Death of the Engel PT 2
Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 11:52
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Member - lyndon K (SA)
Hi All
A couple of months ago I wrote how our 4 year old Engel had given up the ghost.
Well it’s come back to life!
After taking it to a local guy in
Darwin and being told the cooling unit was stuffed and would need replacing at a cost of $650, I contacted Engel, in regards to their legendary reliability ?
Andrew from Engel wrote back saying “that all products can suffer failure outside of their warranty periods, but could I take it to 1 of the 2 approved repairers in
Darwin with my receipt of purchase”.
Having relocated from
Adelaide I had buckley’s of finding my receipt but took the unit along anyway.
A month or so goes by and I get a call to come and collect the fridge. What was wrong with it I ask, “nothing” was the reply. MMM, me thinks, did they fix it or did it just want a trip out in the car?
When I left the unit at the
shop it would run on 12V but not 240V, though the green light would come on and it made a sound like it was trying to start. I can’t notice any new shinny parts in the unit either. I just hope it is fixed and won’t die on our next outback trip.
Cheers Lyndon
Reply By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 12:56
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 12:56
Same thing happened to
mine a few years ago. The nearest authorised repairer was 80 klms away in
Crystal Brook. So, I arranged to take it over to him. I explained that whether it was on 12v or 240v , all it would do is make a sort of clicking noise as though it was trying to start, but it wouldn't fire up or get cold.
I called him 2 weeks later to see if he'd had any joy and he said to come and collect it as there was nothing wrong with it. He had plugged it in to 240v at his place and it started straight away and got cold etc with no dramas. He also ran it on 12v and same thing.
So, I went and got it and it has been running great ever since (24/7 in the back of the dual cab).
Roachie
AnswerID:
386870
Follow Up By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 13:33
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 13:33
Roachie! Maybe you had a knot in your power cord!!!! :) Michael
FollowupID:
654434
Reply By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 14:18
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 14:18
Is the power supply in your area subject to brown outs
Where I lived on
Bribie island the voltage would drop considerably during busy period like meal times and hot periods.
I put my multimeter into the ends of an extension cord and at times the voltage was down to about 212v.
The reason I knew it was doing it was that my UPS on the computer kept cutting in and out.
I thought perhaps the fridge wasnt getting enough voltage to start it up at your place but maybe the shops power was more reliable,
Have noticed in the far north that power supplies are flaky at best at times
Cheers
AnswerID:
386876
Follow Up By: Member - lyndon K (SA) - Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 21:24
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 21:24
Maybe, but in OZ we tend to stay away from the Brown Hole more than in
NU-ZELUND, Joke, tried at different times of day, same result.
LK
FollowupID:
654525
Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 21:37
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 21:37
Will maybe accept that as a joke but just for future reference
BRIBIE ISLAND IS IN Queensland
As it rains all the time in NZ we have plenty of good quality electricity so dont need to worry about brown outs or ins or whatever
Was just a thought as have had trouble as documented
FollowupID:
654530
Reply By: Tenpounder (SA) - Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 14:32
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 14:32
In other words, Engels do not 'die'.
They simply mature gracefully. At least, I hope that's the moral of this tale!!
AnswerID:
386879
Reply By: psproule - Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 17:04
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 17:04
With compressor fridges, if you unplug them while the compressor is running, and then within a minute or two plug them back in and attempt to start them again the compressor will often stall. All you will hear is a hum.
Pat
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - lyndon K (SA) - Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 21:20
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 at 21:20
Does not fit the bill. Thanks anyway,
FollowupID:
654523
Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Wednesday, Oct 14, 2009 at 09:10
Wednesday, Oct 14, 2009 at 09:10
Yep,
Have the same problem in the office with computers and software.
Darn thing won't do what it is supposed to.
But get some one else or the techie over to look at it and it works fine.
Reckon they just carry a bigger hammer!
AnswerID:
386979
Follow Up By: Go-N-Grey (WA) - Friday, Oct 16, 2009 at 09:42
Friday, Oct 16, 2009 at 09:42
Computers can smell fear and will play up if you dont dominate them!
Next time this happens swear at it and threaten to smash it with a hammer and then do a re-boot. If you have intimidated it enough it will behave.
I used to run a IT Division with over 1500 PC's. Often just a call to the helpdesk would solve user problems without doing anything.
Maybe Engels also can smell fear too or dont like certain beers in them......
Suggest line frequency may be your problem. The swing motors are designed and tuned to run at 50 cycles 15v AC. 240v AC is transformed down to that, and when running on 12v the built in inverter creates the AC at 15v. To far outside of that when starting could potentially cause excessive head pressure preventing the motor from oscillating. Will check next time I see my mate who runs Engel Australia.
I also notice that my 1990 40ltre model which rarely gets used is much noisier when running after a long break, but it quietens down over a 24 hour period.
Cheers
Cheers
FollowupID:
654833
Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Friday, Oct 16, 2009 at 12:21
Friday, Oct 16, 2009 at 12:21
Thanks for the confirmation.
FollowupID:
654856
Reply By: ctaplin - Wednesday, Oct 14, 2009 at 20:36
Wednesday, Oct 14, 2009 at 20:36
Lyndon I reckon your Engel just spat the dummy over the brand of bleep that you fill that poor fridge with!
Being South Aussie born & bred, you should be into a quality beer like Southwark or Coopers rather than that stuff that true 'locals' here in the Territory drink like there is no tomorrow...
AnswerID:
387081