12V Socket B Pillar Dometic CFF12 fridge fault

[jimmywease]

Apologies for the lengthy post but having searched and read about similar issues, I wanted to be very specific and avoid conflation.

I recently purchased a Dometic CFF12 fridge and plugged it into the passenger side B Pillar 12V cigar-lighter style outlet on my MY2017 Beach.

I used the ‘Low’ setting on the CFF12, as recommended for running from a leisure battery.

After a few months of occasional fridge use on day trips, I noticed that often (usually when the engine is off) the fridge light turns orange (constant) and the fridge compressor halts, allowing the fridge to warm up, way above the correct temperature.

At first, I assumed that this was an issue of poor leisure battery voltage/performance, although the orange light should apparently have been be flashing, to indicate low voltage, which was not observed.

The voltage at this outlet and the outlet at the sliding door cupholder were both reading 12.8V hence low voltage shouldn’t have been an issue.

Upon further testing, this fridge cutting-out problem is exclusive to the B Pillar socket. The fault is persistent from the B Pillar socket but cannot be replicated from the sliding door socket, or from the socket next to the gear lever (ignition battery 12.5-12.0V during test).

Could it be fuse related (although the B Pillar socket reads around 12.8V with engine off, most of the time)?

The socket has a bit of ‘give’ in its housing. Although the fridge plug is held firmly in the socket, once connected, the socket itself has a couple of mm of spongey (not loose) movement in its housing. Could the connection behind the socket be faulty?

Could there be an issue with the electrics behind the socket, perhaps related to past (inevitable) water ingress from sliding window, which filled the bottle-holder to the left of the socket?

 

[Ch1pbutty]

You need to run a nice thick dedicated fused feed / socket from the leisure battery. The factory VW 12v wiring to the socket is cheap and thin so cannot always handle the load, which results in fluctuations to the fridge temp.

It’s easy to do, the wire can be hidden/pushed under the plastic trim on the floor using a trim tool (or teaspoon!).


AAOTOKK Cigarette Lighter to SAE... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0813P4JHV?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

GTIWUNG 16AWG Quick Disconnect... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07YXQM5D7?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Perfectos]

I run a cfx 35 from that socket regularly , for day / weeks at a time (solar panel on roof).

I doubt fuses are the issue , however worth checking IMO.

The fuses for the 12v sockets located behind the drivers / passengers seat are (three of them in a Beach: B pilllar, cup holder c pillar, in boot) are located under the passenger seat (U.K.) turn the passenger seat through 90 degrees to assist in access (you will need to slide the seat backwards as far as possible whilst allowing the seat to be turned through 90 degrees. )

You will see three 15amp fuses grouped together, in the front fuse holder. Check all are seated correctly.

The issue may be that the 12v cigarette lighter is not seating correctly into the socket? I.e. slightly popping out causing a bad connection?

It is possible to remove the socket from the B pillar it is in two section , the outer section is fixed to the inner section and requires a particular way to remove and separate (Google / youtube will assist in how the remove and separate both parts if required) take care not to damage the socket.
The cables plug directly onto the rear of the socket, it could be possible that they have become corroded through water ingress and therefore have a higher resistance.

As mentioned above , hard wiring to the LB is possible- search the forum for other threads.

Another possibility is the air vents on the fridge become covered / partially blocked and the unit cannot cool properly, the fridge will simply shut off until the electrics cool down sufficiently. (I have had this happen once - orange light , increase in internal temp above the set temp, solution, uncover the vents, restart the fridge, hey presto )

Shout if you need help finding the threads / YouTube vids etc.

 

[jimmywease]

You need to run a nice thick dedicated fused feed / socket from the leisure battery. The factory VW 12v wiring to the socket is cheap and thin so cannot always handle the load, which results in fluctuations to the fridge temp.

It’s easy to do, the wire can be hidden/pushed under the plastic trim on the floor using a trim tool (or teaspoon!).


AAOTOKK Cigarette Lighter to SAE... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0813P4JHV?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

GTIWUNG 16AWG Quick Disconnect... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07YXQM5D7?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Thanks for all the information. If I can’t get the socket working properly, I’ll certainly go for this solution.

 

[jimmywease]

I run a cfx 35 from that socket regularly , for day / weeks at a time (solar panel on roof).

I doubt fuses are the issue , however worth checking IMO.

The fuses for the 12v sockets located behind the drivers / passengers seat are (three of them in a Beach: B pilllar, cup holder c pillar, in boot) are located under the passenger seat (U.K.) turn the passenger seat through 90 degrees to assist in access (you will need to slide the seat backwards as far as possible whilst allowing the seat to be turned through 90 degrees. )

You will see three 15amp fuses grouped together, in the front fuse holder. Check all are seated correctly.

The issue may be that the 12v cigarette lighter is not seating correctly into the socket? I.e. slightly popping out causing a bad connection?

It is possible to remove the socket from the B pillar it is in two section , the outer section is fixed to the inner section and requires a particular way to remove and separate (Google / youtube will assist in how the remove and separate both parts if required) take care not to damage the socket.
The cables plug directly onto the rear of the socket, it could be possible that they have become corroded through water ingress and therefore have a higher resistance.

As mentioned above , hard wiring to the LB is possible- search the forum for other threads.

Another possibility is the air vents on the fridge become covered / partially blocked and the unit cannot cool properly, the fridge will simply shut off until the electrics cool down sufficiently. (I have has this happen once - orange light , increase in internal temp above the set temp, solution, uncover the vents, restart the fridge, hey presto )

Shout if you need help finding the threads / YouTube vids etc.

Thanks very much for this. I’ll try to get onto it next week, when I’m less busy. I’ll report back.