Club 80-90 Forums

Got power at switch and power in brown wire from switch going into grey sheath. But heater element not warming to produce refrigeration. What other tests can l do please?



Regards
Stuart

Have you measured the heater element resistance using a multimeter? The elements go open circuit, should get a low reading but disconnect the element or at least one of the connections to isolate it before measuring it.

And do l investigate in here?
Good clean example of a thirty years old fridge

Cheers Angelo and hope you are well. Here we go again Feel now l should add you to my will

So l set digi to OHMS and test for resistance? Will give it a go. No reading is bad right?
The fridge is out of camper. No power to it. Have disconnected onewire to switch too.
Have set multi meter to Omega symbol and 200. Meter check across its two probes reads 00.4
Piercing the two brown wires to heater element gives a reading of 01.7. Have l done this right...you know what lm like with leccy!
What does this mean?
New element is £33

Regards
Stuart

Open circuit = infinite resistance = element has failed internally

A quick google says that a good 12v element should only read a bit over 1 ohm, you should really have the element "out of circuit" to test = not connected to anything apart from the connection leads.

Do a quick retest, I think you'll probably get the 1.7 ohms which indicates the heater element is fine

Now lm confused. Will disconnect both switch wires

Not sure why you are piercing the insulation when there's a perfectly good connector block you could remove the wire from, but never mind.

Assuming those are the correct cables to the heater element then I would say the element is fine, see what Angeloevs thinks though, he has more direct experience on fridges. (though I was doing the same test on a combo microwave last week, resistance good, but only 23v, turns out there was damage to the PCB)

What next ?.... perhaps test the thermostat. The thermostat should give closed circuit / 0 ohms if it is at room temperature and the dial is on the coldest. I'm not sure what the range of the thermostat is, but on max cooling you should get continuity, depending how cool it is where you are it "might" go open circuit when on the hottest setting.

If it's the same as mine 1 is hottest, 7 is max cooling.

937carrera wrote:Open circuit = infinite resistance = element has failed internally

A quick google says that a good 12v element should only read a bit over 1 ohm, you should really have the element "out of circuit" to test = not connected to anything apart from the connection leads.

Do a quick retest, I think you'll probably get the 1.7 ohms which indicates the heater element is fine

Definately out of circuit. Still reads the same. What else could it be? Switch and wiring get 12volts. Nothing else down there is there? No hidden relay perhaps. Ill take out 12volt element and test directly on spare leisure battery.

I think you missed my latest post - thermostat next, but that is common to mains and gas too

937carrera wrote:Not sure why you are piercing the insulation when there's a perfectly good connector block you could remove the wire from, but never mind

Cos as Angelo will confirm lm a fecking hopless case witt de leccy.

Okay and thanks. Thermostat will check too

937carrera wrote:I think you missed my latest post - thermostat next, but that is common to mains and gas too

Ah! 240 and gas really work well

Just seen the first picture, test the heater again. This time remove the brown connector from the 12v switch and the brown wire from the connector block.

That'll ensure you're not reading resistance from any other part of the circuit

937carrera wrote:Just seen the first picture, test the heater again. This time remove the brown connector from the 12v switch and the brown wire from the connector block.

That'll ensure you're not reading resistance from any other part of the circuit

Thanks. Did so. Still 01.7

I think the element is good, if you wish you can take it out and test with a leisure battery. Don't burn yourself

Is the 12v switch working correctly, test with the meter.

If the thermostat is good for gas / 240v then leave that alone

If the element works fine, then I think you need to be looking at the van wiring. It might allow 12v to pass, but little current

937carrera wrote:I think the element is good, if you wish you can take it out and test with a leisure battery. Don't burn yourself

Is the 12v switch working correctly, test with the meter.

If the thermostat is good for gas / 240v then leave that alone

If the element works fine, then I think you need to be looking at the van wiring. It might allow 12v to pass, but little current

Wish l could phone you. I think l have found answer. Stay tuned a couple minutes