stuffed engel

Thanks Stephen. The places you listed look like engel stockists- and I assume they will need to send the unit on to somewhere else. I was hoping there might be a refrigeration place down here that does the service/repair work, if not I might have to take it to Balcatta.doc.

Down the road in Busselton we have a refuse tip that accepts all sorts of throw-away rubbish, trash and garbage, yes even stuffed Engels too :-)

but on a brighter note, do you know if it's a lack of gass problem, or an electrical fault ??

Maîneÿ . . .

Good grief Mainey- you must have read my mind. I was just saying to my partner that at this moment I fell like throwing it up the tip! My opinion of engel has sunk as low as my opinion of " neverkool". I think it may be a gas problem- makes all the right noises - only it is not getting cold.Fridge is at 20 and freezer is on 17. (insert sad face here).doc.

hi oz doc
those places listed above are all retailers dont waste your time
all due repects to stephen l
i recommend you to go straight to dm & s curtin refridgeration repairs
1 george st bunbury
phone 97215126
a/hrs 016301288
been there for years and reliable
domestic and commercial

Thanks mazcan - I'll give them a call tomorrow and tee things up. doc.

I agree with Mazcan, the place is also known as Vaccum World, cnr Bourke & Stuart Sts Bunbury. (not far from home)

Last year I got a new unit put in the Engel and it was a lot less than a second had one to buy on eBay. One way or another, that is probably your best option, unless you are likely enough to follow the Mainey option. To buy on eBay frequently over $600-$700 for a 40 litre Engel several years old, $540+/- to fix it with new compressor, and everything.

Mind you, some had a five year warranty. Did yours?

WWTA - unfortunately mine did not have a 5 year warranty- only 3 years. It is a 57L fridge/freezer combo. I guess all decisions will have to be based upon the diagnosis and estimated cost of repair. In my current mood- I suspect only two options will be considered- fix it and sell it off, or bin it and put the money saved towards a new fridge. Have to wait and see what the 'man' says tomorrow. In the meantime we will have to dust off the esky and 'slum' it.doc.

Pick it up and give it a shake, especially if it has been stationary and running on 240 volt . Then give the fridge ten mimutes or so and turn it on.

What have you got to loose?

Cheers Teza

Within the refrigeration circuit, there is a small "pencil" strainer/dryer which joins on to a very small diameter capillary tube (standard refrigeration design). In the past, there have been a number of cases where the internal strainer material has come adrift and blocked the capillary tube. It's a relatively easy job (for a fridgie with the right gear that is) to replace the strainer, clear the capillary and regas it. If this is the problem, there is definitely no need to replace the whole unit. This was apparently a reasonably common problem with some o the earlier models.

Cheers
Gerry

Um, can I ask GerryP, what would this 'pencil' strainer/dryer be called in another language? and where would one look to find it? Not that it will help me at all. I hate having to take things to the 'man' to be fixed.You never really know if you are getting diddled or not. doc.

Hi oz doc,

It's actually called just that, a "pencil dryer". It is fitted in the liquid line, which is a tube (probably 1/4") coming from the condenser. The pencil drier is tubular, copper and probably around 100mm long and near 20mm diameter. From the pencil dryer there is a capillary tube (probably around 1/8" diameter) which then goes to the evaporator (freezer coil).

Unfortunately, it's not a job that one can do yourself as you need the proper gear like high vacuum pump, gauges and of course, refrigerant gas. It's a licenced trade with heavy penalties (around $10k) if you get sprung - all to do with saving the ozone layer and global warming.

However, you may be able to diagnose if this is the problem. Run the fridge for say 10 or 15 minutes and feel the capillary tube where it leaves the pencil dryer - it should be warm. If it is cold, (sometimes even frost may be evident) then there is a partial blockage. If it's totally blocked, then this won't work - it will just be warm all over. Worth a try though.

Hope this helps mate.

Cheers
Gerry

Thanks Gerry, having a good look around I can identify the 'pencil dryer', and I can also see what looks like a dried fluid trail sitting underneath the compressor. I suspect this may be the lubricant left behind from when the coolant leaked. Nothing for it I'm afraid- will drop it off tomorrow and see what 'the man' says and go from there.thanks, doc.

Had a bloke in the other day with a dead Waeco (2nd one in two years) wasn't happy, no cold beers until he got here!!

Hi Cantiva Clay

There is a classic saying from the movie "The Castle" which applies to your post....You must be dreamin'


Cheers

Stephen

Hi Holden 4th- I was of the same opinion about fridges- keep them running. Our engel acts as a beer and overflow fridge when not travelling around with us. It normally sits in air conditioned comfort in the kitchen. It was working fine over new years- we took it up to Perth with us. I then turned it off when it was empty and defrosted it/gave it a clean. Turned it back on- all good- even managed to freeze the oj I put in the freezer side. Came home with it- plugged her back in - and then it failed- can hear the motor running but only one small area of the freezer plate is getting cold.I hope it is not going to ge expensive to fix- if so I may just safe my money and put it towards a deposit on another fridge- maybe a Bushman.doc.

whilst i dont do this im pretty sure the destructions for my Engal specifically recomended continous running as a second fridge when not in use

Well, I haven't had an Engel die on me (touch wood;-), and my experience with these has shown me that it is _not_ necessary to run them full time...

My 29L, which I bought 2nd hand more than 31 years ago is living proof of this (powered up only when needed, and several times in it's life it has sat unused for a year or more), and it'll still ice up ya beer at # 2 on the dial ;-))

same applies to the newer (6½ y/o) 57L 'combi', used as required (and only when required)..

The way I see it, If you have a use for the thing, then by all means use it, but if not, Why waste electricity ??

(YMMV)

;-))