We have purchased a 2019 Pajero Sport to tow our Avan 55 Aspire and I need to fit an Anderson plug to run the fridge in the van while we are traveling. I do not need to charge the house battery as the solar sorts that.
I have read so much on this sublject and I am completely confused , I understand the principles of the smart Alternator and how they work.
The Pajero sport is only going to be used probably once a year for long hauls (Perth to Exmouth ) as I use my company car ( 2020 Triton ) for short hauls up and down the coast. so I feel that do not need a second battery set up in the Pajero to power the fridge when driving as most things stay cold on the 3- 4 hour trips we do. I have seen discussions on wiring the power (Pos + ) from the alternator to the Anderson plug ( with a fusable link in line ) and connecting the earth ( Neg -) to the chassis. and then running with the headlights on to initiate the alternator to produce a greater output voltage which is no problem.
My question is has anybody actually been successful with this practice?
I am not really interested in fitting a DC to DC charger as I am not charging another battery only running the house fridge.
I hope you guys and girls understand my ramblings.
I know this is probably old ground that has been passed over many times. so apologies if it upsets anybody but I am looking for a definitive answer on this.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance and safe trips guys
Regards Knackers.
Dougwe said
05:08 PM Dec 11, 2020
Welcome to the gang Gary, enjoy here and out in the playground.
I have a Colorado not a Pajero but using 6B&S cable direct from car battery with fuse next to battery then down to the rear under the canopy to a Anderson Plug. It is wired to go off when car stops. Has worked well now for 6 years.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
Joda said
08:01 PM Dec 11, 2020
Hi Knackers, I wired mine from the battery, positive thru a 30 amp. Auto resettable relay with an ignition power source, Or you can use a 'fridge switch' (motion switch) in the van, I run pos. & neg. Wires right thru' of heavy gauge to help with voltage drop in the long runs, run wites thru' firewall & under door sill trims back to the tail light cavity,
remove tail light lens, easy to drop wite down to back of car.
Hope this helps,
John.b
rgren2 said
10:25 PM Dec 11, 2020
Compressor fridge or three way?
dabbler said
11:30 PM Dec 11, 2020
I love my solar. I wouldn't rely on it as the sole means to charge my batteries though.
Monica W said
09:07 AM Dec 12, 2020
You will need a VSR (Voltage Sensitive Switch) about $45.00 from eBay.
1 only SB50 Anderson Plug
Cable length to suit. Depending on size/type of fridge either 8B&S cable or 6B&S
You do not have to worry about a 'smart alternator'. This is all over hyped basically rubbish by people that are not aware of modern charging systems. Where some alternators do go down into 'hibernate' mode, all you have to do worst case is drive with the parking lights on. Mitsubishi and other Asian vehicles are generally not an issue.
Monica W said
09:10 AM Dec 12, 2020
dabbler wrote:
I love my solar. I wouldn't rely on it as the sole means to charge my batteries though.
Means you don't have sufficient solar panels or sufficient battery capacity. I charge with solar only, Lithium battery and no generator. Need to set yourself up better and then you will be able to charge with solar only. Many do and manage without issue.
valiant81 said
10:02 AM Dec 12, 2020
Hi all; Knackers, your idea is on the right track. The only thing between the output from your aulinator to your battery would be a heavy duty fuse/link. i would take your power feed for your fridge from the aulinator to a 100 Amp relay that senses the ignition feed and drops the relay out when the engine is not running ( key off ). A circuit breaker or a 50 Amp maxi fuse is also a must. As for the earth return i would not use the car chassis as a return , but run the Earth all the way back to your battery. When you buy your cable you would buy one with a positive AND a negative wire in a fig 8 form, so use that earth return and take it back to the negative terminal of your battery
The size of the cable is important and so is the length due to voltage drop. When buying your cable look for a multi strand cable ( the more strands the better and more flexible ) and designed so as all of the copper wire fit into the terminal of the Anderson plug.If you still have room in the terminal choice a heaver cable. I also have found that the wire used for heavy loads ( battery charging or running the fridge ) is not really up to the task and can cause problems like the fridge not staying cool or your house battery not being fully charged. This is a big problem with 3 Way fridges ( expansion type ) as these type of fridges can draw in the order of around 10 to 20 Amps, so a lot of current. 2 Way compressor fridges are not as hungry for power as the three way type and draw around 5 Amps when running
This same cable has to be run from your autinater all the way through to your Anderson plug and then on to your 12 volt feed at the back of your fridge. This is the important bit of the wiring as voltage drop really plays a part in this type of installation.
Good luck and i hope this helps
Radar said
12:32 PM Dec 12, 2020
Hi Knackers.
A couple of years back had a large wire failure from the anderson plug to the 3 way frig needing to replace 7 metres of cable.
To short cut this on the side of the road I ran a cable from the caravan battery to the 3 way frig a lenght of sub 2 metres only.
It worked so good, 3 years latter it still that way and works a treat.
Our 12 volt system comprises 110 amp deep cyle battery charged by 340 watts of solar on the roof.
I do have a second 90 amp deep cycle battery in the car charged by the alternator and also charging through a anderson plug to the caravan battery.
Hope this throws a different slant on things.
dabbler said
02:25 PM Dec 12, 2020
Monica W. With all respect, read what is written. Nowhere did I mention my setup is insufficient, nowhere did I mention needing or using a generator. My statement was I wouldn't rely on solar alone and left it up to readers to decide if they need a second charging source and there are several options available. But if your solar is truly sufficient, why source power from the tow vehicle ? Just hit the road, live in faith you have a bullet proof system and let the sunshine do the job. If the sun is shining.
oldbloke said
02:53 PM Dec 13, 2020
Keep in mind in reasonable weather the fridge will stay cold for 3 to 4 hours if turned off. So you don't need a lot of power to keep it ticking over.
We ran with a fused cable direct from battery to Anderson plug without fuss in out 2014 triton. 6mm Auto I think
-- Edited by oldbloke on Sunday 13th of December 2020 03:00:59 PM
Bobdown said
05:36 PM Dec 13, 2020
Knackers1928 wrote:
Good afternoon Nomads,
We have purchased a 2019 Pajero Sport to tow our Avan 55 Aspire and I need to fit an Anderson plug to run the fridge in the van while we are traveling. I do not need to charge the house battery as the solar sorts that.
I have read so much on this sublject and I am completely confused , I understand the principles of the smart Alternator and how they work.
The Pajero sport is only going to be used probably once a year for long hauls (Perth to Exmouth ) as I use my company car ( 2020 Triton ) for short hauls up and down the coast. so I feel that do not need a second battery set up in the Pajero to power the fridge when driving as most things stay cold on the 3- 4 hour trips we do. I have seen discussions on wiring the power (Pos + ) from the alternator to the Anderson plug ( with a fusable link in line ) and connecting the earth ( Neg -) to the chassis. and then running with the headlights on to initiate the alternator to produce a greater output voltage which is no problem.
My question is has anybody actually been successful with this practice?
I am not really interested in fitting a DC to DC charger as I am not charging another battery only running the house fridge.
I hope you guys and girls understand my ramblings.
I know this is probably old ground that has been passed over many times. so apologies if it upsets anybody but I am looking for a definitive answer on this.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance and safe trips guys
Regards Knackers.
Hi Knackers,
You know what you want !!!, go to a qualified auto elect as ask for a quote, or the Mitsi dealer.
I got my Anderson Plug done by Toyota along with the flat 12 pin plug and the reverse camera wiring all at the same time, they know where to run the cables, have the proper brackets to hold them under the rear bumper etc.
You say you are confused, get the right people to do it properly the first time, saves your time for more important things, like sitting under the awning with a beer.
Cheers Bob
Greg 1 said
11:26 PM Dec 13, 2020
If you are near the Perth Hills area I can recommend Benchmark Auto Electrical mobile service. He has done quite a bit for me and at reasonable rates.
With regards to the initial question, you need the isolation relay in the Anderson plug circuit otherwise the fridge will attack the start battery when you stop. I have 50 amp cabling for the circuit and a fusible link.
The comment about the smart charge altenators being a problem somehow being a myth, I can tell you now this is bs. After 3 batteries in 5 years and talking to Ford about the issue and my auto sparky, if you are towing a van, you should have the smart charge turned off. Batteries under large draw do not like only being charged to 85% and their life will be drastically shortened. The van draw needs the altenator charging as per a standard altenator. This was confirmed by Ford, particularly for the Ranger, which already has a lot of draw on its battery. I now have mine turned off. Apparently the only real reason for the smart charge is to save a poofteeth of fuel by not having the drag of a charging altenator full time according to Ford.
bilbo said
11:16 AM Dec 14, 2020
"Apparently the only real reason for the smart charge is to save a poofteeth of fuel by not having the drag of a charging altenator full time according to Ford."
A "poofteeth"..........I like it
cheers Bilbo
Dougwe said
01:28 PM Dec 14, 2020
I think you will find that 'Within a bees whisker' is of similar measurement Bilbo. As is within a 'Bees d..k'.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
Whenarewethere said
01:40 PM Dec 14, 2020
No no, it's a mathematical equation: <(2/3)/fa.
Knackers1928 said
03:58 PM Dec 16, 2020
Thanks all for the feedback , I think Bobdown is on it, where as I would normally do this type of thing myself , I am getting lazy in my old age so I will get an Auto Sparky to sort it
oldbloke said
12:52 AM Dec 17, 2020
Knackers1928 wrote:
Thanks all for the feedback , I think Bobdown is on it, where as I would normally do this type of thing myself , I am getting lazy in my old age so I will get an Auto Sparky to sort it
Good move. And I would be getting a recommendation first.
Knackers1928 said
03:39 PM Jan 12, 2021
Good afternoon Nomads,
Anybody have a reference for a good auto sparky in the Northern suburbs of Perth ?
I have contacted one guy but he doesn't seem to confident with the way I want to have the tug wired he want to go with a continuous supply form the battery with no relay to shut the supply off when the car is stopped. I do not want to run the risk of a flat battery when we stop.
Regards Knackers
Greg 1 said
08:22 PM Jan 12, 2021
Definitely need the relay hooked into the ignition circuit so power is cut when the key is turned off. The fridge can draw a fair old load and you can stop for lunch and not start again. Been there have the tee shirt.
Give Benchmark Auto Electrics a call. He is a mobile service and travels fairly widely. His details are on the Web. Highly recommend him.
PeterD said
09:35 AM Jan 13, 2021
Greg 1 wrote:
Definitely need the relay hooked into the ignition circuit so power is cut when the key is turned off.
Definitely the way to go. Some recommend a VSR but in this application a really does the same thing as a VSR at a much cheaper price. Dometic also recommend to go that way. From one of their handbooks:
Knackers1928 wrote: I have seen discussions on wiring the power (Pos + ) from the alternator to the Anderson plug ( with a fusable link in line ) and connecting the earth ( Neg -) to the chassis. and then running with the headlights on to initiate the alternator to produce a greater output voltage which is no problem.
Don't use the alternator. Use the battery terminal. It is connected to the alternator with a thick wire so there is no advantage going to the alternator. Also the battery is generally easier to get to.
Good afternoon Nomads,
We have purchased a 2019 Pajero Sport to tow our Avan 55 Aspire and I need to fit an Anderson plug to run the fridge in the van while we are traveling. I do not need to charge the house battery as the solar sorts that.
I have read so much on this sublject and I am completely confused , I understand the principles of the smart Alternator and how they work.
The Pajero sport is only going to be used probably once a year for long hauls (Perth to Exmouth ) as I use my company car ( 2020 Triton ) for short hauls up and down the coast. so I feel that do not need a second battery set up in the Pajero to power the fridge when driving as most things stay cold on the 3- 4 hour trips we do. I have seen discussions on wiring the power (Pos + ) from the alternator to the Anderson plug ( with a fusable link in line ) and connecting the earth ( Neg -) to the chassis. and then running with the headlights on to initiate the alternator to produce a greater output voltage which is no problem.
My question is has anybody actually been successful with this practice?
I am not really interested in fitting a DC to DC charger as I am not charging another battery only running the house fridge.
I hope you guys and girls understand my ramblings.
I know this is probably old ground that has been passed over many times. so apologies if it upsets anybody but I am looking for a definitive answer on this.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance and safe trips guys
Regards Knackers.
I have a Colorado not a Pajero but using 6B&S cable direct from car battery with fuse next to battery then down to the rear under the canopy to a Anderson Plug. It is wired to go off when car stops. Has worked well now for 6 years.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
1 only SB50 Anderson Plug
Cable length to suit. Depending on size/type of fridge either 8B&S cable or 6B&S
You do not have to worry about a 'smart alternator'. This is all over hyped basically rubbish by people that are not aware of modern charging systems. Where some alternators do go down into 'hibernate' mode, all you have to do worst case is drive with the parking lights on. Mitsubishi and other Asian vehicles are generally not an issue.
Means you don't have sufficient solar panels or sufficient battery capacity. I charge with solar only, Lithium battery and no generator. Need to set yourself up better and then you will be able to charge with solar only. Many do and manage without issue.
Hi all; Knackers, your idea is on the right track. The only thing between the output from your aulinator to your battery would be a heavy duty fuse/link. i would take your power feed for your fridge from the aulinator to a 100 Amp relay that senses the ignition feed and drops the relay out when the engine is not running ( key off ). A circuit breaker or a 50 Amp maxi fuse is also a must. As for the earth return i would not use the car chassis as a return , but run the Earth all the way back to your battery. When you buy your cable you would buy one with a positive AND a negative wire in a fig 8 form, so use that earth return and take it back to the negative terminal of your battery
The size of the cable is important and so is the length due to voltage drop. When buying your cable look for a multi strand cable ( the more strands the better and more flexible ) and designed so as all of the copper wire fit into the terminal of the Anderson plug.If you still have room in the terminal choice a heaver cable. I also have found that the wire used for heavy loads ( battery charging or running the fridge ) is not really up to the task and can cause problems like the fridge not staying cool or your house battery not being fully charged. This is a big problem with 3 Way fridges ( expansion type ) as these type of fridges can draw in the order of around 10 to 20 Amps, so a lot of current. 2 Way compressor fridges are not as hungry for power as the three way type and draw around 5 Amps when running
This same cable has to be run from your autinater all the way through to your Anderson plug and then on to your 12 volt feed at the back of your fridge. This is the important bit of the wiring as voltage drop really plays a part in this type of installation.
Good luck and i hope this helps
Hi Knackers.
A couple of years back had a large wire failure from the anderson plug to the 3 way frig needing to replace 7 metres of cable.
To short cut this on the side of the road I ran a cable from the caravan battery to the 3 way frig a lenght of sub 2 metres only.
It worked so good, 3 years latter it still that way and works a treat.
Our 12 volt system comprises 110 amp deep cyle battery charged by 340 watts of solar on the roof.
I do have a second 90 amp deep cycle battery in the car charged by the alternator and also charging through a anderson plug to the caravan battery.
Hope this throws a different slant on things.
Keep in mind in reasonable weather the fridge will stay cold for 3 to 4 hours if turned off. So you don't need a lot of power to keep it ticking over.
We ran with a fused cable direct from battery to Anderson plug without fuss in out 2014 triton. 6mm Auto I think
-- Edited by oldbloke on Sunday 13th of December 2020 03:00:59 PM
Hi Knackers,
You know what you want !!!, go to a qualified auto elect as ask for a quote, or the Mitsi dealer.
I got my Anderson Plug done by Toyota along with the flat 12 pin plug and the reverse camera wiring all at the same time, they know where to run the cables, have the proper brackets to hold them under the rear bumper etc.
You say you are confused, get the right people to do it properly the first time, saves your time for more important things, like sitting under the awning with a beer.
Cheers Bob
"Apparently the only real reason for the smart charge is to save a poofteeth of fuel by not having the drag of a charging altenator full time according to Ford."
A "poofteeth"..........I like it
cheers Bilbo
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
No no, it's a mathematical equation: <(2/3)/fa.
Good move. And I would be getting a recommendation first.
Good afternoon Nomads,
Anybody have a reference for a good auto sparky in the Northern suburbs of Perth ?
I have contacted one guy but he doesn't seem to confident with the way I want to have the tug wired he want to go with a continuous supply form the battery with no relay to shut the supply off when the car is stopped. I do not want to run the risk of a flat battery when we stop.
Regards Knackers
Definitely the way to go. Some recommend a VSR but in this application a really does the same thing as a VSR at a much cheaper price. Dometic also recommend to go that way. From one of their handbooks:
Don't use the alternator. Use the battery terminal. It is connected to the alternator with a thick wire so there is no advantage going to the alternator. Also the battery is generally easier to get to.