# My Fridge Won't Work



## johnandcharlie

The fridge in my Bessacarr E350 doesn't seem to work on mains hookup. I've started it on gas, but can't try 12 volt because I need to run the engine and can't go out in it yet. It's been on for several hours and is still 21 degrees inside. It's an Electrolux RM4201 and there is no indicator lamp to show if it's on. There don't seem to be any fuses in the fridge circuit, the MCB hasn't tripped and everything else seems to work. It is parked on a bit of a slope and the manual says it should be level, but it's not that far off level. I haven't got anywhere dead level I can park it. Any suggestions?


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## andyman

My fridge plugs in under the cooker and somewhow once when the pans were put away it got switched off. I am sure it will plug in somewhere, maybe as simple as a fuse ( it never is though)


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## Spacerunner

Remember it will take some hours, ( e.g. 8-12 ) for the fridge to reach optimum temperature. Make sure the thermostat is turned up full, I've been caught on that one!


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## UncleNorm

Hi JohnandCharlie!

You've read the manual. Does it say anything about only using ONE POWER source at a time? 

At Easter, my wife complained about the breakfast milk being warmer than it should have been. 
The previous day we'd been out in the M/H, so the fridge had been running 12V. On returning to site (Bunree, near Fort William) my wife switched to MAINS power, but DID NOT switch off the 12V. I was surprised that this had anything to do with the problem as the engine wasn't running. But very soon the fridge was back to normal. 

Don't worry if you're not exactly level. Most fridges have a degree of tolerance, about 4 degrees I believe. Check handbook again!

Only trying to be helpful.
Best wishes from UncleNorm.


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## johnandcharlie

Thanks everyone. The wiring is so well hidden that it's not visible anywhere. It's been on for some hours and the temperature has only dropped by about 1 degree. UncleNorm made me rush out to check there was only one power source on, despite knowing I'd checked this! I can't see anything about a 4 degree tolerance, the manual just says it should be level. Unfortunately I've got no chance of levelling it on my drive. It's out enough for the water in the sink not to be able to drain away. Surely there should be some sort of indicator on the fridge to show if it's working. How's it supposed to work if you're driving in hilly areas?

I want to go away for the first time at the weekend. Do I take the risk that it will work on a level site, or should I contact West Country Motorhomes who I hope did a habitation check before I collected it?


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## trevorf

Now that the weather is getting warmer, have you removed your winter vent covers? (solid plastic covers that clip over the vents on the outside of the van).

Caught me out once :roll: 

Trevor


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## RedSonja

In our last camper the fridge wouldn't cool down if it wasn't level. It would however once it was sitting on level ground. Could you try some chocks under the wheels to try and level the motorhome also try putting a bottle of water in the fridge and checking the bottle in a few hours sometimes the fridge doesn't feel cold but the contents have cooled down. 

Sonja


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## johnandcharlie

I checked to see if there are any vent covers, and there aren't, but there is warm air coming out of the top one, so it must be doing something. I have a fridge thermometer inside, and so far it's dropped from 21 to 19 degrees in 4 or 5 hours. At that rate it will take forever to get to the 5 degrees a fridge should be at.

Trying to level it would be very interesting. I suppose it would be a good place to practice. Lucky it's got a reversing camera so I can see when I'm about to hit the stone wall  .


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## 103204

*Fridge*

I can't be certain, but it sounds like your 240v element may have gone. I only say this as my company repair Dometic fridges, and this is nearly always the part that fails when it only fails to work on 240v.
Hope this helps.
John, CMR Ltd, 0845 260 2666.


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## johnandcharlie

Thanks John. There is some warm air coming out of the top vent and the temperature has dropped nearly 1 degree in the last hour, but it's been quite hot today and it's night now so that isn't surprising. I'll leave it running overnight and phone the dealer in the morning if it's not right. I only got the van last Thursday and have only driven it home so far.

Would there be any warm air coming out if the element had gone?


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## DABurleigh

You don't say whether it cools down on gas (step 4 in your manual "if it doesn't work" section). This is rather relevant! If it doesn't (as well as mains) then level it and try again. If it does cool down on gas, but not mains, then it is fuse, mains thermostat (not joint with gas) or mains element gone.

Dave


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## TheBoombas

Are you sure that the thermostat is turned up?
This caught me out just the other day Mine was getting to cold.
It turned out that I'd turned the know down but you have to push the knob in at the same time.... Just a thought.

Brian & Lorraine
_12 Days to France & Counting_


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## ingram

When you switch on the green '240v' switch it should light to show it is on.

If it is not lit, either the bulb is blown / missing or there is no 240v supply; this latter is unlikely if the fridge is cooling a bit.

If you don't have a manual for your fridge you can find one here:

http://www.dometic.com/templates/fp.aspx?id=8606

Harvey


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## johnandcharlie

ingram said:


> When you switch on the green '240v' switch it should light to show it is on.


The 240v and 12v switches on mine are a solid plastic, not transparent. I've looked at the manual on the web site, and it's obviously for a newer version of the fridge. My manual doesn't mention a light. It's a 1999 van so I assume they've added indicator lights to newer models.

The temperature dropped to 15 degrees with it on all night, and there was still warm air coming out of the vent this morning. I've checked the van with a spirit level and it's sloping down from back to front by about 3 degrees and down from nearside to offside by about 5 degrees. I can't see any mention of tolerances in either manual, but surely pitches aren't always dead level. I haven't got any levelling blocks and it would be a bit of a nightmare manoeuvring a big vehicle I'm not very familiar with yet accurately on my drive!

It wouldn't light on gas this morning, but I have managed it. Maybe that's level, maybe it's because the cylinder is nearly empty, although the hob works.

I get this feeling that I'm making a big fuss about nothing, and I'll suddenly discover what the problem is. Anyway, I'm going to take it out later and try running the fridge off 12 volts. I want to go away at the weekend for the first time. Maybe I'll take plenty of food that doesn't need the fridge to be on the safe side!


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## ingram

I have an RM4262 from 1997 and the switches light on it. Does your 12v switch light when on, with engine running? Anyway it sounds like you have 240v or it wouldn't be doing anything.

I believe, but am not certain, that the 12v will not cool the fridge as the gas and 240v should. I understand that it will only help to maintain the temperature that has been achieved by gas or 240v, so don't expect too much.

I am often parked slightly off level ( I don't know how much in actual degrees) and haven't had fridge problems because of it even though I have heard that they are sensitive to 'slope'. The slope on my drive is more than I would tolerate when camping and the fridge works ok on mains and gas.

I think, as others may have suggested, you should make sure you have gas, and try the fridge on that before deciding what action to take.

I have also read that if these absorption fridges don't work properly on *any* fuel supply, then removing from 'van and turning upside down can fix it.

Best of lick with it;

Harvey


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## sergeant

Hi John, On your van you have an isolator switch for the fridge in your kitchen cupboards, make sure it is turned on & the fuse OK, Steve


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## DABurleigh

"It wouldn't light on gas this morning, but I have managed it. Maybe that's level, maybe it's because the cylinder is nearly empty, although the hob works."

So you have gas, it is now lit, is it getting cold?

Dave


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## johnandcharlie

I suppose I need to do a bit of grovelling, as the fridge was working fine but my drive wasn't level enough  

What confused me is that the heat exchanger still gets hot when it's not level, but presumably the coolant can't circulate. While I was away I decided that as long as almost all the water drains from the sink it's level enough for the fridge to work, even if the spirit level shows it's quite a bit out. It seems that the only way to know if the fridge is working is to check that the pipes in the freezer compartment are cold.

So that leads onto another question. If I'm travelling around during the day, parking in lay-bys and car parks for several hours while I leave the van, what should I do with the fridge? I don't feel very comfortable about leaving the gas on while it's unattended, and a lot of parking places aren't level, so it may not work anyway. Leaving it off for a long time can't do much for the food in it. What do other people do?

I hope to be off on my travels tomorrow. Looks like bank holiday weather, but hot enough to need the fridge!


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## Spacerunner

As I understand it the gas or mains electric heat the coolant reservoir which then evaporates causing a drop in temperature. if your van is not level the heating effect which rises vertically, partially misses the coolant reservoir which makes the evaporation less efficient. Your slow drop in temperature was almost certainly caused by this.
12v operation only helps to maintain the temperature that was reached by the mains or gas operation.
Normally a fridge is well able to maintain a good temperature when off for several hours so no need to be over concerned when parked up temporarily.


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## johnandcharlie

Thanks Spacerunner. That does make it clearer. When I went away last time I started with a warm fridge, as the only level place I can park it at home is on my neighbour's right of way over my property, and I can't be bothered with all the hassle. I found that after my 40 mile journey the fridge had cooled a useful amount on 12 volts. Looks like I don't need to worry too much. I'll see how I get on over the next week.


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## sallytrafic

johnandcharlie said:


> Thanks Spacerunner. That does make it clearer. When I went away last time I started with a warm fridge, as the only level place I can park it at home is on my neighbour's right of way over my property, and I can't be bothered with all the hassle. I found that after my 40 mile journey the fridge had cooled a useful amount on 12 volts. Looks like I don't need to worry too much. I'll see how I get on over the next week.


I think spacerunner is wrong. (sorry John) What causes the problem is the coolant having condensed and done the cooling not returning by gravity through the thin pipe network to the heated reservoir when the fridge is not level which is why you get confusing symptoms.

For example people find out that it works on 12V but not on 240V. This is explained by the 240V check being on a sloping drive and the 12V check being when driven about when g forces and general bouncing around return the coolant.

This only happens with absorption fridges and older ones are worse (in 1992 I had a fridge which only worked when within 3 degrees of level!) In a compressor fridge the pump does the work of returning the coolant.


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## johnandcharlie

Thanks Frank. That makes sense too! For practical purposes it kind of says the same thing, that the coolant won't circulate properly if it's not level. It would be nice if there was some sort of indication to show if it's working to avoid wasting gas. My van was built in 1999, and as far as I know it's the original fridge.

Anyway, I'm off to Cornwall today, unless the weather forecast gets any worse! I will have to cool the fridge while travelling and am looking for a CL with a hookup for tonight to cool it properly. I might put a data logger in the fridge to see what happens to the temperature!


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## 124892

I am rather late joining this discussion, but I have just had the same problem. The RM4201 was working fine a few weeks ago but when I mains powered it on Monday, no cooling. ( all other factors same as when last used).
It seemed to work fine on gas and 12v while away but still no joy on mains on return.

HELP. How do I extract it from an Auto Sleeper Topaz. I have removed 2 screws each side (the only ones I can find) but it still will not move. I want to try to check that mains is reaching the heater.


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