failing Danfoss fridge fan = fridge stopped

[vas]

hello,

just a reminder that if your Danfoss fridge fails, before starting looking at replacement or calling the experts, try to unplug the 3rd or 4th spade connector from the top (it's the condenser fan) turn the fridge off for a few secs and then on again.
If it runs, then just get another 12V fan and replace the one onboard.
Of course that is having decent juice in the batteries and reasonably beefy cables to start with!

My circa 20yo Vertifrigo stopped a couple of weeks ago, left it there (and turned on the other fridge ) only to unplug the fan and try again and it worked.
Then tried with the same fan again, started, fan worked, but next morning was dead again...
So today replaced the fan with a new one, worked for 3-4h I was there, will confirm tomorrow.

cheers

V.

 

[vas]

small update,

had to check 4 fans before deciding on the "right" one!
Definitely didn't want one with blue leds... nor a silent one with fancy curved blades that did bugger all and could hardly feel the air moving.
Got a nice Polish one, surprise NOT chinese! which helped the fridge reduce the ON time and make the cycling longer and on periods shorter. This means less juice consumed to keep goods cold which can only be a good thing!

Was so happy that went and got a second one for the Waeco in the galley. Even came up with the idea of having one fan at the 1m 100mm dia flexhose I installed today to bring cool air from the engine air intakes above deck, plus the obligatory one at the matrix on the fridge.
Failed miserably as by plugging the second fan, fridge stops. Seems there's an acceptable limit of current drawn by the fans (which must be around .2A) so you cannot have two of them run from the controller. Of course you can use the fan current as a relay signal to the second fan, may try that (got a gazillion of relays around anyway...) if tomorrow that it's going to be 36+ (and 45+ on the galley area!) it fails to keep 8C in the fridge area. For the record, the Waeco has NEVER managed to keep things reasonably cool in the summer, EVER!

cheers

V.