Fridge Compressor runs all the time

NickMac
NickMac Forum Participant Posts: 5
edited March 27 in Motorhomes #1

We have a demountable camper with a compressor fridge and the compressor seems ot be running all the time. The fridge is cold and the freezer compartment is freezing but left last night without EHU it drained 44% from a 125Ah leisure battery.

The fridge is an IndelB model SP206. The winter vents are still on but then it's only 7C outside so that shouldn't be a problem.

Any advice gratefully recieved,

 

Nick

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 27 #2

    Is this set up new to you or have you previously had a different experience with this fridge?

    Compressor fridges used to be renowned for draining the battery but I think newer models have improved.

  • Hja
    Hja Club Member Posts: 846 ✭✭
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    edited March 27 #3

    I don’t know your fridge but we have a dometic compressor fridge in a 2021 pvc. Looks about the same size as yours. We certainly couldn’t do two nights off grid with a 100 ah battery without solar or taking the van out. We swapped to lithium and it is now fine. Our fridge does have a night time setting which should reduce consumption a bit. I am surprised you have winter vents, they are not common with compressor fridges.

  • NickMac
    NickMac Forum Participant Posts: 5
    edited March 27 #4

    We bought the camper in 2021 and whilst the fridge has always been a heavy drain on the battery but not to this extent. I would expect obnly half that power consumtion. I have heard from another owner via social media that there fridge did the same and was repalced under warranty but I suspect i'm a bit too late for that.

    Nick

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 27 #5

    It is probably about 60 watts, so if running none stop would deplete your battery by 5 amps in one hour. The maths would suggest it is not running full time as your battery would be dead within a day. Sounds to me like it is working correctly.

     

    Colin

  • NickMac
    NickMac Forum Participant Posts: 5
    edited March 27 #6

    The fridge draws 3.5 amps so sitting on my driveway for 13 hours overnight would consume 45.5Ah. The drain on the battery overnight was actually 55Ah with pretty much everything else turned off so I think it is running continuously.

  • NickMac
    NickMac Forum Participant Posts: 5
    edited March 28 #7

    Update: After 6 hours switched off, the freezer was still at -6 and the fridge was at +4. Yesterday evening I checked that the condenser and fan were clean and in good condition. I then took apart the thermostat assembly and have concluded that the thermostat was at fault and never registered that the required temperature had been achieved. After a severe wiggle of the thermostat I was able to turn on the fridge without the compressor cutting in immediately. I have left it switched on all night and by this morning the battery had only dropped 3%. I’m still unsure whether, once it does switch on, if it will turn off again.

    I'm going to get a new thermostat.

    Nick

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