Can i use leisure battery to keep fridge running while towing?

[Chris1985uk]

As the title reads, I don't have the right socket on my car to run the fridge while I'm towing. I was wondering if it's possible to use the leisure battery to keep it running?

I'm not too worried about draining the battery as I'm always using caravan club sites.

Thanks.

 

[Kevin M]

Even on a long journey, I never give the fridge a 2nd thought. As long as its shut it will keep cool.
Unsure if it works off the leisure battery sorry.

Regards

 

[Jcloughie]

Theoretically yes. But if you let your battery run down it may be damaged. Also,, the cost and effort needed to alter the wiring could go towards doing the job properly.

Plan B might be to use ice packs or frozen milk to try to keep things cool.

John

 

[otherclive]

Cool you fridge down on 240 volts or gas before you leave. And as JC says pack it full of cold food with ice packs as well. It will last a summer journey of a day then plug EHU in on arrival at site.

 

[Woodentop]

What is the "...I don't have the right socket on my car..." supposed to mean? You must have some sort of connection between car and caravan for the lights to work. Are you saying that the car has only one black (12N) socket but your caravan has black (12N) and grey (12S) plugs? If so wiring up a 12S socket to feed the fridge is simple.

To the OP, a bit more detail will help your readers to give you the best/right answer.

 

[Parksy]

What is the "...I don't have the right socket on my car..." supposed to mean? You must have some sort of connection between car and caravan for the lights to work. Are you saying that the car has only one black (12N) socket but your caravan has black (12N) and grey (12S) plugs? If so wiring up a 12S socket to feed the fridge is simple.

To the OP, a bit more detail will help your readers to give you the best/right answer.

Steady on Woodentop.
We like to keep forum discussions polite and friendly here.
I don't know if you meant your reply to appear to be aggressive, but it comes across that way.
You added some useful information after your initial statement which is why I didn't edit or delete your post.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Assuming the caravan's internal wiring has been done to standard, it should not be possible to cool the fridge just using the leisure battery. It certainly is not advisable to wire it that way as it quickly discharge the battery and possibly damage it.

 

[Dustydog]

Does the OP caravan have the 12N and 12S plugs? If yes then as stated by Woodentop fit a 12S socket and wiring with relays.

 

[JTQ]

Even if "correctly" wired our fridges are not going to be very effectively cooled by our car's alternators, the van maker uses too thin a gauge wire for starters.

Plus, most car harnesses are also going to feature too small a gauge wiring, and the car's charging system will only focus on the status of the vehicle's battery, not what a fridge, with its high electrical loading, way at the end of those thin wires might be getting.

A really "correct" rewiring throughout would help, but in most cases the alternator's focus will be still on the car's battery, not a heavy load in the caravan.

 

[Buckman]

We have experimented with using the 12v car connection to keep the fridge cool on a trip. No ice blocks etc used. I bought a cheapy fridge thermometer off mamazon. Fridge was on 240v prior to departure and cooled. After just over 2 hours drive the temperature had increased by about 1C from 4C to 5C. On the return trip with fridge cooled, but not switched on, temperature went up by about 2 degrees. Both days were hot sunny days.

 

[JTQ]

We have experimented with using the 12v car connection to keep the fridge cool on a trip. No ice blocks etc used. I bought a cheapy fridge thermometer off mamazon. Fridge was on 240v prior to departure and cooled. After just over 2 hours drive the temperature had increased by about 1C from 4C to 5C. On the return trip with fridge cooled, but not switched on, temperature went up by about 2 degrees. Both days were hot sunny days.

A big factor will be what and how much of high specific heat things were in the fridge during each period.
Basically, the most water laden "stuff" [water itself, milk, beer etc] you have loaded, the better will be the cold retention under the same conditions.

IMO, unless into massively long duration trips in high ambient temperatures, our fridges cope sufficiently well, an aspect long accepted by many caravanners on the continent whose cars don't feature the 12 vDC feed.

Bit like on the 5 odd hour ferry, no energy anyway to the fridge and freezer compartments, and that never seemed to manifest to any issue on the countless times we did it. Luckily at home the thing could be on EHU for a couple of days pre a trip, and be loaded from the home freezer.

 

[Hutch]

When I was doing 3 monthly trips into France for a month at a time, depending on where we were going of course, a 350 mile trip between stops and even in the summer our fridge was always well chilled on arrival, but as you say, milk , wine and beer stay cool longer. No sure about lettuce.

 

[Buckman]

A big factor will be what and how much of high specific heat things were in the fridge during each period.
Basically, the most water laden "stuff" [water itself, milk, beer etc] you have loaded, the better will be the cold retention under the same conditions.

IMO, unless into massively long duration trips in high ambient temperatures, our fridges cope sufficiently well, an aspect long accepted by many caravanners on the continent whose cars don't feature the 12 vDC feed.

Bit like on the 5 odd hour ferry, no energy anyway to the fridge and freezer compartments, and that never seemed to manifest to any issue on the countless times we did it. Luckily at home the thing could be on EHU for a couple of days pre a trip, and be loaded from the home freezer.

Apologies I should have mentioned that the fridge was empty. We avoid carrying stuff in the fridge where possible.
Having said that prior to departure on the overnight ferry from Plymouth to Spain, we have turned the fridge right up to maximum cold and on arrival in Zaragosa late evening the next day, fridge was still cold and stuff in freezer still frozen although the fridge was not switched to battery and it has been a stinking hot day.

 

[Chris1985uk]

What is the "...I don't have the right socket on my car..." supposed to mean? You must have some sort of connection between car and caravan for the lights to work. Are you saying that the car has only one black (12N) socket but your caravan has black (12N) and grey (12S) plugs? If so wiring up a 12S socket to feed the fridge is simple.

To the OP, a bit more detail will help your readers to give you the best/right answer.

Sorry I don't have a good knowledge on the technical side of things, I used to tow a trailer before getting the caravan. So I use an adapter changing 8pin to 13pin? So the caravans lights will work but without the use of using the fridge while towing.

 

[JTQ]

Sorry I don't have a good knowledge on the technical side of things, I used to tow a trailer before getting the caravan. So I use an adapter changing 8pin to 13pin? So the caravans lights will work but without the use of using the fridge while towing.

As said, don't let that aspect worry you overly, there are many with it that don't actually achieve any real cooling, and our continental friends quite often never get the option, the cars typically don't come with the right electrical socket pins enabled.
Cool the fridge down well including the contents before a trip, or place say a 4 pint plastic container of frozen milk in it before your trip, and everything ought to remain plenty chilled. If vegan, then fill the 4 pint milk container with water etc.