# 12v fridge - flat battery



## travelsRus (Mar 1, 2007)

We've just bought an autotrail v-line 610 sport. It has a 12v fridge which we (wrongly) assumed ran off the leisure batteries. Woke up this morning after 2 nights of wild camping to find the vehicle battery as flat as a pancake. The leisure batteries were both full.

Anyone know if there is a way to switch the power source from vehicle to leisure battery.

We are in Spain at the moment & had intended stopping off in the andulucian mountains but are sticking to campsites.

Any advice more than welcome

Chris


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Does it have a selector switch to go to gas Chris, it should be a flame symbol, the fridge should run from 12v, but the engine needs to be running.

Can you tell us the model number of the fridge, it will be inside some where, usually near the door aperture, but could also be on the back wall inside it, we'll be able to help more then.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

There is usually a relay involved which turns the fridge loading off if the vehicle engine isn't running.

It wouldn't be part of the base vehicle setup, so it is possibly an add-on fitted by a previous owner?

Have a look and see if you can trace the fridge power wiring back to the relay or the main fuseboard.

Peter


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

Looking at the Autotrail spec I suspect it's a 12v compressor fridge.

I would have expected it to be wired from the leisure battery without any relay involved (other than the normal one to start charging the leisure battery once the engine is running). 

Do you have a facility on the control panel to change the 12v supply to the habitation circuits from the leisure battery to the vehicle battery (there is on my Autotrail). I'm wondering if the wrong battery has been selected and everything, including the fridge, is running from the engine battery.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Beware of running a 12v fridge on battery UNLESS the engine is running - they generally take about 7 - 10 amps and if running constantly (which compressor fridges don't) then that will flatten a battery within a few hours.

MOST fridges have settings for different power sources IF they were designed for MH/Caravan use but if designed for a narrow boat for instance, may well ONLY operate off the 12v supply (Narrow boats typically have a bank of leisure batteries with 6 individual batteries).

The "normal" settings are 12v, 249v and gas and most people operate their fridges off gas if not on EHU - the 12v option may not have the thermostat in the circuit either so will just get colder and colder.....

You need to check the fridge and then check if a relay HAS been fitted to cut the 12v supply when the engine stops - that is normal but does need to be working......

Dave


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

Penquin said:


> Beware of running a 12v fridge on battery UNLESS the engine is running - they generally take about 7 - 10 amps and if running constantly (which compressor fridges don't) then that will flatten a battery within a few hours.
> 
> MOST fridges have settings for different power sources IF they were designed for MH/Caravan use but if designed for a narrow boat for instance, may well ONLY operate off the 12v supply (Narrow boats typically have a bank of leisure batteries with 6 individual batteries).
> 
> ...


Dave, It's a 12v compressor fridge so can only run off 12v.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

philoaks said:


> Dave, It's a 12v compressor fridge so can only run off 12v.


Thanks Phil, eyesight is rubbish at present - surgery next Thursday afternoon.... hope to be able to see more than blurred outlines soon.....

As the Spinners song said it's a bit like "Chrysanthemums growing on poles" at present when I see streetlights at night - and no, I am NOT driving..... :surprise:

Dave>


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

I just downloaded the manual for the V Line and it looks like it uses the same control panel as my Dakota. If you look at the bottom row of switches, the 3rd from the left is the one to change over from the leisure battery to the vehicle battery. If you press it the display will show at the bottom which battery is being utilised.

In theory, when not on hookup, it should always be the leisure battery but when on hookup the system sometimes decides to switch to the engine battery (not really a problem because it is being charged anyway). However.........I did notice once that even when the hookup was disconnected the van remained on the vehicle battery.

Something worth checking.










P.S. Because it's right next to a light switch it's also easy to press it accidentally when fumbling for the lights


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