How to test a fridge?

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mikes.bus
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How to test a fridge?

Post by mikes.bus »

I’ve picked up a couple of old camping fridges today. I’ve been assured that they work but, before I build myself a cooking pod, I want to check which one works the best.

I’m guessing that if I just wire it up to a battery that’s on charge for a couple of hours and stick a thermometer inside it, I’ll know if it’s any good?

Also, I can vaguely remember hearing that if you inverted the fridge for 24 hours first, it would be more efficient, if it worked? Something to do with the cooling agent? Any truth in it or, just a myth?

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Mocki
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Re: How to test a fridge?

Post by Mocki »

Three way fridges!

If it is not working on any form of power at all, you can try the turning it over ritual !
Inside is not gas , but ammonia based coolant, which crystallises if allowed to dry on any surface, so if the fridge hasn't been used for a while , and therefore no circulation , the crystals build up , eventually blocking the smaller pipes....so turning the fridge upside down, leaving it for a couple of hours, and then righting it for a couple of hours and doing this two or three ( or more) times, flushes the coolant through, and it washes the crystals back into the coolant, and they dissolve .

If it is working on mains , but not on gas, chances are the flu is blocked, or the jet is blocked, or partially blocked .
If it's working on gas, but not on either one, or both of the electric sources, it's an element issue , providing you are sure it is actually getting power to the element

It is also important to remember that a flame only ever burns vertically in a drought free environment, so the fridge must be within a couple of degrees of level for the flame to "hit the mark" , this however will not have much effect on electric only gas
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mikes.bus
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Re: How to test a fridge?

Post by mikes.bus »

Cheers for that.
I’m just looking at building a cooking unit I can take in and out when needed. The plan is only to have it running on the leisure battery or mains hook up if a available.
I’ll give the repeated inverting a couple of goes over the next few days and then try and power it up next week and see what results I get.

mikes.bus
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Re: How to test a fridge?

Post by mikes.bus »

I’ve just inverted the fridge. How long should I leave it between turns, a couple of hours?
should I leave it for a longer period before for it to settle before I connect power?
Finally, the only 2 cables coming out of the back are both black, in light of that, I’m guessing there’s no polarity?

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Mocki
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Re: How to test a fridge?

Post by Mocki »

mikes.bus wrote:I’ve just inverted the fridge. How long should I leave it between turns, a couple of hours?
should I leave it for a longer period before for it to settle before I connect power?
Finally, the only 2 cables coming out of the back are both black, in light of that, I’m guessing there’s no polarity?

Yep there is no polarity it’s just a heating element ( like the glowy bit in a bulb ) so it don’t matter

Turning it over every couple of hours maybe three of four times
No need to leave it after once it’s the right way up it’ll settle straight away once it’s all liquid again

It should draw about 11amps on 12v ( about 120w) when you test it and the flu will get warm within 30mins on 12v normally


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