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Fixing a Waeco Fridge Transformer

Submitted: Monday, Mar 03, 2008 at 21:49

pauls

Hi

My Waeco CF50 Fridge's transformer is playing up when I try to run the fridge on 240v. It keeps blowing the 163mA fuse.

I opened it up and there is nothing obviously wrong with it (although I don't know anything about them). Is there anything that I should be looking for which would be the likely cause of the problem.

Thanks

Paul
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AnswerID: 290694   Submitted: Monday, Mar 03, 2008 at 22:32

Member - Phillip S (WA) replied:

does the fuse blow without the fridge plugged in??????????

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Reply 1 of 7
FollowupID: 556082   Submitted: Monday, Mar 03, 2008 at 22:50

Member - Phillip S (WA) posted:

I just had a look at mine and it should be a 630mA fuse....the unit itself when plugged in should make a distinctive sound that you would associate with any high frequency electronic device( a zinging type sound).......the unit is capable of 6 amp output @ 12VDC ( see underneath)..........try plugging in a known load of say 5 amps (5x12=60 watts...ie a globe)....if it still works...then plug your fridge into your usual car (12vdc) fridge socket and see if your fride is working......by doing these two simple checks you should be able to determine the where the fault is....the power supply OR the fridge...hopefully not the fridge....do not fiddle with the power supply,.........but have a electronics expert deal with it or purchase a new one

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FollowUp 1 of 5
FollowupID: 556104   Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 04, 2008 at 07:55

MrBitchi (QLD) posted:

"the unit itself when plugged in should make a distinctive sound that you would associate with any high frequency electronic device( a zinging type sound)"

Mine makes no noise at all.

Beware, the output of these units as supplied by Waeco is 24v, NOT 12v. DON'T plug your 12v devices into it or they'll fry. Been there. done that :-(

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gawk; grep; unzip; touch; finger; mount; fsck; gasp; yes; umount; sleep!!
FollowUp 2 of 5
FollowupID: 556109   Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 04, 2008 at 08:07

pauls posted:

No, when the fridge is plugged in

Thanks

Paul
FollowUp 3 of 5
FollowupID: 556113   Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 04, 2008 at 08:30

Mike Harding posted:

>Mine makes no noise at all.

Or you can't hear it? :(

My hearing now tops out at around 9KHz - probably due to early years spent in noisy factories.

If I turn my TV onto stand-by and forget to turn the power to it off I can't hear any noise from it but my younger son (in his 20s) can hear a high frequency noise - probably the line transformer at 15.625KHz.

Mike Harding
FollowUp 4 of 5
FollowupID: 556115   Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 04, 2008 at 08:37

MrBitchi (QLD) posted:

"Or you can't hear it? :(" LOL

No, even my teenage daughter doesn't complain, and she has VERY sensitive hearing. Not all switch modes make a noise.

I do admit that now days I probably wouldn't hear it anyway.. or I'd just get it confused with Tinnitus ;-(

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gawk; grep; unzip; touch; finger; mount; fsck; gasp; yes; umount; sleep!!
FollowUp 5 of 5
AnswerID: 290700   Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 04, 2008 at 04:58

obee replied:

if the cost of fixing the transformer is more than it costs to use a generic power supply then get one. I have an evacool partly because I already had a 20 watt supply on the shelf and evakool dont build them in. They will sell one for about a hundred bucks but look around.

I would say there is something seriously wrong with your built in job. The switch mode supplys are fairly compact these days unlike my old regulated job and you can put them to other uses like charging the battery. Without looking at the specs I would say a 20 watt supply will do it. Your fridge unit is the same as the evakool.

my opinion

owen
Reply 2 of 7
FollowupID: 556112   Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 04, 2008 at 08:14

MrBitchi (QLD) posted:

"I would say there is something seriously wrong with your built in job"

The CF50 uses an external "brick" power supply for 240v use.


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gawk; grep; unzip; touch; finger; mount; fsck; gasp; yes; umount; sleep!!
FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 290706   Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 04, 2008 at 06:53

Member No 1 replied:

blows the mA fuse?...must be on the primary side of the tranny......as the fridge would be on the secondary side, (as it pulls some 5 amps)......If I recall correctly, if the fridge was pulling too many amps i would expect the tranny to collapse ie not blow the primary fuse....

so my best bet would be that the tranny has failed on the primary side windings.


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Reply 3 of 7
AnswerID: 290708   Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 04, 2008 at 07:27

Rocky_QLD replied:

Thes are a switched mode power supply, if it fails get a new one. About a $100 should do.

Cheers
Rocky
Reply 4 of 7
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AnswerID: 290747   Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 04, 2008 at 13:26

patrolmann replied:

I have a waeco 80 lt and the transformer packed it in. I spoke to waeco who said it only has a 12 month warranty on that part and they dont repair them $137.00 for a new one. Since mine was just on 12 months old Waeco came to the party and sent me a new one.
Cheers
patrolman
Reply 5 of 7
AnswerID: 290751   Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 04, 2008 at 13:38

patrolmann replied:

I have a waeco 80 lt and the transformer packed it in. I spoke to waeco who said it only has a 12 month warranty on that part and they dont repair them $137.00 for a new one. Since mine was just on 12 months old Waeco came to the party and sent me a new one.
Cheers
patrolman
Reply 6 of 7
AnswerID: 290803   Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 04, 2008 at 18:36

PradOz replied:

You can buy the genuine waeco external "brick"type power units from big w. maybe worthwhile trialling one. if it fails maybe you could then take it back as a faulty unit?? not sure if that is an ethical way of doing business but u wouldnt be the first to do a return like that :)
Reply 7 of 7
FollowupID: 556267   Submitted: Wednesday, Mar 05, 2008 at 00:35

Member - Frank (QLD) posted:

Remond me not to sell you anything :) :) :)
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Regards,

Frank
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