# Fridge not working at all



## DaveJM (Dec 29, 2008)

Hi,

Currently touring Europe without the fridge working!! started going wrong as we hit Calais!

It is an Electrolux RM 6505 and is 6 years old. Over the last two weeks has been getting less and less cold no matter which power source. Took it to a Hymer dealer in Stuttgart who told me there was an air block and it should work its way free but may not!

If not I will need a new fridge at a cost of about £1500.

The gas burner and heating unit seem to work fine but the fridge does not get cold at all.

Any ideas - will be travelling back through Germany in a couple of weeks and next port of call is a Dometic engineer at Hymer HO in Bad Waldsee but thought some one may have experienced a similar problem.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.


Regards


David


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

This really is the blind leading the blind ( :roll: ) but that sometimes happens to domestic fridges when they have been transported on their side.

The advice then is to leave them switched off for several hours and then switch on again.

I've no idea if it will work, but if no real experts are around you will know the answer by tomorrow morning, and it won't cost anything to try it.

Dave


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

My bet is the fridge needs re gassing as there has been a leek.... so you need a refrideration person....


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## Hymie (May 9, 2005)

*Hymer, Bad Waldsee*

We have always found the staff at the Hymer service centre very helpful.

Hopefully they will sort it for you.

Worth asking if the factory tour is available while you are there.

Happy Travels


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

DaveJM said:


> Hi,
> 
> Currently touring Europe without the fridge working!! started going wrong as we hit Calais!
> 
> ...


Hi Dave,

Although we don't have a RM 6505, we do have the RM 4505 AES, which is similar, and TBH, it hasn't put a foot wrong during the 5 years that we have had it, (10 years old now).

When caravanning, we had a similar problem with a fridge, and many stories were told of Electrolux fridges that wouldn't work after being stored at a few degrees either side of horizontal. 
The advice then, was to remove the fridge, turn it upside down for 24 hrs, so as to redistribute the liquid coolant, turn it upright for another 24 hrs, and reinstall. This actually worked for us, however, I wouldn't expect you to do the same with a fridge/freezer, but the Hymer dealer's diagnosis may not be very far out. As already mentioned, it could be down to a coolant leak.

With power and gas disconnected, are you able to remove either of the two external air vents, to check for any loose wiring, and/or excess sooting up of the flue, or burners. 
Removal of the lower air vent, will give access to the shroud over the igniter, thermo coupling and burner. 
I have recently been advised that regular use of Autogas does tend to soot up these components more frequently than bottled LPG.
I have to say, that since servicing our RM 4505, it has certainly worked more efficiently than of previous.

Very importantly, if not at all confident with any aspects of DIY servicing of an AES unit, professional assistance is the only way to go, especially with regards to re-gassing the unit.

Good luck with it.

Regards,

Jock.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Fridge*

Great and detailed reply from jockandrita.

Sounds like the system is blocked which unless the upside down 24 hours trick works, you a pretty much knackered I am sorry to say.

You don't simply re-gas absorbtion refrigeration units as they contain amonia, as opposed to comprerssor refrigeration that would use Freon HCFC (dichlorodifluoromethane) HFC R134a (tetrafluoroethane) or the more efficient R600a Iscobutane.

Hope this helps and hope you are the 1 in several 100's where the blockage clears by the upside down trick.

™


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## DaveJM (Dec 29, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies. Turned fridge off last night but no luck this morning.

I think there probably is an air lock, the problem is that to take the fridge out and turn it upside down etc and then refit it takes around 10 hours of labour so I am told.

I was also told to drive along a bumpy road and that might dislodge air lock which I have been doing!

Thanks and will let you know outcome for benefit of others.

David


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## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

Just one more thing you may have missed. It has been quite warm recently which means these type of fridges are less efficient as they rely on air flow around the vents to work.
Have you removed your winter vent covers? These are plastic covers that fit over the main vents and partially block the air flow for winter use.
I learnt about them the hard way when I first bought a motorhome 6 years ago and had the same problem you describe   



Trevor


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## DaveJM (Dec 29, 2008)

Thanks Trevor,

yes vents were removed a while ago.

David


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

Rather than driving on a bumpy road, why not remove the exterior grill and gently tap the metal piping with a hammer. This may release an airlock or blockage.


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

all fridges are in a sealed system, in my view if there's air in the fridges pressure system there's a reason why, and may be a leek... the pipework around the compressor are very thin and can fracture very easily. If the fridge has been working for some while I would still suspect a leek...


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## DaveJM (Dec 29, 2008)

Hi all - an update,
Tried all the suggestions made - thanks for those, but still no luck.

Hymer at Bad Waldsee directed us to Dometic in Ravensburg, about 20 Kms away. Engineer was on holiday!So decide to wait till we got home

In the end e mailed Malcolm Rock - a Dometic engineer who has received glowing references on MHF. He suggested on the evidence, that the cooling unit had leaked ammonia. This was confirmed by the yellow powdery deposits and the fact there was no cooling on any power source.

Hymer in Germany had said it would take about 10 hours of labour + parts! - better to buy new fridge at around 1500 euros.

To cut a long story short Malcolm Rock came down today, replaced the cooling unit for £400 inc labour and completed the job in just under 2 hours. I can highly recommend his services.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

You obviously did right to take the steady-eddy route to identifying the problem, with the help of MHF Members. 

With the slight inconvenience of being without for a while you found the right solution. 

Well done Malcolm Rock!

And shame on Hymer!

My MH is a N+B (now owned by Hymer) but according to Many N+B owners the separate factory at Polch appears to give better service (they have been helpful to me via e-mail)

Long may that continue!

Geoff


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