Interior Fridge operation

[Gogeelong]

Can anyone tell me when I can turn fridge to a colder setting when running on 240v? The instructions say to have the temperature turned to 4 to start it.

However I find that doesn't really get the fridge very cold, especially on the first day when you seem to need to open it a lot.

We have the big fridge (150l?) in a 2015 16.49.1 expanda

On the bright side whilst the beer has been a bit warm Normanville is lovely tonight

Thanks

 

[Gogeelong]

 

[Dobbie]

It sure is lovely.

Re fridge....did you have it on 240 for 24 to 48 hours before you left?

If not, it will take ages to get to the right temp.

If you did cool it down is your vehicle wired to keep a charge to the fridge while travelling?

They're the basics to start with...good luck with it

 

[achjimmy]

What type of fridge? The thetfords pull down to temp much faster than the dometics. We find 12hrs is generally enough.

 

[Drover]

Usually the start setting of 4 is just for gas and once the burner is fired up and running you can crank it up. On 240 run for at least 24 hrs before loading that way the whole cabinet gets chilled.

 

[Gogeelong]

Thanks. I picked van straight up from storage and headed off so no chance to run fridge before. As most have mentioned with time over night it has cooled down.

Cold beers tonight

 

[achjimmy]

Thanks. I picked van straight up from storage and headed off so no chance to run fridge before. As most have mentioned with time over night it has cooled down.

Cold beers tonight

If you have to do it again like that, run it on gas for the first 12hrs. As above they are the most efficient on gas.

 

[twscoot]

The best method I've found is to load the fridge up with sealed drinks and anything that doesn't necessarily need refrigeration 48 hours before leaving. As much as you can - the more beer/soft drink etc the better this system works! This gives the fridge a thermal mass which will help it hold a more even temperature as things are then added 24 hours later.

(The thermal mass is best explained by how long it takes a brick house to cool down after a hot day or conversely how long a large ice block takes to melt).

24 hours before leaving I then add anything frozen (meats etc) which also add to the now cold thermal mass. Again, I add frozen ice bricks if there's room. These fridges work better when they are pretty full.

From there you have a good base to add what ever else needs to go in. When you like. Opening and closing the door doesn't have the same dramatic effect in temperature variations. And when a roomful of hot air does waft in there's all that cold beer to quickly cool it down again....

Temperature Setting 4 on our fridge is about right. Going to max actually doesn't make a huge difference. Just freezes the lettuce and veggies. (If you listen carefully when rotating the temp dial you'll hear the thermostat click on and off). It's either on or off and doesn't run 'harder' just because it is set to max - just means the heating element (when on 240v) stays on all the time.

 

[MDS69]

Sorry folks I have asked this before but can't remember the answer. On the Dometic fridge is the higher number on the temp dial for a colder temp or is it the other way around, a lower number on the dial for a colder temp. Thanks.

 

[achjimmy]

Sorry folks I have asked this before but can't remember the answer. On the Dometic fridge is the higher number on the temp dial for a colder temp or is it the other way around, a lower number on the dial for a colder temp. Thanks.

Higher number is colder.

 

[Dobbie]

Just checked our fridge ready for departure tomorrow.

Fridge was on 240 for 24 hours as we usually do but.....not cold in the slightest....so checked the usual.

Plug in and socket working
On AC on and thermo on high
Power definately to van
Van almost level....just got it out of shed so levelled it as best we can
Vent thingy hot
Found the dometic destructions and checked the fuses

Now trying it on gas but won't know for a couple of hours if it's working.

And put the old Engel on 240 in case our fridge can't be sorted out ....haven't used it for ages but may need it! Don't want to take it.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Drover]

If the vent bits are hot then you haven't lost the ammonia, it may need a good bump to shake things up or depending on the fridge the thermo dial is stuffed.............

 

[Dobbie]

I'm thinking of taking the van for a bumpy drive if the gas doesn't do the job.

Really want to get away tomorrow but my darling letter box has stuffed up my time allocation. I guess I can try to finish it today if the fridge is ok.

I must work more on my time allocation as I hate leaving in a rush.

Van hasn't moved for a few months so that could be a factor.

 

[Dobbie]

Whoops!!

Gas is now getting fridge cold so that's great. With a bit of luck the 240 might work but not risking it. It'll be on gas anyway for the next few weeks so I'm not fazed.

I suspect I didn't have it as level as I might have as I used the optitech jockey wheel to get it out of the shed and used that for adjustment. When I put the other jockey wheel on I managed a better level.

Lesson learned.

And the good news is our old Engel, left languishing in the shed for at least two years, is also cooling down rapidly.

 

[Drover]

Well Big Mal is going to get the fan mod done when we get home, think I have 2 computer power supply fans left. Likes to sit around 6 or 7 during the day so needs better air flow I reckon. Not quite 30.

 

[Dobbie]

Pleased to report fridge is cold now on gas, food is loaded, drinks are loaded and we're potential happy campers.

And I sort of finished the letter box,

More adjustments when we get home but I don't really care.

 

[achjimmy]

@Dobbie with our first expanda I ran the fridge out of level and it worked okay for a bit then lost temp. Which is diff to your situation. Maybe the element, it's not unheard off. Really I stress to all now if it ain't with in the level specs don't run them. From experience with my FIL van I am convinced it shortens there life even if they manage to work out of level for a while?

 

[Dobbie]

I would agree with the level being the culprit.

I thought it was close but didn't have enough adjustment on the other jockey wheel so we really worked to get it level.

Now on a powered site, fridge on 240 in 38deg heat and it's finally cold and totally level.

It had a damn good shakeup on the way so maybe something came good.....the shakeup also popped the control knob....sitting on the floor in front of the fridge when we opened up the van.

And the fridge fans are helping in the heat, as they should.

Thanks for your help.....it's now too hot to go fishing so we will now test the air conditioning!

I'm over fridges.

 

[Dobbie]

Forgot to mention:


We've always had trouble reading the indicators on the fridge....AC, DC gas etc so the first thing we did when we collected our van was to get a bit of cardboard and copy the order of the controls from left to right. It just sits in the slot in the control area. It's never moved, unlike the control knob.

Easier to read, stops arguments and very helpful when the knob falls off.

 

[Drover]

You must be handling your knobs too much @Dobbie , I have heard thats what happens.........