fridge

[kingswood]

my dometic 3 way fridge seems not to be working, any ideas on what to get to replace it i can only run gas or 240v as i only have one leisure battery. like every thing on my boat its obsolete

[Tony Brooks]

Before spending any money can you tell us about the flame on your 3 way fridge (you are running it one gas I assume). Often they refuse to work when the jet/injector, burner and its air ports become clogged so the flame is not large enough or yellow.  Often removing the burner, cleaning it , cleaning the flue plus the spiral insert will sort gas fridges.

[cuthound]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

Before spending any money can you tell us about the flame on your 3 way fridge (you are running it one gas I assume). Often they refuse to work when the jet/injector, burner and its air ports become clogged so the flame is not large enough or yellow.  Often removing the burner, cleaning it , cleaning the flue plus the spiral insert will sort gas fridges.

And if that fails, take it off the boat a down turn it upside down a couple of times  (seriously).

These absorbtion fridges use a water/ammonia solution for the refridgerant and after a prolonged period of time the ammonia can crystallise thus rendering the refridgerant in effective. 

Rolling the fridge over breaks up the crystals and allows them to be re-absorbed into the water.

I didn't beleive it either when it happened to the 3 way fridge on our first share boat, but was present when it was removed and rolled over a couple of times.  Worked for at least five years after that, when we sold our share.

[Tony Brooks]

2 hours ago, cuthound said:

And if that fails, take it off the boat a down turn it upside down a couple of times  (seriously).

These absorbtion fridges use a water/ammonia solution for the refridgerant and after a prolonged period of time the ammonia can crystallise thus rendering the refridgerant in effective. 

Rolling the fridge over breaks up the crystals and allows them to be re-absorbed into the water.

I didn't beleive it either when it happened to the 3 way fridge on our first share boat, but was present when it was removed and rolled over a couple of times.  Worked for at least five years after that, when we sold our share.

Also while inverted try whacking the pipes at the back with the heel of a slipper. This helps shake those crystals free. Only do it on an adsorption (gas) fridge, try it on a compressor fridge and you stand a good chance of creating a leak.

[kingswood]

tried that  seems to be a large blue flame. put on and tested after 3 hours freezer department well below freezing but fridge stayed at a constant 12 deg is this right, the one at home is about 5 deg. would it help if i removed freezer door as its only big enough for an ice creme or two. have disconnected again and will leave it upside down till tom morrow then re fit

[Tony Brooks]

Is the fridge door seal in good order and does the door shut properly with no gaps (put a powerful torch inside and look around the door in a darkish environment). This sounds more like heat leaking in than a unit failure to me.

I have had one of these where the seal  where the unit passes into the cabinet was not good. The end result was the Rockwool insulation was sodden and not very good at thermal insulation. However I would hope that more modern fridges would use some form of closed cell foam.