Argosy refrigerator problem ?

[Davis]

I have recently purchased a 1976 Argosy that needs several things to be repaired and replaced. But once finished I think it will be a nice little trailer. One of the things that needs repair is the refrigerator. It works very good on gas but not at all on electric. I checked the voltage before and after the switch to the heating element and it was good.So I replaced the heating element and now when switched to electric it trips the breaker in my house for the outlet that the trailer is plugged into. Do you have any suggestions on what to check or could the new element be defective ? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks Davis

[azflycaster]

Sounds like the new heater element may be shorted. Checking it with an ohm meter should tell you. Who knows how many ohms an element should read? If it reads "0" that would be bad.

[Davis]

Thanks. I will check it with an ohm meter this afternoon.

[Davis]

I have checked the element and it is ok as far as continuity. I unplugged the refrigerator from the outlet in the trailer and plugged it to an extension cord directly to my house outlet and it still tripped the breaker. So I removed the element from the burner assembly and then switched it on and it worked fine got cherry red on the lower portion of the element. So I put it back into the burner assy and switched it on and it still trips the breaker . Is it possible for the element to short to the burner assy ? Or what ? Thanks Davis

[mbocek]

Dear Davis,
We also have a 1976 Argosy and we are having issues with our Frig. May I ask in detail how you got to the "guts" of the frig? Was it by the back frig door of the trailer? Is it the small door. If you had to take this frig out and replace it, I assume that the panel next to the frig must come out. Where would the bolts or screws be to hold this frig in. The top or the bottom or side? Do you know where those are located? Sorry for the questions, but I am asking for my husband who thinks this job is just HUGH and I want my frig back!! Any help would be most appreciated. Our frig use to work on electric and that stopped working so then we switched to gas and now that doesn't work either. If you can explain to me thoroughly how you might do this if it were you. Thank you in advance.

[GeocamperAS]

Originally Posted by Davis

I have checked the element and it is ok as far as continuity. I unplugged the refrigerator from the outlet in the trailer and plugged it to an extension cord directly to my house outlet and it still tripped the breaker. So I removed the element from the burner assembly and then switched it on and it worked fine got cherry red on the lower portion of the element. So I put it back into the burner assy and switched it on and it still trips the breaker . Is it possible for the element to short to the burner assy ? Or what ? Thanks Davis

The bracket that holds the element in place may be causing the grounding (shorting). Check with your ohm meter. From each heater terminal (one at a time) to the bracket, you should not get any reading.
Another possibility, make sure any of the wires involved are not touching any metal when you have it all in place.

Pictures might help