Tec tower fridge has failed, need new or repair?

[DavidG58]

Looks identical to the TecTowerin our first Hymer we bought new in 2008.

Did yours have electronic and mechanical locks?

 

[andy63]

Then we still have the oven to deal which will also needs to be replaced, as mentioned above it is controlled from the failed fridge,

Ive had a quick look through the thread david.. im not familiar with the fridge models you may be able to get as a replacement... but for what its worth id be looking to keep the oven grill you have.. it should be possible to remove the present controls from the panel for your oven and re mount them in new panel. If you can find a fridge that gives a little room for that... the only issue is the way the fridge and oven are attached or fitted in.. so as long as the fridge can be removed as a unit..
My thoughts anyway... but as you know im not to fussy about looks as long as it can be done , and works.. but no reason you couldnt find a suitable material to fabricate a new panel and it look acceptable.
Andy..

 

[DavidG58]

@andy63

From earlier efforts to remove the fridge, we know the oven is pretty well attached to the top of the fridge freezer, albeit a separate unit

If I can acquire a newer oven as above from Tony hopefully at reasonable price that would be a better swap for me save messing with cutting holes in new fridge

But you know me not good with tools

 

[DavidG58]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292706433203?ViewItem=&item=292706433203

have found this, seems slight expensive, but has anybody got this exact model?

Is the drawer on the bottom a fridge or freezer section?

 

[Abacist]

Our Tech tower has a Smev oven on the top with its own rotary Control/Igniter combined in the bottom right hand corner. It looks like the electrics are shared at the back to provide the spark.

I have been out to the van and ours has a curved front. The oven clearly matches the Dometic fridge freezer but the oven is most certainly a separate unit with its own separate controls - I can see light between the top of the freezer and the bottom of the oven. The oven front is badged Dometic.

I would imagine that they should be available separately.

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[DavidG58]

I have been out to the van and ours has a curved front. The oven clearly matches the Dometic fridge freezer but the oven is most certainly a separate unit - I can see light between the top of the freezer and the bottom of the oven. The oven front is badged

Sounds pretty much like ours, just newer, there is one obvious screw on bottom of oven into top of fridge where the door closes, we presume there are other fixings

But the gap worries me on mine, that gap goes through to the vented area at the back where the fridge gas burner is, I would have thought this area should be sealed, ours isn't either, we get quite a draught through the gap between oven and freezer and over top of oven if the wind is in the wrong direction

 

[scotjimland]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292706433203?ViewItem=&item=292706433203

have found this, seems slight expensive, but has anybody got this exact model?

Is the drawer on the bottom a fridge or freezer section?

full spec here https://www.jacksonsleisure.com/car...ic-rmf8505-absorption-caravan-fridge-freezer/


£2,150.00 (inc VAT )

1. 55-litre drawer fridge which can be opened separately offers ample space to store bottles in secure, easy to grab upright position (no need to open fridge door to get them out! Saving on energy)

 

[tonyidle]

That sounds like excellent timing can we please have first dibs on the oven unless it is already spoken for

You can. However I'm undecided as to whether I'll keep it for the next owner (very unlikely) or whether I can use it's outer curved door as part of the microwave installation. Either way I'll let you know as soon as my fridge / freezer is repaired.

 

[Abacist]

Sounds pretty much like ours, just newer, there is one obvious screw on bottom of oven into top of fridge where the door closes, we presume there are other fixings

But the gap worries me on mine, that gap goes through to the vented area at the back where the fridge gas burner is, I would have thought this area should be sealed, ours isn't either, we get quite a draught through the gap between oven and freezer and over top of oven if the wind is in the wrong direction

The gap is closed at the back on mine but only by some sort of sticky backed fabric by the look of it as there is the glow of light beyond it from the top external fridge vent.

I am just going out to take some pics.

 

[Abacist]

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[Abacist]

The dimensions are 525mm wide by 265 tall excluding the top chrome grill which is decorative and about 450mm deep.

Sorry about the reflections but its a mirror glossy front.

Actually, looking at the photo taken from the fridge vent it looks like a layer of foam between the freezer and the oven.

 

[tonyidle]

Just to be sure I don’t end up with the same as ours, your oven controls are all on the oven ?

If you mean the single rotary control for the oven then Yes. It is. And it is identical to the one in @Abacist photos.

 

[DavidG58]

If you mean the single rotary control for the oven then Yes. It is. And it is identical to the one in @Abacist photos.

Thanks, I am close to ordering a fridge, will then see if you are willing to give yours up for a few £'s or we will buy a new one

 

[DavidG58]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292706433203?ViewItem=&item=292706433203

have found this, seems slight expensive, but has anybody got this exact model?

Is the drawer on the bottom a fridge or freezer section?

Unusually for me, I have done a little more checking before buying

the RMF8505 is actually as tall as our complete tec tower

now weighing up whether the extra fridge space is more valuable to us than the rarely used oven

would a new buyer be put off by no oven? not that we think we will sell soon (too much invested in it )

A major plus would be, simpler fit, no oven to source

 

[Robert Clark]

Unusually for me, I have done a little more checking before buying

the RMF8505 is actually as tall as our complete tec tower

now weighing up whether the extra fridge space is more valuable to us than the rarely used oven

would a new buyer be put off by no oven? not that we think we will sell soon (too much invested in it )

A major plus would be, simpler fit, no oven to source

No oven may limit potential buyers in the future

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[Lenny HB]

Did yours have electronic and mechanical locks?

Mechanical slide in the middle, use to fly open if you took roundabouts too fast.

 

[Lenny HB]

the RMF8505 is actually as tall as our complete tec towe

That version is nothing like the RMDT8505 which has the oven above, I think @Abacist one is the RMDT 8505 which is what we have had in our last 2 vans.

 

[DavidG58]

That version is nothing like the RMDT8505 which has the oven above, I think @Abacist one is the RMDT 8505 which is what we have had in our last 2 vans.

I understand that, found it on ebay, liked the look of the pull out drawer for bottles, just hadn't realised at first it was so tall

now deciding if oven is really needed

 

[Abacist]

We would not buy a van without an oven. My other half never really liked the ovens on the top of the TEC towers but she fell in love with the van and has accepted the small oven on the grounds that I have to put stuff in, check while cooking, take out and then clean the oven from now on!

We use the oven to cook baked potatoes and cook things like lasange made at home, then frozen and taken away with us, often on the first night away. Also useful for cooking part cooked french sticks and rolls which don't take up freezer space but can be useful if away from the shops to buy fresh.

We would rather be without a Microwave than an oven.

 

[CazPaul]

Go for bigger fridge freezer and no oven, the tec tower ovens are renowned for being useless anyway so whats the point of having one.
People in future could use portable halogen ovens etc
Bigger fried freezer is a good, better selling point I think.

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[DavidG58]

this could just be our answer, we already use the cylinders for awning heaters so that's a bonus, nothing extra to carry other than this for occasional use

I think I have already sold myself on the extra fridge space, even Bev seems to like the idea, plus having all the bottles in the drawer section really seems to make sense

so long as we isolate the gas feed to the existing oven the fitting should be pretty straight forward as well

looks like I might have found my solution

 

[Hettie's Crew]

Agree with @Abacist, we get on OK with our Tec tower oven and wouldn’t be without it, though removing the useless grill part would improve it.
We’ve learnt that everything goes on hot and you just keep an eye on it until it’s done.
Much rather have the oven.

 

[Neilfg]

Thinkbthis was mentioned eaelier but is the size and type of fridge not also dictated by the vents on the side of the van, bottom one could be fine but the upper vent might be too low if you were to get a taller fridge

 

[Lenny HB]

Thinkbthis was mentioned eaelier but is the size and type of fridge not also dictated by the vents on the side of the van, bottom one could be fine but the upper vent might be too low if you were to get a taller fridge

Easily solved fit a roof vent.

 

[Lenny HB]

this could just be our answer, we already use the cylinders for awning heaters

That's the sort of thing tuggers do you must be getting soft.
Us real men go inside and turn the 6 kw heater on.

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[DavidG58]

Easily solved fit a roof vent.

View attachment 256303

interestingly we will have an unused roof vent from the oven

 

[Lenny HB]

interestingly we will have an unused roof vent from the oven

The fridge vent is a big oblong unit, probably be able to fit over the hole for the oven one.

 

[DavidG58]

The fridge vent is a big oblong unit, probably be able to fit over the hole for the oven one.

View attachment 256330

cant see it really making any difference what shape the vent cover is, my existing mushroom one for the oven will do well I reckon

at least until the fridge doesn't work well, then I might change it

 

[Lenny HB]

cant see it really making any difference what shape the vent cover is, my existing mushroom one for the oven will do well I reckon

at least until the fridge doesn't work well, then I might change it

I think the oven one will be far too small.

 

[Abacist]

cant see it really making any difference what shape the vent cover is, my existing mushroom one for the oven will do well I reckon

at least until the fridge doesn't work well, then I might change it

Compare the aperture volumes of each respective vent if you can and if the oven one is smaller then I'd change to the larger one. You also have to remember that the back of the fridge where the hot air rises is rectangular in shape which is then mirrored by their vent. Don't run the risk of invalidating the warranty!

If you have fridge vent fans they would obviously help but only a given amount of air can pass through an aperture under natural means and the bigger the aperture the better if you go to hot climes.

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