Fridge charging.

[vansmudge]

As a newby, I am unsure about whether the car battery will continue to charge the fridge (and hence discharge the car battery!) when the engine is turned off.

Can anyone help please?

Thank

Barry

 

[Icemaker]

theb short and correct answer is, as long as your towbar and van are wired correctly then the habitation relay will disconect your car from the fridge as soon as you stop the engine so no it should not discharge the car battery. if it does then get the car and van checked out.

 

[rayc]

Not wishing to be pedantic, or a know it all, but it is the relay in the car which disconnects the fridge + supply on pin 6 and - on pin 7 of the grey socket when the engine is turned off.

As well as feeding the fridge the supply on pin 6 also operates the habitation relay. When operated the relay switches the permanent feed + supply on pin 4 and and - on pin 3 to charge the caravan battery. When the engine is turned off the habitation relay feeds the permanent supply to the caravan 12v electrics.

 

[xtrailman]

That sounds about right ray,the relay fitted in the car is voltage sensitive, unless the alternater is giving charge the relay will not pull in.

Also the caravan battery does not at anytime supply the fridge,being only fed with 12v via the car.

 

[Guest]

The same as a few friends and fellow caravanners, we've had the relay fail. Every failure we know of leaves the circuit open and you end up with a dead or dying car battery.

On ferries and over not stops with the car and van hitched, we learnt our lesson and always disconnect from the car.

 

[xtrailman]

The original question was regaurding the fridge discharging.

There is also a seperate 12v feed to the van electrics, which will discharge the car battery, if the caravan 12v electrics are left switched on, or the source selector switch is set to car.

Depends on your 12v system.

 

[vansmudge]

Many thanks to you all.

I am glad that I asked the question and will ensure that I disconnect the caravan electrics plug from the car when stopping for a reasonable time.

 

[hgv dave]

Not wishing to be pedantic, or a know it all, but it is the relay in the car which disconnects the fridge + supply on pin 6 and - on pin 7 of the grey socket when the engine is turned off.

As well as feeding the fridge the supply on pin 6 also operates the habitation relay. When operated the relay switches the permanent feed + supply on pin 4 and and - on pin 3 to charge the caravan battery. When the engine is turned off the habitation relay feeds the permanent supply to the caravan 12v electrics.

eh?