Fridge

[AnnKeith]

Hi can I switch my fridge to battery power while hooked to my car so that when we arrive in Cornwall it will be cold.sorry if this as been asked before

 

[Damian]

Yes you can if your car is wired up correctly.

 

[AnnKeith]

How do I know if its ?

 

[Damian]

If you have a 13 Pin socket, check for voltage supply at pins 10(+) and 11(-) with the engine running.
If you have 2 x 7 Pin sockets, on the 12S (Grey) check pins 6 (+) and 7(-) with engine running.
You should have around 14v with engine running,and 0v with the engine off

 

[RogerL]

Unless you've pre-cooled your fridge on mains or gas before you leave, the towing won't cool it down much - it really needs 24 hours to get down to working temperature, more in a heatwave.

 

[Damian]

Not actually true.
The 12v element is rated at 125w, the same as the 230v element.
The cooling effect is the same for both, the only difference is the 12v does not have a thermostat.

 

[AnnKeith]

Thanks for info I'll cool it down on gas day before we travel.
Thanks again Ann

 

[RogerL]

Not actually true.
The 12v element is rated at 125w, the same as the 230v element.
The cooling effect is the same for both, the only difference is the 12v does not have a thermostat.

But the fact is that just a few hours on 125w isn't enough to cool the fridge right down - if you're towing from Southern England to Northern Scotland it might but not shorter tows.
There is of course the added issue that the supplementary wiring in many cars creates an unwelcome voltage drop in the fridge circuit which means it often simply doesn't get 125w - the distance involved needs some hefty cable to avoid the voltage drop, far heftier than needed for the 10A nominal it actually takes.