Waeco Fridge Problem

[Sy-Revolution]

Hi folks,
Ok, so my Waeco fridge (one of the new silver ones, front loader) has decided to play up just as the outside temp has gone over 40°c. Seems the thermostat has stopped working so it's either on constantly or I have to turn it off. The ice box is freezing up and turning the fridge down to 1 has made no difference. I have a 120mm PC fan fitted to the evaporator plate so I doubt it's just struggling.

Has anyone replaced the thermostat on one of these? Is there a quick fix/cleaning job that could set it straight? Does anyone know how to get into the light/thermostat housing without snapping anything? My fridge is stuck in with that squirty foam and I can't get to the back without taking the damn thing out.

Any ideas?

Cheers,

C.

 

[rafiki_]

I had the 'stat go on my Waeco earlier this year. It is not hard to replace.

Remove the temp knob.
Remove the retaining nut that holds the potentiometer in position.
Unravel the spaghetti (thermocoupling wire)
Disconect the connector.

All done from the front, no need to get to the rear of the fridge.

Replacement is the reverse. My new 'stat costs about £9 plus postage.

But do make sure it is the 'stat at fault. This can be checked by bridging the P and T terminals (unfortunately at teh back of the fridge). Hold the bridge for a few secs, the compressor should kick-in after 2 secs.

 

[Sy-Revolution]

Thanks for the reply Rafiki.

Mine proved harder to remove. There's a retaining screw at the back of that white plastic housing, then another small screw fitted behind the slider for the light switch (at the front there in the photo). The slider wouldn't slide back far enough to get to it. It was a struggle but I got it off in the end.

Next, the potentiometer was held in by two screwed on lugs, the rear one was very difficult to get to as it has hidden behind one of the spade couplings.

My thermocouple enters the fridge inner skin behind the light/thermostat housing and I'm unsure where it goes to from there.

I'm currently in Messlonghi, Greece so not sure where I'll find a replacement. Fridge runs ok, just won't stop!

Cheers,

C.

 

[rafiki_]

Waeco fridges are current imported by Dometic UK. I don't know if you have tried to contact them, but they prefer to communicate by e-mail, which is very frustrating, and put 3 weeks into the diagnosis process for me, as I was only on the boat at weekends.

Their tel no is +44 (0) 8446260133. You will get a list of numbers to try, and I tried them all before I spoke to a person!!

If you have e-mail access you will find their contact details, FAQ's etc.

Good luck

 

[Sy-Revolution]

I managed to buy a generic thermostat at a shop in Messolonghi, but it looks like the thermocouple needs to be attached to the cooler plate, which is encased in plastic so it's still over cooling.

Thanks for the contact.

C.

 

[rafiki_]

Yes, the last 75mm or so of the thermocouple needed to clip into the underside of the cool box on my Waeco. Such a relief when it kicked in and worked to order.

 

[owen-cox]

You could try and find A universal thermostat locally that is an air sensing type or a digital type one which you could use in the same way then you would only have to fit a sensing bulb inside the fridge and not to the plate. all plate sensing ones are usually the capillary type as you have found what you want is one with a bulb at the end usually described as a univeral wide range thermostat. and that will get you going for the time being.