Jump to content

3 way fridge not working on mains


blackrose

Featured Posts

My Dometic RM5310 3 way fridge has suddenly stopped working on mains. It works fine on gas. I never use it on 12v so I've no idea if that works.

 

The mains plug is one of those moulded types that you can't take apart but I took out the fuse and checked for continuity and it's fine.

 

What could have gone wrong with it? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

The 240v element could have burnt out or the 240v thermostat failed.  Is your 240v AC battery flat? Its the one outside on the end of the wire.

 

240v AC battery? I had no idea there was one.

 

So where is the mains heating element exactly?

 

 

IMG_20210830_124809.jpg

Edited by blackrose
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Somewhere inside the insulation that is inside the tin shroud around the exhaust.

 

Ok, so not exactly "A doddle to change once you have the back exposed" then?

 

That looks like a nightmare to get apart and back together.

 

 

IMG_20210830_125355.jpg

Edited by blackrose
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

I never said it was. The ones I was familiar with had screws that allowed you to open up the shroud. I think yours has a joggle type thing that will allow you tiopull the vertical bent over ridge off the tonge that is formed on the other side.

 

I never said you did. I was referring to an earlier post.

 

I've got it out now. Just working out how to disconnect it.

 

 

IMG_20210830_130624.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried to relight it on gas but it wouldn't stay lit so I realised it needed the mains element earth connections at the top of the fridge to stay alight on gas.

 

It's working on gas now with the mains element just hanging off the fridge and the exhaust contraption opened up like a can of pilchards. Mains is unplugged of course.

 

28 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

I would suggest an Ohm meter. I have no idea what the good reading is but it is likely to be fairly low when cold. If it reads infinity (1 on the wrong side of the window) then it's open circuit - burned out.

 

Edited by blackrose
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've just ordered a new element. I'm a bit concerned that when I took the old element out some of the glassfibre insulation in the exhaust may have fallen down the hole. All I can do it try to vacuum it out. Should the new element be slid down the hole as far as possible?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the bottom of the flue is a rectangular box.  It is held in place with one screw.  Remove it and you can clean the burner gauze as well as the gas flue and any insulation that has dropped down.

Slide the new element as far as possible into the  holder. The thing works through heat transfer from the element to the holder so is  best with good contact between the element and the refrigerant pipe.  Try to ensure you do not get insulation between the two.  A bit of small diameter pipe duct taped to your Hoover hose may help, as will a suitable wire brush down the hole.

 

N

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lots of stuff in boats doesn't really exist in houses or the house system is a simple design.  Water is pumped for you, electric is made for National Grid and delivered to your meter, gas appears by magic. That is only the hotel services.   If you want to go anywhere on your boat there are lots more things needed, and they all have ways of going wrong.

 

However, appliances still go wrong wherever you are; In the last few years we have had a fridge failure and a freezer pack it in at home, as well as a boat fridge give up.  The absorption fridge is at least a simple thing.  In your case it has two potential fall back  modes and the mains mode is fairly easy to fix.

 More than you can say of a compressor fridge.

 

N

Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, blackrose said:

I've done a resistance test on my multimeter between the two brown wires on the element. In any ohms range I'm getting 0.L ohms so no resistance means it's cream crackered? There's also no continuity.

Zero ohms normally means a short circuit but as you have not got burned wires and magic smoke I expect that is the normal resistance for a COLD element. Infinity (overload) would be an unserviceable one. Now check the continuity through the mains thermostat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Zero ohms normally means a short circuit but as you have not got burned wires and magic smoke I expect that is the normal resistance for a COLD element. Infinity (overload) would be an unserviceable one. Now check the continuity through the mains thermostat.

 

Ok. How would I do that?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Zero ohms normally means a short circuit but as you have not got burned wires and magic smoke I expect that is the normal resistance for a COLD element. Infinity (overload) would be an unserviceable one. Now check the continuity through the mains thermostat.

 

Zero Ohms tells us the element resistance is WAY too low. I'd expect a value in the order of 1,000 Ohms. The element might have melted and connected with the metal case surrounding it, but whaever has happened, a resistance of zero Ohms will blow the fuse in the three pin mains plug. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, MtB said:

 

Zero Ohms tells us the element resistance is WAY too low. I'd expect a value in the order of 1,000 Ohms. The element might have melted and connected with the metal case surrounding it, but whaever has happened, a resistance of zero Ohms will blow the fuse in the three pin mains plug. 

 

 

But he did not say it had, I suppose I assumed he had. It's the first check I would do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

But he did not say it had, I suppose I assumed he had. It's the first check I would do.

 

Oh I assumed too, that because you'd said it, the OP had said it too previously in the thread!

 

"Assumption is the mother of all cock-ups" in the world of fault-tracing, as I often suggest. 

 

 

 

Edited by MtB
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Ok. How would I do that?

 

Assuming a non-electronic thermostat. Ohmmeter on the two terminals and twiddle the knob. At the "click point" the meter should change from infinity otof zero or the other way round. Note what Mike has just posted and check the plug fuse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With those two brown cable terminals connected to their respective connection points?

 

Edit. With the brown cables connected and measured at those terminals I'm still getting nothing on the ohms setting on my multimeter while twiddling the knob. 

Edited by blackrose
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.