# New Thetford Fridge freezer



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

Help

Am I doing something wrong with my brand new SES Thetford fridge

I have had the same set up in my previous MH so I think I'm doing everything correctly

I have turned the Fridge on let it choose its Auto setting which is mains and it doesnt seem to cool down but there is warm air coming out of the vents.

I have manually set it to gas and hot air is blasting out of the cooler vents

There is no little spanner or fault code

Thanks in advance

Wups


----------



## cbcft (Jul 16, 2007)

just checking the obvious - are you on a slope of more than 5 degrees? Our new fridge refused to work on our drive which is a very gentle slope but worked perfectly once we got the van moving.

Kind regards

Chris & Cliff


----------



## Vennwood (Feb 4, 2007)

In the old days this used to be caused because the thing had been standing for a few months unused and parked on a slope. You had to remove the fridge and turn it upside down for a couple of hours. Remember when we did this years ago when I had the Burstner caravan? 

I thought this problem had been illiminated with newer technology. Got to be worth checking with the dealer though. Would also remove the external grills and check for blockages.

If all that fails then I would turn it on to gas and leave it on for 24 hours with the temp turned to normal. Gas works more efficiently than electric so would be better. Don't turn to max as this can cause the thing to ice up the pipes and not work at all.

Failing that then back to the dealer.

Good luck....


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

cbcft said:


> just checking the obvious - are you on a slope of more than 5 degrees? Our new fridge refused to work on our drive which is a very gentle slope but worked perfectly once we got the van moving.
> 
> Kind regards
> 
> Chris & Cliff


Its on the level guys

Thanks for reply

Wups


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

Vennwood said:


> In the old days this used to be caused because the thing had been standing for a few months unused and parked on a slope. You had to remove the fridge and turn it upside down for a couple of hours. Remember when we did this years ago when I had the Burstner caravan?
> 
> I thought this problem had been illiminated with newer technology. Got to be worth checking with the dealer though. Would also remove the external grills and check for blockages.
> 
> ...


Remember it well.

Its on 240 v at the moment I'll leave it on over night

Then turn it all off and start on gas mid day

Dealer on Monday Autocruise Tues for new fridge

Wups


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

Wupert said:


> Vennwood said:
> 
> 
> > Checked it late last night and turned it off because it was hot.
> ...


----------



## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

I had a very similar problem a few weeks ago. I noticed a lot of heat in the cutlery drawer above the fridge. The contents of the fridge was frozen, even though the setting on the panel was only set at one bar. I left it a few days and it went the other way with the fridge not cooling.

At one point the fridge went into fault and fault code 13 and the spanner was displayed.

I called Thetford who were extremely helpful. They explained that the most likely cause was a thyristor failure. 

If you look inside your fridge you will see a couple of wires leading to a small black thing clipped onto the cooling fins inside the fridge. This is the thyristor.

Thetford were very good and sent a replacement FOC and it arrived a few days later. It's just a matter of pulling it off the cooling fin and pulling apart the cable connector and reclipping the replacement. It worked a treat and is back to normal.

One other helpful thing that Thetford explained may help you. If the thyristor is the fault then you should unplug and remove it. The fridge will go into manual control. This means that the cooling of the fridge is done on a time ratio bases. The bars on the front control panel indicate 12 minutes of cooling per hour. So if you select one bar the fridge should cool for 12 minutes every 1 hour. If you select 2 bars then it's 24 minutes per hour and so on until 5 bars means it's on constantly. This is not the best way to run the fridge but allows some sort of operation in an emergency.

Hope this all makes sense and is of use to you.

Regards,

Stewart


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

I suggest that it might be a thermistor which is a temperature sensitive resistor rather than a thyristor which is an electronic switch.


----------



## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

pippin said:


> I suggest that it might be a thermistor which is a temperature sensitive resistor rather than a thyristor which is an electronic switch.


Ooops sorry....... what ever you want to call it. It's the black thing attached to the cooling fin...wish I hadn't bothered now. I was only trying to help and given I'm a Doctor and not an Engineer I was doing my best....sorry!


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Fridge*

Wupert

Please keep us posted reference your fridge.

Russell


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

OK Stewartwebr, sorry, I wasn't criticising - merely illuminating and perhaps prevent someone else with a similar problem getting tied up in knots describing what they might need for a repair.

My twin brother was a GP and my training in electronics paled in comparison with the effort required for his MB/ChB.

Now, about my piles and ingrowing toenail..........!!!!


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

*Re: Fridge*



Rapide561 said:


> Wupert
> 
> Please keep us posted reference your fridge.
> 
> Russell


On my way out to fridge.

Thanks for info guys

Wups


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

*Re: Fridge*



Wupert said:


> Rapide561 said:
> 
> 
> > Wupert
> ...


Update

Black headed thingy :lol: removed

I now have a blue flashing light and error 13.

Ive set the temp mid way....but think I'll put it up to full.

Back off out to play.

Wups


----------



## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

pippin said:


> OK Stewartwebr, sorry, I wasn't criticising - merely illuminating and perhaps prevent someone else with a similar problem getting tied up in knots describing what they might need for a repair.
> 
> My twin brother was a GP and my training in electronics paled in comparison with the effort required for his MB/ChB.
> 
> Now, about my piles and ingrowing toenail..........!!!!


No problems what so ever. I have just read up on the difference between a thermistor and a thyristor

As my Grandfather used to say "Every day's a school day"

Just hope between us all we can get the fridge to work again. That's what this great forum is all about!

Stewart


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*difference*

Comeon Stewart, don't keep us in suspense? What is the difference between one thing and t'other?

Russell


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

*Re: difference*



Rapide561 said:


> Comeon Stewart, don't keep us in suspense? What is the difference between one thing and t'other?
> 
> Russell


I've put fridge on full and onto gas

I'll give it an hour

Blue flashing light and siren along with error 13 starting to frighten wife :badgrin:

Wups


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

*Re: difference*



Wupert said:


> Rapide561 said:
> 
> 
> > Comeon Stewart, don't keep us in suspense? What is the difference between one thing and t'other?
> ...


Ladies & Gentlemen

We have Ice

Beer & Wine ready for transfer.

Thanks to everyone for top quality advice and help.

Wups

PS Still calling on dealer for a spare th...........ster in the morning.


----------



## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

*Re: difference*



Wupert said:


> Wupert said:
> 
> 
> > Rapide561 said:
> ...


Great news!

The fridge will display the Error 13 due to the THERMISTOR  being removed. As I said previously it is now operating on a timed mode with each bar indicating a 12minute/hour period.

Thetford will send you a new one if you call for free. You can find their number on the back cover of the manual. Once you get through press the number for Customer Care. They were very helpfull.

Stewart


----------



## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

I had a similar episode with my ses thetford fridge however in my case I could make ice just couldn't get the main compartment below 15 degrees, ambient was around 30. Extra cooling fans did not help.
When we got home ambient was nearer 20 degrees but no difference still at 15 degrees, loads of ice.
Switched fridge off for a few hours and allowed it to cool down then switched it back on, main compartment 0.4 dregrees after about 6 hours, been fine since.
If it happens again i may try disconnecting the Thermistor. My summation is that the PIC microprocessor locked up and needed a reset........
Thetford yet to phone me back

Pete


----------



## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

This maybe of some interest:
http://www.swift-owners-club.com/tips/oem_handbooks/thetford/troubleshooting_fridges.pdf

http://www.swift-owners-club.com/tips/oem_handbooks/thetford/fridge_spares_deluxe_premium_lcd.pdf

Pete


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

pete4x4 said:


> This maybe of some interest:
> http://www.swift-owners-club.com/tips/oem_handbooks/thetford/troubleshooting_fridges.pdf
> 
> http://www.swift-owners-club.com/tips/oem_handbooks/thetford/fridge_spares_deluxe_premium_lcd.pdf
> ...


Cheers Pete

Very useful links

Wups


----------



## time-traveller (Apr 23, 2007)

stewartwebr said:


> pippin said:
> 
> 
> > I suggest that it might be a thermistor which is a temperature sensitive resistor rather than a thyristor which is an electronic switch.
> ...


Why do you _wish you'd never bothered_? You _were_ being helpful. And you've learned something you didn't know before, haven't you? And there's no need to apologise for being a doctor - someone has to be ! Contrary to popular belief, _we_ know they don't really know _everything_ !


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

Ice now warm water.

I changed the fridge from gas to 240 volts and hey presto

It warmed up.

MH now in Thetfords S.Wales agents under test.

Its either a fix in 24 hours or a.... new ...new fridge.

I'll keep you posted.

Wups


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

fitter just phoned 

All now appears cold and well.

He thinks that the removal and refit of the Thermo thingy and leaving the gas on full overnight has sorted things out.

He tells me that it is also cooling well on 240

Off to fetch MH in a few mins.


Happy Wups


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Thetford*

Keep us posted!

R


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

*Re: Thetford*



Rapide561 said:


> Keep us posted!
> 
> R


Back from a few weeks in Southern france

The Fridge worked perfectly on 12v and Gas

I ran it on 240V from my house and it warmed up.

A new fridge is now on the way.

Wups


----------



## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Had issues today in Spain as the thetford gave up the ghost, freezer defrosted and fridge not cooling.
Temperatures here in the 30s and although I had fitted a fan at the upper vent and had it running, problems now with fridge freezer and no error codes displayed on either gas, 240v or Auto.

Found this old thread from 2009 on the search and have now removed the thermistor from the fins in the fridge and set to gas.... Fingers crossed ?

Had to buy ice for the aperitifs, bugger &#55357;&#56832;

Any other suggestions welcome, given the price of ice &#55357;&#56866;

Terry


----------



## deefordog (Dec 31, 2013)

When we had thermistor problems with our N150 AES, it was overcooling on 240v and gas, not defrosting.


----------

