Wires to thin or wrong batteries??

Yes

;-))

My weaco did the exact same thing with the prado, the wires on the standard plug are too small, you need to run new wires direct from the battery, myn use to run ok while the vehicle was running but when I turned the motor off and left on acc the error light would come on the fridge. Hope this helps you out. Regards Steve

The Waeco plug is fine it's the wiring from the front to the rear of the car that is the issue. As the wire is just to thin to carry enough current to allow the compressor to start. This is also why Waeco produce a wiring loom as this will over come the problem. As mentioned above, you can connect the fridge directly to a loom, I have done just that and run a dedicated 8mm loom By doing that I get 2.5 days out of my 105 amp battery.

Also. Did you check that the voltage regulator was set to low on the fridge. If it was set to high it would trip out very easy

I went all through this recently. make sure you rewire with the Waeco RAPS R12U kit. Then you know you have the correct size wire fittings and fuses. Its all ready made up and you can just use the old wiring to pull it through the chassis.

One of the members here gave me a good deal on Waeco.

Its a volt drop problem.
If you want to send me the model number of the Waeco or its compressor load and your length of cable run, I will do the calcs and size the cable for you

Regards Dennis

Hi Doc,
A very common problem with waeco fridges is a voltage drop in the actual fridge. The problem is in whats called the poli fuse. I know this because my fridge is currently being repaired at the moment by a 12volt fridge specialist at Doonside. The symptoms you describe are exactly what happened to my fridge after about two years of faultless running. If you live anywhere near Doonside you could take your vehicle to him, because the first thing he did when I arrived with my fridge was to load test the fridge battery & wireing in one test. It took less than 30 seconds, & in my case he determined straight away that the battery & wireing were OK to run a fridge from that point. He then went on to discover a faulty poli fuse. If you need his phone number let me know, you may be lucky & not have anything wrong with the battery or wireing.

The Waeco 110 is just a taller version of the Waeco 80lt , both use the Danfoss BD50 compressor , correct wire size from battery to fridge is parramount to avoid voltage drop , the fridge has a switch next to the power input labelled , Eco - Normal - High , this switch controls the speed setting for the compressor -2000rpm -2500rpm -3000rpm and hit the Turbo button=3500rpm , nothing to do with LOW voltage as some suggest ,,,,,
Power usage is in the high range 64+ amp hrs per 24 hrs , ergo even a 100 amp hr battery is 'good' for only 1 day unless recharged.
No matter which brand / size fridge you have decided to obtain ,thicker wire both pos + neg is required direct [ with fuse] from the battery ,factory fitted power outlet /cig lighter sockets are like the proverbial t---- on a bull when it comes to fridges.

the Dr

Hi. As BKS in reply 4 above says, buy a Waeco Raps 12R-U2 unit. It is specifically made for Waeco fridges. Engel also make one for their branded fridges.

I fitted a Raps unit and fixed my dramas, and have since recommended a member from here at ExplorOz who is an authorised Waeco agent to bks and also another EO member. They cost around $119 plus postage (unless things have changed) and they come complete with everything you need and are very easy to install.

I would highly recommend you fit one and this should solve your standard thin wiring dramas that vehicle manufacturers put in so you are ready to fit your new Waeco fridge when you get it. If you want the details of the EO member here who supplies these (and other gear) let me know your email address and i will forward it onto him (no affiliation etc, just highly recommend his service, honesty and advice)

Information here: Waeco Raps 12R -U2 kit

cheers mick....

Hi Doc,

I agree with all that's been said, but I think you might do better with a dedicated deep cycle battery and a heavy duty cranking battery. I suspect that you you would be killing the cranking battery that you have been using for the fridge. I have just been through this exercise with a 200 series cruiser and actually installed a third battery under the bonnet in my previous 100 series. No room for a third in the 200....

Hope this helps.

Regards

Chris.

the Dr,
You have the answer with-in your question
is just a matter of narrowing it down even further

"Now, whilst on the road the fridge worked a treat.
As soon as we'd stop though, up she goes!!!
A few on the trip said the batteries are insufficient and others said the wiring to the aux power outlet in the rear is too thin to cope with the load of a big fridge"

As I believe this happened 2 years ago it's unfortunately not practical to recheck the situation now.

Because you have stated: "whilst on the road the fridge worked a treat.
As soon as we'd stop though, up she goes"

I would suggest it’s definitely the “standard factory dual CRANKING batteries” causing the problem :-)

Reason being, the battery would have been charged, because you’ve been driving and as soon as you turn off the ignition, stopping the alternator sending current to the battery system, also indirectly powering the fridge, you have only the battery to power the fridge and the fridge temperature goes up.

The cabling is the same when the alternator is powering everything or the battery, so I believe it’s not the major cause, although it may have *some contribution* which at this late stage can't be proven or tested.

Can I suggest the “standard factory dual CRANKING batteries” may have been run down and/or sulphated just once too often, causing them to not hold voltage?

Maîneÿ . . .

The wiring in the rear of a 100ser is definitely toooooo small to run a fridge

You need at least 6mm2 to stop voltage drop.

As stated a raps 12 will fix the problem I have one and have run my fridge in the car for the last 13months and have had no trouble

Im surprised you couldnt actually smell the wires running hot and it may pay to check that some of the insulation hasnt melted.

It would be extremely unlikely to be the batteries if the car was starting OK