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 mox3772
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 posted on April 4th, 2003 at 07:48 PM |
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Fridge probs
Hi just brought a 1975 kombi camper. it has 2 batterys and a 240v converter. Is it ok to run the fridge all the time even when i stop for the night
and should i run it on 12vor 240v. also does the fridge run of the same gas bottle as the stove? should i only have the 240v converter on when i am
stopped. and lastly if im plugged into a campsite power supply will it still use the batterys. by the way my alternater is charging at 13.2 v which im
told is low. PLEASE HELP!!!
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sand kombi
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| posted on April 4th, 2003 at 08:15 PM |
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Only run your fridge on 240v when you are not driving as they use a heap of power [about 120w+ I think - 10ampsx12v]. Before you start useing it dowhat I did to mine , take it to eletrolux or what ever your type is [mine is electrolux] to fully check it out for leaks etc. better now , than later,
after something bad happens !!!!!!!!!!
MIKE.
VW'S DON'T LEAK OIL, THEY JUST LEAVE THEIR MARK !!!
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mox3772
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| posted on April 4th, 2003 at 08:23 PM |
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yeah its an electrolux just one more question though how will i know if the gas light cos the last thing i want is for it not to light and for the van
to blow up
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sand kombi
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| posted on April 4th, 2003 at 09:08 PM |
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I think you see a flame , like a pilot light through the grill I think!!!!!!!!. Some body else should be able to confirm this , The leveler you car
when parked the less gas you use and colder your fridge stays.
when you get it checked out , asked to be shown how everything works . They also take ages to get cold [overnight]
MIKE.
VW'S DON'T LEAK OIL, THEY JUST LEAVE THEIR MARK !!!
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Purple Martin
A.k.a.: Martin
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| posted on April 7th, 2003 at 11:08 AM |
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Run it on 240V when parked at a powerd campsite. Run it on gas when parked somewhere without power. If you have the option, run it on 12V while
driving (if you can't do this, run it on gas while driving and check it hasn't blown out at the end of the journey).
They take about 8 hours to get cold, but they'll stay cold just fine as long as you don't open the door too often. I get mine cold by using
240V overnight the night before I load up to start a road trip.
When you open the fridge door, you'll see that at the bottom on the left is a little clear plastic prism. When the gas flame is lit you can see
the blue of the flame coming through it.
It needs to be level to work. If it works on 240V then you know there's nothing wrong with it. If it's not working as well on gas, you need
to clean the burner by blasting it with compressed air to get rid of the soot/dust/cobwebs. Cobwebs in/around the burner are a problem, and build up
very quickly, because spiders are attracted to the smell of propane.
You should be able to smell any gas leaks, if you want to make sure use soapy water on the pipe connections and watch for bubbles.
Make sure the fridge is well sealed into the interior so that gas/carbon monoxide can't leak into the cabin, but will vent to outside instead.
And it's all worth it: after driving for hours on a hot dusty road, it's great to crack open a nice cold :beer
1959 red & white Beetle
1975 Kombi camper
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mox3772
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| posted on April 7th, 2003 at 12:19 PM |
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coll cheers for all your help guys much appreciated. Just one more question though. when the van is plugged in to 240v can I run the car stereo
without killing the battery or not, also while its plugged in will it be recharging the batterys or is it not wired upto do this??
:vader
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mnsKmobi
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| posted on April 7th, 2003 at 02:24 PM |
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Hi just brought a 1975 kombi camper. it has 2 batterys and a 240v converter.
Do you mean an inverter? (Converts from 12v to 240v).
Is it ok to run the fridge all the time even when i stop for the night and should i run it on 12vor 240v.
Three way fridges are less efficient than compressor type fridges but they have the advantage of being able to run off gas - very useful for remote
camping.
A 3 way fridge is designed to run properly on gas or 240v. Running on 12v is to keep things cool while you're travelling but will quickly kill a
battery when you're not.
also does the fridge run of the same gas bottle as the stove?
Yes.
should i only have the 240v converter on when i am stopped. and lastly if im plugged into a campsite power supply will it still use the batterys.
Unfortunately the answer is "It depends". There are a whole lot of ways your system could be wired up and it just depends on how it was
done. I know this isn't a lot of help, but I suspect most kombi's have had lots of owners/mechanics who have each fixed/added bits and
pieces over the years.
by the way my alternater is charging at 13.2 v which im told is low. PLEASE HELP!!!
I presume this is 13.2v with no load? Should be about 13.8v. You certainly want to fix this or you will shag your battery. There are a number of
reasons why the voltage could be low. Do a search on this forum for alternator. Also worth checking the condition of your 2nd battery (Check its
voltage with the engine off and no load on it. It should be > 12.5v). It could be stuffed and drawing a lot of current (high internal resistance).
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Phil74Camper
Son of Jim - Creator of Good
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| posted on April 7th, 2003 at 02:29 PM |
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No the 12V and 240V wiring should be completely separate.
The 240V socket at the Kombi's left rear is where you plug in the caravan park or home power lead (your plug should have the large 15-amp earth
plug, so that a normal house extension cord won't fit). From there, the 240-volt wires go through the Kombi's body to the inside power
point, just near the fridge. That's where you plug the fridge in. There is NO connection between the 240V wires and your car's electrics.
The 240V plug does NOT charge your battery - only the engine alternator does.
If you have 2 batteries, there will also be a control box in your engine compartment that regulates the two batteries. Your alternator charges the
main battery, on the driver's side, which runs all the normal car systems. The control box also allows charging current to reach your second
battery (on the left, usually) to keep it charged when the engine runs.
All your camping systems should be connected ONLY to the second battery. A good camper will have a fused control box in the camper, maybe under the
sink, that the fridge, lights, fan and anything else are attached to. The power lead for that will come from the second battery.
So when you are camped, you can drain the second battery as much as you like, and the control box keeps the main battery isolated. An Electrolux
fridge will drain a battery in about 4-6 hours, but your Kombi will still start. So long as you
don;t leave the headlights on, of course!
Your car stereo is another matter - it will probably be attached through your normal VW fusebox, so it MIGHT flatten your main battery if you leave it
on for hours and hours, particularly if you are playing cassettes.
An alternative is to wire a 12-140V inverter in the back, and play your CDs or tapes on a portable stereo plugged into the inverter's 240V
socket. That way you are only draining the 2nd battery.
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