Waeco coolmatic rpd-0050e

[ST840]

We have this fridge on our boat. Yesterday it worked fine, today nothing. The light is on when the door opens but it makes no noise and does not cool!
Any ideas people?
£700 for a new one seems steep for a tiny fridge!

 

[Rangerman]

Check the voltage it cuts out below 10.4v and cuts back in at 11.7v

 

[ST840]

Check the voltage it cuts out below 10.4v and cuts back in at 11.7v

Thanks for the response. We took the boat to Yarmouth today and low and behold the fridge started working. Seemed like it did as soon as we unhooked the shore power.

 

[DavidJ]

There is clearly some magic in the fridge that senses no 240V and switches to 12V If not available. The 240 bit isn’t working but it’s not switching to 12V on its own.
I wonder if you permanently disconnect the 240V could it just run from the 12V indefinitely which gets converted from shore power. Open to suggestions.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

There is clearly some magic in the fridge that senses no 240V and switches to 12V If not available. The 240 bit isn’t working but it’s not switching to 12V on its own.
I wonder if you permanently disconnect the 240V could it just run from the 12V indefinitely which gets converted from shore power. Open to suggestions.

My fridge requires an add on to work from 240 (which I don’t have). Makes sense that the 240v bit stops working but keeps the fridge captive until unplugged.

 

[ChromeDome]

Despite different naming there are a lot of commonalities (probably just rebranded Indel products). Isotherm is one.

This systematic troubleshooting guide could help https://www.nationalluna.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CR-BImanualEng.pdf

 

[marcochi76]

I have a similar issue with my brand new Waeco Dometic CRX140 fridge.
It works perfectly well when connected to 12V
But as soon as I plug the 240V cable, it stops running the compressor, even if all lights are on.
It is very weird.
It seems like the internal switching module does not work properly.
I decided to connect just the 12V and it works fine.

 

[Portofino]

We had a Waeco cool box on the Sunseeker .Same thing .A 220/ 12 v switchable compressor .
Fortunately there was a S/Sker tech centre on my Marina and the guys said it was indeed the switching module .
They we’re then notorious 2005-2014 for failing .
They gave them away if you could DIY fit them .I think I went through 3 in the 9 yrs ownership.
Just plug and play , I had to remove the helm seat to access the unit .
Once due sight diff serial no fitments , different guy this time he gave me all 3 versions to try .
They all plugged in and fitted btw but only one worked with that particular unit .
They had a large box with 10-20 new ones at any time and just said “ help yourself , bring back the ones that do not work “

I used to drop a pack of beers off next day .

 

[vas]

I really wonder what's the effing point of this 240->12 box. Btw, I have one if someone likes to pay p&p from Greece...
You do have a battery charger, you are 24/7 on shore power (well some of you do, not me!) why have yet another transformer with more inefficiencies???
battery charger does it's thing and charges the batteries, fridge does it's thing and empties the batteries, so charger does some more of it's thing, circle goes round and round without an extra item to fail in the loop!

oh well!

 

[Jamie Dundee]

I really wonder what's the effing point of this 240->12 box. Btw, I have one if someone likes to pay p&p from Greece...
You do have a battery charger, you are 24/7 on shore power (well some of you do, not me!) why have yet another transformer with more inefficiencies???
battery charger does it's thing and charges the batteries, fridge does it's thing and empties the batteries, so charger does some more of it's thing, circle goes round and round without an extra item to fail in the loop!

oh well!

It may be aimed more at usage in caravans which, I’d guess, typically carry less battery capacity than boats

 

[ChromeDome]

TBH our Isotherm CR 85 do exactly that: Always running 12v from batteries. Charged by either engines running or shore power.

Apart from replacing the thermostat this year (which was when I found the shared troubleshooting guide), it has been faultless since 2004.

 

[Robin]

We replaced a waeco 3 years ago which was 220/12vac and the new Dometic cr110 one which only runs in 12 volt mode. and does so just fine. I monitor internal temperatures with infra red heat gun regularly. We live aboard and defrost the fridge every week just prior to our weekly supermarket delivery after which the full fridge can take 36 hours to reach temperature in the cold area 4< 6 C, depending how packed the shelves are. just ocasionally it shows warning lights indicating compressor not running but it comes on later when it decides to otherwise it seems to run very quietly as if on tickover awaiting instructions.