Replacement waeco fridge

[DXX]

I havent got a meeter that can measure the load. My dad suggested the compressor maybe faulty and drawing more load. Every where I have taken battery to have it tested says its showing over 700amps. So for me to loose 700amps overnight that's a massive drain. Unless fridge isn't kicking in and out and running constant. I might sit in van later and see if it actually does kick in and out.

You can get multimeters with current clamps fairly cheaply now.
Not sure what you mean when you mention 700A but the only way to know the drawn current is to measure it.
You could also see measure if you have a parasitic load or unknown load on the battery.

 

[Pummer67]

I w

If your wiring was the trouble your battery wouldnt be at 10.5v this morning, it points to your battery not holding charge.
Can you put another battery that is fully charged and you know is a good one,( only on your fridge.) on for 24 hours and see what happens.
Also how do you know that your leisure battery is getting a full charge from your solar, you would have to check it an hour or so after solar is not inputing to get a more accurate voltage reading, also the voltage reading doesnt give you the whole picture of battery state of charge

I've had the battery tested by 4 different companies now and they all say exactly the same. I want to try it with nothing else connected. I think I need to run fridge like you say for 24 hours from another battery. It's just such a long winded process having to wait after each thing I try only to find out it's not worked. Does the fridge normally draw around 5amps an hour? I'm going to try and get hold of a meeter which I can put in line to measure the current.

 

[AussieMick]

I assume this set up , battery and fridge used to work ok and you have a deep cycle battery of at least 100ah, not sure what the 700 amps means as its not a measurement I would use for a deep cycle battery. To eliminate battery as cause connect a fully charged deep cycle battery to fridge and see what happens, if the same fault maybe fridge is either constantly cycling or is drawing too much current. I think you said you had another battery but it has to be deep cycle, fridge only draws current when compressor running, should run for a few minutes then turn off until it warms up a bit then will start again , it will draw 4 to 6 amps on start up but it doesnt run for the whole hour

 

[Pummer67]

You can get multimeters with current clamps fairly cheaply now.
Not sure what you mean when you mention 700A but the only way to know the drawn current is to measure it.
You could also see measure if you have a parasitic load or unknown load on the battery.

The 700amps is what the two companies that have told me in the last few days is available. They say the battery is like brand new.

 

[AussieMick]

It is a deep cycle battery isnt it , I know your getting frustrated but stick with it we will get there

 

[Pummer67]

I assume this set up , battery and fridge used to work ok and you have a deep cycle battery of at least 100ah, not sure what the 700 amps means as its not a measurement I would use for a deep cycle battery. To eliminate battery as cause connect a fully charged deep cycle battery to fridge and see what happens, if the same fault maybe fridge is either constantly cycling or is drawing too much current. I think you said you had another battery but it has to be deep cycle

Correct. Fridge has worked for the whole time I had van but stopped working a few months ago. It's a 110ah battery. The 2 companies said it should have around 600 amps available but its showing around 700amps.

 

[DXX]

The 700amps is what the two companies that have told me in the last few days is available. They say the battery is like brand new.

I guess that is the load they applied as if to simulate ‘cranking’
The power‘s going somewhere and you’ll need a clamp meter to measure it.

 

[Pummer67]

It is a deep cycle battery isnt it

Yes it's a deep cycle battery. But it was the one which came with conversion so I presume companies probably put cheaper batteries on

 

[Pummer67]

I guess that is the load they applied as if to simulate ‘cranking’
The power‘s going somewhere and you’ll need a clamp meter to measure it.

I think I will just go buy a new multimeter that can do amps aswell.

 

[DXX]

I guess you have checked that you have the correct current rated fuse for the fridge; one that would blow at just above normal peak current?

 

[Pummer67]

Theres a 10amp fuse in it. Is that correct?

 

[AussieMick]

with a multimeter you measure amps differently than voltage, you have to connect the leads in series for current readings. It will be easier to use a clamp meter as DXX has said not a multimeter ,
just think what you will know about your fridge and electricals once you solve this

 

[DXX]

V x A = W. Find the wattage on the fridge tag and divide by 12 (V) = amperage. You could try a fuse at this rating and see if it blows....it probably will. Then step up a size on the fuse rating and check if it blows.
I believe the Dometic / Waeco uses a ‘soft start‘ on the compressor to reduce load spikes on start up.

 

[Pummer67]

with a multimeter you measure amps differently than voltage, you have to connect the leads in series for current readings. It will be easier to use a clamp meter as DXX has said not a multimeter ,
just think what you will know about your fridge and electricals once you solve this

Will the meeter not do volts and that aswell then? I know you have to put it in series and the leads normally have a fuse built in them I think.

 

[Pummer67]

It's funny. I'm an electrical engineer that fixes overhead wires and underground cables but 12volt electrics is a whole different ball game.

 

[AussieMick]

you can get a dedicated clamp meter or a multimeter with current clamp . Im a lift engineer but learnt 12v better once I converted my van

 

[DXX]

It's funny. I'm an electrical engineer that fixes overhead wires and underground cables but 12volt electrics is a whole different ball game.

I recently had a subterranean power line junction explode in the road a meter under my van, hopefully it wasn’t somebody inserting the wrong fuse!
There’s enough current to weld with, watch out where you rest your spanners!

 

[Pummer67]

I remember once trying to jump start a work land rover and a lead came off and flashed across to the van. That was a pretty big bang.

 

[AussieMick]

I think every one who works with electricity has blown up something a few times

 

[Ayjay]

I've never worked with electricity (or anything else nowadays if I can avoid it!) but I've certainly blown a lot of stuff up in my time (legally, I might hasten to add). Indeed, I've always regarded blowing sh*t up to be one of the great pleasures in life.