Vitrifrigio Problems

Sounds like it's not getting enough volts while plugged into 12 volts.

Check the voltage as close as you can to the fridge when the fridge motor is running, most of this type of fridge have a low voltage cut out at about 11 to 11.5 volts, so if your line voltage drops below that the thing will stop for a period, then start up again till it senses the voltage has dropped again and so on and so on.

Thanks for that,checked at the frig with a multi meter and the unit kicks in at 12.43v and then draws down to 10.5v then trips,its approx 5mtrs from frig to batteries and has been fitted with 6ml supply wire.

HI All Clear. Can I void all the answers above please. We have had the same problem with our new Vitrifrigo fridge in our new van. We could not get our fridge below 9.9 degrees. The compressor was starting for 10 seconds and then cut out. We had the fridge dial on 6, and nothing helped to cool it down. Everything was going off in the fridge and it was a night mare. I was in tears with it out of pure frustration. Exactly the same as your problems. Finally got a fridge guy out to have a look who KNEW SOMETHING ABOUT THEM. Problem was.......................

Have a look at where your thermostat is. In the fridge part, at the top you have a slide out plastic drip tray. Slide that out and have a look at where your thermostat little doovey is. It will be up the top touching the ice that forms under the freezer, in the fridge section. Therefor it is getting a false reading.

Our fridge guy moved it and now we have the fridge dial on "1", and the tempreture sits around 1 - 2 degrees. We have had temps in the 40's last week and the hottest the fridge got was 3 degrees. Our compressor now runs for ages, the way it should. And the fridge is chock a block and still runs at 1 or 2 degrees, it is great.

Go on, go out and check where your thermostat is and then come back and let me know. You can give us a call if you like. 0418187300.
Karen

To answer some of the prev threads,I have been dealing with the Manufacturer and Dealer and they are investigating ,they say they haven't experienced this sort of problem before...(doesnt that sounds familiar!)

The van is new with 3 x 115v batteries and 3 X 120 w solar panels so I wouldnt think power supply not a problem,however the delivery from batteries to frig might be suspect,maybe 6ml wire is too light.

Karen,The frig isnt cold so I would think thermo not a problem however I will check and give you a ring ,do you know what sort a gauge your wiring is?

Lots of advice.

Here's my 2 cents worth and it's simple.

1 Is it the fridge, wiring or battery????

2 If 240V is converted to 12V before the fridge (I assume this the case)

3 IF your fridge runs off 240 V via transformer to the fridge

THEN run on 240V and check DC V AT FRIDGE.
THEN leave voltmeter connected and turn 240V OFF and check DC V AT FRIDGE

IF significant voltage drop the test above with checking battery V at the battery will be relevant versus battery V at the Fridge

Voltage drop could easily be wiring -- when you say 6mm wiring do mean 6mm diameter of 6 square mm cross section???

MY Vitrifugo book for the 150l with Danfoss BDF50 compressor says a 6 square mm cable is rated to 6m length only.

If you have the same compressor you could conclude that the same SHOULD apply otherwise you may need to go to 10 sqaure mm cable.

Have a look in the book anyway in regard to cable.

BUT steps above should point to the problem.

Cheers Baz

Mate, have a look at the connections that are down the edge of the compressor. There is a wiring block with a number of spade inputs that may or may not contact correctly. It will depend on the quality of fittings your manufacturer used. I have replaced some of the original ones supplied by Vertifrigio but they are all close enough together to find it difficult to track which is which.

I know the symptoms of the compressor starting and the fan not cooling, which then trips it out. Best to ensure you get an easy access to that area of your caravan if you need to access it again.

Good to use some electrical contact cleaner too to help improve the contact.

Hi All Clear,
We had the same problem with our new vitrifrigio 8months ago (re thread 67481) the battery dropped under 12vts then the fridge just kept trying to cut in but wouldn't hold. The problem with these fridges is they like to be direct wired and ours wasn't. It had a Mobitronic rectifier attached also so that it would run off 240vts with out us having to switch over. Did a lot of research with help from people on here, plus camec(who sell them) and fridge mechanics and they all said we needed to direct wire it. The cable is now directly run through to our batteries and we took away the rectifier. These fridges don't like rectifiers on them. We had asked to have extra heavy duty wiring on the fridge when we had the van made but it wasn't done heavy enough. Since then we have very heavy cabling and we have no problems at all with the temperature.
The only thing we are not happy with now is that it always seems to be cutting in every 15 minutes even during the evening when the fridge is not being opened. I understand that they will cut in a lot during the hot days but compared to other fridges we still think that it is cutting in too much and has anyone else had this problem. We have only just come back off another trip and am now looking into this. We find that it has to be up to at least 5 to keep the freezer working properly. Even on cool days its always cutting in every 15minutes and running for 5minutes. You never miss it as it triggers interference with the radio.
Cheers Red Tail Black

OK All clear - it's good to hear you are taking van back to manufacturer.

Knowledge is powerfull so I'll give you some info to show the manufacturer that you have done your homework.

1 This link shows a 10 metre cable run to fridge (from AND back to the battery - so make sure it's not longer) with say a 6 amp fridge current REQUIRES A WIRE WITH A CROSS SECTION OF 4.6 mm2 (square mm) MINIMUM.

http://www.rpc.com.au/products/efn/efn133.pdf

2 This link calcualtes that with up to 5% voltage drop (ie the recommended maximum), AND 10m run length of wire AND maximum current of 6A, AND 12V system you need a minimum cable of 4.6 mm2 (wire only NOT platic PVC coating).

http://www.kilowatts.com.au/calculator-voltage-drop.php

So IT could be assumed that the MINIMUM size wire you need is 4.6 mm2 if the fridge draws 6A. IF it draws higher A use this figure to calculate wire size.

SO HOW DOES THIS HELP YOU.

3 This link shows that AS A RULE OF THUMB IF YOU CUT THE WIRE AND MEASURE THE DIAMETER OF THE WIRE ONLY (not the PVC) for a 4.6mm2 wire the diameter should be almost 3mm.

You have to use column 4 - metric wire size in mm2, and go down till you look between 4 mm2 and 6 mm2. Then go the the right column and see the approximate diameter in mm.

http://www.simetric.co.uk/siwire_elect.htm

Ask the manufaturer to show you some wire they use ie a sample and you can have someone with a vernier guage measure it for you.

Hope this is not too daunting for you ,,,, it is not intended to be. BUT if you have some idea (background info) and IF the numbers above are correct you will know that IF they use 6mm2 cable it should be OK.

Cheers Baz