Engle problem

Submitted: Sunday, Aug 23, 2009 at 22:30

ThreadID: 71743 Views:5998 Replies:5 FollowUps:0

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campaholic

Good Evening all,
I have an Engle MF4o (40lt) which i haven't used for about 3 weeks, I just installed afridge slide today and put the fridge on it to try it out. The problem is this-when it is plugged into 12v - she no go, plug it into mains and she goes (I'm hading to Birdsville this Saturday, so I need it to work) at this point I checked battery (2nd battery not cranking battery) all ok check thermal fuse, ok, checked 10a fuse in back of fridge, ok. I thought I would try it running through my inverter, ok. At this stage I'm resigned to the fact that the 12v part of the motor is kaput.

Now the weird part starts.
I have both cables (12v & 240v) plugged into fridge, 240v cable is plugged into inverter, 12v to 2nd battery, inverter is connected to 2nd battery BUT not turned on the fridge now turns on under 12v power. If, at this stage I remove either cable or disconnect inverter from battery the fridge turns off.
I then tried plugging the 240v cable into mains power with switch turned off and the 12v cable into battery, fridge not on.

Hope this is making some sense, has anyone experienced similar?
I will be ringing Engle service centre tomorrow but thought I might grab a heads up.

Cheers
Nigel

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Reply By: Member - Scoof (SA) - Sunday, Aug 23, 2009 at 23:48

Sunday, Aug 23, 2009 at 23:48

I have the older 39 lt Engle I thought the same as you that one part of the frig was R/S but it was only the 12 volt lead that had crapped it self.

So borrow a cord from some one and see if it works or buy another 12 volt cord.
Give it a go it may be that simple.

Regards Scoof . :-)

AnswerID: 380215

Reply By: vk1dx - Monday, Aug 24, 2009 at 07:07

Monday, Aug 24, 2009 at 07:07

Our 12V cable recently died also. And up at Mitchell falls to boot!!!! I carefully took the fridge end apart and the wire to one of the brass connectors inside had broken. I soldered a new bit on and it made it home.

I got the original replaced and bought a spare to carrty with me.

If you have a multimemter check out the 12v cable. The earth side may have broken.

Phil

AnswerID: 380229

Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Monday, Aug 24, 2009 at 07:48

Monday, Aug 24, 2009 at 07:48

I have put some split conduit around the lead at the fridge on my old 39l so it doesn't play up. The lead flexes further back.
The lead failure/intermitent connection is a well known problem.
The motor works on 12v, so it must be somewhere in the lead or the first connection inside.

AnswerID: 380232

Reply By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Monday, Aug 24, 2009 at 11:11

Monday, Aug 24, 2009 at 11:11

Okay, I reckon I know what the problem is....... (only a guess).

The fact that it works off 12 volts when you have the 240v plugged into the inverter (but inverter not switched on), would tend to indicate to me that the internals of the 12volt plug are stuffed..... I would say the "return" wire in the 12volt plug is broken. So, when you have the 240v cable plugged in to inverter, it is the 240 volt cable that is completing the circuit and enabling the fridge to operate on 12 volts. The positive wire from the 12 volts is working, but not the negative wire.

I have read on many occasions that the Engel plugs are a heap of rubbish.

It may possibly be at the cigi lighter end of the cable too I suppose. I have unscrewed the end of my cigi plug and have bought one of Engel's screw-in fittings, so the cigi plug can't come loose. A great idea IMHO.

Roachie

AnswerID: 380252

Reply By: campaholic - Tuesday, Aug 25, 2009 at 00:36

Tuesday, Aug 25, 2009 at 00:36

Thanks for everyones replies, I thought it may have been the cable so I borrowed a mates (fridge and cables) plugged his cables to my fridge and mine to his, his fridge worked but mine did not, so that ruled out cables.

I took it to an Engle repairer and after much deliberation we discovered that it is in fact the switching relay that is not working. Roachie was sort of on the right track, while the 240v cable was plugged in it was earthing the system causing a complete circuit, plug removed = no circuit = no 12v to fridge.
Unfortunately you can not replace/repair just that part of the power supply, they are made as a throw away item.

Cheers
Nigel

AnswerID: 380368