Engel

Post by **Ruffy** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:30 pm

I have a 39 litre Engel. Ten years old. It recently crapped itself. It has leaked all the gas out and stopped working. Fridge repairer has quoted 700 bucks to fix.
Does anyone know if parts are available and if so where from? I don't want to buy them from a repairer or retailer, i would like to know if they can be purchased from Engel or an importer?
Otherwise... anyone got a fridge forsale

Post by **j-top paj** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:34 pm

700 to fix a 10 year old fridge? tell him to stick it in his arse

you can get a new one for just over 1k so its not really worth it

Post by **turps** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:39 pm

Ruffy. I did some investigation on fixing broken Engels. I worked it out to be not worth the effort.
Trying ringing the number from the engel www. They where pretty quick with handing out prices. If its just a leak it may be an easy repair. Find another fridge bloke.
A 40lt Engel generally comes in about 3 pieces. Compressor/evaporater, power supply and the box to put it in. All aint cheap as parts.

Post by **Ruffy** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:35 am

turps wrote:Ruffy. I did some investigation on fixing broken Engels. I worked it out to be not worth the effort.
Trying ringing the number from the engel www. They where pretty quick with handing out prices. If its just a leak it may be an easy repair. Find another fridge bloke.
A 40lt Engel generally comes in about 3 pieces. Compressor/evaporater, power supply and the box to put it in. All aint cheap as parts.

Yeah cheers. This is what i figured but was hoping someone was gunna cheer me up

...
Cooling unit replacement varies from 550 to 700 from the phone calls i've made.
Thanks.

Post by **krimnl** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 9:43 am

Ruffy
you just need to get a refrigeration mechanic to fix it for ya. normally just fix a cracked pipe and regas it.
I am qualified but dont have any of the tools anymore. if its just a leak and a regas shouldnt cost anywhere near that price.

Darren

Post by **Ruffy** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:34 am

krimnl wrote:Ruffy
you just need to get a refrigeration mechanic to fix it for ya. normally just fix a cracked pipe and regas it.
I am qualified but dont have any of the tools anymore. if its just a leak and a regas shouldnt cost anywhere near that price.

Darren

Well thats what i was thinking in the first place. But these dudes reckon to find the leak and fix it and re gas it would be like 4 or 5 hunjy and no warranty... I hate using other trades people

I'm gunna look at myself and see if i can find a leak. I can silver solder so i'm confident i can fix it if i can find it.
Do they use any special refrigerent Darren?

Post by **krimnl** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 12:56 pm

make sure you use a high silver content solder and watch out for the fumes, burning refrigerant is poisonous . it will knock you on your arse if you get a lungful of it.
not sure what refrigerant to use sorry. best left to the experts but!

refrigerant burns green so a easy way to find the leak is to run a oxy quickly around the pipes . where it turns green is your leak (old trade secret !)
just dont breath it in

Post by **Ruffy** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 1:18 pm

krimnl wrote:refrigerant burns green so a easy way to find the leak is to run a oxy quickly around the pipes . where it turns green is your leak (old trade secret !)
just dont breath it in

This sounds like an OH&S compliant method to me.. I'll give it a whirl

Cheers Darren

Post by **nastytroll** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 1:27 pm

don't know but maybe a aircon guy could check it with the sniffer, takes bugger all time just waves a anilizer around the pipe work, Ruffy I'm sure as a mech you will know someone

Post by **taspatrol** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 1:43 pm

look for unsupported copper look for oil oil is a tell tail sign of a leak it should have a plate on it telling you the gas and power usage serial number and all that stuff or on the compressor if you decide you want to get rid of it drop me a pm

Post by **krimnl** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 1:47 pm

the problem with using an anilizer is that in such a tight area it can be hard to pinpoint the leak. sometimes you can see the leak as there can be oil around it

Post by **Ruffy** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 4:15 pm

krimnl wrote:the problem with using an anilizer is that in such a tight area it can be hard to pinpoint the leak. sometimes you can see the leak as there can be oil around it

Yeah same as automotive A/C's. I do auto A/C stuff so i've got an idea of what i'm doing, just don't know about gasing it up cos i presume it'll be different refrigerent.
Thanks for the tips guy's... Much appreciated.

Post by **Dak Dak** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:38 am

Maybe try spraying on a leak detector fluid like snoop and look for the bubbles! WIndex works just as good.

Post by **Ruffy** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 10:53 am

Dak Dak wrote:Maybe try spraying on a leak detector fluid like snoop and look for the bubbles! WIndex works just as good.

That was my initial tohught but the gas... she is all gone.. so no bubbles left to bubble.

Post by **nastytroll** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 12:18 pm

all leak test is, 1/3 dish washing liquid to 2/3 water.

Post by **Dak Dak** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:00 pm

Ruffy wrote:
Dak Dak wrote:Maybe try spraying on a leak detector fluid like snoop and look for the bubbles! WIndex works just as good.
That was my initial tohught but the gas... she is all gone.. so no bubbles left to bubble.

Hmm, don't have my Engel here to look at and can't say I've given it much notice before. There must be some way of pressurising it if it's possible to get it re-gassed and re-use it - ie the same way the gas is filled. Or is that the next problem...! Good luck. Will be interested to hear how it goes.

Post by **Ruffy** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 3:24 pm

Update on the Engel Saga....

I rang my local Engel dealer, not repairer, and asked them if it was possible to purchase parts for my Engel and it was!!
So i ordered a 'cooling unit' which is the complete unit, gassed up ready to go. New compressor, condensor, evaporator and gas, just bolt it in. So after about an hour (tops) my Engel was back in life.
The cooling unit cost me 395bucks, as oppossed to the 700 odd i was originally quoted to fit a new cooling unit.
All in all i'm pretty happy as that's about as cheap as i guess you'd get your engel fixed for.
Cheers Dan

Post by **rainsey** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 11:50 pm

Way to go...

I have a Waeco CF 50 that just does not like corrigations as the compressor seems to barf every time I take it off road. It has been in 3 for repair in 2 years .. next time it goes in the bin.

Do you buy the more expensive Engel.. or the Hyandi quality Weaco and just replace it every time it decides that it is being treated too rough .. to pack it in??

Cheers

Rainsey

Post by **j-top paj** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 12:40 am

you buy the engel and it lasts 10 times longer than the waeco crapper

and the engel wont stop working when your in the middle of nowhere and need a coldie

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