Fridge Lifespan

[Dave225]

Anyone have any ideas/guesses regarding the lifespan of a caravan fridge. Mine has been doing its stuff for nearly 10 years now and has worked very well for long periods in very hot weather, but I am just getting concerned about how long it will go on. I know some will say 'how long is a piece of string' etc but I am a realist and i also know the 12 volt element has gone and will need replaced. I also accept a new fridge is not cheap but am just wondering if for piece of mind, and another 10 years troublefree cooling, whether to just bite the bullet and get a new fridge, rather than have to get the old one removed to replace the element. i would hate to do that then a month or so later the whole thing just packs up.

[Mel B]

Dave225 - 2013-07-26 9:54 PM

 

Anyone have any ideas/guesses regarding the lifespan of a caravan fridge. Mine has been doing its stuff for nearly 10 years now and has worked very well for long periods in very hot weather, but I am just getting concerned about how long it will go on. I know some will say 'how long is a piece of string' etc but I am a realist and i also know the 12 volt element has gone and will need replaced. I also accept a new fridge is not cheap but am just wondering if for piece of mind, and another 10 years troublefree cooling, whether to just bite the bullet and get a new fridge, rather than have to get the old one removed to replace the element. i would hate to do that then a month or so later the whole thing just packs up.

 

As good old clint would say ... "Do ya feel lucky punk, well do ya?" :D

[lennyhb]

Not much in the older fridges to go wrong, the only thing that is likely to pension it of if piping carrying the refrigerant was to rust through. So depends where it has spent most of it's life, I live 200 yds from the beach and a couple of caravans we had the fridge pipework get quite rusty, had one where the steel gas pipe rusted through.

 

Edit:

Not worth replacing the whole thing just for the sake of a few quid for a new 12v element, Motorhome fridges are disproportionally expensive compared to domestic ones so worth keeping going.

[Derek Uzzell]

Dave225

 

I belleve you own a Continental European-built caravan with a Thetford fridge.

 

Before considering replacing your fridge (that, other than on 12V, is apparently working OK), you need to ask yourself how long you plan to keep a caravan that is already 10 years old. I'd also suggest that your expectation that replacement would automatically provide "...piece of mind, and another 10 years troublefree cooling" is far from a certainty. Leisure-vehicle fridges usually have a quite short warranty period, so (say) 3 years post-replacement, if a major fault occurred with the replacement fridge, you'd be looking at another big bill.

 

Thetford fridge prices are listed here

 

http://www.thetfordfridges.co.uk/

 

If you could replace your fridge on a like-for-like basis, it looks like you'd pay at least £500 for the appliance.

 

A 12V element for a Thetford fridge seems to cost about £30

 

http://www.leisureshopdirect.com/caravan/cooling/product_48109/thetford_heating_element_12v_n145-n180.aspx

 

on to which you'd need to add the cost of installing the element if you did not DIY the task. Your fridge might 'die' immediately after the element was replaced, but there's no way of assessing the likelihood of this happening unless the general condition of the appliance suggests it might. Me, I'd just replace the 12V element and live in hope!

[BGD]

The 3-way under-counter fridge in our first MH was original equipment - it was 19 years old when we got the MH, and worked perfectly throughout our period of ownership, involving very regular use.

 

Same for our second MH which by coincidence was of the same vintage.

 

Our present MH is only 12 years old by comparison,and it the much taller type, with separate freezer: a lovely piece of kit compared to the tiddly ones we were sued to before.

Works perfectly, for 4 to 8 week trips at a time, using its fancy "intelligent auto" choice of fuels: a bit of mains the night before a trip to get it down to temp, then mainly on 12 volt (when driving) and gas when parked up.

 

Based on our experiences, my thought would be that if yours ain't broke, it don't need fixing.

 

[Derek Uzzell]

BGD - 2013-07-27 9:30 AM

 

...Based on our experiences, my thought would be that if yours ain't broke, it don't need fixing.

 

But it is broke, so the choices are fix, replace or have no cooling on 12V. Possibly less potentially important for a caravan than a motorhome, as there's a tendency to use campsites with mains hook-ups more, but it's still going to be a nuisance when travelling unless the fridge is operated (or will operate successfully) on gas en route.

[Dave225]

Thank you for the replies and my apologies for the delay in responding, things have been a bit busy round here.

 

I tend to agree with the comment, just replace the 12 volt element and live with it and that is probably what i will do. However, i will feel a bit of a twit if after doing so the damn thing decides to pack up altogether. As for the age of the van i agree it is getting on a bit but is still in VG condition and as it spends most of its time in the sun, wet weather is less of an issue. Others of even longer vintage are still doing their thing on Spanish sites.

 

The main reason to correct the 12 volt issue was that we bring the van home at the end of the season and it is always useful to be able to have some cooling on the way. It is not crucial but i have this thing about not living with bits that do not work. The other thing is the fridge is a b....r to getting in and out as others will know so I would rather do it just once.

 

However, that is a '3 drink ' problem for the winter time and again I thank all those who replied.

[gocro]

The fringe was original equipment in my 1968 Commer and worked fine on both 12 volt and gas the 240volt element had given out years earlier, the new element was going to cost about a quarter of what I bought the van cost,as has been said ,just live with it.