Vitrifrigo DP 150 l

Hi AJ,

A little more information required please. Are you running it on 12 volt or 240 volt? Is the fridge full or empty? What are the ambient conditions like where you are located? How long has it been running for?

Macca.

Hello AJ

We don't have your type of fridge, but I found this and it may or may not be helpful.

"We have a 230L Vitrifrigo which has a Danfoss BD50F compressor working unit and have been through a similar set of symptoms. Your issue is very likely to be either thermostat or low gas. Start with the thermostat, replacing it may fix the problem and if that is the case it is quick and easy. However if your fridge is 4 years + old I suspect it may need a gas recharge. Go carefully here and don't let any old fridge mechanic tackle it. Find someone who has experience with RV refrigeration - the trick is that you can overcharge these units i.e. over-gas them and you will have a fridge that never switches off. A thorough refrigeration mechanic will want to remove the fridge from the van (in our case once through the bedroom window and once through the door opening after the door was removed) and put it on the bench for two or three days under instrument testing. What he is doing here is making sure the new gas charge is the right volume and that the fridge gets to the set temperature quickly AND SWITCHES OFF. The Danfoss BD50F unit is very high quality and has a good name in the industry. "

Cheers
Jim

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There is a possibility that the thermostat is set too low and the fridge is running continuously trying to maintain that low temperature. The ideal temperature in the cabinet is 5 or 6 degrees.
The other possibility is that the thermostat has gone faulty causing the fridge to run continuously.

In both of these cases with the fridge running continuously, the cabinet temperature is likely to get down close to 0 degrees but will not go lower even with the motor running due to natural losses and the limitations of the refrigeration process. It just keeps running without further cooling.

So, check your cabinet temperature with a thermometer and if it is too low try raising the thermostat setting. If you don't have a thermometer, slowly raise the thermostat setting until the motor stops then leave it at that setting. After a time the motor should start again and begin regular cycling. If so, wait for a couple of hours to see if the cabinet is cold enough.

It is also possible that your fridge has lost some refrigerant and is operating inefficiently such that it is running continuously to try and reach the normal temperature. If this is the case then it will continue to lose refrigerant until it is unable to get the temperature down. Also possible (but unlikely) that the compressor is ailing. In either case it will need the attention of a refrigeration mechanic. You do say that you "Had the gas level checked twice and it is ok." Who actually "checked the gas level"? Was it a qualified refrigeration serviceman and what explanation did he give you for its faulty performance?

One final possibility I can think of is that you may not be getting sufficient electrical power to the fridge thus causing inefficient compressor operation. This could be because of inadequate wiring or a poor electrical connection in the circuit reducing power to the compressor. This could be checked by observing the voltage at the input to the compressor while the fridge is actually running. It should be at least 12.0 volts. Any reading with the motor stopped would be meaningless.

I second what Alan has said above.
A bit puzzled though with the "had the gas level checked twice". There is no gas level at all in a fridge, but a quantity of gas in the system, it is everywhere in the system. As indicated, it could be low or too much and usually at service, ALL gas is drawn out and the correct quantity for that device injected back in to the vacuum of the system. WAS that done? So unless the "agent" took it out and replaced the correct quantity of it with the necessary equipment I can't see how a LEVEL can be determined. Maybe, if there are ports fitted, some before and after pressures can be read on gauges which may indicate it is working.

For what it is worth, ours has been good over 11 years with no repairs or servicing. The only mods I’ve done is to install a couple of fans to stir up air movement inside, the theory being that the cold air produced needs to get across the thermostat. It’s easy for fridge content to shield the thermostat to some extent (in my view). I have a quite small 12 volt computer fan that is wired to the compressor supply and comes on with that. Also a small 3 volt battery powered fan that runs full time. Both can be positioned wherever is convenient, and likely to best circulate the air. Oh...and...I have also put a wire barrier in front of the thermostat dial so that fridge content can’t rub up against it while mobile.

These fridges are not 'T' rated so tend to struggle in Australian conditions.
For that reason I replaced ours with a Samsung 240V inverter fridge running on a Victron 375W inverter. Problems solved!

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How much ventilation space has been given behind the fridge ?

From what I can gather they supposed to work in relation to outside ambient temperature hotter it is harder they work and subsequently burn out compressor

Folks have a small Engel 12/240 fitted into their camper with next to no air movement space behind it. Constantly running even on a mild 25 degree day in Nannup WA (southern area east Busselton)

I spoke to Engel and they have me a bit of info in regards to installation, mentioned in fine print for a built in unit 30cm back clearance and smaller amount to sides.

sure enough fridge worked fine on bench. once installed it ran continuously.

I then spoke to a knowledgeable Engel dealer who advised minimum of 30cm (same info twice) upon discussion of lack of airflow.

Installed a small fan 24 v 50mm computer size to assist circulate air plus a air vent (benchtop grill) from hafele which assisted air exit from top, and same grill below the fridge in cupboard below to act as a up draught (hot air rises)

Folks took van over east and at wilpena pound had same issue (2018 ?).

Prior to next trip last year up north (WA) post inter regional travel restrictions had a massive 75mm fan and hole installed -and low behold fridge ran perfectly even without the ventilation fans running.