Hab12v

[The laird]

Do you drive with your van hab 12vt left on?

 

[jeffmossy]

As soon as I start the engine, mine turn off automatically even if the switch is on

 

[trevskoda]

Everything manul control from the cockpit, no robotics involved.

 

[colinm]

Switching off the 12v on ours disables the 3 way fridge, so it 'has' to be left on.
Iirc caravan council say 12v should be off when driving, so many UK built vans disable it.

 

[wildebus]

Do you drive with your van hab 12vt left on?

Always.
I do make sure the water pump is turned off though as if that is left on and water level is at around 50% or less, can get an alarm for zero water as it moves around the level sensor.

 

[saxonborg]

Sometimes when I forget to switch it off.

 

[Val54]

Switching off the 12v on ours disables the 3 way fridge, so it 'has' to be left on.
Iirc caravan council say 12v should be off when driving, so many UK built vans disable it.

Likewise regarding the fridge, I've never considered turning it off, is there a good reason for doing so?

 

[mistericeman]

Ours turns off automatically unless I pull the fuse ....
And then the auto step retract doesn't operate .

Can't think of a reason I'd need power to stay on to be honest .

 

[Wooie1958]

As soon as I start the engine, mine turn off automatically even if the switch is on

Likewise

The step retracts, any lights automatically go out and the water pump is disabled, the fridge happily runs on 12v if it's set on the selector switch to though when driving

 

[Robmac]

Usually Gordon.

 

[Wooie1958]

Ours turns off automatically unless I pull the fuse ....
And then the auto step retract doesn't operate .

Can't think of a reason I'd need power to stay on to be honest .

The step and the 12v power to the fridge are normally on the same fuse.

 

[mistericeman]

The step and the 12v power to the fridge are normally on the same fuse.

Binned the daft caravan fridge ages back for a 240v/victron inverter ....

Fuse I pulled (out of curiosity) disables relay that controls all of habitation electrics ..

BUT I stuck it back in as didn't see any point in having habitation electrics working as we drive .

 

[Glandwr]

Mine stays on and I do a lot of charging via 12v sockets. What's the advantage of having it off?

 

[Tonybvi]

Always - part of our “pre-departure” check is to ensure 12v is off. Probably not necessary but I feel happier doing it (mainly to disable the water pump if anything goes wrong).

 

[Nesting Zombie]

Do you drive with your van hab 12vt left on?

No,
I tend to do a ‘PRE Drive’ Check (Lockers, Windows, Hatches, gas, 12v internal Doors & Fridge Locked, Secret & Emergency Donut storage Levels ect)
The Engine Priority is to the Main Engine Battery & Chills the Fridge while Driving, My Solar Charges the Hab battery while driving (Not got a Split charge relay ).
Have you had problems then Matey ?

 

[colinm]

What's the advantage of having it off?

I believe the original theory from caravan council was to avoid interference of vehicle electrics, but after decades of driving with the hab electric on I've never had a problem.

 

[mark61]

Always on when touring, water off sometimes. Gas off

When not away, I may turn electrics off, but often I don't.

 

[wildebus]

No,
I tend to do a ‘PRE Drive’ Check (Lockers, Windows, Hatches, gas, 12v internal Doors & Fridge Locked, Secret & Emergency Donut storage Levels ect)
The Engine Priority is to the Main Engine Battery & Chills the Fridge while Driving, My Solar Charges the Hab battery while driving (Not got a Split charge relay ).
Have you had problems then Matey ?

How do you manage in the winter with no alternator battery charging? EHU every day? (I can't imagine the solar will put enough charge in?)

 

[Snapster]

12v electrics on, gas on. We have a crash protection unit that allows gas to be on when driving, but before that, we never turned the gas off.
We had a U.K. built van a few years ago that automatically turned the 12v off when the engine was started.

 

[Robmac]

Usually Gordon.

I should add that it depends on if I even think about it whenever we drive the van, also if we have stuff in our compressor fridge I tend to leave it on for long journeys.

The only time I make sure I turn it off is when we get home.