Vintage Chescold 3Way Fridge Freezer by Electrolux
Palebushman said
10:02 PM Oct 2, 2021
Just in case any fellow Grey Nomads come across this issue with this type of Esky, maybe give this a try for a cure too.
Our little Chescold 3Way Fridge Freezer has performed flawlessly over the years, but recently failed to chill the beers any more.
So into the workshop it came for us to have a squiz as to what could possibly be causing the problem:
We discovered the 240 Volt heater element had burnt out again (a regular occurrence over its 25 year service so far and no issue to replace it) but even with a new 240 volt heater,
alas there is no chilling within the cabinet.
The 12 volt heater element is fine and so too is the gas burner.
Regardless of which heating source is used, the usual heat is being radiated from the cooling vent areas but the condenser within the cabinet is only warm to the touch instead of feeling cold/freezing.
After some advice from Des*, "one simple trick that will often get the fridge going is to turn it upside down and agitate it a bit, then back upright again and let it settle", overnight preferably, "then turn it on again.
This re-distributes the contents of the cooling system" eg; NH3+H2O "which over time will contain crystallised chemicals that impede the flow of refrigerant within the system."
Fired the little chap up and after a few hours, Bingo! In went the cans and a few lumps of ice for the Bundies too and all is well again, for a few more years again hopefully.
*Des writes reviews for productreview.com.au/listings/chescold-f400
-- Edited by Palebushman on Saturday 2nd of October 2021 10:46:37 PM
Radar said
08:21 AM Oct 3, 2021
I brought our in 1979, I got a secondhand 12 volt frig in 2003, I gave ours to a friend and it seemed like only yesterday he told me he was still using the 3 way only on gas or 12 volt and with regular rotation of the frig before use.
Top small frig.
peatop said
06:38 PM Oct 4, 2021
First thing is if it mentions Electrolux it not old lol Chescold was a qld company that was later bought by Electrolux. I bought my first 3 way in 1980 and it was a Chescold 3 cf. In the late 80's I built a house on my 40acre bush block and set it up for solar (sec quoted 25k for power) I used to be into buying and selling 2nd hand stuff and often in my travels came across old kero fridges, these where cheap and often didn't work, but in good nick, it was just a matter of rolling them from side to side to get the liquid moving (I think it was ammonia) but geez if this didn't get them going nothing would but they were the best fridges as you could easily convert them to gas and or 240, but never tried 12v.
BTW if you have a compressor fridge don't roll it! this will fill the compressor with the cooling oil and that's the end of the compressor.
Bicyclecamper said
09:14 PM Oct 4, 2021
I bought a brand new 3 way 41 litre Finch 12 years ago. It freezes on gas, so much so that I can only run it on 1 and half in winter, and 3 in summer. As i was used to an old gas fridge from a van just prior, when I first bought it, I put it on 7 in summer, and it took all day to defrost the meat, eggs and milk. Haven't been caught since. Never ever come across anybody else's 3 way that comes close to this one.
peatop said
10:04 PM Oct 4, 2021
Bicyclecamper wrote:
I bought a brand new 3 way 41 litre Finch 12 years ago. It freezes on gas, so much so that I can only run it on 1 and half in winter, and 3 in summer. As i was used to an old gas fridge from a van just prior, when I first bought it, I put it on 7 in summer, and it took all day to defrost the meat, eggs and milk. Haven't been caught since. Never ever come across anybody else's 3 way that comes close to this one.
The finch was the ducks nuts of camping fridges in their day, I have one that I bought about 12 years ago from a garage sale for $5 and used it for camping but it didn't perform quite like your does but was only ever used on gas, still froze stuff when it was 40c outside though. I'm still not sure whether to keep it after buying my new compressor fridge lol
To be honest, when I did my trip up to NSW earlier this year I didn't take it, instead I took my Ice box and regretted it.
P.S finchwas also taken over by Electrplux if my memory serves me correctly.
-- Edited by peatop on Monday 4th of October 2021 10:05:59 PM
Just in case any fellow Grey Nomads come across this issue with this type of Esky, maybe give this a try for a cure too.
Our little Chescold 3Way Fridge Freezer has performed flawlessly over the years, but recently failed to chill the beers any more.
So into the workshop it came for us to have a squiz as to what could possibly be causing the problem:
We discovered the 240 Volt heater element had burnt out again (a regular occurrence over its 25 year service so far and no issue to replace it) but even with a new 240 volt heater,
alas there is no chilling within the cabinet.
The 12 volt heater element is fine and so too is the gas burner.
Regardless of which heating source is used, the usual heat is being radiated from the cooling vent areas but the condenser within the cabinet is only warm to the touch instead of feeling cold/freezing.
After some advice from Des*, "one simple trick that will often get the fridge going is to turn it upside down and agitate it a bit, then back upright again and let it settle", overnight preferably, "then turn it on again.
This re-distributes the contents of the cooling system" eg; NH3+H2O "which over time will contain crystallised chemicals that impede the flow of refrigerant within the system."
Fired the little chap up and after a few hours, Bingo! In went the cans and a few lumps of ice for the Bundies too and all is well again, for a few more years again hopefully.
*Des writes reviews for productreview.com.au/listings/chescold-f400
-- Edited by Palebushman on Saturday 2nd of October 2021 10:46:37 PM
I brought our in 1979, I got a secondhand 12 volt frig in 2003, I gave ours to a friend and it seemed like only yesterday he told me he was still using the 3 way only on gas or 12 volt and with regular rotation of the frig before use.
Top small frig.
First thing is if it mentions Electrolux it not old lol Chescold was a qld company that was later bought by Electrolux. I bought my first 3 way in 1980 and it was a Chescold 3 cf. In the late 80's I built a house on my 40acre bush block and set it up for solar (sec quoted 25k for power) I used to be into buying and selling 2nd hand stuff and often in my travels came across old kero fridges, these where cheap and often didn't work, but in good nick, it was just a matter of rolling them from side to side to get the liquid moving (I think it was ammonia) but geez if this didn't get them going nothing would
but they were the best fridges as you could easily convert them to gas and or 240, but never tried 12v.
BTW if you have a compressor fridge don't roll it! this will fill the compressor with the cooling oil and that's the end of the compressor.
The finch was the ducks nuts of camping fridges in their day, I have one that I bought about 12 years ago from a garage sale for $5 and used it for camping but it didn't perform quite like your does but was only ever used on gas, still froze stuff when it was 40c outside though. I'm still not sure whether to keep it after buying my new compressor fridge lol
To be honest, when I did my trip up to NSW earlier this year I didn't take it, instead I took my Ice box and regretted it.
P.S finchwas also taken over by Electrplux if my memory serves me correctly.
-- Edited by peatop on Monday 4th of October 2021 10:05:59 PM