caravan fridge

Submitted: Friday, Jun 16, 2006 at 19:44
ThreadID: 34990 Views:2531 Replies:5 FollowUps:1
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I hope someone can help me. I want to run my 3way caravan fridge on 12v from my 3l turbo diesel RA Rodeo ute alternator.
I have installed two 6mm wires, (negative and positive) from an anderson plug at the front of my van to a 12v power point inside the van, just for the fridge. I have also put 6mm wires (neg and pos) from the engine bay to an anderson plug connection at the rear of the ute.
My problem is, how do I connect up the wires in the engine bay? Can I connect directly to the alternator terminals after connecting to a 20amp circuit breaker? I thought that the fridge could be run only when the Rodeo engine is running and therefore have no chance of flattening the vehicles battery when the engine is stopped.
Could someone please advise me on the above problem please?
Regards, Lorry.

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Reply By: Member - Matt M (ACT) - Friday, Jun 16, 2006 at 20:09

Friday, Jun 16, 2006 at 20:09
Lorry,

Plenty more knowledgeable on the electrics front than me on this forum, but I think you would be asking for trouble running the fridge directly from your alternator. Fit a battery isolator (Redarc for eg) and the fuse (or fuseable link) and run the fridge from that. Fridge will run off the battery and avoid the power surges I imagine your alternator will produce, and the isolator will protect your battery from flattening.

Matt.
AnswerID: 178841

Reply By: Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Friday, Jun 16, 2006 at 21:18

Friday, Jun 16, 2006 at 21:18
Hi Lorry

You are heading for heartbreak.

Give me a ring. You need an isolator at very least a relay /solenoid.

Regards Derek.
AnswerID: 178857

Reply By: steve - Friday, Jun 16, 2006 at 21:21

Friday, Jun 16, 2006 at 21:21
just a thought. you could buy a simple solanoid. connect the pos from your starter battery to one side of the solanoid big terminals. connect the power wire for your fridge to the other big terminal. connect the neg from fridge to your neg on the battery. and of course a power wire to activate the solianoid from a source that only has power when your ignition is on.

Simsy
AnswerID: 178858

Follow Up By: Ray Bates - Friday, Jun 16, 2006 at 21:45

Friday, Jun 16, 2006 at 21:45
That's what I have done
0
FollowupID: 435171

Reply By: 98Jack - Friday, Jun 16, 2006 at 22:28

Friday, Jun 16, 2006 at 22:28
Hey lorry,

My oldman has hooked up an aux battery in the front boot of his van, configured basically the same as if it was under his bonnet, and runs his van fridge from that battery.

his auto electrcian wired it all up via an anderson plug, he's been around Aus and several short trips without it failing.

cheers,
Barry
AnswerID: 178872

Reply By: Member - DOZER- Saturday, Jun 17, 2006 at 20:00

Saturday, Jun 17, 2006 at 20:00
Lorry
Running straight off the alt is possible, and will result in more volts getting to the fridge, but you will need a relay to switch it on once the motor gets going and the alt charging. However, it would be better to connect to a aux battery and do it that way, for the following reasons.
12v on a 3 way is real inefficient.hooking up with large cables helps, but not much....as far as comparison with gas goes....there is no comparison on fridge performance on either 240 or gas to 12v
Having the fridge off while the motor is off, will raise the inside temp up on the fridge, you dont want that...because 12v wont chill it back down, but will keep it steady...
Lastly, these fridges dont like being out of level at all....
Andrew
AnswerID: 178977

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