Crikeymike
Adventurer
SOAZ said:
Wow, I hope that 2nd unit does the trick. You've tried both power inputs (12 and 120) with the same results?
Waeco repair
- Thread starter SOAZ
- Start date
Wow, I hope that 2nd unit does the trick. You've tried both power inputs (12 and 120) with the same results?
SOAZ
Tim and Kelsey get lost..
Crikeymike said:
Yep. the fridge will work on either power source as an ALL ON mode only.
It won't work normally on either power source.
One concerning thing is that the new PCB that I just installed is slightly different than the one I removed. Hope that its just a normal change with it and not the wrong unit...
Grim Reaper
Expedition Leader
Is it the Danfoss power module or the control panel? I have 6 Danfoss BD50. cooling units. One the USPS busted the capillary tube and I was going to part out. Has a good power module on it. This part:SOAZ said:They are just sending me the control unit. Pretty cheap at 45 bucks.
I'll just install it myself. It currently sits on the stairs in a million pieces!
http://www.rparts.com/Catalog/Major_Components/compressors/Danfoss/010-1175.htm
SOAZ
Tim and Kelsey get lost..
Grim Reaper said:
I "think" that the compressor is all right. The unit can run and cool items. It just can't seem to regulate the temperature. It just freezes everything.
The Waeco folks think its the upper PCB with the light display, power button etc.
If I figure out its not that I may shoot you a PM though.
Tim
Grim Reaper
Expedition Leader
Well that module does have intelligence. www.rparts.com/ has the manual on line in PDF form but their site is down at the moment so I can't find the direct link.
SOAZ
Tim and Kelsey get lost..
Grim Reaper said:
Grim,
i couldn't seem to find that pdf on their site. Its back up now.
On another note, the upper PCB was not the issue. I just installed it and still nothing is working...
Lets just say I reversed the polarity on the fridge and fried it. What do you think would blow out? Both control boards have been replaced so...
Grim Reaper
Expedition Leader
Its in a funny place. you actually have to look at the compressors page and they have a link to the factory paperwork that comes with the compressor.
http://www.rparts.com/Catalog/Major_Components/compressors/Danfoss/BD50F_compressor.pdf
When I built my little home brew unit I used a standard Thermostat that is just wired into the speed circuit. Set the speed at a medium level. Pretty simple.
The compressor speed is controlled by how much resistance is in the circuit completing it. Reading about some piggy back controllers like the Temptech http://www.great-water.com/pages/Temptech/Temp_tech.htm The default would be to freeze if it can't regulate the temp. If it is the Danfoos controller then the speed circuit would have to be damaged and I suppose reverse polarity could do that.
Both boards being replaced is kind of freaky that you still have the problem. The core compressor is just a DC motor. If it can cool then I seriously doubt its the problem. It would not cool if it was damaged. All the controls of it are on the power leads to the motor.
When you replaced the controller did you also replace the temp probe? A fridge temp probe would be the only other thing I could think of that would cause this if replacing the other boards didn't cure it. Put a ohm meter on the leads to the probe and fire it up and make sure you are getting a change in resistance as the box cools.
http://www.rparts.com/Catalog/Major_Components/compressors/Danfoss/BD50F_compressor.pdf
When I built my little home brew unit I used a standard Thermostat that is just wired into the speed circuit. Set the speed at a medium level. Pretty simple.
The compressor speed is controlled by how much resistance is in the circuit completing it. Reading about some piggy back controllers like the Temptech http://www.great-water.com/pages/Temptech/Temp_tech.htm The default would be to freeze if it can't regulate the temp. If it is the Danfoos controller then the speed circuit would have to be damaged and I suppose reverse polarity could do that.
Both boards being replaced is kind of freaky that you still have the problem. The core compressor is just a DC motor. If it can cool then I seriously doubt its the problem. It would not cool if it was damaged. All the controls of it are on the power leads to the motor.
When you replaced the controller did you also replace the temp probe? A fridge temp probe would be the only other thing I could think of that would cause this if replacing the other boards didn't cure it. Put a ohm meter on the leads to the probe and fire it up and make sure you are getting a change in resistance as the box cools.
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SOAZ
Tim and Kelsey get lost..
Grim Reaper said:
Unless the temp probe is part of one of the boards. I think its not so I likely didn't. I guess there is some sort of Dan Foss module that he is sending me? (Danny from AUS)
I hope that does it.
Just to try something else I put the original LOWER pcb back in. The original had a 15 amp fuse and the new one did not so I thought maybe it was the issue. Well, it wasn't. Also trying to solder something that has already been soldered is a PITA. :bowdown:
I also got a call from Dometic. A fellow there actually heard about this thread from a friendly Expo member, thanks again to you sir.
Although he made the effort to call and listen to the whole story of what happened he said "I'm sorry that you had such poor service with our company. It is true that we have just bought Waeco so it will take some time before dealers who understand them are around. It sounds like this person in Australia is handling it for you. Contact me if it does not get resolved."
I thought it was odd that he didn't want to handle the issue. I felt like he was okay with the fact that I was going around the world to deal with someone helpful because his company had not been. Odd feeling. I for one will always bypass Dometic in all forms and always deal with Waeco AU. (I should have known that any company that purposely avoids putting a phone number on their website is going to be a pain)
Being a former banker, I have seen that trick often. Its just a way of weeding out customers that don't want to get a hold of "the company" bad enough... Horrible technique in my humble opinion.
:safari-rig:
SOAZ
Tim and Kelsey get lost..
Update:
Danny from AUS sent me a Dan Foss compressor to try and see if that was it. Amazingly it wasn't. He is now sending me another part and I am going to try a couple of more tricks in the meantime. This guy is great. He took the time and effort to look at a picture I sent him. He then drew instructions directly on the picture to show me how to repair another item that may be the problem.
I also received another call from the Dometic contact to see if the issue had been resolved. I just called him back to let him know its ongoing. We'll see what they decide to do.
In the meantime. Anyone want a light used Waeco CF-50. Should be NO PROBLEM to fix. :victory:
Just kidding.
Danny from AUS sent me a Dan Foss compressor to try and see if that was it. Amazingly it wasn't. He is now sending me another part and I am going to try a couple of more tricks in the meantime. This guy is great. He took the time and effort to look at a picture I sent him. He then drew instructions directly on the picture to show me how to repair another item that may be the problem.
I also received another call from the Dometic contact to see if the issue had been resolved. I just called him back to let him know its ongoing. We'll see what they decide to do.
In the meantime. Anyone want a light used Waeco CF-50. Should be NO PROBLEM to fix. :victory:
Just kidding.
SOAZ
Tim and Kelsey get lost..
UPDATE:
I received another part from Danny in AUS. He actually took the time to draw some directions for installation of the newest part we are trying.
In the meantime I also spoke to Andy at Dometic. He decided that they were going to replace my fridge as a warranty. WOW. Very nice.
They had it shipped over to Bell Road RV center and I picked it up a couple days ago. This unit actually has a temperature gauge.
The benefit is that I set it to an actual temperature and the fridge keeps it there. No low, medium and high. I would often freeze items in my fridge because of the change in day temperature and night temp.
I'm loving the new fridge.
Thanks to Danny for his IMMENSE amount of help, great attitude and shipping of items around the planet just to help someone out with one of his products.
Thanks to Andy from Dometic for coming through in the end.
p.s. I'm still going to do my best to fix the Waeco, but it will have to wait until I'm home for a couple days.
I received another part from Danny in AUS. He actually took the time to draw some directions for installation of the newest part we are trying.
In the meantime I also spoke to Andy at Dometic. He decided that they were going to replace my fridge as a warranty. WOW. Very nice.
They had it shipped over to Bell Road RV center and I picked it up a couple days ago. This unit actually has a temperature gauge.
The benefit is that I set it to an actual temperature and the fridge keeps it there. No low, medium and high. I would often freeze items in my fridge because of the change in day temperature and night temp.
I'm loving the new fridge.
Thanks to Danny for his IMMENSE amount of help, great attitude and shipping of items around the planet just to help someone out with one of his products.
Thanks to Andy from Dometic for coming through in the end.
p.s. I'm still going to do my best to fix the Waeco, but it will have to wait until I'm home for a couple days.
Tucson T4R
Expedition Leader
Cool, glad to hear it worked out. Keep us posted on the repair progress on the other one. Will be interested to see what the problem turns out to be.