Fridge modification

[Ajspicer]

In my quest to build our "CALIFORNIAISH" I have made a modification to the original VW fridge. As my kitchen and cupboard set did not come with the control panel, I have been busy modifying the wiring to accept this great little controller.

Our California fridge can now be set accurately with upper and lower temp limits and it also displays the instantaneous internal fridge temperature which gives you piece of my mind that the fridge is doing what is being asked of it.

Really pleased with the results following so much research. Just got to decide where to mount it now. Wiring is long enough to mount it anywhere. Any suggestions appreciated?

 

[sidepod]

Personally I'd mount it in the top of the dash out of sight then develop a head up display reflected on the windscreen. Obviosly there would be auto dimming for nightime driving and sleeping........... Only joking.

On a standard Cali, this function is incorporated in the over head control panel above the drivers bonce. I gues the obvious answer is where ever it's easiest and wont keep you awake at night.

I think I switch my fridge on about an hour before we depart HQ and off again when we get back.

S.

 

[CorradoStorm]

In my quest to build our "CALIFORNIAISH" I have made a modification to the original VW fridge. As my kitchen and cupboard set did not come with the control panel, I have been busy modifying the wiring to accept this great little controller.

Our California fridge can now be set accurately with upper and lower temp limits and it also displays the instantaneous internal fridge temperature which gives you piece of my mind that the fridge is doing what is being asked of it.

Really pleased with the results following so much research. Just got to decide where to mount it now. Wiring is long enough to mount it anywhere. Any suggestions appreciated?

View attachment 6065

Hi, just bought a California kitchen & wardrobe unit and looking to retro fit it into a T5 LWB HI-TOP. Have you written up your install on the forum, or does a guide exist anywhere on here? Sorry, new to forum, so just finding my way round! Helpful to see the fridge control can be overcome! Thanks!

 

[Cbatman]

Hi, just bought a California kitchen & wardrobe unit and looking to retro fit it into a T5 LWB HI-TOP. Have you written up your install on the forum, or does a guide exist anywhere on here? Sorry, new to forum, so just finding my way round! Helpful to see the fridge control can be overcome! Thanks!

Hi, i am in exactly the same position.....I am told that a normal controller,which I believe includes the roof control as well, won't work. We have to fit a separate fridge temperature controller. Wiring for that is beyond me but I am meeting a guy next week who has done all this before and I am told is the T5 guru in all conversion matters so I will report back.

 

[CorradoStorm]

Any information would be much appreciated. Zeb Elliott at PenguinFrigo (admin@penguinfrigo.co.uk) is extremely helpful on the fridge element if you are anywhere near Portsmouth (or will mail order components I believe).

My units came complete with the "Batterie-Ladegerat" (7H7915691B) unit above the leisure battery compartment in the wardrobe - I assume this is the battery charger and 12v supply unit? Really interested to know if this can be used without the main control unit, and the same for the water tank pump, etc.

Any tips on separating the "kitchen" from the waredrobes for reverse fitting on the opposite side. Best approach to cutting through the base "beam", etc.

Happy to photography my efforts, but am sure someone must have been up this learning curve already!

Thanks.

 

[comfortz]

Any information would be much appreciated. Zeb Elliott at PenguinFrigo (admin@penguinfrigo.co.uk) is extremely helpful on the fridge element if you are anywhere near Portsmouth (or will mail order components I believe).

My units came complete with the "Batterie-Ladegerat" (7H7915691B) unit above the leisure battery compartment in the wardrobe - I assume this is the battery charger and 12v supply unit? Really interested to know if this can be used without the main control unit, and the same for the water tank pump, etc.

Any tips on separating the "kitchen" from the waredrobes for reverse fitting on the opposite side. Best approach to cutting through the base "beam", etc.

Happy to photography my efforts, but am sure someone must have been up this learning curve already!

Thanks.

I've dealt with Zeb several times - top fella & top service! They fixed a vitifrigo fridge of mine that got damaged in transit.

 

[Cbatman]

In my quest to build our "CALIFORNIAISH" I have made a modification to the original VW fridge. As my kitchen and cupboard set did not come with the control panel, I have been busy modifying the wiring to accept this great little controller.

Our California fridge can now be set accurately with upper and lower temp limits and it also displays the instantaneous internal fridge temperature which gives you piece of my mind that the fridge is doing what is being asked of it.

Really pleased with the results following so much research. Just got to decide where to mount it now. Wiring is long enough to mount it anywhere. Any suggestions appreciated?

View attachment 6065

Hiya
We corresponded a while back about the fridge modification.....I have just started om the electrics and am having problems getting the fridge to work. I wonder if you could give me a call so I can pick your brains? I also would like to buy some of your glass top protectors but can't find them on ebay again.
Look fwd to hearing from you.
Thanks

 

[CorradoStorm]

Hiya
We corresponded a while back about the fridge modification.....I have just started om the electrics and am having problems getting the fridge to work. I wonder if you could give me a call so I can pick your brains? I also would like to buy some of your glass top protectors but can't find them on ebay again.
Look fwd to hearing from you.
Thanks

I'm finally getting round to looking at mine too so would be interested in any feedback. I was planning to visit Zeb at Penguin as he's not far from me and comes highly recommended on the forum.

Is the California's original electrics effectively useless without the control unit? I've got everything else, including the battery charger unit. Has anyone made this work, or am I better binning it and wiring a new system?

Thanks!

 

[Cbatman]

I'm finally getting round to looking at mine too so would be interested in any feedback. I was planning to visit Zeb at Penguin as he's not far from me and comes highly recommended on the forum.

Is the California's original electrics effectively useless without the control unit? I've got everything else, including the battery charger unit. Has anyone made this work, or am I better binning it and wiring a new system?

Thanks!

I havn't managed to get my charger to work yet so I will probably fit a new one elsewhere. Likewise I can't get the compressor to fire up so plan to call Penguin today. I am told that they sell a complete new replacement unit for not much and will obviously be able to show us how to wire up.....that's what I hope anyway.

 

[Nobbyclarke]

Hi
I am a new member ,I have bought a used California kitchen ,I have separated the kitchen and I am looking for help & guidance on the wiring & control of the fridge, any help would be absolutely appreciated

 

[WelshGas]

Hi
I am a new member ,I have bought a used California kitchen ,I have separated the kitchen and I am looking for help & guidance on the wiring & control of the fridge, any help would be absolutely appreciated

This might help. Scroll down to see exploded diagrams of kitchen, services etc:

http://etka.cc/vw/parts_lst/markt/R...014/hg/0/catalog/vw/drive_standart/733/lang/e

 

[Nobbyclarke]

Thanks .
I am just finding my way around here ......

 

[CorradoStorm]

Hi
I am a new member ,I have bought a used California kitchen ,I have separated the kitchen and I am looking for help & guidance on the wiring & control of the fridge, any help would be absolutely appreciated

I got a separate thermostat. This involved drilling a small hole through the side wall of the storage unit (NOT the back wall where the cooling element runs) the temperature sensing probe is inserted through this hole and secured to the inside wall of the fridge. The wire from the probe runs through this hole to the outside of the fridge, and I ran it down the side locating the thermostat controller next to the electrical connection box (accessed to through the round hatch in the cupboard). Connections were a fused (15 amp) 12v supply to the + & - connections of the fridge's control box. From memory, the thermostat connected across the bottom connection on the control box and third position up, but I'd need to double check that! (My van's away for a few weeks so maybe someone else could confirm the positions/letters for you).

I used a simple turn dial thermostat supplied by Penguin, and this seems to have worked well. The guys at Penguin are very helpful as others have commented here.

The only issue I've had is the fridge freezing milk, etc, which was touching against the back wall where the cooling element is, but this is just a case of adjusting the thermostat setting. I've got the VW leisure battery and this ran the fridge for 3 days & nights (hottest days of this summer) without charging before the fridge stopped working.

Others have fitted more complex thermostats with digital temperature displays.

All the best with the project, great when it's finished!

 

[Cbatman]

Hi Nobby
I have just finished my van with a cCali kitchen on the offside. The fridge works very well and has a digital contoller on the front at the bottom behind the table. Very easy to use. I followed the instructions that penguin gave me with a tiny modification.....I couldn't get it to work otherwise. Give me a call on 07796 265521 and I will fill you in on how I did it. Sorry, don't know how to upload a picture.
Colin

 

[Nobbyclarke]

Hi Nobby
I have just finished my van with a cCali kitchen on the offside. The fridge works very well and has a digital contoller on the front at the bottom behind the table. Very easy to use. I followed the instructions that penguin gave me with a tiny modification.....I couldn't get it to work otherwise. Give me a call on 07796 265521 and I will fill you in on how I did it. Sorry, don't know how to upload a picture.
Colin

Thanks guys is nice when people help other people.....I hope I can help other on here too...

 

[Nobbyclarke]

Hi Nobby
I have just finished my van with a cCali kitchen on the offside. The fridge works very well and has a digital contoller on the front at the bottom behind the table. Very easy to use. I followed the instructions that penguin gave me with a tiny modification.....I couldn't get it to work otherwise. Give me a call on 07796 265521 and I will fill you in on how I did it. Sorry, don't know how to upload a picture.
Colin

Will cal you soon.....

 

[CorradoStorm]

I got a separate thermostat. This involved drilling a small hole through the side wall of the storage unit (NOT the back wall where the cooling element runs) the temperature sensing probe is inserted through this hole and secured to the inside wall of the fridge. The wire from the probe runs through this hole to the outside of the fridge, and I ran it down the side locating the thermostat controller next to the electrical connection box (accessed to through the round hatch in the cupboard). Connections were a fused (15 amp) 12v supply to the + & - connections of the fridge's control box. From memory, the thermostat connected across the bottom connection on the control box and third position up, but I'd need to double check that! (My van's away for a few weeks so maybe someone else could confirm the positions/letters for you).

I used a simple turn dial thermostat supplied by Penguin, and this seems to have worked well. The guys at Penguin are very helpful as others have commented here.

The only issue I've had is the fridge freezing milk, etc, which was touching against the back wall where the cooling element is, but this is just a case of adjusting the thermostat setting. I've got the VW leisure battery and this ran the fridge for 3 days & nights (hottest days of this summer) without charging before the fridge stopped working.

Others have fitted more complex thermostats with digital temperature displays.

All the best with the project, great when it's finished!

It was the 2 connections I thought, 'C' and 'T' for a basic thermostat connection, 'polarity' shouldn't matter as it's effectively just a switch. I used a simple Fridgoboat turn dial one. This seems to work fine, but obviously has no temperature read-out like the digital display items.

 

[maximiliano]

Hello, i know that past a lot of time but i gonna try jaj, i already bought a california kitchen and a basic thermostat, i need help with the wire conections and also ask how i can install the water levels display?. thanks

 

[maximiliano]

Thanks guys is nice when people help other people.....I hope I can help other on here too...

so please help me, i am n andorra and i dont know how to do it, +34654165300 is my whatspp if you can send me some pictures

 

[maximiliano]

In my quest to build our "CALIFORNIAISH" I have made a modification to the original VW fridge. As my kitchen and cupboard set did not come with the control panel, I have been busy modifying the wiring to accept this great little controller.

Our California fridge can now be set accurately with upper and lower temp limits and it also displays the instantaneous internal fridge temperature which gives you piece of my mind that the fridge is doing what is being asked of it.

Really pleased with the results following so much research. Just got to decide where to mount it now. Wiring is long enough to mount it anywhere. Any suggestions appreciated?

View attachment 6065

hello, i have the same thermostat, can you send me pictures of the wiring, +34654165300 is my whatsapp. please help me.