# Why are MH fridges so unreliable?



## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

Yet again my fridge has decided to not work.

The MH is on the drive and plugged in, but the fridge will not work on mains or gas. It is the AES Thetford and was renewed under warranty about a year ago. The drive is on a very slight slope....barely imperceptible, but the damn thing has decided to stay warm. It was working when I last used it....admittedly a few weeks ago (just had a serious eye operation  ) I think it has always been tempermental, the last one and this newer one, but nowhere is 100% flat after all. It usually works on the drive so I fear this one is broken too. Now out of warranty , of course.

I have tried turning it on and off and changing it manually to gas and back to mains. All the lights are on as they should but no cold fridge....Grr!

Any ideas? 

I am off in a months time so want it fixed by then. I have to go to Brownhills on Friday as the suspension creaks, but they have no habitation mechanic time.... hopefully it will right itself. Are the thetfords worse than others or are they all the same?

There always seems to be something wrong...saps the energy really.


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## ceejayt (Nov 25, 2005)

So aggravating when you get a problem like this and cannot rely on your kit to work when away. I have to say that we have not had much of a problem with fridges over the years so don't know what to suggest. Can only sympathise.


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## Pat-H (Oct 30, 2009)

If it's an absobtion fridge (no compessor/motor) then they are very fussy to being straight and level.
They normally have one particular direction of tilt they don't like at all.
Looking at the fridge front to back tilt is less of an issue but side to side is.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Does it work on Gas.?
Is there power to the mains element.?

Opps sorry just seen not working on gas.

I would guess the 12v electronic board.

Ray.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

You have to be on a decent slope before it affects the fridge, our trailer is on a permanent slop for most of the year but always works.

Couple of things you can check for yourself:

1) On mains, is there any heat coming out of the flue?

2) On gas, ditto

I'm not familiar with the model, but there should be flame failure devices that you override to light it up, do you have any signs of gas ignition at all?

Is there a flame tell-tale viewpoint?

Unfortunate if you have one of those that never seems to work, but you need to leave turned on for a decent amount of time before the circulation of refrigerant starts, ours takes an hour or so on mains, slightly quicker on gas as the heat input is nearly double.

Absorbtion fridges work on heat funnily enough, and it's the heat cycle of evaporation and condensing the refrigerant that makes it work.

Peter


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Do Thetford have 'call out' technicians? My previous Electolux/Dometic had a fault while at a Motorhome Show and the Dometic service engineer came out and gave it a full service, to the extent that it worked better than it ever had before. The charge was in the £20 range which included parts.
I got the impression from the engineer, who works nationally, that he serviced any fridge.

Alan


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

4maddogs said:


> Yet again my fridge has decided to not work.
> 
> The MH is on the drive and plugged in, but the fridge will not work on mains or gas. It is the AES Thetford and was renewed under warranty about a year ago. The drive is on a very slight slope....barely imperceptible, but the damn thing has decided to stay warm. It was working when I last used it....admittedly a few weeks ago (just had a serious eye operation  ) I think it has always been tempermental, the last one and this newer one, but nowhere is 100% flat after all. It usually works on the drive so I fear this one is broken too. Now out of warranty , of course.
> 
> ...


Had exactly the same problem with my fridge once it had been changed under warrenty.

You need to remove all electricity from the fridge, including the 12v.

leave for about 30 - 40 seconds.

then re-apply the 12v.

gas should now work, then put it on 240v, all should be ok.

Steve


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

listerdiesel said:


> You have to be on a decent slope before it affects the fridge, our trailer is on a permanent slop for most of the year but always works.
> 
> Couple of things you can check for yourself:
> 
> ...


It has been on for a day and night so it should have had time to cool. Have never really noticed much heat coming from the vents, but I will check that. It clicks once when changed from mains to gas and the blue light stays lit ( it flashes when the source is not available) .
I will be driving it on Thursday so will see if it behaves better then!


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## Parrotspain (Apr 12, 2009)

Hi,

First check to see if the upper vent has warm air flowing out - if not then you have a problem with gas flame, 12v / mains supply etc. It is the rising movement of warm air behind the fridge that extracts heat from within it.

If your upper vent IS warm, then try putting a plastic bottle of slightly warm water into the fridge (or freezer compartment if you have one) rather than putting cold food stuffs inside to start it don't leave it empty.

Most of these fridges don't pump the coolant around with a motor, but rely on convection. So they need a difference in temperature between the fridge and the lower part of the back vent in order to get the heat to flow out. Cold foods and low ambient temperatures may not be different enough to get the coolant moving easily.

I used to have constant problems with our Thetford, but I now believe that parking on slight slopes had little to do with it. Turbulence when driving made our fridge warm sometimes (cured by partial screening of the vents). 

...and on those odd occasions when it used to be reluctant to cool down right after switching it on, we solved it by triggering the action with a warm bottle of water near the cooling element. 

In the last couple of years, it has worked perfectly for us. Good luck with yours!

P.


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

I'll give the suggestion from Steco1958 a go...presumably I can disconnect the 12v at the psu? 
Thanks...it is frustrating!


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*fail*

They fail because they are fitted with poor quality electronic boards and heaters.

Rarely they fail due to the fussy absorption system failing.

TM


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

OK, I have warm air from the top vent so I have put a cup of warm water inside. 
Also, I havefollowed steco1958's idea so fingers crossed it may kickstart it.


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

"Why are MH fridges so unreliable?" 

To be in keeping with the rest of the habitation, vehicle and dealerships.


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## Evs54 (Mar 11, 2013)

4maddogs said:


> Yet again my fridge has decided to not work.
> 
> Any ideas?
> 
> Better if they stuck to making toilets


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## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

listerdiesel said:


> You have to be on a decent slope before it affects the fridge, our trailer is on a permanent slop for most of the year but always works.
> Peter


Mine is not a Thetford so that might make a difference, but it will not work after being parked on a slope. I don't have the luxury of a flat driveway or road and it won't reset itself straighaway so I have to take it for a drive before it will start working again. Might be worth a try?


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

Our 3 way fridge doesn't work well in hot weather, even with a fan fitted, and we've just traced a fault that stopped it working on 12v.

As we really need a reliable fridge, we invested in a Waeco compressor fridge/freezer, about the size of a large coolbox. It will run on 12v or mains, and has been so useful.

I know this isn't an answer to why your fridge isn't working, but you might want to consider a back up, as we did.


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

Still not working, so I will take it for a drive tomorrow.....off the Brownhills so they can look at the creaking suspension. I have printed off the threads on here on that issue!

I'll see if it starts again, otherwise it is still in warranty, thank goodness.

I do have an oldish 3 way fridge from tent days, but it is a small MH so storage would be a pain.


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

rosalan said:


> Do Thetford have 'call out' technicians? My previous Electolux/Dometic had a fault while at a Motorhome Show and the Dometic service engineer came out and gave it a full service, to the extent that it worked better than it ever had before. The charge was in the £20 range which included parts.
> I got the impression from the engineer, who works nationally, that he serviced any fridge.
> 
> Alan


There a brilliant fridge engineer called John Clemson on 07879458415

Based in Coventry area
Knows all there is to know about them and a throroghly nice bloke. he works all over UK but of course charges. Give him a call and he will talk it over with you. Charges for milage but this will be from the last call if its nearer to you.

Thetford AES = cr+p would prefer an old style 3 way that i turn on myself. this AES rubbish is great when it works and useless otherwise.
Totally unreliable

Phill


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

Well, driving it has solved he problem. Perhaps my drive is more sloping than usual....it is gravel and the van sinks in on one side. I have just had a brilliant idea to put some wood down to prevent the sinking.

A Brownhills having the suspension greased etc. Rather fallen in love with a new Frankia.....dream on!!


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Can't be ar5ed to read the thread. Simple fact is that motorhome/caravan fridges are not unreliable. They are very simple devices that have been around for generations.
Biggest problem is the user.
Most often it is a case of rtfib.
Gerry


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Fridges unreliable!!!!

Have I been lucky? 29 years caravaner and motorhomer and not a problem. People however are a different kettle of fish :wink: 

Dave p


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Same here

Never had a problem with fridges

Oopss should not have said that :lol: 

Aldra


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

Well, Thetford were happy to replace my fridge a year ago when it was faulty. So they do go wrong occasionally ( or more often if many of the replies are to be believed), but Gerryd could not be bothered to read the thread...shame he could be bothered to add a useless reply!

Anyway mine is working now so I hope it will continue to work when I go elsewhere....all I have to do it turn it on so why the user is at fault beats me!


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## Parrotspain (Apr 12, 2009)

Well, I am pleased to hear that your fridge is now 'cool'

P


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## Evs54 (Mar 11, 2013)

4maddogs said:


> Yet again my fridge has decided to not work.
> 
> I never had a problem with fridges until I bought a van with a Thetford ,


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

Our friend has a Thetford in his van and it's very tempermental about being leval, slightly out and it won't work. Where as Dometic aren't so tempermental. Having said that I've just had to have a complete refrigeration unit fitted to ours for the princely sum of €734 the old one started to smell of ammonia then packed up. It was just 42 months old.

Wobby


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I'd forgotten about the fridges not liking being unlevel, our drive slopes in two directions, and as it a second hand fridge freezer, no idea if it works at all yet.

I see the biggest problem with fridges is most of us will fill it up the night before we travel and leave it on 230v, OK if it works, but you don't want to find out it isn't on the morning of departure do you.

Worried now, I'm going to try it on 230v today if I get chance, as I have EHU as of yesterday.


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## cheshiregordon (Sep 24, 2011)

I've had experience of thetford and dometic and of the two found the dometic to be the more reliable.
Currently the dometic in my 14 yr old van works as new while previously the two year old thetford in my sterling caravan gave up the ghost with numerous niggles all of which thetford were happy to fix but its the lack of confidence which can't be restored.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I tend to switch mine on for a good 24 hrs on the drive before I pack it to ensure its well chilled down

Ours doesn't seem to mind wether we are level or not perhaps the newer ones don't, but it's a Dometic, 3way automatic change over

Aldra


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Ours is a Thetford AES fridge, now almost three years old. The motorhome is parked on a reasonable slope. I always switch on 24 hours before we are due to go away. Last time out I measured the temperature in the cavity and it was 3.2 degrees, so spot on where it should be.
Had fridges in caravans and motorhomes since they started to become standard fitting in mass produced caravans in the late 60's / early 70's. Never had one fail.
Gerry


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

GerryD said:


> Ours is a Thetford AES fridge, now almost three years old. The motorhome is parked on a reasonable slope. I always switch on 24 hours before we are due to go away. Last time out I measured the temperature in the cavity and it was 3.2 degrees, so spot on where it should be.
> Had fridges in caravans and motorhomes since they started to become standard fitting in mass produced caravans in the late 60's / early 70's. Never had one fail.
> Gerry


Then your a very lucky man and I hope it stays that way, because when they do go seriously wrong it cost an arm and a leg, metaphorically speaking.

Wobby


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Have look here


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Well it seems to be working on 230v, the flue got warm anyway, I can't test it properly as the doors are removed for painting as it just didn't fit in with a Black oven and two black glass Smev lids, so it is now satin black and looks miles better than the awful browny grey.

I'm trying it on 12v now, can't test it on gas yet as I haven't the means, but once I've ensured it works on 12v too, I'll invert it for a couple of days to make the gas unlock :?: or whatever magic turning it over does.

I'd rather do it now than possibly have to pull it out and do it once fitted and sealed, I don't think it can harm it in any way.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I left it on 12v for quite a while but no heat at all from the chimney stack, so off with the top cover, and there is 12v at the selector switch switch but only at one point so I've taken it off to investigate, and it seem to have continuity when no wires are attached, so not sure why that would be, but I'll mess with it till I get bored (about another 5 mins) then whack it back on and see what happens.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Working on 12v now, it doesn't get very warm, I could still touch it after a few minutes, so it would only ever keep it ticking over once fully cooled down.

It didn't work because someone maybe when it was being removed had managed to (I assume) pull the 12v input wire off it terminal, and put it back in the wrong place, I know I didn't screw up as I knew from past experience that the more I knew about the Electrolux fridge the less money it would cost me so I took dozens of pictures of all the connections everywhere on the fridge, all the gas joints and any part numbers in case I needed anything, the photo of the wiring show it in the wrong place, I moved it where the selector switch was connecting to and the relay clicked .

I'm thankful to the OP for this thread, without it I might have not checked it until it was fitted, and cow to get at, so two out of three working now, hopefully the gas isn't an issue.

I've left it on 12v for now as it'll drag down the LBs I need to check the CTEX charger tomorrow so it'll have something to do now.


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

This maybe obvious but don't forget it should only work on 12 volts when engine is running otherwise you'll flatten the battery mighty quick.

Wobby


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

You don't seriously expect me to fork out for tax and insurance to take it for a 50 miles drive just to test it on 12v do you :roll: 

Only kidding, it's in the build stage so it gave me a chance to check out the cabling, the fuses, connections and also the voltage drop at the fridge, plus check the fridge itself all at the same time, the batteries are 2 x 125ah so can stand a bit of drain for a few hours and the 100w panel or the charger will get a test bringing them back up to full again, so you see men can multitask after all.

It didn't half gurgle when I turned it upside down though, I'll have to put it right way up later, it's a bit unstable as it is.

What did surprise me was it actually got a lot hotter at the top of the chimney while on 12v than on 230v, which it shouldn't have, so perhaps the 230v has a problem, I'll re check it later now I have something to compare it with as the 230v might be on it's way out or losing current somewhere.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Surprise surprise, as said our drive is very unlevel, the right hand side and bonnet are up in the air, but I got some 8mm pipe yesterday and I have now got it running on gas too despite the angles, it took a while to pull the gas through, but I've left it for a while to see if it gets the system going, all the doors and windows are open so no build up of gas, although I didn't smell any leaks.

So one less worry, as we've had this thing for months now, and I was concerned it might have been damaged in transit and in moving it about a lot as it's always in the way.


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