What is wrong with this Waeco

Thanks David,

The wiring might be the problem. Is there some way to check the amps through the wire, my multimeter has ohms but I'm not sure how that works, only ever used it to check voltage.

I think the battery is ok. My brother used the it on his engel and it ran for 4 days.

Regards
Geoff

check your voltage at the fridge and battery with fridge running...ideal scenario is bugger all voltage drop between the two

Flynnie just beat me to it!
Also forgot to mention - your fridge needs a good connection to earth - some run a lead back to the battery, others earth to the body, having cleaned off the paint on a bolt hole, vaseline it and attached the earth cable.

I had these problems, but they were rectified with heavy (6mm2) wiring from a Waeco wire pack.
They are about $100, they provide proper wiring and two plugs (one Navra one cigarette) with switching for "on all times" and "on only at acc". Undoubtedly you could probably make them yourself cheaper.

Not heard of any 4WD with standard wiring adequate to run a 40+L fridge. Without the heavy duty wiring loom, you may as well think of them as a poor esky when you don't have the ignition on. They only tell you these things after you buy the fridge and in small print! You should install heavy duty wiring instead of buying the insulating jackets.

My CF50 in 35C max days will run for 3+ days on 130Ahr battery on my CT when I switch off the low voltage option (but I may be shortening the life of the battery in the process).

Thats what a Rps 12 does .
As described above

read RAPS 12

I have just done the same thing a couple of weeks ago. On the last two trips I noticed the error light flashing for low voltage when I knew the battery was charged. Out with the multimeter and I discovered a 1V drop across the cigarette plug. I have replaced the cigarette plug fitting previously because it had partly melted at the tip and now I know why.

I have now replaced it with a 50amp anderson plug and it runs perfectly.

Hey ROB

for most novices we see a "lovely" neat cigarette lighter socket set up in the back of our vehicle, so find it hard to see how a similarly neat job can be done when fitting anderson plug setup.

If you have a length of cable running from the fridge to the anderson plug, and then add another length of cable from the battery and leave it 'hang out' in the rear cabin, it could get messy or be dangerous if left lying in a position where it could be worn through or cut accidently by the other stuff thats stored in the cabin

Do you simply leave the plug and cable (from the battery) tucked away somewhere in the back of your 4by or is there a way of fitting the anderson plug so that it sits nice and neat, flush with a rear internal panel?

Just wondering if you (or someone else) have a photo/video you can post here or maybe email that shows a neat setup of the installed anderson plug?

Thanks Mick

My RAPS12 is attached to the cargo barrier and has never been knocked or damaged and have hauled the fridge out at least twice a week for the last 190 months

PradOz,
In the back of my 80 series there is an ashtray on the drivers side rear wagon area. I mounted the anderson plug within that ashtray so when not in use I just shut the ashtray. I saw that on an American 4wd website.

Rob

Thanks Rob - very clever, now you have me thinking, cheers Mick

Tony,
Run a dual core (2x6mm) cable from the battery to the outlet where the fridge is. Meaning red goes to positive and black wire to negative on battery. If you only run the fridge of this you should be fine. But, as I stated earlier, the Waeco lead is no good, unless the engine is running where there is more amps flowing.
To do a simple test with the standard lead, plug it in and fire up the fridge for 10 minutes or so. Then remove the 'cigarette' plug and feel the -ve tip....I bet it will be very hot. That is because it makes a very poor contact. With the anderson plugs they make such a good connection that they never get hot as they conduct electricity very well. That is where the majority of fridge issues lie.

Rob

Tony,
in the above I meant to say feel the +ve tip. it will be hot.


Cut the lead at the fridge end leaving an inch or so of old cable.
Solder a length of 6mm cable to the plug (making sure you get the polarity correct) and terminate the end with a 50amp anderson plug.
Just before the anderson plug, solder in a Fuse holder and use a 7.5amp blade type fuse.
You will also need to install a 50amp anderson plug in the vehicle where the fridge gets it's power from.This is what I've done and I use an Exide Extreme battery as the auxillary in my 80 Setries. No bull, I can leave it running for up to 6 days and it has never seen an error light since I did this.

ROb

Hi TONY

Can be a bit baffling all this 12V wiring stuff & batteries etc etc hey!

Maybe someone can point you (and the rest of us) towards somewhere on EO that has a drawing/diagram showing exactly what Rob suggests you do. It sounds quite simple and something we should do from a safety point of view if the standard cigarette socket overheats etc.

I have seen some simple and neat diagrams on here that were from Derek from ABR - SIDEWINDER which clearly show the layman exactly what is required, so maybe he or someone else has done a suitable diagram that explains this better. "A picture paints a thousand words etc"

Or better still maybe someone can post a photo(s) or short video of what is required & their finished install?

Would be great for the many novices on EO

cheers MICK

"Then remove the 'cigarette' plug and feel the -ve tip....I bet it will be very hot. That is because it makes a very poor contact. With the anderson plugs they make such a good connection that they never get hot as they conduct electricity very well. That is where the majority of fridge issues lie. "

Yep. Cig Plugs depend totally on the pressure of the plug being held in the socket for the centre-pin contact - they were never meant for continuous duty - Andersons maintain excellent contact pressure. Cig Plugs are brass, Andersons are silver.

At the actual compressor is the most accurate way however the lead mod that I described will solve the problem.

Also, some Waeco's were manufactured with the wrong size thermal fuse in them which cut out at 5amps. Waeco change these under warranty to a 9amp thermal fuse.