awdinut

On a recent humid, 95+ degree F day I wanted to use my fridge and it wouldnt get colder than 60 degrees after running constantly for several hours (I have wired mine in such a way that it will run without the ignition being on). So the next day with similar conditions I put in a blue-ice pack to soak up the heat and the fridge got down to 40, but after I removed the ice pack the fridge couldnt maintain, and temp went up to 60.

So I am wondering if you are getting better or similar performance in such conditions ? I thought mine used to do better, but maybe my memory isnt so good....

Mister Bally

Refrigerant systems can leak refrigerant, especially if the one Audi uses for the A8 refrigerator is not sealed. Maybe yours is low on refrigerant. Check the service manual for service procedures or take the vehicle in for service.

Automotive Air Conditioners have removable fittings to ease assembly line installation of different components in different locations in the assembly plant as well as refrigerant filling versus home refrigerators or window air conditioners that have no screwed together connections since the whole thing is assembled in a close area. The evaporator, condensor and compressor connections are brazed or silver soldered together. The high pressure (discharge) line is Tee'd and left open. A charge of refrigerant is forced in via an O-Ring coupling that is connected to the Tee'd pipe., the Tee'd pipe is then crushed shut with a hydraulic vise and the refrigerant line that was used is disconnected and the short remaining pipe piece is placed into the recycling bin.

awdinut

I talked to the factory tech in Europe that provides the units for Audis and others; they say that the units can not be recharged. And there is a crimped pipe in the works atop the unit. So does that also mean that no gas can ever escape ?

Maybe the fridge never could handle ambient temps that hot, I cant recall for sure. And ofcourse the 'ambient' temp for the fridge is the air inside the trunk which is even hotter than the outside air, so I guess it really is asking a lot of the unit. Today it was 80 F and the fridge got down in the 30s...so its capable of keeping the bubbly chilled to the proper temperature on most days. Cant be too careful you know, bad show to have the Salmon go bad on the way to the picinic spot !

Mister Bally

On an "apartment" wall mount A/C unit that was sealed, which somehow leaked out its' R-22; I installed saddle piercing schraeder valves on both the suction and discharge lines, pulled a vacuum and charged it with R-22. I'd do that before buying a new unit. Actually, I'd either remove the unit and live without it or figure out a way to install a Piezo cooler in place of the one Audi supplied. You will gain some trunk space in the process.

As far as what happened to your unit; either the crimp was not proper, or refrigerant is leaking out from the compressor or silver soldered joint on or to the condenser or evaporator,

awdinut

as I said, it still does a great job when its not 100+ in the trunk; so I wouldnt buy a new one or pitch it overboard just to be able to fit another body in my trunk. As for what you called a Piezo cooler, are you refering to a Petier Effect device ? Audi had them in the D2 before Dometic Corp.came out with the silent compressor unit that Audi, Bentley, VW, and Rolls use now, and a Peltier unit only cools to 40 degrees less than ambient temp. And with the ambient temp of the unit in the trunk being what it is, they are worthless.

Its nice to know that a charge set up can be rigged , if the performance gets bad in even moderate temps I'll look into that option. Thanks.

Mister Bally

I'm talking about the small "coolers" that, in some cases can be "warmers" by throwing a switch that basically reverses polarity to heat. Heck, on a cooler only model, my Krups Beertender which I use with Heineken 5 Liter mini-barrels, It keeps the beer at 39°F in my garage when it is 90°F so I'm not sure about the 40° limitation. Perhaps it has something to do with heat sinking of the contents of the compartment as well as the amount of insulation.

If yours works well when ambient temps are reasonable, no need to worry.

Greybeast

Does the 'Dometic' unit use liquid ammonia to cool ? If so they are crap in RV's, so I can't imagine they'd be any better in a saloon.
If it still beaks your stones...try one of these.

Playmate Pal? Red 9 Can

Mike