Help - Electrolux RM 4230 fridge died.

[Neil]

Hi

My RM 4230 as fitted to my 2001 Lunar Chateaux died slowly this autumn
while we were away. Was running on gas when I noticed the temperature
inside was rising gradually over a period of about 36 hours( I have a
temperature probe inside so I can check the temperature without
opening the door). The flame at the burner is a healthy blue, and the
warn exhaust coming out of the flue outlet is as usual.

Testing on mains electric does not produce any cooling either,
although I can detect the element is working from the warm air rising
through the flue outlet.

I have now had the fridge out and cleaned and checked everything as
per the Haynes caravan book. I have also had the unit upside down for
a few days, and now the unit is back in the 'van and connected up but
neither gas or mains electric is producing any cooling effect!

So, I does anyone here know if it is possible to get the circulating
fluid/gas content checked/renewed if necessary? I cannot find much
useful info elsewhere about this other than various forum posts saying
it's dead, and a new fridge is the only recourse. But at nearly £600,
I am going to investigate every other option first!

I find it hard to believe that a unit with effectively no moving parts
cannot be economically repaired with a transfusion.

All assistance gratefully appreciated.

Neil

(Reply via group please)

[neil_m...@o2.co.uk]

Hi Neil, this might seem a bit odd, but when you were running on gas,
how full was the cylinder. I had the same effect in an Abbey Lincoln
- if you put a full cylinder on, it would cool fine, but on a part
cylinder, everything worked, but it didn't get cold.

Neil

[Neil]

On Sat, 17 Dec 2011 14:34:50 -0800 (PST), neil_m...@o2.co.uk
wrote:

>On Dec 17, 10:28 pm, Neil <donot...@thisaddy.com> wrote:
>> Hi
>>
>> My RM 4230 as fitted to my 2001 Lunar Chateaux died slowly this autumn
>> while we were away.  Was running on gas when I noticed the temperature
>> inside was rising gradually over a period of about 36 hours( I have a
>> temperature probe inside so I can check the temperature without
>> opening the door).  The flame at the burner is a healthy blue, and the
>> warn exhaust coming out of the flue outlet is as usual.

>> All assistance gratefully appreciated.
>>
>> Neil
>>
>> (Reply via group please)
>
>Hi Neil, this might seem a bit odd, but when you were running on gas,
>how full was the cylinder. I had the same effect in an Abbey Lincoln
>- if you put a full cylinder on, it would cool fine, but on a part
>cylinder, everything worked, but it didn't get cold.
>
>Neil

Gosh, that was quick!

The bottle was full at the start of that particular break. Even now
it's well over half full. Besides, it still doesn't cool on mains
power!

[Woody]

"Neil" <dono...@thisaddy.com> wrote in message
news:eg6qe79g3d70gga58...@4ax.com...

Your refrigerant has escaped - the pipes are empty. Put the
fridge on 'lectric and see if the rear grille gets cold -
assuming that model has one. If it doesn't you have a leak and
have lost the fluid. Not cost effective to repair - a new fridge
is the answer.


--
Woody

harrogate three at ntlworld dot com

[Neil]

On Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:52:05 -0000, "Woody"
<harro...@ntlworld.spam.com> wrote:

>
>Your refrigerant has escaped - the pipes are empty. Put the
>fridge on 'lectric and see if the rear grille gets cold -
>assuming that model has one. If it doesn't you have a leak and
>have lost the fluid. Not cost effective to repair - a new fridge
>is the answer.

Thanks Woody. I have already checked for any cooling effect anywhere
along the pipe work and at the heat sinks inside the cabinet - none
whatsoever! Shouldn't the rear grille get HOT rather than cold? But
here's a thought; when I was inverting the unit and back again a few
days later, I could hear(and feel) liquid movement within the pipes.

Could it be that it is the hydrogen that is missing, whilst leaving
the ammonia solution behind? I'm sure I would have detected the smell
of ammonia while it was escaping - wouldn't I?

[puffernutter]

My first response was going to be turn it upside down! I had a fridge
that did the same, it wouldn't cool on either electric or gas, heard
these stories, was sceptical, removed it, inverted it for about 8 hours,
stood it back up, let it stand for a further 8 hours then turned it on -
on gas and electric it worked like a charm!

Is it worth trying to invert it again? You've got nothing to lose!

Cheers

Peter

[David]

"puffernutter" <pe...@nospampuffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote in message
news:NLqHq.362$GF4...@newsfe13.ams2...
>>


..... heard these stories, was sceptical, ....

No back in the old days when you had a choice of these absorption fridges, a
refrigeration engineer told me he would call at the house with one that he
had been sent to mend, he would put it upside down in the van, leave it
there and take it back next day fixed.
Regards
David

[Keith]

"puffernutter" <pe...@nospampuffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote in message
news:NLqHq.362$GF4...@newsfe13.ams2...

This also worked for me.

[Neil]

On Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:01:01 +0000, puffernutter
<pe...@nospampuffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
>My first response was going to be turn it upside down! I had a fridge
>that did the same, it wouldn't cool on either electric or gas, heard
>these stories, was sceptical, removed it, inverted it for about 8 hours,
>stood it back up, let it stand for a further 8 hours then turned it on -
>on gas and electric it worked like a charm!
>
>Is it worth trying to invert it again? You've got nothing to lose!
>
>Cheers
>
>Peter

I think I shall try that again, and this time give it a good tipping
from side to side as well - cos I'm sure there is something remaining
in the pipework.

Further research has turned up suggestions that it may a blockage due
to sediment that requires more than just an inversion to clear.

Fingers crossed.

[Neil]

On Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:01:01 +0000, puffernutter
<pe...@nospampuffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote:
>

>Is it worth trying to invert it again? You've got nothing to lose!
>
>Cheers
>
>Peter

Thanks again Peter - Yes it was!

I did some more research on the operation of these units, and I am
much more knowledgeable about them now. I figured that with the very
high pressure inside the refrigerant circuit, if there had been a
leak, everything would have been lost fairly rapidly! But there was
fluid still in there - I could hear it!

So, after several further inversions, this time rotating it through 90
degrees(side - upright - other side - upside down) every few hours,
along with some serious rocking(and shaking) back and forth, the fluid
was easily heard gurgling round the pipework. And now after two days
of continuous operation on mains electric, with thermostat turned
right up and a temperature probe inside the ice box, the ice box has
held a reasonably steady -18 degrees C.

The unit is switched off now for a full 2 days to settle, and will be
switched on again to make sure it starts up again before I put the
unit back in the housing. Fingers crossed, and my thanks to all for
their advice and encouragment.

Neil

P.S. I've just got to replace the cracked shower tray now, as we do
make regular use of the shower in the 'van.

(Reply via group please)

[anemos.k...@gmail.com]

Il giorno sabato 17 dicembre 2011 23:28:47 UTC+1, Neil ha scritto:
> Hi My RM 4230 as fitted to my 2001 Lunar Chateaux died slowly this autumn while we were away. ... I have also had the unit upside down for a few days, and now the unit is back in the 'van and connected up but neither gas or mains electric is producing any cooling effect! So, I does anyone here know if it is possible to get the circulating fluid/gas content checked/renewed if necessary? ... All

assistance gratefully appreciated. Neil (Reply via group please)

Hi Neil, I have the same model RM 4230 as yours, with the same problem.
I don't know if anyone has the same problem.
The solution is not only to put the fridge bottom up. But, better, I suggest you trying to dissolve/break the chrystal/s formed inside the tube on the black pipe on the back of the apparate.
Experts in the field say that this kind of frigidaire can live much more than the others with motors & compressors.
So, connect the power on (220V) for 2 / 3 hours, then try to intercept the point where the black tube coming out from the burner/heather from very hot-hot, becames cold. This is the point where the christal/s may close the circulation of the fluid NH3.
Try to hit kindly/gently the tube in this point, with a piece of wood.
So christal/s may be broken and removed in the tank.
Make a last upside down to your unit, and try it before reinstallation.
My RM 4230 is running properly, following this steps.
Good luck!
Bruno (Verona, Italy)

[Neil Harvey]

On Sat, 22 Jun 2013 07:17:54 -0700 (PDT), anemos.k...@gmail.com
wrote:

Well, although it's a year and a half late, what you say is pretty
much what I ended up doing. After several attempts at breathing new
life into the unit by inversion without lasting success, I vibrated
the lower pipes accessed through the lower external vent, with a
screwdriver handle to loosen any blockage.

It worked! With the gas burner alight, and the unit not actually
doing any cooling, I rapidly tapped the pipework lightly with a
screwdriver handle, and kept checking the temperature of the pipework
for changes in temperature. After a few minutes, the temperature of
one of the pipes started to rise rapidly, which told me that the fluid
in the system had started to circulate more freely, and upon checking
the cooling pipes inside the fridge, there was a distinct and rapid
drop in temperature. I continued tapping the pipework at the back of
the unit for a minute more, and then left the fridge running.

Since then(early 2012) the fridge has continued to function well under
all conditions. So I am fortunate not to have had to replace the
fridge, as they are NOT cheap!

Neil