Dometic Waeco CRX50 compressor fridge repair tips+performance using EcoFlow delta. 

No probs. Just come back from a festival and the CRX50 does work great especially in conjunction with the EcoFlow delta power pack. You can turn the fridge off over night and your ice will still be frozen in the morning. Mike

OK...so if you have not already seen the video below, have a look at 3.56 and 12.00 mins where I list the MC4 solar plugs you will need, and where to buy them: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ojeR8UHOIQs.html My van runs off solar panels too, but you don't need the cigarette lighter port and corresponding lead - hopefully the leads that come from the panel have the right plug to plug straight into the EcoFlow. The good thing about the ecoFlow is that it has its own built in charge controller so the panels just plug straight in. Mike

I have the same problem. I turned it off for a couple of weeks and now it’s not working

Nice Fridge and nice battery! I use the 12v cigarette lighter socket to power my fridge and sink and that works great. This outlet doesn't trigger the cooling fans which on the EcoFlow delta are quite noisy. I guess if the same is true of the barrel plug and it is the correct voltage (I dont think my EcoFlow has one of these) you could use either. Mike

@@MikesMercsandothercars Thanks for the quick reply Mike! Cigarette lighter socket it is. Think the wattage would require this actually after a bit more research.

Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, I am no expert in these fridges. If it was me I would first put power directly to the compressor to rule out a faulty compressor. Where are you based. Mike

Hi - the EcoFlow comes with a cigarette socket lead which plugs into the solar plug on the side. I didn’t think I would need this lead so I cut off the solar end and wired the fridge to it - big mistake. It is far easier just to buy the female fitting for that solar plug and wire that to the fridge. I actually bought a dual solar fitting so that both the fridge and the sink run of the cigarette light socket on the EcoFlow. I did a video about this in the Fiat 238 playlist. Mike

@@MikesMercsandothercars thanks for your reply ,i will need to use solar panel,as i also have an old bus.maybe i can wire the fridge to a cigarret socket plug for the ecoflow.

Hi - In my Fiat 238 van have the original Ecoflow delta which I seem to remember is 1200 watt hours. Probably ranks as one of my best ever purchases....although not cheap. It is great in the van and great for running all sorts of power tools and even a MIG welder. In my Toyota Hiace in Australia I have the Ecoflow River Max which is probably all you need for weekend trips. The EcoFlow delta has never got below 35% on a trip...and can of course be charged directly by the solar panel and also by the cigarette lighter socket when driving. Mike

Yes - I’m at WOMAD and one small solar panel will charge the EcoFlow delta from zero to 40% with a bit of sunshine. We switch our fridge off at night to conserve power. Mike

Hi - Andy's contact details are given at the end of the video time code 15.10. What kind of fridge do you have and what is wrong with it? Where are you based? Mike

Sorry to hear you are having a problem with your Fridge - what part of the country do you live in? Mike

Hi we had the same issue with ours. Red flash light. The leisure battery wasn't holding its charge (under warranty). New battery all good. Hope this helps.

@@MikesMercsandothercars I am in Scotland nr Glasgow thx

@eddrose8150 Thanks. The battery is fine. I just replaced the fridge and no issues with the new one. I still have the old one and would still like it repaired.

Are both Fridges the same model? If so, try swapping the the SECOP control unit over and see if the faulty fridge starts working. There are a couple of related videos on my other channel: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bxaXKTOqD0I.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3ooWj_AXJGw.html Mike @@chrisg3216

Hi - sorry to read you have a problem. I am no great expert, but here is what it could be: Frosted Evaporator Coils If the evaporator coils of your fridge are frosted over, it may not be able to cool enough or at all. The frost takes about 6 months to build up, and it insulates the evaporator coils and fan when it builds to a certain level. You must inspect the coils to determine whether or not frost has accumulated on them. If there is a significant amount of frost on the coils, turn off the fridge and manually defrost it. Leave it off for some time, depending on the amount of frost, and keep a towel ready to mop the excess water. Ensure the gasket seals tightly and there is no cause for ice or frost buildup to clog the coils again. Otherwise, you may need service the fridge. Defective Evaporator Fan The function of the evaporator fan is to circulate air throughout all sections of a fridge. If the fan fails to work, the cold air may remain trapped in the evaporator coil compartment, which means the fridge cannot cool. Conducting a continuity test can help you determine if the evaporator fan is the root cause of the cooling problem of your fridge. You can use a multimeter for this test and replace the fan motor or entire fan assembly if you find no continuity. Defective Defrost System All fridges come with a defrost system that facilitates cooling and defrosting. A typical defrost system has a defrost heater, a defrost thermostat, and a defrost timer. The latter toggles the fridge between defrosting and cooling mode. If the defrost timer is defective, the cooling mode will not function. Consequently, frost will accumulate over time and reduce air circulation. Similarly, the cooling mode will not activate, causing the fridge’s temperature to rise drastically. On the other hand, a defrost heater facilitates the melting of frost that has accumulated on the evaporator coils. Without the heater functioning well, the coils and other parts build frost over time and compromise the cooling capacity. This is especially true if the temperature setting is too low. If both the defrost heater and defrost timer are faulty, your fridge will not activate its cooling and defrosting system. The same is true if the thermostat is defective, even if the timer is in good working condition. Just like for an evaporator fan, conduct a continuity test to know whether or not you need to replace the defrost system. Faulty Compressor A compressor is to a fridge what a heart is to the human body. When your heart fails, the body stops functioning. Similarly, the fridge is as good as useless when a compressor fails. The fridge will not be able to compress the refrigerant to the high-pressure level needed to facilitate cooling. The refrigerant is supposed to flow to the evaporator coils from the condenser in its high-pressure vaporized form, where it cools down. The air circulation over the evaporator coils is how the fridge gets cold, so if the compressor fails, the cooling system fails. In light of this, disconnect the fridge from the electric power and wait a few minutes. Next, turn the temperature knob to 0 or OFF and reconnect the fridge to the electric power. Turn the temperature knob to mid-settings and listen to the sound of the compressor when the fridge runs. If there is no sound, consider calling a repairman to check the compressor and recommend a solution. Low Refrigerant Level If a fridge loses too much refrigerant due to leaks, it will not be able to cool, and eventually pack up. Dirty Condenser Coils The condenser coils disperse heat from the system while condensing the refrigerant. However, the coils quickly get dirty, and dirt acts as a blanket that traps the heat. As a result, the system overheats and compromises the cooling system. Defective Condenser Fan Another common problem with a fridge is a defective condenser fan. This fan blows air over the condenser coils and compressor to prevent overheating while they operate. Therefore, a defective condenser fan cannot cool these parts, which typically leads to overheating. The compressor may shut off too often, restricting the cooling process. Also, the coils will build heat until the fridge no longer cools as it should. If you suspect the fan is not working, test the motor with a multimeter to determine its functionality. Replace the fan and motor if it shows no continuity. Faulty Start Relay You will find the start relay close to the compressor, as with other fridge models. It is the device that helps the compressor start when you turn the fridge on. The compressor will not start at all or will have a hard time starting if the relay is faulty. And if the compressor does not run, the fridge cannot cool. Detach the relay from the compressor and run a continuity test on it using a multimeter. Replace the relay if you find no continuity or if it rattles when you shake it. Defective Start Capacitor The start relay works with a capacitor to help the compressor to kick start. If the start capacitor gets burnt, the compressor will not work, and the refrigeration cycle will not take place. Consequently, the fridge stops cooling. Just like for a start relay, you need a continuity test to verify the working condition of the start capacitor of your fridge. If the start capacitor is defective, your only option is to get a new one. Some capacitors function as one device with the start relay, so you may want to get such a device and a protector from power surges. Faulty Thermistor Without the thermistor, your fridge will not understand the programming behind its start and stop cooling cycle. Or simply put, your fridge will not cool at all or cool continuously without a working thermistor. Hence, if you notice that the source of your fridge cooling problem is the thermistor, replace it. Mike

@@MikesMercsandothercars Thanks Mike. I ahould of mentioned it's a crx50 fridge. Pretty sure it's a gas issue. I'm going to try a recharge of refriderant. No charge port though so i need to sort that out. Compressor runs and gets warm. No ice build up at coil, which i thought low gas causes. Tested compressor with ohm meter, thers lowc resistance. So that's ok. Thermistor goes from 30kohm in a freezer for half an hour, down to 10kohm out.

Did this fridge work fine previously and then suddenly stopped....what happened in the run up to the fault? Mike@@jasonshaw7590

Yes it was working fine for a few years. Got slack cleaning the fan grill and coil evaporator, it was clogged. I noticed it started running continously but not cooling. Compressor runs and gets warm.

If you suspect that your fridge may be low (or out of) refrigerant, it would imply that you have a leak as I believe these are sealed systems. Having it refilled (if that is even a possibility) wont fix the problem and a small leak on a compressor fridge can be almost impossible to find. The compressor on the CRX50 is integral to the fridge so replacing it is not really an option. If it was me, I would be tempted to try and source a working 2nd hand unit and swapping out parts till I can isolate the problem. If it is the compressor, you will almost certainly need a new fridge. These units are for sale new on ebay for £385. You could buy a new one, and start swapping out parts till you find the problem....then buy the correct part and then sell the new one - there is always a ready market for this model. Let me know what the issue was if you ever get it sorted. Mike@@jasonshaw7590

Sorry to hear you are having problems with your fridge. Well, the good news is that the compressor works because that is REALLY expensive to fix. Did you see the video I did on my other channel? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bxaXKTOqD0I.html I am no expert, but I would say either the PCB board inside the fridge is knackered OR the controller is knackered...or possibly both. The controller is easy to switch over...you just need to find someone with the same fridge to test this...or buy one off ebay and then sell it if that wasn't your problem. If you are anywhere near Bristol, I'd be happy to help. Mike

@@MikesMercsandothercars hi mike do you have the parts to try if so I would happily drive to you in Bristol

Hi - I have a working controller on my fridge which is easy to swap over. If my fridge doesn't work with your controller, we know your controller is knackered. If your Fridge doesn't work with my controller, we know that your controller AND pcb board are knackered. YOu coyuld also camp the night at Petruth Paddocks and let Andy the Fridge repair man fix it for you. He lives a short walk away. I would call him first to make sure he has the parts. His number is at the end of the video link I sent you. Mike PS Where do you live? @@clivebeattie3306

@@MikesMercsandothercars I did speak to Andy last night he thinks it will be the secop unit on the back. I’m just confused as I watched your video you linked and you still had the internal display light up where as doing the same on mine inside the fridge still appears dead nothing comes on. I live in Prestwood near high Wycombe Buckinghamshire

@@MikesMercsandothercars I could come down to you this weekend if that works for you

Thanks for your comment. Just bear in mind that this is one of the most popular fridges in camper vans and boats and therefore you will see MANY more comments about this fridge than others. Unfortunately, human nature is such that we rarely comment if we like something....more often we like to shout from the rooftops if something has gone wrong. My experience of this fridge (so far...) is that it has been amazing. Low power draw, amazingly efficient at cooling and not to load.. Mike