Thetford N97 fridge

The Thetford N97 fridge fitted in our 2012 Nuevo has never worked satisfactorily.    Any angle off of dead level and plenty of heat comes out of the vents but the fridge doesn't cool or stay cool.    This is a well known problem much discussed on this and other forums.   

Autosleepers just refer you to Thetford and Thetford are unhelpful to say the least.    Thetford approved engineers know the problem and know that Thetford will just insist on a dead flat test (when the fridge will work) and tell you that you are wasting your time trying to get Thetford to admit fault.   So we have pretty much decided to have the fridge removed and a Dometic fridge installed in its place.   

 Has anyone already done this?   Or know which model(s) of Dometic fridge will fit?

Hi there,

Never being one to spend money, I'm not too sure how much a Dometic fridge costs; but one of these costs £1.75!!  

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/380366485971?lpid=83&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=83

Best regards,
 

I have the Thetford N97 and have had NO problems with cooling. I do try to get the van reasonably level which I have measured as less than 5 degrees in either direction, normally no more than 3 degrees. Sloping any more than 3 degrees shows considerably with drinks on the table and with doors swinging open or closed.
What do you mean by "not level"?

A friend has just had the Dometic fridge in a ten year old Talisman replaced with a new Dometic fridge just to get more capacity (no current new vans ticked all the boxes as a replacement van). This was done at the AS service centre, an excellent job - but the cost, mainly of the fridge itself!!!!

Both Dometic and Thetford fridges are sensitive to level when operating on gas, as Ron asks, how far do you have to be off level before it stops working.

There is a big problem with the operation of the control circuitry in Thetford fridges and as well as AS I know Swift have had a lot of problems with them. I understand a redesigned board is available and is being replaced when there is a fault in a fridge still under warranty. I do not yet know if the replacement boards are fault free.

With respect to your original question, I would refer it to Mark Burdett at the Service Centre - he will know what can be fitted to your van and has probably done it.

Peter

Dutto wrote:Hi there,

Never being one to spend money, I'm not too sure how much a Dometic fridge costs; but one of these costs £1.75!!  

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/380366485971?lpid=83&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=83

Best regards,
 

Hi Dutto

Yes got one of those glued to the arm rest of the drivers door and also use a second one at the fridge to make absolutely sure the van is level.

inspiredron wrote:I have the Thetford N97 and have had NO problems with cooling. I do try to get the van reasonably level which I have measured as less than 5 degrees in either direction, normally no more than 3 degrees. Sloping any more than 3 degrees shows considerably with drinks on the table and with doors swinging open or closed.
What do you mean by "not level"?

I mean absolutely level.    My drive is what any reasonable person would say level, lengthwise and width wise.   Certainly relative to a road or car park where a motorhome is likely to park during the day, the drive is level.   To get the van absolutely level so that the fridge works I put the van on ramps to raise the front by 2 inches; the fridge will then normally work on electric and sometimes on gas.    There is plenty of heat coming out of the vent regardless of the angle but no cooling effect.   There are no error codes showing on the display.

We have been reduced to keeping milk etc in the gas box as being the coolest place

The real frustration though is that these problems seem to be well known but Autosleepers and Thetford are in blatant denial that there is a problem.      Our previous van was an Autosleeper Executive with an Electrolux (now Dometic) fridge and quite frankly we never gave the fridge a second thought, it kept things cool just as you would expect regardless of where we parked.

I'm pleased that yours works as that gives me some hope, especially given Peter's comment about a replacement part.

Peter Brown wrote:A friend has just had the Dometic fridge in a ten year old Talisman replaced with a new Dometic fridge just to get more capacity (no current new vans ticked all the boxes as a replacement van).  This was done at the AS service centre, an excellent job - but the cost, mainly of the fridge itself!!!!

Both Dometic and Thetford fridges are sensitive to level when operating on gas, as Ron asks, how far do you have to be off level before it stops working.

There is a big problem with the operation of the control circuitry in Thetford fridges and as well as AS I know Swift have had a lot of problems with them.  I understand a redesigned board is available and is being replaced when there is a fault in a fridge still under warranty.  I do not yet know if the replacement boards are fault free.

With respect to your original question, I would refer it to Mark Burdett at the Service Centre - he will know what can be fitted to your van and has probably done it.

Peter

Hello Peter

Thanks for the info about the replacement board.   I will redouble my efforts to get Thetford to take some notice.

I've dealt with Mark before and endorse what you say about his knowledge and helpfulness.   Unfortunately he has to refer complaints about Thetford products to Thetford.   I'll ask him about a replacement fridge though.

Hi here are the dimensions for Dometic 3 way fridges,
http://www.dometic.com/enie/International/Site/Caravan/Refrigerators/

I looked for the Thetford N97 dimensions with no luck, (maybe they disowned this model).
http://www.thetford.com/HOME/CUSTOMERSUPPORT/ProductManuals/tabid/265/Default.aspx

But remember the evacuation of the waste gas is very important so make sure you get the correct venting parts for the appropriate fridge if you change your model.
Jim

This is the nearest to N97
 

http://www.thetfordfridges.co.uk/n90.htm

jimthefish wrote:Hi here are the dimensions for Dometic 3 way fridges,
http://www.dometic.com/enie/International/Site/Caravan/Refrigerators/

I looked for the Thetford N97 dimensions with no luck, (maybe they disowned this model).
http://www.thetford.com/HOME/CUSTOMERSUPPORT/ProductManuals/tabid/265/Default.aspx

But remember the evacuation of the waste gas is very important so make sure you get the correct venting parts for the appropriate fridge if you change your model.
Jim

Here's another site which gives dimensions, including depth...

http://www.obrienscamping.co.uk/Gas-Fridges.htm

Billy Ruffian wrote:

inspiredron wrote:I have the Thetford N97 and have had NO problems with cooling. I do try to get the van reasonably level which I have measured as less than 5 degrees in either direction, normally no more than 3 degrees. Sloping any more than 3 degrees shows considerably with drinks on the table and with doors swinging open or closed.
What do you mean by "not level"?

I mean absolutely level.    My drive is what any reasonable person would say level, lengthwise and width wise.   Certainly relative to a road or car park where a motorhome is likely to park during the day, the drive is level.   To get the van absolutely level so that the fridge works I put the van on ramps to raise the front by 2 inches; the fridge will then normally work on electric and sometimes on gas.    There is plenty of heat coming out of the vent regardless of the angle but no cooling effect.   There are no error codes showing on the display.

We have been reduced to keeping milk etc in the gas box as being the coolest place

The real frustration though is that these problems seem to be well known but Autosleepers and Thetford are in blatant denial that there is a problem.      Our previous van was an Autosleeper Executive with an Electrolux (now Dometic) fridge and quite frankly we never gave the fridge a second thought, it kept things cool just as you would expect regardless of where we parked.

I'm pleased that yours works as that gives me some hope, especially given Peter's comment about a replacement part.

Sorry that I doubted your definition of level.  As I said, mine works wonderfully. 
Don't just assume that Dometic are better. At present I am having great difficulties in getting a defective air conditioner serviced under warranty. Their after sales manager has recently told me that he has been told by the factory that the unit will need to be sent to Italy for testing leaving a hole in my roof.  He has also told me that, because they have very few aircon failures, they have hardly any service facilities in the UK.
I strongly suggest that you get back to Thetford and get them to sort it out! You also have recourse to the Sale of Goods Act as the unit is "unfit for purpose".
By the way, I have just remembered one problem that I have found with the N97. If the fridge is on Auto power selection and the site voltage drops to around 210V the auto hunts backwards and forwards between gas and mains. In those circumstances you have to change to gas.  I have met this twice and on each occasion it happened at meal times when lots of folk were presumably boiling kettles - it has happened on 2 sites.

Well I must just be lucky as I have a Thetford fridge in my 2011 Nuevo and it has always worked fine on both gas and mains whether it is level or not. My drive slopes gently down and it still works and I am not always level on sites but it still works. Makes you wonder why yours does not?

When we got our Nuevo we also looked at a 2010 Nuevo and it had a Dometic fridge fitted which was slightly smaller capacity than the Thetford so a Dometic fridge should fit.

My problem with the Thetford N97 fridge is now sorted.    A year down the line and after extensive testing and recording of results by myself and a thetford engineer, Thetford supplied and fitted a replacement fridge under the guarantee.   Interesting though to see it wasn't an N97;  new one is an N3000 series.    Which so far appears to work perfectly.

Many thanks to Mark at Autosleepers who pointed me to the right person to speak to at Thetford.