Fridge setting when towing.

[Hutch]

Interesting, the ATC feeds off the permanent live so I wonder how it could turn itself off. I assume it switches back on after the car is started?

My ATC switches off when the car engine is turned off, the permanent live shuts down. Then when I start the engine it all comes back to life. Same as unplugging the 13 pin plug.
As an aside I think the toilet flush will not operate, when the car is running.

 

[Buckman]

My ATC switches off when the car engine is turned off, the permanent live shuts down. Then when I start the engine it all comes back to life. Same as unplugging the 13 pin plug.
As an aside I think the toilet flush will not operate, when the car is running.

On our caravan for the toilet flush to work the main 12v needs to be switched on. However I am not sure if the main 12v needs to be on for the fridge control panel to light up allowing you to select the 12V.

 

[GUMPY]

You are braver than us. If necessary we will travel with only the freezer containing food. All stuff in the fridge part is removed while on the road.

I should have said that's just chilled stuff we don't use the freezer section apart from making ice for G&T😉

 

[Banus]

I think all things concidered I'll stick to simplicity of a cool bag and ice blocks for a few essentials and then stock up at the nearest Lidl / Aldi (other supermakets are available) upon arrival. No risk of heavy items rolling around damaging the fridge internals or alternator / fuse / ATC issues. If its not broken dont try and fix it - Keep it simple

 

[Ferrodo]

My ATC switches off when the car engine is turned off, the permanent live shuts down. Then when I start the engine it all comes back to life. Same as unplugging the 13 pin plug.
As an aside I think the toilet flush will not operate, when the car is running.

That is not a permanent live but switched from the ignition. Permanent live terminal in the tow bar socket ( can’t remember the number offhand) is for all intents and purposes connected directly to the vehicle’s battery. Your electrics may not be correct.

 

[Gafferbill]

.......the wiring of a 13 pin plug and socket is subject to convention.
The permanent live is just that .....it is a permanent 12 volt positive fed from the vehicle's battery.
The caravan's ATC system should be fed from this permanent live.
Therefore the ATC should be live whether the vehicle's engine is running or not.

 

[Hutch]

.......the wiring of a 13 pin plug and socket is subject to convention.
The permanent live is just that .....it is a permanent 12 volt positive fed from the vehicle's battery.
The caravan's ATC system should be fed from this permanent live.
Therefore the ATC should be live whether the vehicle's engine is running or not.

I stand corrected, just checked the car, Hyundai Santa Fe. And the pin 9 is live using pin 13 as the negative return.

 

[trevormonty]

My plan is to run fridge off house battery while towing. Have low voltage cutout circuit I built that is set for battery 50% , use for charging ebike batteries.. By my calculations should give 4-5 hrs min , given its being topped up by solar panel(250w) probably few more hours.

While running off car would be nice but cost of getting car wired isn't worth it when I have free battery and solar panel sitting idle while travelling.

 

[ProfJohnL]

My plan is to run fridge off house battery while towing. Have low voltage cutout circuit I built that is set for battery 50% , use for charging ebike batteries.. By my calculations should give 4-5 hrs min , given its being topped up by solar panel(250w) probably few more hours.

While running off car would be nice but cost of getting car wired isn't worth it when I have free battery and solar panel sitting idle while travelling.

Whilst that might be an option where there is plenty of sunshine. In the UK its unlikely to be a successful plan and it certainly is not recommended as it will put a lot of continual demand on the battery, which is likely to shorten its working life.

 

[trevormonty]

Whilst that might be an option where there is plenty of sunshine. In the UK its unlikely to be a successful plan and it certainly is not recommended as it will put a lot of continual demand on the battery, which is likely to shorten its working life.

Without sunshine 100AH battery can run fridge for 5hours (50AH) while discarding to 50%. Which is quite acceptable for odd long trip. If you don't have electronic protection like I do, just set alarm on your phone and monitor battery voltage every hour or two. Only risk with doing it manually if you forget to check then could end up with dead battery.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Without sunshine 100AH battery can run fridge for 5hours (50AH) while discarding to 50%. Which is quite acceptable for odd long trip. If you don't have electronic protection like I do, just set alarm on your phone and monitor battery voltage every hour or two. Only risk with doing it manually if you forget to check then could end up with dead battery.

But if you also have a caravan mover, having a depleted battery could prove to be a problem.

Why not simply keep the wiring of the caravan as it was designed and use the power from the alternator when you are towing.

 

[trevormonty]

To expensive to get car wired up to support it. Also need to change towing connector. In NZ standard is 7pin so doesn't support additional wiring. If I want to use boat, other trailers or bike rack need to use adaptor cable.
I'm only reliant on MMs at home. Don't need to keep fridge cold on homeward bound trip. Suspect MM will still work fine for levelling caravan on site with 50% charge.

 

[Hutch]

To expensive to get car wired up to support it. Also need to change towing connector. In NZ standard is 7pin so doesn't support additional wiring. If I want to use boat, other trailers or bike rack need to use adaptor cable.
I'm only reliant on MMs at home. Don't need to keep fridge cold on homeward bound trip. Suspect MM will still work fine for levelling caravan on site with 50% charge.

When I used to tour France for 6 weeks moving sites maybe 4 times, we needed the car fully wired and connected for the fridge and battery, I am now what I call a part time caravanners but everything works for me, caravan battery and fridge are charged from the car.

 

[Buckman]

To expensive to get car wired up to support it. Also need to change towing connector. In NZ standard is 7pin so doesn't support additional wiring. If I want to use boat, other trailers or bike rack need to use adaptor cable.
I'm only reliant on MMs at home. Don't need to keep fridge cold on homeward bound trip. Suspect MM will still work fine for levelling caravan on site with 50% charge.

When you say expensive, what sort of cost are you talking about as in the UK the cost is not very high and very affordable.

 

[trevormonty]

My plan is to run fridge off house battery while towing. Have low voltage cutout circuit I built that is set for battery 50% , use for charging ebike batteries.. By my calculations should give 4-5 hrs min , given its being topped up by solar panel(250w) probably few more hours.

While running off car would be nice but cost of getting car wired isn't worth it when I have free battery and solar panel sitting idle while travelling.

Done one trip with this setup and it works as expected. With 250W solar panel and sunny day can run all day off the battery without depleting it. Best to budget on 50% power from solar panels as max is only obtained when sun is directly overhead.