Thread: Van - Electrolux 3 way Fridge - She No Go

Thanks for all the comments - know all about turning the fridge upside down etc etc and fans to assist ventilation (actually it was -8 last night so covers would be needed to restrict ventilation to keep to burner/flue warm).

The fridge is built in so some dismantling will be required to get it out to rotate it around a few times. I looked on the Dometic site - like all Waeco stuff is grossly over priced - you can buy a similar sized 3 way camping fridge for about $400 but these van fridges are around $1300 depending on model. I have considered replacing it with a compressor fridge but would prefer a gas powered one for general fridge functions.

Looks like I need to do some dismantling and give it a good shakeup.

Cheers

Garry

Gary, most I've worked on are built in, but it usually isn't too hard to get them out, just fiddly.

Generally you remove all the outer louvres to get access and often the hardest part is getting the gas disconnected as there is limited space to swing spanners, undo the electrical supply (12 and 240V) and try and find the big mother screws that are through the base.

I think removing the architrave/surround around the door helped too ?
Pop out the little plastic plugs and remove the screws ? (It's over twelve months since I worked on one....)

or you could try just taking the van for a drive over some decent angles.

Good info here guys, hope you don't mind if I add a question or two.

I've pulled my 3way fridge out to do some caravan repairs, and hadto cut the 12v to gt it out - it was hardwired through the floor. Muggins didn't think to check which was positive and negative and there is no way to tell from the cable or from inside the fridge. Does the polarity in these things matter? There is a circuit diagram inside which suggests it just connects to a resistive heater which would suggestit doesn't matter which way the 12v plugs in. Is this right?

Also the piezo sparked is buggered. Can I get these at a standard caravan shop or are these special order sort of things?

Cheers

yes it matters.....

the earth lead may be connected to the chassis of the fridge, mix that up and short the fridge to earth and you have a direct short.

some of the fridges have fans and 12v auto igniters for the gas fitted, wire these up backwards and they may not work or they might let all the smoke out.

check the wires closely you should find that you havent cut them exactly square so they will fit better one way that the other, if they dont have a trace colour on them then one may have a ridge on it...

try this.

with the meter on ohms or continuity connect one side to the chassis of the fridge and then probe both the wires, the one with the lowest (no) resistance (check that you have a good connection to the fridge chassis first) is the earth lead.

if neither wire connects to the fridge chassis then the 12v heater is fully floating and its polarity is immaterial providing that the thermostat is a simple bimetalic strip setup.

IT can be further complicated if the same heater element is used for 12 and 240v but if your wiring diagram shows the 12v and 240v circuits being completely independant then you're in good shape.

can you post up a scan of the wiring diagram and

yes the piezo electric lighter can be replaced with a generic one, I've used ones from BBQ's before today but some fridges have the igniter probe double as the thermal conductor for the gas safety valve.



DONT try any of this with the mains lead connected or the gas turned on.

Had a closer look inside the fridge - its all pretty simple hey. Both the 12V and 240V wires go straight into the heater, with no boards or controls of any sort. With the 12V wires, resistance is 1.8 ohms both ways, so seems like a simple resistive heater to me. Didn't check resistance to earth - will do that tomorrow. Picture of circuit below:


Edit: Checked resistance to the chassis, and neither of the 12V connections are linked to the chassis at all.

Well I managed to get the fridge out after a lot of effort - as well as being screwed in it was also clued in .

I have turned it upside down (I heard a gurgling sound - is that good or bad?) and will leave it there for a few hours and then turn it on its side later tonight and its other side in the morning. I will plug it in on 240v mid morning and see how it goes.

If it does not work I will put in in for repair with a cost limit of $500 (the cost of a reconditioned one from a agent).

Anyone know the cost of putting in new cooling medium or to replace the the cooling hardware.

Thanks

Garry

Gary, the shakeup procedure only takes a matter of minutes, you are endeavouring to remix liquid.
Turning it, then letting it sit wouldn't be ideal IMO.

Tip onto the boiler side first (the big vertical cylinder) and wait till you hear the gurgling stop, then tip onto the top, again wait till the gurgling stops, tip onto the other side, again wait until the noise stops, then tip back onto the top, tip at a 45* angle and shake it like all buggery, wait till the gurgling stops then tip back onto the boiler side, wait, then back upright.

Wait again until all gurgling has ceased, then turn on.