Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all
I have a 1981 T25 Westfalia, Aircooled left hand drive - we call him Rusty (but Trusty). Went away weekend 20th April 2018 to a location with hook up. The fridge just did not work, we had been away the week before and the fridge had worked perfectly - almost freezing items that were in close contact with the coldest part. We are due to go camping in Suffolk and really would like this fridge to be in working order - I am not techie or electrician and frankly unsure where to even start. I have owned the bus two years, the previous owner, a very good friend of mine was also baffled.

Can anyone pass on any advice, start point, etc? The wife has looked up on the internet and found the Dometic handbook and also tried Youtube, neither of which allude to the actual problem I have. Weather has been so awful I have been unable to even get the cover off and time is now running out - she likes a cold prosecco/cider!!!

Many thanks. BRENDAN

So it wasn't working on hook up ?

Check simple things first eg:
Was the hook up actually delivering power
Is there an in line fuse that has blown, maybe located on a panel somewhere
Was the switch in the on position, does it have a light that illuminates and did it.

Do you have the adapter to allow you to plug it in at home and test it before you go ?

Sorry to be brutally honest here, but anyone trying to diagnose a problem with an appliance that has three means of operation requires a tad more info than just 'it doesn't work'. Please be more specific.

Hi it is Brendan's wife here attempting to ask for advice re the Dometic Fridge. Apologies for not being more specific.

The electric hook up is functioning for all other uses - it is just the fridge that does not operate. The light on the panel is working. I am currently attempting to remove the fridge to access the fuse box area. Despite my husband's best efforts he cannot get the fridge out of the aperture. He has removed the panel to the left of the fridge, he has located the fridge three pin plug which is a moulded plug. Is he missing something very obvious to get this fridge out of its casing?

Thank you. SONJA

Easy things first:

Unplug the fridge and check the fuse in the plug
Connect the hook up and plug something else (hairdrier ?) into the socket and see if that works.

If the hairdrier works the problem is with the fridge. If it doesn't it's somewhere else.

Hi
The hook up works with hairdryer, radio, etc. Problem is definitely with fridge. The panel light is lit up.

My mistake he has accessed the fridge plug and it is a 2 pin moulded plug, not a three pin as I incorrectly typed. I am not doing very well here. He believes he needs to get to the rear of the fridge but he simply cannot budge the fridge from its casing.

SONJA

Left hand drive, so does the fridge have a continental shuko plug like this



What panel light are you talking about, general charging light, light on the panel that shows the fridge is "switched on" or a light on the fridge that is illuminated.

You need to know if the fridge is getting 240v

Do you have a continental travel adapter ?

To remove the fridge, there are 4 screws (2 on each side) top & bottom recessed and accessed via the cupboards on either side of the fridge. There will also be a gas union which need undoing, accessed on the top right behind the fridge. This can be fiddly but perfectly do-able. Remove the three pin plug, a single electrical connector and a block electrical connector. There will also be 4-5 screws on the front holding the fridge shroud in place. Undo these screws & remove the shroud. Be careful as the shroud is tongued & grooved into the cupboard edge on the left. The flue needs disconnecting by removing the cover outside and undoing the flue-pipe. Inside the van on the side of the cupboard on the left, there's a ventilation plate which, when removed, gives you good access to the flue-pipe. You should now be able to remove the fridge. It will be a tight squeeze but should come out.

Hi - yes that is the two pinned plug - it is the green panel light that illuminates.
Thank you for the detailed instruction to remove fridge - that is most helpful and will be followed. Thank you all.

Before going to all the trouble of removing the fridge I really do recommend that you test that the socket has 240v by plugging something else in, or test the fridge by plugging the shuko plug into a mains extension.

You will need adapters or be prepared to remove the shuko plug and fit a standard UK plug as an alternative.

The panel light being on does not mean that the fridge is on, only if there is a light on the fridge and that is illuminated are you certain the fridge has power. (and that doesn't seem to be the case from what you have posted)

Wondering how you go on, any success, is the prosecco chilling ?

Does it run on gas?
I had that problem a few years ago. In my westie there is a small black fuse box on the B pillar at the side of the driver's seat. If you have the old aluminium bullet fuses they can react with the copper connections, corrode and stop the power getting through. Give them a twist to break the corrosion and best replace them with copper fuses.
Check it out and give us some feedback.