Fridge not working

[Lionheart71]

Hi everyone, this is probably a simple fix....Well I hope so.....our fridge isn't working when I'm driving. Eg no red light where it shows as battery. And after running it for a bit eg. 30min drive. There's no sign of it cooling down. Any ideas please.
Many thanks in advance.
Mr M BURTON.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Fridges don't usually cool down on 12 v when driving,they just maintain the temperature they were at before you start driving.Check the fuses/ breaker if there is no light .
Does it work ok on gas or EHU?

 

[Eddystone]

Where is the battery symbol you are referring to?

 

[EuroTrotters]

Fridges don't usually cool down on 12 v when driving,they just maintain the temperature they were at before you start driving.Check the fuses/ breaker if there is no light .
Does it work ok on gas or EHU?

They should

 

[kevenh]

They should

Same experience here.
Ours Dometic is pretty decent at cooling on 12v when in driving mode.

Our preparation is 240v running on the drive >3hrs before departing.
Running at 12v is not an option on ours when on a pitch. But gas or 240v work well.

I do need to reapply “heat”thermal paste compound to cooling fins - mostly for piece of mind that it’s been refreshed in the last 14years…

Edit: wasn’t happy with my word choice for the compound

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[GeoffnDee]

Lionheart71 If your Motorhome is an older Talbot based one ? there may be a relay (or two) with fuses near the starter battery that relate to 12v fridge operation with the engine running.

 

[Lionheart71]

Hi everyone thanks for your help. The fridge sign is on the fridge. It did work eg light up and kept it cold. But our recent trip to France. It didn't work. Hence the question. Will check relays near battery.

 

[Lionheart71]

Hi everyone,
After reading your comments I went and had a look. I've found a block of 6 relays that look like it for stuff when engine is running if that makes sense. Does anyone know which one the fridge would be or how do you test them ( if you can ).
Many thanks in advance.
Malc.

 

[autorouter]

The fridge 12V element is usually powered from the starter battery/alternator, via a fuse of about 15A or 20A.

If you can unplug the relay it can be tested. The coil contacts (85 & 86) should have a resistance of a few hundred ohms - not too low and not too high). The power contacts(30 and 87) should have a high resistance when the relay is unpowered. If you apply 12V to the coil, the relay should click on and off as you touch the 12V on and off the coil contacts. When the coil is on, the resistance between the power contacts should drop to a very low value, near zero. (be careful, if you apply +12V across the power contacts you will blow the fuse - or melt the wire if there's no fuse)

If it's a 4-terminal relay, the 87a terminal will be missing, but others are the same.

The split charge relay will have the starter battery voltage on one power contact, and the leisure battery voltage on the other power contact. The fridge relay will also have the SB voltage on one contact, but the other contact should be zero with the engine stopped. The SB and LB voltages may be slightly different, so you can tell which is which.

 

[GeoffnDee]

Lionheart71 There are Swift wiring diagrams showing the relays (and their fuses) that you need to check ,but not their exact position, in the Manuals for Motorhome stuff in the Resources section that is in the top (blue) line of this page. The Swift 2006 diagrams may be similar to your vans wiring or there is a earlier Swift Sundance you could look at.

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[pwilmo]

I think you will find the relay and fuses for this under the Black slopping cover in the centre of the engine compartment, directly facing you when you lift the bonnet, its held on with 2 small nuts and there is/could be a small rubber hose running across the front of the cover help up in 2 clips

These two boxes hold the relays to switch off hab electrics and switch on 12v to fridge, with the lid off and engine on, get someone to turn off the engine , you should here the relay click( or if engine not too loud, someone turn ignition while you listen for relay click) if no click fuse gone somewhere maybe.

I keep my hab electrics live while driving by pulling a wire on one relay but have lost auto -step close ...so have to remember to retract the step manually !!!


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