Pioneer
Guest
Deleted member 207
Guest
Simple things first - as previously said check the fuse on the fridge circuit.
If thats OK then start checking the 12V wiring to the fridge and see if it has come adrift somewhere. I've had a broken connection that could cope with lighting the gas but could not handle the 12V operation.
After that its really a case of either accepting no 12V operation or having someone who can work on your fridge.
Check that your leisure battery can cope with the load as well - a bad leisure battery only producing 50% output wont help.
There are so many variants of fridges its a bit hard to be more specific without make and model.
12V operation of most older Electrolux/Dometic(?) fridges is a bit weak, they really only maintain temperature and do not effectively cool down a warm fridge.
There is a US based website that has repair manuals for fridges at Dometic refrigerators - Download Dometic Manuals which can really help. Just bear in mind that they operate on 120V mains in the USA.
If thats OK then start checking the 12V wiring to the fridge and see if it has come adrift somewhere. I've had a broken connection that could cope with lighting the gas but could not handle the 12V operation.
After that its really a case of either accepting no 12V operation or having someone who can work on your fridge.
Check that your leisure battery can cope with the load as well - a bad leisure battery only producing 50% output wont help.
There are so many variants of fridges its a bit hard to be more specific without make and model.
12V operation of most older Electrolux/Dometic(?) fridges is a bit weak, they really only maintain temperature and do not effectively cool down a warm fridge.
There is a US based website that has repair manuals for fridges at Dometic refrigerators - Download Dometic Manuals which can really help. Just bear in mind that they operate on 120V mains in the USA.
888dee
Guest
this sounds very much like the problem I have with mine which I'm currently trying to figure out, I think it maybe down to a faulty split charge relay but I need to find the damned thing to confirm the theory, this is not helped by the leccy panel being in german 
what I have is
engine off, front battery 12.7v, rear 12.6v
engine running front battery 14.4v, rear 12.6v, doesn't seem to matter what I do with the panel no increase in voltage on the rear battery to suggest charging
my current fear is the split charge relay is part of the panel.
what I have is
engine off, front battery 12.7v, rear 12.6v
engine running front battery 14.4v, rear 12.6v, doesn't seem to matter what I do with the panel no increase in voltage on the rear battery to suggest charging
my current fear is the split charge relay is part of the panel.
Deleted member 207
Guest
Have you by any chance got a Hymer, as I had a similar fault and everybody but everybody told me that it was the relay
Peter Hambilton told me that Hymer in their wisdom (not) fit one Scotch Lock and that would be the problem and IT WAS
Whenever I've had problems with 12V circuits it usually ends up with one of those dammed Scotch Locks.
888dee
Guest
not a hymer but very similar, a frankia 730 on a peugeot frame
oldiebutgoodie
Guest
The battery shouldn't come into the equation - the 12v fridge power should come come from the alternator when the engine is running only.It should still work without a leisure battery.
" I've had a broken connection that could cope with lighting the gas but could not handle the 12V operation."
The connection for lighting the gas should be from the leisure battery not the power for the 12v fridge cooling - two different circuits.
Methinks your wiring needs looking at!
Deleted member 3011
Guest
Would help us to know exactly what van you have - make and chassis type.
Has it ever worked since you bought it. May not even have the 12V supply installed. Easiest way to check is -
If you have a meter or test lamp, check that you do have power to the junction box on the back of the fridge. Remove the outside bottom vent to get access.
MAKE SURE THE 240V IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE VAN
This way you will know which direction to start fault finding. Don't forget to check any chassis earthing associated with the fridge connections as well
If there is power there then it might be the selector switch, a bad connection within the fridge wiring or more likely, the 12V heater has burnt out.
If there is no power at the back of the fridge then first make sure conditions are correct for there to be power there. As others have pointed out, normally the 12V fridge circuit is only powered up when the engine is running and sometimes this only happens if the engine battery has had a chance to charge up after starting the engine. Sometimes there is a light comes on on the habitation control panel to show that 12V is being supplied by the engine.
Every motorhome has a different system so it becomes a problem of how they wired it and where the components are. Proceed logically and don't start ripping things apart. The solution is most likely very simple.
Has it ever worked since you bought it. May not even have the 12V supply installed. Easiest way to check is -
If you have a meter or test lamp, check that you do have power to the junction box on the back of the fridge. Remove the outside bottom vent to get access.
MAKE SURE THE 240V IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE VAN
This way you will know which direction to start fault finding. Don't forget to check any chassis earthing associated with the fridge connections as well
If there is power there then it might be the selector switch, a bad connection within the fridge wiring or more likely, the 12V heater has burnt out.
If there is no power at the back of the fridge then first make sure conditions are correct for there to be power there. As others have pointed out, normally the 12V fridge circuit is only powered up when the engine is running and sometimes this only happens if the engine battery has had a chance to charge up after starting the engine. Sometimes there is a light comes on on the habitation control panel to show that 12V is being supplied by the engine.
Every motorhome has a different system so it becomes a problem of how they wired it and where the components are. Proceed logically and don't start ripping things apart. The solution is most likely very simple.
Deleted member 207
Guest
The battery shouldn't come into the equation - the 12v fridge power should come come from the alternator when the engine is running only.It should still work without a leisure battery.
" I've had a broken connection that could cope with lighting the gas but could not handle the 12V operation."
The connection for lighting the gas should be from the leisure battery not the power for the 12v fridge cooling - two different circuits.
Methinks your wiring needs looking at!
Some fridges maybe designed to work direct from the Alternator - but its not the normal method of wiring a 12/240/LPG Electrolux fridge in my experience. The whole idea of having the 12V operation is that it can be used without the engine running for short(ish) periods, sort of defeats the point of having 12V if you have to have the engine running all the time.
The Electrolux wiring diagrams only include a single 12V power source to the distribution junction box (where the connector on mine failed) on top of the fridge. I can understand a fridge being powered from an alternator if there is no leisure battery, the vehicle starting battery would soon be flattened on 12V operation. But additional circuits would have to be installed to use the 12V thermostat and electronic ignition (if fitted) when the engine was not running to operate the fridge on LPG.
walkers
Guest
neither of the 2 motorhomes I have had have had a fridge that works off 12v when the engines turned off. (Swift and Hymer)
oldiebutgoodie
Guest
I think that you will find that the idea of using 12v is so that you are not travelling with the fridge operating on gas with all the attendant risks thereby incurred. It is the normal method of wiring.Why on earth would you wish to flatten your battery in preference to using gas when stationary? The 12v side is far less efficient than either 240v or gas.
Deleted member 3011
Guest
Hi Roger, probably a continental thing because my Hobby only has supply to the fridge when the ignition is turned on - and then it is only powered from the alternator via the engine battery.
Doing anything else - other than having some sort of time delay or low voltage cutout, would run a real risk of running either the engine or leisure battery flat. Too easy to get distracted and spend a few hours away instead of an hour.
Doing anything else - other than having some sort of time delay or low voltage cutout, would run a real risk of running either the engine or leisure battery flat. Too easy to get distracted and spend a few hours away instead of an hour.
lizzieh
Guest
It's a Swift Lifestyle 590 and yes the fridge did work on 12v with the engine on when we got the van in March.
We are going to get the battery tested, perhaps it's that simple.
Thanks all the help from everyone. Much appreciated.
We are going to get the battery tested, perhaps it's that simple.
Thanks all the help from everyone. Much appreciated.