Westy Fridge 1991 in 2018

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ginja_ninja
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Westy Fridge 1991 in 2018

Post by ginja_ninja »

Hi all,

Seems like the fridge topic is the most popular on this forum!
So now its my turn - my Electrolux 184 has now packed up on all 3 of its 3 ways - so i was wondering if there are any updates to the questions below, as all the info i can find is several years old and most of the links seem to have packed up:

1) Site/shop that has 240v and 12v and gas replacements for these 30 year old fridges? Or does anyone know of equivalents that are the same size that would suffice?
2) Replacement fridges that fit into the same dimensions/outlets etc?
3) Companies in the midlands that might be able to do the above for me?

I've yet to take it out and give it a shake etc, so wanted to get all the options together as i'm not overly good at anything that needs more than a screwdriver and a hammer (sometimes even the screwdriver work is iffy, but my hammering stuff is top notch! :lol: )

Any help much appreciated
I now have a 3rd child; more expensive and demanding than the other 2!
'90 Westy California

Ralf85
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Location: West London - 1985 westie pop top, LHD, 1900 DF engine

Re: Westy Fridge 1991 in 2018

Post by Ralf85 »

1) Has your fridge actually stopped working or is it just a power supply problem?
2) How long has it been since you last ran the fridge? I regularly remind people to run the fridge every few months if the van is not being used, to keep it ticking over.
3) Is your leisure battery flat?

If the power supply to the fridge is interrupted then it won't work on any option. Mine stopped working a couple of years back. It turned out that corrosion on the fridge fuse which was made from aluminium had built up and stopped power flowing to the fridge and the gas igniter. In my 1985 westy the fridge fuse is within a small black fuse box attached to the B pillar opposite the base of the LHD driver's seat.Two fuses are in there and I have since replaced the aluminium fuses with copper ones.

Also, before you start taking things apart, if you have the same leds on the front of the kitchen unit showing leisure battery/water tank levels, do they light up when you operate the switches? If not then that is probably a fuse or flat battery problem.

Good luck.

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ginja_ninja
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Re: Westy Fridge 1991 in 2018

Post by ginja_ninja »

Hi,

Thanks for the suggestions

I was a bit slack and forgot to run it for about 9 months (something my wife reminded me AFTER we'd got set up on site!!), but everything else in the van works (mains socket, battery level indicator etc). Leisure battery is under a year old, and according to the level indicator was fully charged.
There is definitely 240v to the fridge socket - i plugged an extension lead into the one behind the cupboard and it worked fine, so looking like an element issue.

What is odd is the lights for the gas mode seem intermittent - one second the ignition flashes, then it stops, then its on constantly, off etc. Makes me think its on the way out.
There is no light inside the fridge so hard to gauge whether its working, and on 12v, even after a 200 mile run, it didn't really feel cold.

Cheers
I now have a 3rd child; more expensive and demanding than the other 2!
'90 Westy California

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ginja_ninja
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Re: Westy Fridge 1991 in 2018

Post by ginja_ninja »

FYI, new 240 Element from Pat 3.0 on eBay sorted out the 240v. :ok
Found a loose cable though that runs from the temperature selector out from the back of the fridge - it was stuffed behind my cupboards and was flapping about.
Any ideas what this might be?
Cheerse
I now have a 3rd child; more expensive and demanding than the other 2!
'90 Westy California

35i-VR6
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Re: Westy Fridge 1991 in 2018

Post by 35i-VR6 »

Can you get a picture of the wire mate thats flapping about?
http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-41980.htm
1990 White Atlantic Poptop 1.6TD JX

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ginja_ninja
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Re: Westy Fridge 1991 in 2018

Post by ginja_ninja »

Hi,

Sorry missed the question!
Photo of the top of the fridge shows where the wire connects into.
All seemed to work ok without this attached, but now the electronic gas lighter is not working (flashing/sparking) - it did, then suddenly stopped. Any suggestions would be really helpful!

Cheers

Image
I now have a 3rd child; more expensive and demanding than the other 2!
'90 Westy California

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