my new fridge thread?

[doehunter]

I think I need to call the store tomorrow. I think it needs to go back.
I got some pretty decent testing done between today and the other day.
What I found today is:
1. the fan never runs when it's on 12v.
2. the fan does run on 120v.
3. when switching from 120v to 12v, the unit immediately turns off for a few minutes then it rapidly turns on and off from 4 to 6 times before it finally stays on. (on for only a few seconds, each on/off cycle takes about a minute)
4. It pulls 7 to 8 amps at 12.2 volts
5. it's rated at 4.5 amps at 12 volts

All testing done with the solar panel totally covered up.

Wish me luck.
I'm not sure though if I should call EdgeStar, or Compact Appliance.
I guess I'll call CA, and see.
Am I missing anything?
Jim

 

[Sumner]

....Am I missing anything? Jim

I don't think so and agree that at this point it looks like the frig if you had +12 volts during all of that.

I wish I could tell you who I called, but I don't remember . If it had an operators manual I probably started there, but just can't remember and we aren't home at the moment. I'd start with CA though. Whoever I called they were helpful and we got our problem resolved without sending it back, but I think it was a simpler problem than what you are describing. Like I mentioned there was a wire that was clearly not attached where it should of been and as soon as I attached it no more problems.

I was impressed that it ran for the 2 months in March/April every single day and the cabin temps got hotter toward May, so it ran more hours per day then. One thing I did....

... was to keep an air space on the front sides and back and made sure the vents....

....where the compressor and far are located was open all the time.

Let me know if you run into any problems. I'm sure they would not like negative reviews on our site or on these boards. I'll bet they take care of you though,

Sum

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[doehunter]

Update,
I emailed Living Direct (Compact Appliance) and they told me to call EdgeStar.
I called them and talked to a tech. After telling him about my testing, he said I need to test it in another vehicle before I send it in. Really.
Then he said they don't even check amp draw. If it runs, it's good.
I'm really disappointed about that. If I knew ahead of time that it would pull 8 amps, I would not have ordered it.
I'll pull it out of the boat as soon as I can and test it on my truck.
I'll let you know what happens after that.
I just can't believe they will not look at the amp draw.
Jim

 

[Sumner]

I think something is wrong and when it is fixed the amp draw will be like ours.

Sum

 

[doehunter]

Did you happen to notice when the fan comes on?
On 120 vac, it always runs until the unit reaches it's set point and it all shuts down.
ON 12 vdc, I have not ever heard it run.
The tech says it's thermostatically controlled in DC mode but not in AC mode.
So basically he was saying it's supposed to only come on when it gets hot, and it might not have been hot enough. hmmmm.

 

[Sumner]

Did you happen to notice when the fan comes on?
On 120 vac, it always runs until the unit reaches it's set point and it all shuts down.
ON 12 vdc, I have not ever heard it run.
The tech says it's thermostatically controlled in DC mode but not in AC mode.
So basically he was saying it's supposed to only come on when it gets hot, and it might not have been hot enough. hmmmm.

That might be right. I'm terible at remembering stuff like that. Still the amps are too high. I agree with him about trying it on a different battery. Can you put a cheap VOM meterf in the circuit? I think the compresor and fan would cycle separtely but not positive

I'd check ours again but we aren't home. Ruth is in for eye surgery right now.

Sum

 

[doehunter]

What is a VOM meterf ??
I'm not surprised that the fan is controlled that way, but I would have thought it would come on while it's pulling the temp down from say 40 to 31F.
Hope Ruth does OK. Lasik ?? I probably would benefit but I'm too chicken.

 

[Sumner]

Two procedures for glaucoma. Should be out in a few min.

VOM...........volt ohm meter but will measure amps.cheap HF on10 amp setting and in series to frig. Too much to type on this little keyboard.

Sum

 

[Sumner]

Ok the operation went good :dance: and Ruth is back at the motel room resting and I'm on a full size keyboard again.

Here is a quick video I found on using the VOM for amps....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrpmq2FCnqs

.... Substitute the frig for the motor. Make sure you move the positive probe (red) to the 10 amp plugin. You can get a VOM like shown for under $10 at HF. I keep one on the boat,

Sum

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[doehunter]

Two procedures for glaucoma. Should be out in a few min.

VOM...........volt ohm meter but will measure amps.cheap HF on10 amp setting and in series to frig. Too much to type on this little keyboard.

Sum

Oh man, I'm sorry. Last few times I've been to be checked they said pressure is high in my eyes too, and they mentioned it could be glaucoma related.
I might try that, I do have a multimeter and I think it can do 10 amps.
Not sure about the inrush at start up though. I could try it.
Thanks,

 

[Sumner]

Oh man, I'm sorry. Last few times I've been to be checked they said pressure is high in my eyes too, and they mentioned it could be glaucoma related..

Off topic, but she has had it for maybe 12-15 years. She had some damage, can't be fixed, in one eye since it was high and she didn't know it years ago. It usually doesn't hurt until it has done damage. Drops have kept the pressure down all of these years until it went past what the drops can do. She also had small cataracts and the removal of those can sometimes lower the pressure. They tried that on one eye last fall and the pressure dropped, but not enough so 3 weeks ago she had a canaloplasty done on that eye and that seems to be working. When they were checking the pressure in that eye after the surgery then the other one was up so they wanted her to wait 3 weeks between surgeries, but today did the cataract and canaloplasty at the same time. A little over an hour. It went great and we will stick around here until the weekend for the dr. to check things and then go home. The canaloplasty is relatively new and has less chance of side effects vs. some of the other options out there.

There is glaucoma in my family, so I need to have my pressure also check at times. I'd strongly recommend it to anyone over 50 that is at risk. If Ruth would of checked earlier in life the one eye probably wouldn't be damaged now. Like I said if you wait until your vision is bad or there is pain then you probably waited too late. Good to know your dr. has checked you.

Hopefully she will be cleared to travel in a few weeks and we will get to Florida. Probably in time for the hot weather, but we will do what we can. Her health comes first for sure though.

Now back to the frig,

Sum

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[doehunter]

Last time I went it was the 1st time at that I saw that doc. She said it was high but wanted me to come back after a while to get a comparison, and I didn't go.
I guess I should. Also the other doc,and the cholesterol, and 52 year followup check up.
I'm bad about that.

 

[doehunter]

Oh back on topic,
I went to the boat to pull the fridge and I wanted to show my son what it had been doing.
Well it didn't do any of it. In fact, it was at 5 deg F. and everything inside was froze solid.
I did a few different things and it tested good, restarts, amp draw and all.
I just don't understand.
I'll check it several times over the next few days and see what happens.
As of now, it's behaving.

 

[timebandit]

You don't suppose that when switching from 110v to 12v that the compressor had to start aginst too much head pressure and that is the reason for the big start load.

Might try switching over after the frig has shut down on it own and had time for the compressor to bleed down befor switching to 12v.

Oh back on topic,
I went to the boat to pull the fridge and I wanted to show my son what it had been doing.
Well it didn't do any of it. In fact, it was at 5 deg F. and everything inside was froze solid.
I did a few different things and it tested good, restarts, amp draw and all.
I just don't understand.
I'll check it several times over the next few days and see what happens.
As of now, it's behaving.

 

[doehunter]

The 1st two days I tested it, it drew high amps and stayed that way. It wasn't only in the beginning.
On the day it drew normal amps, it also started up on 12 volts just fine. Now it did go up to 8amps but only for a minute and worked it's way down to 4.5 amps.
I haven't been able to get back yet, yard work today, and sewer pipe repair tomorrow. Yippee.

 

[doehunter]

This just got real good.
I checked the boat and fridge on Sunday. It was at 2 deg. F.!
I checked the setting and it said 0 deg. F. Well now it's done that twice. I'm pretty sure I set it at 34, and it changed by itself.
I emailed Brian Ford, at Living Direct and they sent it to EdgeStar. I got a call from Anthony at EdgeStar. He says that's one of the failures they have seen in the past.
He says to send it back on their dime, and they will replace it, or refund my money if I want. I told him I want the fridge!
Lucky for me I found Brian's email on an online blog where people were sending in complaints about EdgeStar quality and service.
At this point I have to say that it looks like they are going to take good care of me, but it did take getting past the 1st tech that I spoke to.
Jim

 

[Sumner]

Well you have been through a lot with the frig, but if you can get them to resolve this then I think you will love it. We would get another one if ours failed at this point for some reason. Down in the boat with bad air movement around them to cool the compressor and such it is a miracle that they do work.

Yours just sounds like a defect from the factory. Cr.p happens and I'd say for most reviews on products on line in general the ones that have a problem probably out number the ones that don't in posting by a huge factor. I try to weed through that stuff when I'm looking to buy something,

Sum

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[doehunter]

Well you have been through a lot with the frig, but if you can get them to resolve this then I think you will love it. We would get another one if ours failed at this point for some reason. Down in the boat with bad air movement around them to cool the compressor and such it is a miracle that they do work.

Yours just sounds like a defect from the factory. Cr.p happens and I'd say for most reviews on products on line in general the ones that have a problem probably out number the ones that don't in posting by a huge factor. I try to weed through that stuff when I'm looking to buy something,

Sum
Yes I agree,.


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I saw a lot of that when I was shopping for my Mac. A lot of negative out there. People tend to post and complain when something's bad, but not when it's good.
AND, some people just seem two have a lot of bad!
I'm not generally one of those.
The fridge thing really through me for a loop when the symptoms changed.
I can say now without a doubt, that fridge can actually get to 2 deg.F.
I know it's rated to -8, but it's kinda cool. I will probably run it just over freezing. 34 or so

 

[Sumner]

...I can say now without a doubt, that fridge can actually get to 2 deg.F.
I know it's rated to -8, but it's kinda cool. I will probably run it just over freezing. 34 or so

We ran ours on 37 most of the time. It would come on about 40 and off at 37 if I remember right. Towards evening if we had good batteries and the panels were putting out good we would change it down to low 30's and it would get down to 35 or so. Then we reset the thermostat to 37 and turned it off for the night. At the end of the trip, when it was getting into the 90's and hot in the boat, by morning (off for about 12 hours) it would be up to about 44 on the average.

I guess we could of left it turned on at night, but I like to be awake when things are running so that if something acts up I might be aware of it. I keep an eye on the amp and volt meters while awake.

Hope they have a fast turnaround for you,

Sum

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]

Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

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[doehunter]

I received an email from EdgeStar today, asking me not to cut off the 12 volt cord, at least until I'm sure I'm keeping it.
I understand the request and will do, but I have a problem.
I bought what I thought was going to be a high quality 12v outlet at WM. ($$)
It looks nice on my panel but nothing fits it very well. I plug in a fan, cell phone charger, and now the fridge. All of those plugs fit too loose and it's hard to get a good connection. The fridge plug gets hot. (which is why I cut the cord and went direct)
Did I just get a defect or are they that bad? What would be a good one?
One that won't let the plug vibrate loose.
I plan on installing a dedicated supply just for the fridge, near the aft end of the starboard settee somewhere, but it needs to work better than what I have now.
Ideas??