3 way fridge problem

[Margaretj]

Hi I hope someone can give me advice. I havd a vitrifrigo 3 wsy fridge in my motorhome. It used to work perfectly for all 3 settings. Recently whilst travelling (it was put on electric so very cold before travelling) with it on battery after about an hour every light comes on and flashes and makes a clicking sound. I have no option but to switch the whole thing off and hope everything in the fridge is ok until we reach our destination. Any ideas?????

 

[Campervan_man]

Try it again, if it goes strange after an hour it may be 'an hour' thing ?
Radios can go off after an hour etc
Maybe it's a power saving feature ?

 

[TheBig1]

sounds like the 12v element failed short circuit

 

[pappajohn]

It should only run on 12v with the engine running so if it runs on 12v at any time it's wired incorrectly and it may be the battery is discharged to a point it can't supply enough power to run it.
The clicking is the gas ignitor trying to light the gas option, presumably turned off at the bottle while travelling
If it does only run while the engine is running you have a 12v power problem

 

[DavidG58]

If it has done the same thing several times my ‘guess’ would be the leisure battery can’t cope, is either failing or not getting a charge or enough charge from the engine while running

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[pappajohn]

If it has done the same thing several times my ‘guess’ would be the leisure battery can’t cope, is either failing or not getting a charge or enough charge from the engine while running

3 way fridge shouldn't be wired to the hab battery to start with.

 

[DavidG58]

pappajohn

Some fridges are wired to run on 12V without the engine running, our Hymer being one

 

[DavidG58]

3 way fridge shouldn't be wired to the hab battery to start with.

I am sure ours is though, going away this weekend will try it ?

 

[pappajohn]

pappajohn

Some fridges are wired to run on 12V without the engine running, our Hymer being one

A backward step... Even at 2amp draw (and most are a lot more) its going to flatten a single battery in 24hrs.

 

[DavidG58]

A backward step

Mine is 11 years old and a bit of a one off, so possibly most don’t still ?

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[Margaretj]

It should only run on 12v with the engine running so if it runs on 12v at any time it's wired incorrectly and it may be the battery is discharged to a point it can't supply enough power to run it.
The clicking is the gas ignitor trying to light the gas option, presumably turned off at the bottle while travelling
If it does only run while the engine is running you have a 12v power problem

Leisure battery fully charged. Unlikely to be wired incorrectly as it worked perfectly when we travelled up through Spain and France over 2 days without all lights suddenly coming on. I wondered if the fridge was too cold when we set away. It works fine on gas when we stop and then no problems on mains at sites. Our van is a 2002 model so fairly old.