Posted by D. Robinson on July 9, 2006, 2:55 pm
I hope someone on this group has the expertise to help me out with my
fridge problem.
The fridge is a Consul Safe-T-Vent model sold in Canada about 4 years
ago. The model number is CQE22A-SV. I am the second owner and,
unfortunately, don't have either the owner's manual or any real
experience deaing with propane appliances. To make matter worse, the
fridge is located in a remote cabin which makes transportation very
difficult and a service call out of the question. The fridge is
installed very well and I'm very hesitant to move it. I see moving it
as an absolute last resort. It's also in excellent condition and looks
basically brand new. There is no corrosion (or even much dirt) of any
kind even at the rear of the fridge near the floor.
The fridge worked fine when I first purchased the cabin 2 years ago.
Recently it has come to the point where the fridge will not stay cold
at all anymore. This happened suddenly at the first of this summer. At
first startup things seem to be cooling down okay, but by the time the
fridge has been running for a few hours it has basically warmed back
up to just below room temperature. The flame in the firebox appears
fine (nice large flame, not sputtering) so I doubt it's a propane
problem. The fridge just won't stay cold. I have tried every setting
of the temperature guage with the same results. I've double-checked
the air intake and exhaust lines and they're fine. The meter in the
front of the fridge (near the floor) has a needle that moves into a
green area when the fridge is lit. The needle usuallt stays BARELY in
the green. Sometimes it even fluctuates from just in the green to just
in the white. This seems strange, but the fridge stays lit.
This fridge is basically brand new and never moves. Could the
refridgerant possibly have leaked out? All the workings at the rear of
the fridge seem in perfect shape. Why is it cold at first but then
warms up?
Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. I've enclosed
photos if that's any help.
Posted by FukUSpamer@fukspamer.com on July 9, 2006, 3:37 pm
I think the refrigerant is leaked, it leaks over a period of time so
probably you haven't been able to see or noticed any leakage sign but the
symptoms you mentioned are pointing into that direction.
>I hope someone on this group has the expertise to help me out with my
> fridge problem.
> The fridge is a Consul Safe-T-Vent model sold in Canada about 4 years
> ago. The model number is CQE22A-SV. I am the second owner and,
> unfortunately, don't have either the owner's manual or any real
> experience deaing with propane appliances. To make matter worse, the
> fridge is located in a remote cabin which makes transportation very
> difficult and a service call out of the question. The fridge is
> installed very well and I'm very hesitant to move it. I see moving it
> as an absolute last resort. It's also in excellent condition and looks
> basically brand new. There is no corrosion (or even much dirt) of any
> kind even at the rear of the fridge near the floor.
> The fridge worked fine when I first purchased the cabin 2 years ago.
> Recently it has come to the point where the fridge will not stay cold
> at all anymore. This happened suddenly at the first of this summer. At
> first startup things seem to be cooling down okay, but by the time the
> fridge has been running for a few hours it has basically warmed back
> up to just below room temperature. The flame in the firebox appears
> fine (nice large flame, not sputtering) so I doubt it's a propane
> problem. The fridge just won't stay cold. I have tried every setting
> of the temperature guage with the same results. I've double-checked
> the air intake and exhaust lines and they're fine. The meter in the
> front of the fridge (near the floor) has a needle that moves into a
> green area when the fridge is lit. The needle usuallt stays BARELY in
> the green. Sometimes it even fluctuates from just in the green to just
> in the white. This seems strange, but the fridge stays lit.
> This fridge is basically brand new and never moves. Could the
> refridgerant possibly have leaked out? All the workings at the rear of
> the fridge seem in perfect shape. Why is it cold at first but then
> warms up?
> Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. I've enclosed
> photos if that's any help.
>
Posted by R L driver on July 9, 2006, 3:38 pm
D. Robinson wrote:
> I hope someone on this group has the expertise to help me out with my
> fridge problem.
>
> The fridge is a Consul Safe-T-Vent model sold in Canada about 4 years
> ago. The model number is CQE22A-SV. I am the second owner and,
> unfortunately, don't have either the owner's manual or any real
> experience deaing with propane appliances. To make matter worse, the
> fridge is located in a remote cabin which makes transportation very
> difficult and a service call out of the question. The fridge is
> installed very well and I'm very hesitant to move it. I see moving it
> as an absolute last resort. It's also in excellent condition and looks
> basically brand new. There is no corrosion (or even much dirt) of any
> kind even at the rear of the fridge near the floor.
>
> The fridge worked fine when I first purchased the cabin 2 years ago.
> Recently it has come to the point where the fridge will not stay cold
> at all anymore. This happened suddenly at the first of this summer. At
> first startup things seem to be cooling down okay, but by the time the
> fridge has been running for a few hours it has basically warmed back
> up to just below room temperature. The flame in the firebox appears
> fine (nice large flame, not sputtering) so I doubt it's a propane
> problem. The fridge just won't stay cold. I have tried every setting
> of the temperature guage with the same results. I've double-checked
> the air intake and exhaust lines and they're fine. The meter in the
> front of the fridge (near the floor) has a needle that moves into a
> green area when the fridge is lit. The needle usuallt stays BARELY in
> the green. Sometimes it even fluctuates from just in the green to just
> in the white. This seems strange, but the fridge stays lit.
>
> This fridge is basically brand new and never moves. Could the
> refridgerant possibly have leaked out? All the workings at the rear of
> the fridge seem in perfect shape. Why is it cold at first but then
> warms up?
>
> Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. I've enclosed
> photos if that's any help.
>
>
>
I know this may sound mad , but over here we remove them turn them
upside down for about 24 hours and turn them the right way up again and
they are fixed! It worked on the fridge in my caravan . It seems to be a
problem with these absorption type fridges if they arent used very
often. In constant use they are very reliable.
see http://www.thenaturalhome.com/servel400k.htm
steve the grease
Posted by Merlin-7 KI4ILB on July 9, 2006, 5:52 pm
Can you turn the flame down?
What I think it may be doing is this...
The flame heats up the refrigerant expanding it in place of a
compressor...than the heat is removed thru a coil or radiator unexpanding or
condensing the refrigerant . that is where the cold comes from...
If the flame is too large the refrigerant will not be able to condense (as
the refridgerant will never be able to shed enough excess heat and will
never condense) ...
2nd I would check the condensor coils ...if they are cloged or can not get
proper air flow, same problem....
From what you have said ...it seems that the flame heats up the
refridgerant and it can condense for a while untill a point is reached where
the over all system becomes to warm to work properly...So either the flame
is to high or the condensor is not working properly.
It is possible that it has a refridgerant leak but I do not think so from
you stateing that it starts cooling than stops...
joe
> D. Robinson wrote:
> > I hope someone on this group has the expertise to help me out with my
> > fridge problem.
> >
> > The fridge is a Consul Safe-T-Vent model sold in Canada about 4 years
> > ago. The model number is CQE22A-SV. I am the second owner and,
> > unfortunately, don't have either the owner's manual or any real
> > experience deaing with propane appliances. To make matter worse, the
> > fridge is located in a remote cabin which makes transportation very
> > difficult and a service call out of the question. The fridge is
> > installed very well and I'm very hesitant to move it. I see moving it
> > as an absolute last resort. It's also in excellent condition and looks
> > basically brand new. There is no corrosion (or even much dirt) of any
> > kind even at the rear of the fridge near the floor.
> >
> > The fridge worked fine when I first purchased the cabin 2 years ago.
> > Recently it has come to the point where the fridge will not stay cold
> > at all anymore. This happened suddenly at the first of this summer. At
> > first startup things seem to be cooling down okay, but by the time the
> > fridge has been running for a few hours it has basically warmed back
> > up to just below room temperature. The flame in the firebox appears
> > fine (nice large flame, not sputtering) so I doubt it's a propane
> > problem. The fridge just won't stay cold. I have tried every setting
> > of the temperature guage with the same results. I've double-checked
> > the air intake and exhaust lines and they're fine. The meter in the
> > front of the fridge (near the floor) has a needle that moves into a
> > green area when the fridge is lit. The needle usuallt stays BARELY in
> > the green. Sometimes it even fluctuates from just in the green to just
> > in the white. This seems strange, but the fridge stays lit.
> >
> > This fridge is basically brand new and never moves. Could the
> > refridgerant possibly have leaked out? All the workings at the rear of
> > the fridge seem in perfect shape. Why is it cold at first but then
> > warms up?
> >
> > Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. I've enclosed
> > photos if that's any help.
> >
> >
> >
> I know this may sound mad , but over here we remove them turn them
> upside down for about 24 hours and turn them the right way up again and
> they are fixed! It worked on the fridge in my caravan . It seems to be a
> problem with these absorption type fridges if they arent used very
> often. In constant use they are very reliable.
> see http://www.thenaturalhome.com/servel400k.htm
> steve the grease
Posted by DJ on July 9, 2006, 8:11 pm
D. Robinson wrote:
> I hope someone on this group has the expertise to help me out with my
> fridge problem.
> The fridge is a Consul Safe-T-Vent model sold in Canada about 4 years
> ago. The model number is CQE22A-SV. I am the second owner and,
> unfortunately, don't have either the owner's manual or any real
> experience deaing with propane appliances.
Danby makes the Consul. I own two of them.
http://www.danby.com/manuals/DPR2262.pdf
> To make matter worse, the
> fridge is located in a remote cabin which makes transportation very
> difficult and a service call out of the question.
Out of idle curiosity, where?
> The fridge is
> installed very well and I'm very hesitant to move it. I see moving it
> as an absolute last resort. It's also in excellent condition and looks
> basically brand new. There is no corrosion (or even much dirt) of any
> kind even at the rear of the fridge near the floor.
> The fridge worked fine when I first purchased the cabin 2 years ago.
> Recently it has come to the point where the fridge will not stay cold
> at all anymore. This happened suddenly at the first of this summer. At
> first startup things seem to be cooling down okay, but by the time the
> fridge has been running for a few hours it has basically warmed back
> up to just below room temperature. The flame in the firebox appears
> fine (nice large flame, not sputtering) so I doubt it's a propane
> problem. The fridge just won't stay cold.
I'd bet dollars to donuts your exhaust is plugged. With the little
screw-vortex plug in there, it doesn't take much to plug them. Do you
still have the brush that came with it?
Instructions in the attached link give good directions on how to do it.
> I have tried every setting
> of the temperature guage with the same results. I've double-checked
> the air intake and exhaust lines and they're fine.
But the chimney on the back of the fridge?
> The meter in the
> front of the fridge (near the floor) has a needle that moves into a
> green area when the fridge is lit. The needle usuallt stays BARELY in
> the green. Sometimes it even fluctuates from just in the green to just
> in the white. This seems strange, but the fridge stays lit.
So another possibility is the propane pressure. Any changes lately?
But, all in all, I'd bet the chimney at the back of the fridge.
Happened to me once.
> This fridge is basically brand new and never moves. Could the
> refridgerant possibly have leaked out? All the workings at the rear of
> the fridge seem in perfect shape. Why is it cold at first but then
> warms up?
Exhaust problem, I'd bet.
> Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. I've enclosed
> photos if that's any help.
Nah, I've got two of them in my kitchen, I've seen them lots ;-).
DJ
XML site map
> fridge problem.
> The fridge is a Consul Safe-T-Vent model sold in Canada about 4 years
> ago. The model number is CQE22A-SV. I am the second owner and,
> unfortunately, don't have either the owner's manual or any real
> experience deaing with propane appliances. To make matter worse, the
> fridge is located in a remote cabin which makes transportation very
> difficult and a service call out of the question. The fridge is
> installed very well and I'm very hesitant to move it. I see moving it
> as an absolute last resort. It's also in excellent condition and looks
> basically brand new. There is no corrosion (or even much dirt) of any
> kind even at the rear of the fridge near the floor.
> The fridge worked fine when I first purchased the cabin 2 years ago.
> Recently it has come to the point where the fridge will not stay cold
> at all anymore. This happened suddenly at the first of this summer. At
> first startup things seem to be cooling down okay, but by the time the
> fridge has been running for a few hours it has basically warmed back
> up to just below room temperature. The flame in the firebox appears
> fine (nice large flame, not sputtering) so I doubt it's a propane
> problem. The fridge just won't stay cold. I have tried every setting
> of the temperature guage with the same results. I've double-checked
> the air intake and exhaust lines and they're fine. The meter in the
> front of the fridge (near the floor) has a needle that moves into a
> green area when the fridge is lit. The needle usuallt stays BARELY in
> the green. Sometimes it even fluctuates from just in the green to just
> in the white. This seems strange, but the fridge stays lit.
> This fridge is basically brand new and never moves. Could the
> refridgerant possibly have leaked out? All the workings at the rear of
> the fridge seem in perfect shape. Why is it cold at first but then
> warms up?
> Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. I've enclosed
> photos if that's any help.
>