Fiat Ducato Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Hi folks I have a Fiat Ducato Eura Mobil Sport on a 1998 plate and not longed owned it about 6 months now and since buying it I've been having problems with some of the electrics especially the fridge not working on 12V or charging of the leisure battery whilst driving (Engine Switched on). Well I've finally sorted that problem out now and it all appears to be working fine - Fridge is now working on 12V and the leisure battery is now charging at 14,4 volts when the engine is running. However I've discovered that the fridge also only works if the main 12V switch is switched on inside on the panel, then I checked the leisure battery with a Multi meter and the voltage significantly drops when the fridge is switched on indicating that the fridge is running off the leisure battery and NOT the Alternator or Starter battery. Which I thought was the norm, can anyone give me any advice or feedback on whether this is normal on these vans. Thanks guys Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Change over relay? Finding it might be fun, try tracing the 12v+ back to the PCB or relay. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 ....as in this post here: http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Fridge-Fuse-blown-DUETTO/28665/ ...it is not unknown for the fridge to be connected across the leisure battery. Its 12v operation should, however, be protected by a relay that only completes the fridge circuit when the engine is running (in parallel to the relay for the split charge). I can understand you saying that the fridge only works on 12v with the main 12V panel switch on (which I wouldn't expect, but may not be abnormal), but am not sure if you are saying that the fridge is working on 12v without the engine running (which would be a fault), or that you are simply seeing a voltage drop across the (charging) leisure battery when you switch the fridge into circuit? (the latter being less of a problem depending on the magnitude of the drop and/or the state of the battery). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Robinhood - 2013-11-12 10:50 AM ....as in this post here: http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Fridge-Fuse-blown-DUETTO/28665/ ...it is not unknown for the fridge to be connected across the leisure battery. Its 12v operation should, however, be protected by a relay that only completes the fridge circuit when the engine is running (in parallel to the relay for the split charge). I can understand you saying that the fridge only works on 12v with the main 12V panel switch on (which I wouldn't expect, but may not be abnormal), but am not sure if you are saying that the fridge is working on 12v without the engine running (which would be a fault), or that you are simply seeing a voltage drop across the (charging) leisure battery when you switch the fridge into circuit? (the latter being less of a problem depending on the magnitude of the drop and/or the state of the battery). Certain control-panels have had a switch/button that needed to be in the ON-position for the fridge to operate on 12V (as well as the fridge's own 12V-operation switch being ON). It has also been known for motorhome converters to fail to fit a relay to prevent the fridge operating on 12V except when the vehicle's motor is running. I'm not sure if needing Paul's Eura Mobil's main 12V switch ON to get the fridge to operate on 12V is normal for his model of motorhome. (I have to do the same to get my Hobby's heater to function.) but - as Robihood advises - if the fridge functions on 12V without the motorhome's motor running, either a 'fridge-relay' is missing or the relay has become faulty. (Nowadays, it's standard practice for fridges to take their 12V power-supply from the leisure battery.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiat Ducato Posted November 12, 2013 Author Share Posted November 12, 2013 Hi sorry guys I must have confused you all, sorry about that :-( The fridge only works on 12V WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING and WILL NOT work when I switch the ignition OFF. What I was saying that order for it to work the main switch needs to be switched on, on the control panel and the fridge seems to drawing power from the leisure battery, which shouldn't matter as the leisure battery is been charged from whilst the engine is running (14.4V) Hope I've made this a bit clearer for you all. Probably all fine just our first motorhome so really haven't got any experience in all this lol. Thanks Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 ....then I suspect its OK. Wiring across the leisure battery is not uncommon. I haven't come across the need to turn on the full 12V supply to run a fridge (though, as Derek says, on some vans you will need to turn on a dedicated fridge switch on the panel to do so). This doesn't mean yours is not as designed, however, and it sounds as though it is liveable with (if all other non-required 12v items are turned off). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 That sounds right to me. You don't want the fridge to run on 12v unless the engine is running or the battery goes flat in no time. I remember a caravan where the fridge had to be switched on (12v) before it would work. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Agreed a van of that vintage it is not common to run the fridge from the leisure batty but it is a German van. The reason I say that is German vans since around 2008 with AES fridges do tend wire them to the leisure battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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