Fridge moral support and what on earth is this wire?

[katyjw]

Please bear with me, I'm not technical in the least! In the seemingly complete and utter absence of anyone camper / cali electrically minded in Cornwall I've had to start DIYing it, heaven help me.
The fridge symbol has been flashing, I navigated my way to the error codes and get 3001. When I clear it I can switch the fridge on again, it clicks but it is not cooling, so I'm presuming not a fuse. It will stay on, I've left it on overnight but it is not getting cold, then randomly next time I turn on the control panel the symbol is flashing again. I've followed penguin refrigeration's instructions, hooked up an LED wire to the fridge controller ( + and D terminals) and rather than getting a flash to indicate the error it causes the fridge to switch off (or short out I don't know - it just clicks off again) and the symbol on the control panel starts flashing again. Anyone experienced this?
I have now spent and uncomfortable 30 mins or so teasing out the control unit to send off to them to have a look at (I literally have no idea how I'm getting that bad boy back in there) and spotted this wire... the white one that goes nowhere with a bit of black tape covering the end. Is that normal? It disappears off into a hole in the bottom of the cupboard. Any advice re any of this gratefully received!

 

[WelshGas]

Please bear with me, I'm not technical in the least! In the seemingly complete and utter absence of anyone camper / cali electrically minded in Cornwall I've had to start DIYing it, heaven help me.
The fridge symbol has been flashing, I navigated my way to the error codes and get 3001. When I clear it I can switch the fridge on again, it clicks but it is not cooling, so I'm presuming not a fuse. It will stay on, I've left it on overnight but it is not getting cold, then randomly next time I turn on the control panel the symbol is flashing again. I've followed penguin refrigeration's instructions, hooked up an LED wire to the fridge controller ( + and D terminals) and rather than getting a flash to indicate the error it causes the fridge to switch off (or short out I don't know - it just clicks off again) and the symbol on the control panel starts flashing again. Anyone experienced this?
I have now spent and uncomfortable 30 mins or so teasing out the control unit to send off to them to have a look at (I literally have no idea how I'm getting that bad boy back in there) and spotted this wire... the white one that goes nowhere with a bit of black tape covering the end. Is that normal? It disappears off into a hole in the bottom of the cupboard. Any advice re any of this gratefully received!
View attachment 46705

It would be nice to know which year Vehicle you have. It does help!
When you say the white wire goes nowhere, it appears to be going through the vehicle floor alongside the waste pipe. If that is the case it could be the External Temperature Sensor which is located underneath the vehicle near the Waste Drain.



The Grey cover. Picture from @TripleBee

 

[Loz]

Or just a pull wire someone left in place for future?

 

[katyjw]

It would be nice to know which year Vehicle you have. It does help!
When you say the white wire goes nowhere, it appears to be going through the vehicle floor alongside the waste pipe. If that is the case it could be the External Temperature Sensor which is located underneath the vehicle near the Waste Drain.

View attachment 46707

The Grey cover. Picture from @TripleBee

Sorry, yes 2006 SE. It was just the end in the cupboard is not attached to anything, the black tape covers the end of it. I was just curious as it seemed odd

 

[katyjw]

Or just a pull wire someone left in place for future?

That would make sense

 

[katyjw]

This may be a daft question but does the fridge just have a single fuse or are there more than one? I’ve had intermittent flashing of the fridge symbol, cleared the error (3001) Sometimes it works for a bit but generally when I fire up the control panel the fridge symbol is flashing again which made me think it wasn’t the fuse but i have found a blown 10amp fuse.

(Can’t currently check because controller unit is away with penguin being tested - it’s working fine)

 

[Hotel California]

Do i notice the red lever on the waste water drain valve missing also ?
Seems your Cali need some TLC .
Those fridges won't last forever and beeing 13y it could be end of life (or maybe a refurbisch) if is it's used a lot in the past....

 

[katyjw]

Do i notice the red lever on the waste water drain valve missing also ?
Seems your Cali need some TLC .
Those fridges won't last forever and beeing 13y it could be end of life (or maybe a refurbisch) if is it's used a lot in the past....

Do i notice the red lever on the waste water drain valve missing also ?
Seems your Cali need some TLC .
Those fridges won't last forever and beeing 13y it could be end of life (or maybe a refurbisch) if is it's used a lot in the past....

No, the lever is there, out of the picture.
Had the fridge replaced about 6 years ago, not realising at the time that a full replacement potentially wasn’t necessary .

 

[MattBW]

This may be a daft question but does the fridge just have a single fuse or are there more than one? I’ve had intermittent flashing of the fridge symbol, cleared the error (3001) Sometimes it works for a bit but generally when I fire up the control panel the fridge symbol is flashing again which made me think it wasn’t the fuse but i have found a blown 10amp fuse.

(Can’t currently check because controller unit is away with penguin being tested - it’s working fine)

Does the fridge get cold? I believe the fuse should be under the passenger seat. I believe it is a 10a fuse.

If it runs ok with hookup or engine running, it may be your leisure battery is low? Have you tried a full control panel reset?

If its intermittent it could just be a bad connection. See this thread with someone who has similar, it was just a bad connection I think.

Fuse box and fridge

I have a 180 se 2012 the manual says the fuse box is under the drivers seat - it isn't - but appears to be under passenger seat - need to change fuse on fridge which control panel says is malfunctioning - thoughts - is there a spare 10 am fuse anywhere Also seems like it's hard to get at the...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Or maybe earth shunt?

Earth shunt or something else?

Hello, Recently I bought a silver Comfortline Cali 2006  After a few days of pure joy I noticed that interior lights are not working and one light is just flickering. During my first camping weekend I also noticed that fridge and heating have also some issues (they stopped working after some...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[MattBW]

Error codes here;
Push & turn the reset button for 3 seconds.
Turn the rotary/ push-button on the display menu diagnostics,
Select the display menu for VW diagnostics
A flashing icon on the display unit is for camping equipment indicating a fault in that system.
The code is a four digit display.


1 = 1 = Pop-up roof
2 = 2 = Plumbing Heating
3 = 3 = Cool box Cooler
4 = 4 = Sewage wastewater
5 = 5 = Fresh water fresh water
6 = 6 = Outside temperature outside temperature
7 = 7 = Battery
Error Code Defect Fault
1010 1010 Short-circuit to (earth) roof
1001 1001 Fuse / short circuit to (plus+) roof
1100 1100 Short-circuit output Roof "on"
1101 1101 Fuse roof "to"
1110 1110 Short-circuit output Roof "to"
1111 1111 Fuse starting Roof "to"
2100 2100 Short-circuit output heating on / off
2101 2101 Fuse output heating on / off
2001 2001 Interrupt input heating 30
3100 3100 Short-circuit output coolbox
3101 3101 Fuse interrupt output output coolbox
3001 3001-J698-cooler input error "Active"
3010 3010 Short-circuit input icebox "actual temperature"
3011 3011 Interrupt or fuse input icebox "actual temperature"
4000 4000 Short-circuit to ground water level sensor
4001 4001 Fuse circuit to plus water level sensor failure
5000 5000 Short-circuit to ground water level sensor
5001 5001 Short circuit to plus water level sensor failure
6000 6000 Short-circuit to ground temperature sensor or for outdoor temperature
6001 6001 Fuse / short circuit to plus two temperature sensors for outside temperature
7001 7001 interrupt input interrupt input D +

 

[MattBW]

First test is if it runs on hookup or with engine running, if so then it points to batteries we can then go from there.

Fridge "on" indicator flashing on control console.

My fridge on indicator symbol is flashing when I switch the fridge on. The manual says it's a malfunction with the fridge.....any help, advice or pointers please...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[soppelsa]

When my fridge did not work it was the thermistor RH side of the fridge the values using a meter where all over the place, remove the cover and hold it in your hand to raise the temp see if the fridge comes on.ser no is etched onto the sensor end £3 ebay the sensor goes to the overhead controller so it's hard to test unless you chop the wires, the fault signal from the controller goes to the overhead panel so it might not be the o/h panels fault, the only other cause that might stop it working is an under voltage situation on the leisure battery. If you want the thermistor no I will send it you .

 

[katyjw]

First test is if it runs on hookup or with engine running, if so then it points to batteries we can then go from there.

Fridge "on" indicator flashing on control console.

My fridge on indicator symbol is flashing when I switch the fridge on. The manual says it's a malfunction with the fridge.....any help, advice or pointers please...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Thank you so much for taking the time to give such an extensive reply.
When I ran it on EHU a few weeks ago it would stay on but it wasn't getting cold. Does that imply it's fuse?
I've located 2 10amp fuses under the passenger seat one of which was blown but the fridge still intermittently comes on so that was why I thought maybe it couldn't be a fuse which was why I was asking if the fridge had 2 fuses.
My next step it to reinstall the controller unit for the fridge that penguin tested and said is working fine (that's going to be fun), replace the blown fuse and fingers crossed that's it. But I'm not overly hopeful.
Yes, checked error codes before, it was 3001, cleared it, fridge would run for a while then would revert to flashing red fridge icon.
I'll be super happy if the fuse replacement does the trick (if a little embarrassed I jumped to conclusions about the controller unit), but am currently waiting on the return of the controller from penguin so having to sit tight for the minute!
I have had the leisure batteries replaced recently and don't appear to suffer from the earth shunt issue, no flickering lights.

 

[katyjw]

When my fridge did not work it was the thermistor RH side of the fridge the values using a meter where all over the place, remove the cover and hold it in your hand to raise the temp see if the fridge comes on.ser no is etched onto the sensor end £3 ebay the sensor goes to the overhead controller so it's hard to test unless you chop the wires, the fault signal from the controller goes to the overhead panel so it might not be the o/h panels fault, the only other cause that might stop it working is an under voltage situation on the leisure battery. If you want the thermistor no I will send it you .

This is very useful to know, thank you. Will investigate further once I've got the controller back.

 

[MattBW]

I think the above solution may be more likely but always worth checking that fuse first.

3001 is a input error, so that may point to the sensor above mentioned by @soppelsa as you have said it didn't get cold on hookup either. That tends to suggest its not the batteries with an issue.

 

[Caliman300]

When my fridge did not work it was the thermistor RH side of the fridge the values using a meter where all over the place, remove the cover and hold it in your hand to raise the temp see if the fridge comes on.ser no is etched onto the sensor end £3 ebay the sensor goes to the overhead controller so it's hard to test unless you chop the wires, the fault signal from the controller goes to the overhead panel so it might not be the o/h panels fault, the only other cause that might stop it working is an under voltage situation on the leisure battery. If you want the thermistor no I will send it you .

Hi

This is very helpful I think I have the same problem do you have to remove the fridge to replace the thermistor, could I have the part number please, I am good with removing the fridge as I recently replaced the charger.

Thanks in advance.