Tefcold Fridge and Freezer Error Codes: P1, P2, HA, LA and Settings

On Tefcold fridges and freezers, a flashing P1 means the cabinet sensor is defective, and P2 means the second probe, usually the evaporator probe, has failed. HA and LA are high and low temperature alarms, and dA means the door is open. Tefcold's Gastro-Line cabinets and counters use Dixell controllers, so their codes are Dixell's, printed in Tefcold's own manuals.

The tables below come from Tefcold's instruction manuals for its cabinet refrigerators and freezers, Gastro-Line upright cabinets and counters, and refrigerated display cabinets. Codes such as E0, E1, E2 and EE do not appear in any of them.

At a glance

Code	What the manual says it means	What to do
P1	Cabinet (room) probe failure	Call an engineer. The cabinet tries to hold temperature until it is repaired
P2	Second probe failure	Call an engineer. Defrosts end on time
HA	Maximum temperature alarm	Check the door, the load and the condenser
LA	Minimum temperature alarm	Check the set point
dA	Door open	Close the door
CA	Serious external alarm or pressure switch alarm	Call an engineer. All outputs are off
PoF, Pon	Keyboard locked or unlocked	Not a fault

Source: Tefcold Gastro-Line upright cabinets user manual, with the Dixell XW20LR controller instructions, and the Tefcold refrigerated display user manual.

Display cabinets: P1

Tefcold's user manual for its LCT and LPD refrigerated displays lists one alarm code: P1 flashing on the display means the cabinet sensor is defective. Tefcold says the cabinet will strive to keep the set temperature until it has been repaired, so it keeps cooling, but check the product temperature separately until an engineer has replaced the sensor.

Gastro-Line cabinets and counters

Tefcold's Gastro-Line upright cabinets manual includes the instructions for the Dixell XW20LR controller fitted to them, and its Gastro-Line counters manual does the same for the XW60LR. Both use this alarm table.

Code	Cause	What happens	How it clears
P1	Room probe failure	Compressor runs according to parameters Con and COF	Automatically, some seconds after the probe works again
P2	Second probe failure	Defrost end is timed	Automatically, once the probe works again
P3	Third probe failure	Outputs unchanged	Not stated in the manual
HA	Maximum temperature alarm	Outputs unchanged	As soon as the temperature returns to normal
LA	Minimum temperature alarm	Outputs unchanged	As soon as the temperature returns to normal
HA2	Condenser high temperature	Depends on the Ac2 parameter	As soon as the temperature returns to normal
LA2	Condenser low temperature	Depends on the bLL parameter	As soon as the temperature returns to normal
dA	Door open	Loads according to the odC parameter	Not stated in the manual
EA	External alarm	Outputs unchanged	As soon as the digital input is disabled
CA	Serious external alarm	All outputs off	As soon as the digital input is disabled
CA	Pressure switch alarm	All outputs off	Only by switching the instrument off and on
rtc	Real time clock alarm	Alarm output on, defrosts follow the defrost interval setting	Once the correct time and day are set
rtF	Real time clock board failure	Alarm output on, defrosts follow the defrost interval setting	The clock board has to be replaced. Contact the service

The manual also says that probe alarms start some seconds after the fault and stop some seconds after the probe works normally again, and that the connections should be checked before a probe is replaced.

Hi and Lo are not alarms

On the XW20LR, Hi and Lo are messages, not alarms. They appear when you look up the highest and lowest temperatures the controller has recorded, followed by the value. The high and low temperature alarms are HA and LA.

Other messages on a Tefcold controller

• PoF and Pon. The keyboard has been locked or unlocked. Tefcold's manual says holding the UP and DOWN keys together for more than 3 seconds locks it, showing PoF, and doing the same again unlocks it, showing Pon. While it is locked, you can only view the set point and the recorded highest and lowest temperatures.
• noP. The selected probe is not enabled, or no parameter is present in that menu.
• Err. Programming from a Hot Key failed. Turn the unit off and on to try again, or remove the Hot Key.

How to change the temperature

For Gastro-Line cabinets with the XW20LR, the manual gives these steps:

1. Push the SET key for more than 2 seconds. The set point is displayed and the °C LED starts blinking.
2. Within 10 seconds, use the UP or DOWN arrows to change the value.
3. Push SET again, or wait 10 seconds, to store the new set point.

If the keys do nothing, the keyboard may be locked. Look for PoF on the display and unlock it first. On display cabinets, Tefcold's manual says holding the defrost key for more than 3 seconds starts a manual defrost before the cabinet returns to normal operation.

Maintenance Tefcold recommends

• Condenser. Tefcold's cabinet refrigerator and freezer manual says the condenser requires monthly cleaning, and that failing to clean it reduces the unit's performance and life. On LPD display cabinets, the dust filter and the condenser should be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner. The LCT range has a maintenance-free condenser.
• Cleaning. Switch off at the socket, and clean the inside and outside periodically with a light soap solution, then wipe dry. Do not use cleaners containing chlorine or other harsh cleaners, and do not spray the cabinet with water jets or pressure washers.
• Temperature problems. If the cabinet runs but is too warm or too cold, Tefcold's troubleshooting table lists too much ice on the evaporator, a condenser blocked with dust, and doors not shut properly or damaged seals.

Tefcold describes the cooling system as hermetically sealed, needing no supervision, only cleaning. Planned refrigeration maintenance can take care of the condenser cleaning on a schedule.

Safety

• Many Tefcold appliances use R290 or R600a, which Tefcold warns are flammable refrigerants, so keep good ventilation around the cabinet.
• Do not use mechanical devices to defrost, which can cause a leak in the cooling system, and do not use electrical appliances inside the cabinet.
• Tefcold says any repair should be carried out by a skilled technician, and that all electrical connections should be disconnected before any maintenance.
• The controller cannot be used as a safety device.

When to call an engineer

• P1, P2 or P3, once the probe connections have been checked.
• CA, which switches all outputs off.
• rtF, which needs the clock board replacing.
• HA that returns with the door shut and the condenser clean.
• HA2, which points to the condenser running too hot.

Our commercial refrigeration repair team works on Tefcold cabinets, counters and displays across London. For the wider list of Dixell codes, see our guide to Dixell error codes, and for a cabinet that runs but will not cool, our guide to commercial fridges that stop cooling.

Questions people ask about Tefcold fridges

What does P1 mean on a Tefcold fridge?

P1 means the cabinet, or room, probe has failed. On display cabinets, Tefcold says the cabinet will try to keep the set temperature until the sensor is repaired. On Gastro-Line cabinets, the compressor runs on a timed pattern set by the controller.

What does P2 mean on a Tefcold?

P2 is a second probe failure, usually the evaporator probe. Defrosts then end on time rather than on temperature. The alarm clears itself once the probe works again, but the probe needs checking.

How do I change the temperature on a Tefcold fridge?

On Gastro-Line cabinets with the XW20LR, push SET for more than 2 seconds, change the value with the UP or DOWN arrows within 10 seconds, then push SET again to store it. If nothing changes, look for PoF on the display, which means the keyboard is locked.

Why does my Tefcold display show PoF?

PoF means the keyboard is locked. Hold the UP and DOWN keys together for more than 3 seconds until Pon appears to unlock it.

What maintenance does a Tefcold fridge need?

Tefcold says the condenser needs monthly cleaning, and the cabinet should be cleaned periodically with a light soap solution, never with chlorine or harsh cleaners or a pressure washer. Keep the ventilation around it clear.

What does HA mean on a Tefcold freezer?

HA is the maximum temperature alarm: the cabinet has gone above its high alarm limit. It clears as soon as the temperature returns to normal. Check the door, the load and the condenser.

Keeping a Tefcold cabinet on temperature

Most Tefcold alarms clear themselves once the cause has gone, and the usual causes are a door, a dirty condenser or too much ice. Clean the condenser monthly, as Tefcold asks, and call an engineer for probe faults and anything that switches the outputs off.

Last updated: 4 November 2026