More Waeco Problems

Hi Geoff, sorry to hear of your continuing problems... I remember your previous post.

I wouldn't have a clue regarding what might be the cause of the problem, but there was a link to an article re checking batteries on here a little while ago. I had a look, very good info, and I think it tells you how to check the battery with a multimeter.

Try here.
Battery Info

Hope this is of some help,

Dave

When we had a problem with our 40lt Waeco I asked for advice here on the forum

Well.................so many bright ideas, in depth knowledge and miscelleaneous answers. I even replaced the battery of the Xtrail under guidance only to find out I needn't have.

In the end I took the Waeco to the authorised repairer for this area ...a cool 220km round trip and after a second go at it, he got it right. It was a Waeco fault and it cost nothing under a warranty claim. Even if your fridge is out of warranty a warranty claim may be valid as Waeco were supplied with faulty parts (that's what they told me) for a range of models

Now its running fine and has been for the past 2 years.

My Engel in the Patrol just keeps purring along.........LOL


Cheers

Geoff

With my numerous problems over the years I have found that if it runs OK on 240V, then it was 12V power supply to your fridge.

Check that at home and if it runs well, look towards your vehicle battery, wiring, cigarette lighter connection.

Mark

Buy an Engel

G,day. I don't have time to sit and read, if you like send me your Model and size ? where purchased and date, vehicle cig wiring size ? current problem ?

Waeco always comes up trumps over the other brands plus the Military tested the CF-40 AC good enough for them bloody perfect for you.

I will be happy to assist if I can.
Happy Wandering !

Geoff

Not sure if you remember my waeco details we spoke about? Using a battery meter supplied by Derek mine cuts out as soon as it goes below 12.4. In my case with my meter that was 12.39. So I had it switching from on to error back and forth from 12.4 to 12.39 etc until i started the engine and of course all fine again until same scenario arose a short time later.

I believe I either have:

1. low voltage at fridge (10.5) but battery is still at 12.39 when it cuts out - so will replace cable to see what happens; or

2. I do remember someone on here saying to upsize the cable from battery to fridge "power point" and then also cutting the waeco supplied cable about 4 inches from end that plugs into the fridge and then extending it with upsized cable and anderson plug. I remember that fixed others problems; or

3. internal fault within fridge. Some on here and elsewhere have mentioned about internal fuse problems so may need to check that.

I havent got time now to do it but hope to try these things soon. I will be interested to see how things are with any remedy you do. I might move battery meter back to my fridge point and see what I get there.

Where in QLD are you? My BIL took his in while on holidays on Gold Coast and Waeco fixed his overnight (he told them he was only there on hols overnight) and fixed under warranty for free even though it was out of warranty. I cant remember what they said was wrong woth it - will try find out. I would consider taking it in like that if I lived there or was close enough to go there - never know they may help out. Bit far from Sydney.

Cheers Mick

Geoff,

Could be a fridge problem, but to me sounds very like voltage loss in the wiring. This loss is dependent on the current (amps) being drawn by the fridge and the resistance between battery and fridge. Resistance depends on cable size, cable length and any connectors, including the battery terminals. It's often overlooked that the starting current of any electric motor is far higher than the running current, hence voltage losses are higher during starting. It can be hard to get a measurement during this brief interval since a digital meter samples only a few times per second.

If you measure battery voltage at the battery you will not see the actual voltage reaching the fridge. An old trick to measure the voltage in low voltage a cable is to push small pins (dressmakers' pins) through each wire close to the fridge to give you an electrical connection for the meter without permanently destroying the cable. When finished, pull pins out, knead holes shut.

Suggest try running the fridge connected directly to the battery - remove the Hela plug and connect the wires of the Waeco cable directly to the battery terminals being VERY careful to get them the right way round. Clearly mark the positive lead before removing the plug. (I'd then tie a knot in it so it can't be mistaken.) If it isn't performing properly now, and the battery voltage is holding up, it really does have to be a fridge problem.

To answer your question, how to check the battery : My approach is to fully charge the battery, then connect a known load such as a 20 watt light and measure battery voltage periodically as the battery is discharged. A 20W lamp draws a pretty constant current of about 1.8 amps. Find the number of hours it takes for the battery to get down to 11.5 volts. (That's a good stopping point that doesn't discharge the battery too far.) You then know the amps and the hours - multiply them together to get the amphours delivered by the battery to a safe endpoint. The battery should deliver at least half it's rated capacity with this test. If it's much less then you may well have a battery problem. There is no reliable way to determine battery condition without loading it.

(A final note to forestall an argument about ohms law - incandescent lamps draw pretty constant current over quite a wide voltage range. As the voltage drops their filament temperature and consequently resistance drops at about the same rate, hence (roughly) constant current.)

HTH

John

I had a same problem with a Waeco fridge in a caravan. I was checking the voltage at the battery which was OK. Then I checked the voltage at the fridge and found I had 2.1 volts less at startup. Checked the caravan wiring and it was 3mm whereas Waeco advise 6mm minimum. I needed more than 12.6 at the battery to start the Waeco. Got wiring replaced with 8mm and no volt drop at all. Caravan manufacturer would not pay but the dealer did.

Bottom line check voltage at the fridge on startup. I think you will be surprised.

Neil

I asked if you wanted to contact me I am going to the Factory today.

Don't waste ya time call 1800 21 21 21 Fax 07- 5507 6001


I can't say any more .

Happy Wandering !

When we go out a few miles of shore I always take one Engel 30lt , you can't do better than have backup anchor.

( It's like Ford and Holden) PUT A SMILE ON YA DIAL. Don't you see the news Murders, etc every day our Country is going down hill. Just say G,day Smille tomorrow you could be gone and a family member might be stuck with all your stuff. Hope they don't get ya Engel (poor buggers) -:)

Geoff, I have had the same problem (one of many) along with other people I know and found it by checking voltage along the power lead all the way back to the compressor as the replies above state. In regards to your repairer, just give Waeco a call and tell them about your problem and response and ask if there is another repairer. Complaints will go back to the service manager. Dont forget to give them your serial number as a reference. Waeco's warranty starts at the plug. Dave

PS , god help the military

until you can eliminate voltage drop by measure the voltage at the fridge under load we're all going to be struggling to assist.
the reason everyone keeps harping on this point is that in the vast majority of cases voltage drop is the problem.

when you run the fridge in emergency mode the low voltage drop out is not active. so whilst we can deduce that the compressor works and that there is some power reaching the fridge, we can't eliminate the issue of voltage drop.
measuring the voltage at the battery is a good first step, but once you have determined that the battery is ok it doesn't assist in the next step of fault finding.

it may be that there isn't any voltage drop in the rest of the cabling to the fridge, but unless the possibility is eliminated, and you have concerns about returning your fridge to waeco i'm at a loss as to how else to assist.