# Fridge problem on 240V



## Bobmarley3 (Oct 12, 2011)

Mrs Bob went into MH this morning (which is plugged into mains) and switched on fridge/freezer prior to us going away in a couple of days. Transpires that neither are getting cold on 240V. Tried it on gas and things do start to get cold in both. Have found the main bank of fuses and the 25A blade fuse (presumably for fridge as it has *** next to it) tested OK when I tried it.
Please does anyone have any inspirations as to where to look / what to do next?
Thanks, Bob


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Has it been very warm? I know my fridge freezer struggles to get the temp down on electricity. Much better performance on gas. Maybe once it's reached the proper temp then electricity would maintain it?


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## holeshole (Mar 20, 2010)

A 25A blade fuse will be on the DC side and will be protecting a lot more than the frig. I would look for a 6A or 10A MCB.

Alan


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

Bobmarley3 said:


> Mrs Bob went into MH this morning (which is plugged into mains) and switched on fridge/freezer prior to us going away in a couple of days. Transpires that neither are getting cold on 240V. Tried it on gas and things do start to get cold in both. Have found the main bank of fuses and the 25A blade fuse (presumably for fridge as it has *** next to it) tested OK when I tried it.
> Please does anyone have any inspirations as to where to look / what to do next?
> Thanks, Bob


The 25A blade fuse that you have found will be the fuse for the 12volt supply to the fridge and not the 230volt mains supply.

Have you checked any other mains powered devices in the van? Microwave, heater, water heater?? You will have a small consumer unit (mains fuseboard) somewhere in the van. Having any of the breakers tripped? Are they all in the on position?

Electrical problems are often a process of elimination. If you can let us know what, if anything, is working then we can try an narrow down the problem.

Phil

Edit: Ditto what holeshole said. I was still typing


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## Bobmarley3 (Oct 12, 2011)

After the last couple of days it's not been particularly warm here today. Definitely a feel of autumn. Once I knew the freezer and fruidge worked OK on gas, I put it back onto 240V - the temperature wasn't maintained.


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## Bobmarley3 (Oct 12, 2011)

Thanks Holeshole and Phil - Not a clue where to start looking for the 240V fuses - and won't be doing it till morning now. Hadn't thought to check anything else we can mains power. We've got a small kettle - will give that a try in the morning. Must admit I can't think of where we have anything which looks like a small consumer unit, but obviously there must be one. Bob


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

Bobmarley3 said:


> Thanks Holeshole and Phil - Not a clue where to start looking for the 240V fuses - and won't be doing it till morning now. Hadn't thought to check anything else we can mains power. We've got a small kettle - will give that a try in the morning. Must admit I can't think of where we have anything which looks like a small consumer unit, but obviously there must be one. Bob


It will be hiding in a cupboard probably or under a false panel at the bottom of a wardrobe or cupboard.

Often the manufacturer may mount the external hookup connection point fairly close to the internal location of the consumer unit to leave a short internal run of cable between the two. Not always the case but may be worth checking.


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## holeshole (Mar 20, 2010)

If you can confirm that all other mains equipment works and there are no tripped breakers then I don't think you can go much further without using a meter to confirm that 240V is arriving at the frig and measuring the resistance/continuity of the heating coils (assuming it is the usual absorbtion type frig). Probably best to call in a mobile frig engineer or a trip to you local dealer.

Alan


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

I found this earlier thread from someone who had a similar problem with a Hobby 750. I don't know much about Hobby models but the thread may be of some help if the builds are similar.

http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/182-electrical/106496-hobby-750-230v-reset-help.html


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## Bobmarley3 (Oct 12, 2011)

Phil - you clever person to find that - thank you :smile2: And yes there is a box of something behind the driver's seat, so that will be the first place to get checked out in the morning. We're the model below the 750 in that thread, so we don't have any breakers in the over door monitor panel. Will keep people posted on what transpires tomorrow. MrsBob


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## Bobmarley3 (Oct 12, 2011)

Thanks Alan - will try the main breaker box as per the thread philoaks found for me. After that things are getting too technical and it will be time to get in the "experts". Bob


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Hi 
Our fridge stopped working on electric last week and after consulting the people in the know and checking the 5 amp fuse in the PSU and checking other appliances still work (which they do) it seems it could well be the electric element in the fridge which has expired.
This will be confirmed on either Wednesday next week or Monday the week after as those are the only times the engineer can call.

I will keep you posted

DJM


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

The fridge in the Kon-Tiki didn't work on 230v either when we got it, I eventually traced the fault to fused switched spur where it'd burned out the contacts, fitted new one £8 from Been & Queued, fridge worked again.


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## Bobmarley3 (Oct 12, 2011)

Morning all - I'm beginning to suspect our problem is similar to that described by DJM. Our 240V breakers are all correctly set. The truma heater works, the kettle boils. The green light for 240V is lit on the fridge. It's simply the fridge refusing to cool on 240V. Looks like we'll have to run it on gas until we can get it sorted (which is a PITA as I'm away in the van for a few days from mid-week). Bob


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Bobmarley3 said:


> Morning all - I'm beginning to suspect our problem is similar to that described by DJM. Our 240V breakers are all correctly set. The truma heater works, the kettle boils. The green light for 240V is lit on the fridge. It's simply the fridge refusing to cool on 240V. Looks like we'll have to run it on gas until we can get it sorted (which is a PITA as I'm away in the van for a few days from mid-week). Bob


Do you have an isolator switch Bob, has it been knocked?


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

Bobmarley3 said:


> Morning all - I'm beginning to suspect our problem is similar to that described by DJM. Our 240V breakers are all correctly set. The truma heater works, the kettle boils. The green light for 240V is lit on the fridge. It's simply the fridge refusing to cool on 240V. Looks like we'll have to run it on gas until we can get it sorted (which is a PITA as I'm away in the van for a few days from mid-week). Bob


Hi Bob,

Certainly sounding like it could be the element problem as described by DJM. The fact that you've got the green light coming on implies that the mains is getting all the way to the fridge but just not doing anything  Sounds like a service engineer is your next step. Thankfully it is ok on gas though so at least it won't stop your trip away. At this time of year the fridge shouldn't be having to work too hard so won't be burning massive amounts of gas. Just make sure your spare bottle is full :smile2:

Phil


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## Bobmarley3 (Oct 12, 2011)

Morning Phil - we have an empty bottle in house garage which MrsBob is going to get filled tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I have put the fridge onto gas so that it's cold for when I go away - it's the only way to keep a week's worth of dinners prepared by her indoors :smile2:
Will put new bottle on when I go
Bob


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

If it's a Thetford fridge with an LED panel on the front take off the lower external vent, behind it you will find a multi pin connector (12V) Seperate the connector for a few minutes then reconnect.

I am away in southern France at the moment its 30*+ and my fridge packed up the other day. By carrying out the above procedure it re-booted the fridge and its now fine.

Worth a try (mine stopped working on everything) 

I am VERY glad I fitted a computer fan to aid the fridge, without it I don't think the frozen stuff we put in before leaving home would still be frozed !!

Andy


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## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

Its very common for the 230V heating elements to fail on caravan & motorhome fridges. If its working on gas and you can find 230V arriving to the fridge its most likely you need to change the heating element.

Trevor


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Has anyone on here changed either of the elements DIY? it looks like a fridge out job to me, I thought I may have to do it on this van.


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## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

I change about half a dozen every year Kev. Only had to take fridge out once 3 years ago. Most have enough access to do from the lower vent outside but many need to be moved forward a few inches (no need to disconect gas in most cases there is enough flexibility in the pipe).

Trevor


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Yes, Mrs Been to the rescue!

Had the same problem in April. Took the van out of storage. Fridge/freezer didnt work at all on elec but all else fine.

It's a Thetford fridge freezer 3 in 1 auto-select. 

Phoned Clitheroe Caravans, told me politely it "was" the "heater" element and they couldn't get spares from Miriad, so go fly a kite.

Not easily daunted and knowing that Miriad's spares dept is invariably bare of anything I want to buy, I immediately got hold of Leisure Spares in Yorkshire. Gave them model no and year and the part <£30 incl postage same day was winging its way to me, delivered at CaraClub Blackpool next day and their pet MCE came and installed it, albeit 4 days later due to work pressure. Took about an hour or so. It gets fitted up the left back side (front facing). 

Works fine now, but struggling a bit in 30 degree heat, so I don't put too much in or use the gas for a while which is colder. 

Good luck!

PS Had to move the fridge forward no easy access from outside it's "blocked off"


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## Bobmarley3 (Oct 12, 2011)

Thanks Andy - unfortunately it's a Dometic not a Thetford 
Bob


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## sakitheplumber (May 13, 2018)

We are having problems with our fridge it works on gas but will not work on mains and blows the trip everytime we plug it into the socket for the fridge. We've tried other appliances in the same socket and they're fine but not the fridge. How do we reset the control panel fuse as they don't move up or down when you press them.


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## shingi (Apr 18, 2008)

sakitheplumber said:


> We are having problems with our fridge it works on gas but will not work on mains and blows the trip everytime we plug it into the socket for the fridge. We've tried other appliances in the same socket and they're fine but not the fridge. How do we reset the control panel fuse as they don't move up or down when you press them.


Why don't you answer the questions on your original post and you might get somewhere??????


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I'm still leaning towards the 240v element being suspect. It's the first step in several steps to try and eliminate the problem.

Ray.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

HermanHymer said:


> Works fine now, but struggling a bit in 30 degree heat, so I don't put too much in or use the gas for a while which is colder.
> 
> Good luck!


A bit late to comment, but a fridge/freezer is better used almost full so long as air can move, reason being it takes a hell of a lot of power to chill/freeze air, and of course food if possible should be pre chilled and keep the door shut as much as possible as cold air sinks, so falls onto the floor.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

On Kev's point it's a good idea, if your freezer isn't full, to fill the blank space with, for example, empty (closed) chinese meal containers, or even pumped up plastic bags tied n sealed (they can mould round awkward shapes in the cabinet).

The air inside will chill but doesn't fall out when you open the door.


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