Electrical Waeco 110L fridge cut out

[David Johnson]

Hey Guys,
i went camping in the van last weekend and woke up to find out the milk was not very cold.
i found out the fridge was not running the light inside was just not the compressor.
i checked the voltage on the regulator and it was reading 11.4v.
i checked the battery cut off for both the fridge and the setec unit in the van and both cut out at 10.4v
then reconnect around 11.7v.
the fridge did start back up once the solar panel started to charge the battery and get over the cut in limit of 11.7v my question is why did it cut out in the first place as it was still a full 1v above the battery disconnect.

dose anybody have any ideas why??
should or can i wire the fridge straight to the battery to elliminate at least one part of the puzzle??

Thanks
Dave

 

[twscoot]

My theory... Under load the batter dropped to less than 10.4v.
Most batteries will read higher when not loaded. Fridge probably cut in, voltage dropped and the system worked as it should.

 

[Stone Stomper]

Hi Dave,

You really don't want your battery any lower than 12v at rest with no load as this is flat but at a safe level, going lower you will damage the battery and the low voltage will kick off as the battery has no more juice left in it.

What we do is turn the fridge up high during the day when the solar is in float then when the sun goes down drop the temp of the fridge down so it pulls less amps over night.

I would also install a second 100ah battery as we have the larger Waeco 215Lt and found 2 x 100ah was night quite enough.

Christian

 

[David Johnson]

Hi Dave,

You really don't want your battery any lower than 12v at rest with no load as this is flat but at a safe level, going lower you will damage the battery and the low voltage will kick off as the battery has no more juice left in it.

What we do is turn the fridge up high during the day when the solar is in float then when the sun goes down drop the temp of the fridge down so it pulls less amps over night.

I would also install a second 100ah battery as we have the larger Waeco 215Lt and found 2 x 100ah was night quite enough.

Christian

OK cool thanks i will try that.
i already have one 120amp battery and i am looking at getting another one soon to help out cause i found the one battery went flat after about 30hrs that was with no solar input and also using other 12v items like water pp,lights and tv for about 3 hrs at night.
i have a 200 watt solar panel on the roof it just wasnt charging due to being parked in the shade.

 

[Burnsy]

Hi Dave,
I have a 60L waeco and 2 x 100 amp batteries, not sure where you are plugging it into but you may be getting voltage drop. When I use external 12v socket I get voltage drop which can cause your issues....it's happened to me also. That's just another job to do...,upgrade wiring!

 

[David Johnson]

Hi Dave,
I have a 60L waeco and 2 x 100 amp batteries, not sure where you are plugging it into but you may be getting voltage drop. When I use external 12v socket I get voltage drop which can cause your issues....it's happened to me also. That's just another job to do...,upgrade wiring!

Thanks
It came like it from the factory looks like 4mm wire I thought it would be at least 6mm so I might look at upgrading it to eliminate it just in case.

 

[David Johnson]

Hi guys I've ran into another issue with my fridge. The blooming thing just keeps running and won't cycle off. I changed the thermostat but it's still doing the same thing any ideas anybody?

 

[G Daddy]

David, can you check what temp you have in the freezer and the fridge? Which model fridge?

 

[David Johnson]

No I can't check it still freezes a bottle of water. It's a waeco coolmatic rpd 110

 

[G Daddy]

Found this

http://www.manualslib.com/manual/779229/Waeco-Rpd-Series.html?page=7#manual

I,am thinging either the evaporator is iced up or the thermostat capillary contact with the evaporator is faulty. ie not making good contact.
A other possible cause could be the control module as normaly thermostats don't switch high currents ie compressor start ups