Testing Westfalia fridge

Did you get it going Andy? Think I have the same problem as you , don't want to have to faff about taking the fridge out and turning it upside down for days just to find out its still knackered

 

No.

I have temporarily given up, and have purchased a Waeco fridge to tide me over the summer until I can look into it again over the summer.

 

Taking it out is very simple

 

How, do you have to take the cooker etc out first?

 

I shall be taking ours out when we get home from Swanage as it's suddenly stopped working. The pipework/ heat exchanger thing gets warm but the fridge element doesn't get cold at all. Looking through this thread suggests I need to turn it over for a couple of days.

 

I have done without removing the cooker but I had done it a few times, takes a bit if wiggling but it is possible.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=291736

 

Got the fridge going, its not in the bus though its in the hallway

 

Did you turn it upside down?

 

Yeah but think my lack of patience waiting for it to get cold, and I didn't know the element heated up. It does get very hot is that normal, the fridge is ice cold though

 

Yeah think it does get very hot, @theBusmonkey will confirm hopefully

 

Yep the pipework does get pretty hot(well it does on ours!) though once the fridge gets down to temp it cools down quite a bit. When it's back in the bus it's important not to cover the metal grille on top of the cabinet.

 

And can I connect the leisure batt to the westy fridge control panel and that to the fridge or just put a new switch in

 

I have no idea, I only ever use ours off 240v hook up. I would imagine it would flatten a leisure battery pretty quickly. No doubt someone with greater knowledge than myself(ie most people!)will be along with the correct answer

 

I just put a little durite rocker switch in the + feed from the fuse box, before the thermostat.
We no longer use the Westy OG control panel

 

^^^see I told you so!

 

Well the fridge has given up the ghost again, stuffed if I'm going to rip it out and mess about with it again. Cool box it is

 

I've had a brain wave whilst I'm away!

I've never had problem with 12v getting to the fridge. So it's either and an earth or the unit itself.

Under the bed on the right is an earth plug. I have my RCD earthed there. But is this where the fridge should be earthed?

If so, I have three wires in a sheaf from the fridge area which were disconnected when I removed the U.S. wiring.

Any idea if one of these is the earth wire?

 

Sorted!

The earth wire going from the 12v to the unit had been cut when I removed the transformer.

Connected it back up and now it gets warm after 5-10 minutes.

 

if you want to improve the efficiency of any absorption fridge, carefully remove the tinware sleeve around the boiler tube and repack it with new rockwool....if you can be arsed, you can make a new, larger sleeve, so you stuff in more insulation.....also, the top of the sleeve is often open.....make a lid for it.
polish the inside of the flue and the spiral deflector while you're at it...every little helps