 fridges I think it controls everything.
On the older ones the 12 v just feeds the 12v element sometimes via a thermostat .
I think you will either have to get the local Dometic engineer in or chance changing the PCB yourself.

 

[Coolbeanz]

It's a Thetford N80-145 if that helps.

 

[Lenny HB]

It's a Thetford N80-145 if that helps.

Don't know anything about Thetford fridges but same principle applies, A good guess if it's tripping out the house RCD most likely a power supply fault on the PCB.

You sound a bit too well organised to me , I sort everything a few hours before we leave.

 

[Coolbeanz]

Oh dear, I was hoping it was something easy. Thanks for the replies.

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[Lenny HB]

Oh dear, I was hoping it was something easy. Thanks for the replies.

Unfortunately circuit boards all use electronic transformers (switch mode power supply) these days and a component has probably gone pop & they don't bother repairing things these days they just change the board ( panel jockeys ).

A long shot might be worth contacting A and N Caravan services, they specialise in repairing power supply/charging units for Motorhomes, they do repairs down to component level, if they can't help may be able to recommend someone.

 

[dave newell]

TBH it could be anything from a loose wire at the RCD unit to a burnt out element in the fridge, even rodent damage could be the cause. Without examining the motorhome it is impossible to say what the cause of the fault is. When was the fridge last serviced?

D.

 

[Coolbeanz]

We don't know when it was last serviced as we only bought it a year ago. Looks like we'll be calling out a Motorhome mechanic in the morning.

 

[Coolbeanz]

Update: well the fridge not working on gas turned out to be a red herring....air in the pipe!! This meant it was fairly certain it was the element causing it to blow the trip. We finally got the Motorhome back today and everything is working perfectly now the new element is fitted. Phew, what a relief as we leave early hours of Thursday for Eurotunnel so it's now action stations to get everything loaded. Getting really excited now

 

[DavidG58]

Glad you have it sorted, but also glad you have now had it serviced, particularly if you don't know when the last owner did, now you can enjoy the trip, so much better to go just before you went, even better long enough before to get it fixed have fun

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[houdini]

Wow, lucky you had time to sort it out. Enjoy yourselves.