nuevo fridge

by raymondo Sun Apr 07, 2013 6:34 pm

sorry but this is possibly another dumb question

on 12V does the fridge still run when the engine is not running?

In my last van it didnt but I was out yesterday on a checking that everything works and had the fridge running, on getting home I didnt turn the fridge off (although I did turn the control panel off) and this afternoon the habitation battery was flat!

does turning the control panel off not kill all the habitation electrics?

by Cotswold01 Sun Apr 07, 2013 6:54 pm

Fridge will only run on 12 v if engine is running

by burlingtonboaby Sun Apr 07, 2013 7:00 pm

raymondo wrote:sorry but this is possibly another dumb question

on 12V does the fridge still run when the engine is not running?

In my last van it didnt but I was out yesterday on a checking that everything works and had the fridge running, on getting home I didnt turn the fridge off (although I did turn the control panel off) and this afternoon the habitation battery was flat!

does turning the control panel off not kill all the habitation electrics?

Just been out to try mine, fridge stays "on" when turned onto the 12volt battery operation and all 12 volt switches are off. including the control panel up!

Boaby

by ubuntu1 Sun Apr 07, 2013 7:29 pm

Ok this isn't as straightforward as it seems. We have two 12v supplies.

The 12v heating element which is needed to cool the fridge when driving will only work when the engine is running.

A second 12v feed is needed to run the electronics in the fridge. This will let LED's light up etc but will not power the element which cools the fridge.

I hope thats clear? Its sometimes difficult to explain something that you understand in your head!!!!

by raymondo Sun Apr 07, 2013 7:40 pm

her indoors (who read the manual - being a man I didnt bother) says that there is a warning therein about not running the fridge on 12V if the engine isnt running because it will flatten the battery.

so I am now right royally confused!!!
I will however take steps to remind myself to turn it off in future just to be on the safe side

by Peter Brown Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:38 am

ubuntu1 wrote:Ok this isn't as straightforward as it seems. We have two 12v supplies.

The 12v heating element which is needed to cool the fridge when driving will only work when the engine is running.

This is achieved by having a relay switch in circuit that only allows the vehicle battery to connect to the fridge heating element when the engine is running and the vehicle battery being charged by the alternator.

Unless the relay contacts stick (a very rare condition) it is impossible to flatten the vehicle battery from the fridge.

Peter

by shargrea Mon Apr 08, 2013 1:25 pm

raymondo wrote:her indoors (who read the manual - being a man I didnt bother) says that there is a warning therein about not running the fridge on 12V if the engine isnt running because it will flatten the battery.

so I am now right royally confused!!!
I will however take steps to remind myself to turn it off in future just to be on the safe side

The manual for our Topaz also contains this warning, but it is unnecessary as the power to the fridge 12V heating element is switched off automatically when the engine stops. I'm sure yours will be the same.

by raymondo Mon Apr 08, 2013 1:45 pm

thanks all, especially PeterBrown for his comprehensive answer both to this and my other dumb question about the awning - that said I think that I'll still try and turn the fridge off when the motor isnt running!

by grasscutter Mon Apr 08, 2013 5:18 pm

As we all know, providing the switch is on one of the three 'on' positions the fridge light comes on when the door is opened. If we latch the door to the vent position if empty and we are parking up AND forget to switch the fridge to off, the door microswitch will not be activated and the light will remain on hence the drain. I have just been outside to double check this with all the blinds down as it's not easy to tell unless in darkness. Does this help? G

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