fridge won't work on 12 v (1 Viewer)

nannas-boy

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Please can anyone help us, our fridge works fine on mains and on gas but won't work on 12v, wonder what the problem can be? Everything else works fine on 12 v
 

pappajohn

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a fridge will ONLY work on 12v when the engine is running.

it draws too much current to be left on 12v...it will flatten a 110ah battery in around 6hrs.

don't expect it to cool down a warm fridge either......the 12v circuit is purely to maintain the temperature of a pre-cooled fridge.
 
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Snowbird

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Could be several things. Have you checked the fuse. Also the 12 volt heating element could have burnt out.

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Snowbird

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could be at cross purposes Dave, but the O/P's wording points to not working on 12v without the engine running....which of course it wont. :RollEyes:
Doesn't say anything about engine not running on my pooter.
 

pappajohn

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Doesn't say anything about engine not running on my pooter.
doesnt on mine either Dave...but reading between the lines he says it works on hookup and gas.....so assumed he meant he'd tried it on 12v on leisure batteries alone.

we need an update from the O/P to confirm.

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Terry

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Just to clarify the fridge is normally/should only work on 12v while engine is running ::bigsmile: this is usually done via a relay from the engine bay close to the battery or alternator :Smile:
terry
 
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nannas-boy

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fridge won't work on 12v

Thank you so much for your quick replies, yes I was meaning with engine off it woudn't work on 12v, so maybe that answers my question that ,it is not supposed to work on 12v, only works on 12v with engine running ( which in fact it does).

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pappajohn

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Thank you so much for your quick replies, yes I was meaning with engine off it woudn't work on 12v, so maybe that answers my question that ,it is not supposed to work on 12v, only works on 12v with engine running ( which in fact it does).
another happy funster :roflmto:

well worth the subs, eh !!! :thumb:
 
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nannas-boy

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fridge won't work on 12v

You are such helpful people on this site, thank you very much for your answers, much appreciated.
 

Snowbird

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A tip here is to chill the fridge down on mains at home overnight if possible as they never work as well on 12volt as they do on gas or mains.

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wivvy's dad

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My understanding is that a fridge working on 12volt will only maintain the temperature it is at...i.e., ambient or below.

It will not actually refrigerate, only maintain a temperature.

So if it has been running on gas or hookup to a temperature - say - 10 degrees below ambient, it will maintain that temperature.

But only when the engine is running.

Then again, newer fridges - of which I have no experience - may work normally on 12volt.
 

Kayold

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I always find 12v fridge running has one temp, cold! Perhaps I've been blessed! I always thought 12v runs a fridge with no therm't cut out ie running all the time the engine is running., therefore when you get wherever you are going, it's well chilled (gosh, sound like I'm 14!) That said as a matter of course I always put the fridge on mains before I leave to cool , but didn't in bygone younger times and still no probs.
 
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Jul 28, 2010
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NO such problems in the American big fridge/freezers as they are only main or gas
they run quite happy on gas whilst driving keeping the grog chilled and the chips frozen for months

just have to keep topping up the gas tank
what a bloody pain in the ass these all dancing RVs are :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

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Apr 27, 2008
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I always find 12v fridge running has one temp, cold! Perhaps I've been blessed! I always thought 12v runs a fridge with no therm't cut out ie running all the time the engine is running., therefore when you get wherever you are going, it's well chilled (gosh, sound like I'm 14!) That said as a matter of course I always put the fridge on mains before I leave to cool , but didn't in bygone younger times and still no probs.

Quite agree. Every van I have the fridge works best on 12v. There is no thermostat so possible to freeze up on a long drive though it has never happened to me. 360mile trip in France the fridge was down to 0.5C so close. (I have a dual thermometer for Fridge and Freezer which gives some peace of mind that they are working £17 fleabay)
I have always put the more efficient operation down to forced ventilation of the back of the fridge due to the motion of the vehicle as apart from this everything else is pretty equal between the three 'fuels'.
 

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