# Electrolux fridge not working on 12v



## VenturerDave (Oct 2, 2009)

Good Evening

Our Electrolux fridge is not working on 12v but is OK on mains and gas. When switching on the 12v switch it does not even light up.

It is fitted in our Autotrail Cheyenne (2000) of which I know absolutely nothing as it is our fist motorhome.

My questions are:-

1. Should the fridge run from the domestic 12v battery or will it only run on 12v when the engine is running.
2. If I plug into the mains but have the fridge running on 12v will it harm the fridge.
3. Where should I start looking for a possible cause of the fridge not running. On the top panel there are two screws that I assume hold the panel in place. If I remove them will I get access to the wiring etc to check a supply (again, should it be live if the engine is not running)

Any other help or suggestions would be appreciated as I like to know how things work on anything I own.

Thanks in anticipation

Dave


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

most fridges only work on 12volts when the engine is running so just maksure the fridge is still not working with the engine running, then its a matter of finding the d+ relay to check you do have volts leaving the relay and also checking you have volts on the 12 volt heating element on the fridge..... i hope that helps so far...


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## VenturerDave (Oct 2, 2009)

Thanks Clive. I'll have a look tomorrow. I know it is not working when the engine is running as we had about an hours driving today but no chill to the fridge at the end of it.

regards

Dave


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

Ok Dave,

If you do get volts to the fridge from the D+ volts just check the resistance of the 12v element should be around 20 ohms or there abouts..... if its open circuit replacements can be got from leasurespares.com


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## 100127 (Jul 20, 2006)

Fridge will not work on 12 volt whilst hooked up to mains. The 12 volt only works with the engine running. Could be a fuse gone.


Bob


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Dave

The 12V supply whilst the engine is running is only meant to maintain the low temp within your fridge once it has been cooled down using Gas or mains.

After only an hours 12v supply I would not expect it to feel very much different at all. Certainly my Dometic manual states to cool the fridge on mains or gas as the 12V system is purely for maintenance when "under way".

Dont know about others but my fridge is FAR better on gas than mains leccy !!!


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## 100127 (Jul 20, 2006)

I also have a Dometic fridge, the type you switch manually from one supply to the other. On our recent trip abroad, after two hours on 12 volt I could scrape ice from the freezer box. That is without putting any ice cubes or frozen food in it.


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## VenturerDave (Oct 2, 2009)

Have been unable to trace the fault so have booked it in to be looked at tomorrow (Friday). Will report back as to what the fault was.


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

Hi,
A bit late but it's worth a look at this.

http://www.dometic.com/enuk/Europe/United-Kingdom/Customer-Center/Operation-Manuals/


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## elva200 (May 21, 2011)

*electrolux fridge*

Hi there
I am following this as I have just got a 1994 Toyota campervan and its got an Electrolux RM 4217 fridge. Its a japanese import so Im not concerned about the mains supply at the moment but just the 12 volts DC and gas. I cant find a service manual for this ( its 17 years old now) so will email Dometic and see if they have one. I dont even know what the controls do, except by trying them. I assume that the fridge detects whether the engine is running before running on 12 volts. I tried it and the first time it seemed to work on 12volts but the next time the green light/switch did not illuminate which puzzled me. Then i realised that the first time we had the radio on, and the ignition switched to accessories, so I assume that is enough to signal the fridge to work on 12volts. I will be interested to see the results of VenturerDave's test.


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## VenturerDave (Oct 2, 2009)

*Feedback to fault*

Just got back home after our first trip away in the MH (good weekend had) and thought I would give some feedback on the fault.

It was partly a fractured wire close to the relays under the bonnet. These are the bits that sense when the engine is running and switch the fridge to the 12v supply. Not sure what caused the wire to fracture but it took quite a while to track down at the workshop I had taken it to. Once this break was repaired many fuses were blown while tracking down a further fault. This was eventually diagnosed as incorrect wiring to the rear of the 12v (Red) switch on the front of the fridge. No idea how this happened as the fridge allegedly worked during the habitation service the dealer had done before we bought the van.

It took professionals three and a half hours to rectify this so I am glad I handed it over to someone who knew what they were doing.

All is now working and we are looking forward to our next trip away in a week or two.

Thanks to you all for suggestions and help provided earlier.


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