Help please! Fridge & heater shut off seconds after switch on

[Art Vandelay]

Hi all,
Sorry, I don't have the signal to search past threads. We're mid holiday in the middle of the Black Forest and the fridge and heater have packed up.

The battery is at 40% but the fridge won't stay on. It switched off after 6 days of use and now will switch on for a matter of seconds before switching off again. I plugged in to site mains but had the same outcome too.

Same for the heater. I get a diesel smell and cold air from the vent but no heat.

Internal lights are fine. As are cig chargers. Not dared to see if the roof will come down.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Hotel California]

Do know the heater switch itself of at a low% but don't know exactly how low...
Could well be the fridge goes of also , all this to prevent the lesure batts going to deep and get damaged.
The roof will come down becouse you need to start the engine to lower the roof , NEVER operate the roof not having engine running....it is not a good thing for the battery!
It is an SE ?
If plugged in does the plugged in sign appaers?
If not the inverter is faulty.
Try resetting the control unit.

 

[jeff]

Try leaving it on hook or running it so that batteries can charge up. could be lack of power 40% is quite low for batteries and I think fridge only works on the 12volt.

 

[snowy55]

I don't think the fridge or heater will work at 40% battery level.
Start the engine to charge the batteries or go for a drive or get onto a hook up and sure all will be fine.

 

[Hotel California]

Was just thinking , does he got a SE or Beach....
Why on earth don't people give away witch vehicle they drive under theire avatar.
If it is a beach with a coolbox and a heater as option....
Only one lesure batt!

 

[jts46]

Why on earth don't people give away witch vehicle they drive under theire avatar.
If it is a beach with a coolbox and a heater as option....
Only one lesure batt!

Entirely agree with you "hotel california T5" bone of contention for years. Admin should make it compulsory for model and year to be displayed.

Don't think you have any chance of heater or fridge working at that % of battery charge, why let it get that low.

John

 

[GrannyJen]

As above. Battery level, no charge or failed battery.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Hi all,
Thanks for the replies.
To answer some of your questions......
I have an SE. A 53 plate Berghaus. I'll be sure to add all that type of stuff to my profile/avatar for completeness.

Why let the batt get to 40%? We've been staying on a site with limited hook-up pitches. We like the rough & ready, basic sites. After a week of covering a 1000+ miles, I'm glad to just pitch and use Shanks' pony to get around. Hope that's OK with y'all.

Will let you know if hooking up has sorted it.
Thanks

 

[Art Vandelay]

Just a thought...
If 40% is classed as critically low, perhaps the control display should indicate red or some other kind of warning?

Go on, tell me it does and I've missed it!

 

[Jim Wales]

I had an identical problem - nothing to do with battery level apparently. Garage advised I held down the control panel button for a few seconds, and it reset. Fridge worked fine ever since!

 

[stevieb]

Hello all

Reading the above with interest can someone in the know confirm does switching the engine on to lower the roof only apply if you are NOT on hook up.

I understood it was a definate no no to switch the engine on whilst still hooked up to 230v ac.

 

[WelshGas]

Below 50% capacity Fridge and Heater will not work. It is a safety feature to avoid damaging the expensive Leisure Batteries.
You need to either run the engine or go onto Mains so that the batteries are charged.
Normally you will get 3 - 5 days maximum from fully charged Leisure Batteries with Fridge running constantly.
The Roof is powered by the Engine/Starter battery so as long as that has not been used for Electric sliding door or constant use of built in Sound System you should be OK to start engine and put roof down.
If you are really into Non-Hookup camping then shorter stays or invest in a Solar panel system to top up Leisure Batteries.

All this info is mentioned in the Handbooks in some form or another or on this Forum in various threads/posts.

 

[daz60]

Just a thought...
If 40% is classed as critically low, perhaps the control display should indicate red or some other kind of warning?

Go on, tell me it does and I've missed it!

I hope your van is not Black with Black and Red leather. lol

 

[Alan]

Below 50% capacity Fridge and Heater will not work. It is a safety feature to avoid damaging the expensive Leisure Batteries.
You need to either run the engine or go onto Mains so that the batteries are charged.
Normally you will get 3 - 5 days maximum from fully charged Leisure Batteries with Fridge running constantly.
The Roof is powered by the Engine/Starter battery so as long as that has not been used for Electric sliding door or constant use of built in Sound System you should be OK to start engine and put roof down.
If you are really into Non-Hookup camping then shorter stays or invest in a Solar panel system to top up Leisure Batteries.

All this info is mentioned in the Handbooks in some form or another or on this Forum in various threads/posts.

Out of interest welshGas what setting do you normally use on fridge ?
When not on hook up I use setting 2 or 3 depending on outside temp.

 

[Hotel California]

Fridge settings depends on to many factors to compare i guess.
The outside themp. does have a great influence , summer or winter thempartures have a big diffrence on how many times the fridge thermostaat needs to switch on to keep the themp. inside the fridge up to date ....or low to date....
Also what you keep in the fridge at the moment can get to chose a lower themp. , is it just drinks or frech food or even meat...
I intend to turn the fridge on a lower themp as long as i'm driving , using the engine providing power.
And when arriving at site without hookup turn it up a bit depending on the factors above....not using the lesure batts to much...

 

[WelshGas]

Monitoring the temperature I use Level 5 at home pre-trip and when travelling, this gives a temperature of 0-1c. Level 4 keeps the temperature at 3-5c on site during the last few months of ???? Summer.
During Winter, Level 3 or 4 pre-trip and 2 or 3 on site.
Depends on how full, and outside temp and inside temp ie: Parking Heater. Temperature is measured, with a decent fridge thermometer on basket, 2" below lid at front of fridge.
Back of fridge and bottom much colder, ideal for beer and wine as they freeze below 0c, so nice and cold.

 

[Art Vandelay]

All,
Thanks for your contributions. 6 hours hooked up and a 10k walk seems to have done the trick.
I can well recommend this area of the Black Forest and this particular site, Muellerwiese.