thought would share this with you guys just in case this is happening to you.
Just recently have had a lot of jobs with moden day 4x4 & cars which people having trubble with the fridge not working properly & they recon its the fridge but it is actually the wiring in the car, the wiring is to small and runs though deferent things.
the best way is to get you plugs in your car rewired with 6mm cable run though via a cuircuit bracker 30am then straight to the battery, you get no voltage drop and the fridge works perfect,
just thought this would help some people that are having the same problem
have fun out there and have fun
Yuglamron said
10:12 AM May 1, 2011
Hi guys,agrre totally with your post.Too small wiring causes lots of problems with the fridges. I would add a smart solenoid to the circuit though.They are available through Battery World and other outlets that do 4x4 stuff.Means you can use another battery which will be charged when driving and it automatically isolates your main cranking battery so it does not drain if your extra battery runs flat.
Not cheap at around $150 but cheaper than a tow or stuffed electronics if you use jump leads.
Easy to wire and don't forget to use 6mm or larger cable.
Helena said
12:24 PM May 1, 2011
This is nothing to do with fridges in cars etc but as it is a fridgy thing though I would add it to this thread hope you don't mind when in Queensland last year couldn't drop the fridge control down to 3 as it would go out (it is a three way fridge) yet when we camped a couple of weeks ago in Deep Creek National Park we didn't have any problem with it could it be the weather in Queensland that could cause this problem Thanks Helena.
ken said
06:27 PM May 1, 2011
Thanks we have 2 fridges and we have been having trouble keeping the temp I was just starting to think it was the fridgees but both to go at same time I have just had the second battery installed to help the problem but couldnt figure it out so now I have another angle to look at.
Thanks Ken & Cheryl
jimricho said
06:48 PM May 1, 2011
One of the symptoms of wiring that's too light is that the compressor will be trying to start and will be cutting in and out every few seconds. Any terminations/connections in the system need to be secure and clean as this can be a cause of voltage drop. Apart from wiring that's too light, cig lighter plugs and sockets would be a major cause of fridge troubles. I consider these to quite unsuitable for use with car fridges, I've had problems with the "Hella" type plugs too, the Clipsal ones (similar to ordinary 240v power plugs and points but with 2 pins instead of 3) are the most reliable.
If trouble shooting a voltage drop problem, the measured voltage drop can appear ok but this can be misleading as compressor fridges momentarily draw significantly more amps when starting up.
Both Engel and Waeco sell wiring looms to overcome the problem of the car's wiring being too light.
-- Edited by jimricho on Sunday 1st of May 2011 06:53:44 PM
jimricho said
07:03 PM May 1, 2011
Regarding 3 way fridges.... Running these from an auxiliary (house) battery is a lost cause due to the amount of current they draw. They should be wired to the main (starting) battery via a relay that disconnects the 12v when the engine is not running. This relay is in addition to the "smart" relay referred to above.
The gauge of the wiring is even more critical with these. I have a voltage booster installed in the Goldstream that recovers the voltage drop and supplies 13.8 volts to the fridge element.
-- Edited by jimricho on Sunday 1st of May 2011 07:08:43 PM
Helena said
07:07 PM May 1, 2011
HI Jim, Yes have done that with ours Helena.
Turtle said
09:31 PM May 3, 2011
hey folks Im running 2 3ways direct from the main battery via 1 6mm cable and an anderson to the van no probs. can leave both connected for up to 2 hours and the Prado still strts ok,go gas or 240 overnight Turts
jimricho said
08:18 AM May 4, 2011
Turtle wrote:
hey folks Im running 2 3ways direct from the main battery via 1 6mm cable and an anderson to the van no probs. can leave both connected for up to 2 hours and the Prado still strts ok,go gas or 240 overnight Turts
As the battery ages or in less than ideal conditions you may find that 2 hours is "stretching the friendship". 4WDs generally have more robust batteries (especially diesels). Most modern sedans/2wd wagons are fitted with batteries that have poor deep cycle performance.
The real trap is forgetting and staying longer at a lunch stop (or similar) than planned. I have a friend who did this and had to replace his battery and had his travel plans disrupted as a result. (I'm unaware of the age of the battery.)
An alternative to a simple control relay is a low voltage cut-out adjusted to ensure there is still sufficient charge to start the car. This would supply 12v to the fridge for a while when stopped.
There is also a gizmo called a "Fridge Switch" (click on underlined link) that can be wired into the caravan's fridge wiring that cuts the 12v to the fridge when it detects the van is not moving. I've not used one so I can't vouch for its effectiveness but I can't see why it wouldn't work ok. This may be a solution for those who don't wish to further modify the wiring in the vehicle.
thought would share this with you guys just in case this is happening to you.
Just recently have had a lot of jobs with moden day 4x4 & cars which people having trubble with the fridge not working properly & they recon its the fridge but it is actually the wiring in the car, the wiring is to small and runs though deferent things.
the best way is to get you plugs in your car rewired with 6mm cable run though via a cuircuit bracker 30am then straight to the battery, you get no voltage drop and the fridge works perfect,
just thought this would help some people that are having the same problem
have fun out there and have fun
Hi guys,agrre totally with your post.Too small wiring causes lots of problems with the fridges.
I would add a smart solenoid to the circuit though.They are available through Battery World and other outlets that do 4x4 stuff.Means you can use another battery which will be charged when driving and it automatically isolates your main cranking battery so it does not drain if your extra battery runs flat.
Not cheap at around $150 but cheaper than a tow or stuffed electronics if you use jump leads.
Easy to wire and don't forget to use 6mm or larger cable.
Thanks
Ken & Cheryl
One of the symptoms of wiring that's too light is that the compressor will be trying to start and will be cutting in and out every few seconds. Any terminations/connections in the system need to be secure and clean as this can be a cause of voltage drop. Apart from wiring that's too light, cig lighter plugs and sockets would be a major cause of fridge troubles. I consider these to quite unsuitable for use with car fridges, I've had problems with the "Hella" type plugs too, the Clipsal ones (similar to ordinary 240v power plugs and points but with 2 pins instead of 3) are the most reliable.
If trouble shooting a voltage drop problem, the measured voltage drop can appear ok but this can be misleading as compressor fridges momentarily draw significantly more amps when starting up.
Both Engel and Waeco sell wiring looms to overcome the problem of the car's wiring being too light.
-- Edited by jimricho on Sunday 1st of May 2011 06:53:44 PM
Regarding 3 way fridges.... Running these from an auxiliary (house) battery is a lost cause due to the amount of current they draw. They should be wired to the main (starting) battery via a relay that disconnects the 12v when the engine is not running. This relay is in addition to the "smart" relay referred to above.
The gauge of the wiring is even more critical with these. I have a voltage booster installed in the Goldstream that recovers the voltage drop and supplies 13.8 volts to the fridge element.
-- Edited by jimricho on Sunday 1st of May 2011 07:08:43 PM
As the battery ages or in less than ideal conditions you may find that 2 hours is "stretching the friendship". 4WDs generally have more robust batteries (especially diesels). Most modern sedans/2wd wagons are fitted with batteries that have poor deep cycle performance.
The real trap is forgetting and staying longer at a lunch stop (or similar) than planned. I have a friend who did this and had to replace his battery and had his travel plans disrupted as a result. (I'm unaware of the age of the battery.)
An alternative to a simple control relay is a low voltage cut-out adjusted to ensure there is still sufficient charge to start the car. This would supply 12v to the fridge for a while when stopped.
There is also a gizmo called a "Fridge Switch" (click on underlined link) that can be wired into the caravan's fridge wiring that cuts the 12v to the fridge when it detects the van is not moving. I've not used one so I can't vouch for its effectiveness but I can't see why it wouldn't work ok. This may be a solution for those who don't wish to further modify the wiring in the vehicle.