Fridge now operating on gas!

[jayjay]

Long saga... Paid a mobile service engineer chap to install that and a few other jobs. He said it wasn't working on gas, but worked on electric, mumbled about calling him out when I wanted it sorted, oh, and it needed a new part to work on gas.

Hmmmnnn I thought. It worked on gas before it was fitted. Tried it myself when first put in, would occasionally light the pilot light but wouldn't stay on. Thought it might be the thermo-coupler not kicking in. Left it for a long time. Had the service engineer out again as he had forgotten to secure the fridge, which jumped out when we came to Wolverely.

Well I'm soon to be going to a fest site, no EHU, so thought I'd sort the fridge. I cleaned up after the chap had finished installing, securing. Wondered if it was just dust, etc that was causing it to not operate. Undid the huge air vent/exhaust and hoovered from the outside, with a nozzle/tube, right down to the floor at the back of the fridge, then repeated the process from inside, underneath the fridge to front and side. This process lead to me finding several large pieces of insulating material from the inner skin of the van where the air vent had been put in...

And it now works perfectly. Fired the little piezo igniter up, watched it stay lit for a mo before letting go, stayed lit, turned to highest setting and left it half an hour to see if it was going to get cold. It froze some little ice cubes!

The moral of the story is, don't always assume that an appliance has malfunctioning parts before checking out the easy stuff first. Like hoovering underneath and behind!

And now for the hard part - which is boxing it in. It didn't need doing when using electric, but does to work on gas. So I need to get some wood, cut it to size and fit in the gap. If I say it quickly it doesn't sound so daunting, but I'm no great carpenter!

Jay

[Twinkletoes]

.......And now for the hard part - which is boxing it in. It didn't need doing when using electric, but does to work on gas. So I need to get some wood, cut it to size and fit in the gap. If I say it quickly it doesn't sound so daunting, but I'm no great carpenter!
Jay

If woodwork is a tricky shape, my solution is to take lots of measurements and cut a paper pattern either using newspaper sheets cellotaped together or strong floor lining paper. (can't you tell I did a lot of sewing!!)

My current DIY job for Songbird is curing a bulge in a Plastic Shed and sealing all the panel joins where it leaks, then insulating the roof where it drips condensation. The bulge is easy, just two thick timbers and coach bolts. The roof is more tricky and here I will resort to paper patterns. Happy carpentering

[Tentpeg]

I may have misread your story but it does remind me why I dislike dealing with plumbers/mechanics etc. There are people out there that really are not professionals and just want a fast buck, not exactly dishonest, but just do a mediocore job and as a lone woman I do think often they saw me as an easy target. The trouble is it is very difficult to tell the difference until it is too late.

If I have read your story correctly the bits you found were resultant from the fitting of the fridge in the first place, that is the vent?s So bits not cleared up by the fitter?

[jayjay]

If I have read your story correctly the bits you found were resultant from the fitting of the fridge in the first place, that is the vent?s So bits not cleared up by the fitter?

Yes, Sue, you read it right. It was his fault it wasn't working on gas, the jets were blocked with debris from the fitting of the air vents, behind and below. (He did that right I think!) And he should have anchored it to the floor and didn't, although he came back and did that later when I asked for free. He should also have boxed it in I thought. Although said it didn't need doing when running on electric, but did warn that it would need boxing in if it ever did run on gas.

I'm assuming that the lights don't work down the kitchen end due to it moving when in transit down to Wolverley. He said the wiring was fine when he came out to fix the fridge down, but it still doesn't work....

However to be fair, he did check and replace all the gas pipes and put stop taps in to the appliances, and also fit a consumer unit and new three pin plug sockets, so far all of which work fine. The complete cost, and it took him a whole day to do, was £400. He seemed a bit -confused - well snobby actually, I don't think he's ever worked on a van as old as mine, I think he was used to modern caravans.

I have to say though, that overall, it was as you said, a mediocre job at best.

[jayjay]

If woodwork is a tricky shape, my solution is to take lots of measurements and cut a paper pattern either using newspaper sheets cellotaped together or strong floor lining paper. (can't you tell I did a lot of sewing!!)

My current DIY job for Songbird is curing a bulge in a Plastic Shed and sealing all the panel joins where it leaks, then insulating the roof where it drips condensation. The bulge is easy, just two thick timbers and coach bolts. The roof is more tricky and here I will resort to paper patterns. Happy carpentering

Yes, I'm going to do the same! Actually take lots of measurements and get the local hardware shop to cut 2 pieces of wood for me as I cannot seem for the life of me to cut a straight line with a jigsaw! But it's fitted into a cupboard space and there are gaps at the side, so all that's required are two pieces of wood cut to the right size which I might either stain or cover with printed 'wood' vinyl stuff to match - and that's where the patterns will come in handy!

Condensation can be cured by putting a warm lining there, as it's caused by damp/warm air hitting cold surface. In a shed, sheets of polysytrene would work well and you can buy it on wallpaper type rolls from B&Q... or lightweight carpet, both of which could be stuck to the roof with a good adhesive. Good luck with that!

[Twinkletoes]

.... In a shed, sheets of polysytrene would work well and you can buy it on wallpaper type rolls from B&Q... or lightweight carpet, both of which could be stuck to the roof with a good adhesive. Good luck with that!

Yeah I've tried that but with thick stuff, not the thin, and because the plastic expands and contracts, it pops off after a winter. I've tried so called expanding adhesive but still no joy. I'm now going to fill some plastic bags with the roof insulation stuff and screw hardboard to the thick joist bits to hold it up. Hey Ho, DIY jobs never stop, as soon as one is completed another task rears it's ugly head. Still what else would I do with my time Ann

[jayjay]

Yeah I've tried that but with thick stuff, not the thin, and because the plastic expands and contracts, it pops off after a winter. I've tried so called expanding adhesive but still no joy. I'm now going to fill some plastic bags with the roof insulation stuff and screw hardboard to the thick joist bits to hold it up. Hey Ho, DIY jobs never stop, as soon as one is completed another task rears it's ugly head. Still what else would I do with my time Ann

Bubblewrap and contact adhesive then?

[Twinkletoes]

Bubblewrap and contact adhesive then?

Ah, that sounds a better alternative to the horrible attic insulation. Thanks JayJay. I'll be tackling it after our weekend with the C&CC Folk Dance & Song Group. Ann

[jayjay]

Ah, that sounds a better alternative to the horrible attic insulation. Thanks JayJay. I'll be tackling it after our weekend with the C&CC Folk Dance & Song Group. Ann

Bubble wrap is a really good insulator - I used it on a bathroom window in the depths of a scottish winter, and so did my sis when she moved up there... lovely for windows as it also still lets in the light!

You can buy it from lots of the cheapie shops and for a shed, some heavy duty double sided carpet tape will hold it in place I think!

[Twinkletoes]

Wow JayJay You are a mine of helpful information The carpet tape never entered my head. I shall rush to buy some next week. I think Songbird has plenty of greenhouse bubblewrap already so it will be steps to the fore. I can see, with all the jobs she has lined up, I'll be working there all next week. It's a good job she's a good cook and usually gives me dinner! Ann

[jayjay]

Update: The fridge is now boxed in and it looks pretty good - the vinyl covering is a pretty good match with surrounds. Now I need to find some little doobys to keep it where it should be, at front and back, but removable for getting at the fridge for servicing and the wires re lights, etc. At the moment it's just balanced there, but would fall out in transit! I thought about some of those swivel type latches (or little bolts?) for the front, but need something for the back of the panel, to stop it leaning backwards. I thought of screws for that, but can't get a screwdriver in to screw them as the fridge is in the way! LOL!! Maybe sticky on hooks on the fridge sides might work? Answers on a postcard please.....

By the way, Linda's partner came over to sort the lights down the kitchen end of the van - the reason they weren't working was that the service engineer chap had put a screw through the wire behind the fridge. ( Fire Hazard!!!) Also they were dangling on the back of the fridge which gets rather hot when in use... so they had melted a bit as well. All has now been rewired, refitted and is now working properly.

The little square hole is where the '70s car radio fits, that's away being repaired at the moment... there are two large speakers fitted to one side of the base bed units, and Linda's chap has put a connection in so that I can have stereo sound from my TV as well!! Marvellous!

[jayjay]

The last post has lead me to wondering....

doesn't a car radio flatten a battery if you left it on for a number of hours? I had a car once that the radio had to be disconnected as it kept flattening the battery. Hmmm. I don't have a decent charger connected to the leisure battery yet, so I'm just wondering if I'll be able to switch it on until I do!

[jessiem]

VELCRO jayjay!!!! maybe some on the inside of that front ledge. Say four long pieces that come below the ledge. then, along the back of the new panel, four matching pieces that will attach, also same along the side (front and back) does that make any sense?? Saves making more holes. Amazing what you can with velcro

[jayjay]

VELCRO jayjay!!!! maybe some on the inside of that front ledge. Say four long pieces that come below the ledge. then, along the back of the new panel, four matching pieces that will attach, also same along the side (front and back) does that make any sense?? Saves making more holes. Amazing what you can with velcro

Jessie - I never thought of that! And nearly the whole caravan is held together with the stuff, LOL!!! Will give it a go tomorrow and report back!

[jessiem]

I have to jayjay, because the velcro in the roma is super bliddy strong!!! Does not seem the same as ordinary haberdashery velcro. I really have to pull the seats up. Must be me.. weakling