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Fridge relay

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Fridge relay

Postby G.M » Mon Oct 23, 2017 10:30 pm

Hi all, I've just bought a 2012 Connect with the intention of converting into a camper, my question is, are there any recomendations on what relay to use or any tips when planning the wiring for the refrigerator...Thanks in advance, Graham
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Re: Fridge relay

Postby hectors-tranny » Tue Oct 24, 2017 10:41 am

You'll need a leisure battery, as a fridge will draw way too much current to run directly from your starter battery, so by 'fridge relay' I'm assuming you mean 'split charge relay', to automatically isolate starter and leisure batteries when the engine is not running to charge them.

You've got a few options:

Manual isolator switch. Cheap and easy but you have to remember to do it every time you stop and start!

A Voltage Sensitive Relay (VSR) - Cheap and easy but WONT WORK if you have a smart alternator.

Ignition triggered split charge relay - cheap but more complicated to install as you need to wire it to ignition circuit. Can also invalidate your warranty if you still have one.

Battery to battery charger - very expensive but works with smart alternator, charges your leisure battery MUCH more quickly, fully and safely (battery will last much longer). This is a great option if you don't plan to be hooked up to mains much and hence can't charge your leisure battery that way.

Wiring - use thick cable - e.g. 40A to avoid voltage drop, and make sure you use correct fuse rating.
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Re: Fridge relay

Postby hectors-tranny » Tue Oct 24, 2017 10:48 am

I'd be interested in your layout for a Connect conversion btw - as thinking of doing one myself.
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Re: Fridge relay

Postby G.M » Tue Oct 24, 2017 3:56 pm

Thanks for that Hectors-Tranny,

I'm still in the research stage and going through the different options and lay-outs in my head.

Just looking at the log book and it says the van has a Euro 5 engine, so i assume it has a smart alternator, leaning me towards the battery to battery option...will that charge a battery and run a fridge at the same time i wonder?

The layout i envisage is having a bench seat/bed on the drivers side with the kitchen appliances on the passengers side, so the initial 12v wiring carcass will be a heavy duty cable from the engine bay to behind the drivers seat, then another heavy duty cable from that position following the centre support strut up and over to the near side to provide a 12v supply for use in the kitchen area....Also 220v 15amp cable to follow that route for the mains supply when installed also behind the drivers seat.

All ideas and critique welcome.

Graham
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Re: Fridge relay

Postby hectors-tranny » Tue Oct 24, 2017 5:11 pm

I bought a B2B charger and was really glad I did, as it charges about 5 times as fast as any other split charge relay. I bought this one... https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/sterling ... v-30a.html (that will tell you more about what they do.) I don't bother with hookup much, so it's great to have. I find that with about an hour's driving each day I'm on holiday, and reasonably careful use of my electrics, I don't need any other charging source, even with a fridge.

Yes it will charge your battery and run fridge at same time (well mine does easily!) when the engine is running of course.

Basically, you need to think about how much time the fridge will be running with the engine off (discharging your leisure battery). This is a tough one, as the amount of time your fridge runs will depend on the fridge itself, the ambient temp, ventilation, etc. I reckon mine runs about 20% of the time normally when in use. You can then work out (along with other electric you will have) how much electricity you might use (in Amp-hours) in between running the engine. This will help you work out what capacity leisure battery to buy - but to be honest, if I were you I would get as big a one as you can fit in. Ideally you don't want to discharge your battery more than 50% to keep it healthy, plus all batteries will lose about 20% of their capacity over their first year - so I think of my 120Ah battery as just 50Ah.

So... if you reckon you will use more than 50Ah without running your engine, you would need mains hookup (or solar) to charge your leisure battery as well as the B2B charger. Note that the B2B charger only works off the vehicle alternator - so for mains charging you need a mains charger as well!
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Re: Fridge relay

Postby hectors-tranny » Tue Oct 24, 2017 5:18 pm

Wiring-wise - correctly rated cable from starter battery to leisure battery, protected each end by correctly rated fuse. B2B charger sits in between these two positives, and is also earthed - to anywhere on vehicle.

12V planet do a Split-Charge kit with all correctly rated cables and fuses. That's what I used as I'm no expert. https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/split-ch ... asure.html No I don't work for them or have anything to do with them - I just found them very helpful!

Then correctly rated and fused cable from leisure battery to your new fuse box (again both fuse box and leisure battery negative must be earthed.)

From the fusebox you then run a circuit to each device or group of devices as you prefer. Again each with correct fuse rating.
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Re: Fridge relay

Postby travelling man » Thu Nov 16, 2017 6:07 pm

I bought one of these for my 05 plate Connect;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAMPERVAN-12 ... 1438.l2649

You will also need a three way fuse box(15a for both input and output,and 1a for the sensing input)
Mounted mine on the cab side of the plywood bulkhead between the seats and took it's feed from the dash aux socket.The sensing wire needs to go to the +ve on the chassis battery and presents a challenge to get it there!
Mounted a 110ah liesure battery behind the driver's seat,fridge in front of it.Started with my old boat fridge that was on board when the boat sank(!)so no real suprise thast it failed to keep icecubes frozen! Now bought one of these;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CRX50-Dometi ... 2749.l2649

Basic bed mounted above the fridge down the driver's side with storage under for 6 of those folding plastic crate thingys.
Bit of carpet on the other half of the floor and that was me sorted.
Snag with this layout is that the bed is too high to sit on,and I cannot sit up in bed...not a problem as it's just me using it for the trip from North Norfolk to my apartment on the Algarve! This is a 1500 mile trip over three days and works fine for me!
'05 Transit Connect T230 LX TDCi Engine buggered in Spain,replaced with a T200 base 12 plate in white which also buggered it's engine in Spain!
2nd Connect had breakdown insurance and an engine swap, see how long it lasts.....
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