Thetford fridge not working
Hi,
Our Thetford (I think N180 but without auto power select) caravan fridge has stopped working and is flashing fault code 14.
I understand that this means that the 12V display panel and the power board are not communicating with each other (although I don't know what that means).
Have tried turning the fridge off and it briefly shows fault code 18 and all the symbols come on, then it reverts to fault 14. The display continues to flash and does not turn off.
This happened shortly after replacing the caravan battery - don't know if that has anything to do with it.
Have tried disconnecting the power supply and re-connecting - no change. Have tried disconnecting the battery and re-connecting - no change.
Does anyone know how do I make these components communicate with each other and how do I get the fridge working, please?
Comments
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I had a similar problem and was told i would need a new control board, if you can find one, apparently they do not make them anymore and the only way forward was a new fridge, very costly unless you opt to go for just electric and forget about the gas part, we have never used ours on gas.
Mysteriously my fault went away and on our last 2 trips away it has worked ok, however, i have never actually switched it off at the switch on the fridge, only ever moved it to battery and back to mains, currently it is stood on hardstanding at home plugged into mains and all is ok, not sure what will happen if i have to switch it off at the switch on the fridge.
if i switch the mains power of then a small neon light on the front of the panel continues to flash until i return the power, not sure where it gets its power from because if you switch the function to battery as i understand it this is only the car battery not the battery in the caravan.
would be interested to know how you get on with this problem
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Latest development is that it’s now flashing ‘fault 18’ with all the symbols showing.
The book says this isn’t a fault, it just shows this when the fridge is first turned on. You then select your chosen power source. Which is true.
However, none of the buttons do anything. It just keeps on flashing.
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Not sure I can offer much help really Ian, it’s way more sophisticated than our fridge, but does it work on gas as well?
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Latest - connected 12v from the car and the fridge worked fine on 12v.
Got to site, connected to mains and the screen went blank - nothing working.
So no, it doesn’t work on gas……or anything but 12v.
It appears to me that the fault must be with the control panel. Have seen a firm that says they can repair them (£180 - yikes!) so may ask our service guy for an opinion.
Rufs - interested in your comment about an electric only replacement (we’ve never used ours on gas either). Do you have any details?
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"Rufs - interested in your comment about an electric only replacement (we’ve never used ours on gas either). Do you have any details?"
sorry never went down that route as fridge now working but engineer implied you could just fit a normal domestic fridge if you did not want gas or power whilst towing
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I seem to remember reading that domestic fridges are simply not robust enough to cope with being bounced around in a caravan (or presumably MH). I certainly would be wary considering how part of our fridge are suspended. I would also be wary of ventilating the heat sink adequately.
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Have you checked the fuses..... at a habitation check a couple of years ago I was told my LCD panel needed replacing but had been working fine all weekend as we had attended a centre rally....
I refused to accept there was anything wrong & upon returning home checked all the fuses.... there appear to be several 3A feeds to fridge...
Nothing had blown but miraculously the fridge panel was now working & has been ever since!
Just a thought
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Latest - Our caravan service engineer came and had a look.
He tested the 12 volt supply and the 240 volt supply and both were fine - so not a 12 volt supply issue.
He suspected it was the power board (having seen this problem before, numerous times). Just in case, he replaced the display board with a spare one that he had and it still didn't work.
So he is 99% certain that the problem is the power board.
He knew of the two firms that advertise fixes for these boards (Apuljack and A&R Electronics - the latter incidentally fixed the circuit board in our motor mover control box) and he also knew that neither of them would be able to repair our panel, because it is moulded into its plastic surround. Removing it would damage the panel beyond repair. A&R make it clear on their web site that they cannot repair panels that are moulded in.
So thank you Thetford, for your built in obsolescence.
The only possible answer was to find a second hand panel (which Thetford no longer produce, are like hen's teeth, may not work and can cost up to £400).
Alternatively, to find a second hand fridge - same comments apply. I saw some that had turned yellow inside with age, had a dubious history, might or might not work etc.
So we bit the bullet and bought a new fridge for £800 - exactly as Mr Thetford intended all along, no doubt.
Just waiting for it to be fitted this week.
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Ouch, that’s not cheap. But I hope it works for you, keeps you rolling and enjoying your holidays.
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