Battery life

ScreenName8DCF4F12A3
ScreenName8DCF4F12A3 Forum Participant Posts: 6
edited March 2017 in Caravan & Motorhome Chat #1

Will a decent battery keep a fridge/icebox cold enough on a nine hour ferry crossing? Ive never had a problem on a shorter crossing, but nine hours is a bit long and i would rather not have a fridge full of defrosted food.

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  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2017 #2

    The caravan fridge will not run on battery when the towcar engine is not running and the car being driven. Put some bottles of frozen milk or water in and treat it as a large and efficient cooler box.

  • ScreenName8DCF4F12A3
    ScreenName8DCF4F12A3 Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited March 2017 #3

    I always thought the battery ran the fridge, if on battery setting when the car engine is not running. The fridge has 3 settings gas/elec/battery so I assumed the battery kept the fridge cold.

  • dmiller555
    dmiller555 Forum Participant Posts: 717
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    edited March 2017 #4

    I think that when the car is connected to the caravan the fridge runs from the car supply but only when the engine is running. The Caravan battery will power the fridge when the car is disconnected. 

    Complicated things caravan fridges. laughing

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,310 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #5

    Or if not traveling from home, our option is to run the fridge down and only take something for the first night, then stock up once on the other side.

    Incidentally it will interesting to see if any changes result from Brexit. Currently you could not bring back meat or milk from France, if it was not an EC country, even for your own personal use. Presumably France have similar regulations for non EU members. Hopefully a sensible solution will be found, but we can only wait and see.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,310 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #6

    The caravan battery will never power the fridge under any circumstances. The only 12 volt supply comes from the car when it is running and the alternator is producing current. Rather than a battery picture it should really be a car.

  • HelenandTrevor
    HelenandTrevor Forum Participant Posts: 3,221
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    edited March 2017 #7

    We accidently forgot  to switch the fridge over after pitching on site,  it was left on the battery!  Can confirm it won't run from caravan battery embarassed

  • Pippah45
    Pippah45 Forum Participant Posts: 2,452
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    edited March 2017 #8

    As said it will work well as a cool box especially if packed very tightly - the only thing I am cautious about is stuff in the freezer compartment on long crossings but again if packed tight most things stay frozen solid.  I keep a couple of ice cubes in an ordinary freezer bag (not an ice cube bag) so I can tell if anything has got too warm - no good in an ice tray as that will refreeze.  I do this at home in case of a powercut when I am away with several ice cubes in a plastic box.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #9

    There is a thread on here somewhere about this, sadly the search facility is useless and I don't know the title of the thread.

    I have to go out in a mo so this is very brief.

    Do pack your fridge full and freezer if you have one. Fill any gaps with frozen milk, cartons of juice, bottles of water etc. Avoid opening the door as much as possible.  All will be well. Pre cool the fridge if you can before hand. We store away from home and load up, motorhome, fridge on engine battery doesn't work on 12v habitation. Do the journey. Gas must be turned off on ferries. Those who do this regularly reckon they have greater problem with things not being defrosted when they want them 😂 as I say long thread running on here somewhere. Lots all saying the same. Try overseas area? Sorry can't help more at mo.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,582 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #10

    Doing something similar to the above we managed to keep food fresh on Plymouth Santander ferry which was an even longer crossing..

  • Monkey104
    Monkey104 Forum Participant Posts: 55
    edited March 2017 #11

    We did the same thing last year. Packed the freezer compartment and kept the gas on parked up for a couple of hours waiting to go through check in.

    I turned everything off prior to boarding. When we disembarked the next day everything was still frozen solid.

     

     

     

  • dmiller555
    dmiller555 Forum Participant Posts: 717
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    edited March 2017 #12

    You are quite right, my mistake. embarassed

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,147 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #13

    The only thing the leisure battery does with regards to the fridge is supply a permanent live feed to the control circuits and nothing else. This enables you to use the controls when other sources of power are not available - ie, no EHU and no car connected.

  • harryb
    harryb Forum Participant Posts: 1,536
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    edited March 2017 #14

    Gas - when on site

    Electric - when on site or at home

    Battery - only when attached to the car with engine running

  • Lukey
    Lukey Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited March 2017 #15

    I've just had my battery go flat on me while on site, although connected to EHU and gas available, I could not get alde heating on, is this because all the controls are 12v. off the battery or is there a transformer connected off the mains. The caravan is a Unicorn 11, any help would be welcome,had to purchase new battery.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2017 #16

    Probably better on a new thread Luke.

    However yes the controls for fridge and heating need 12 volt. Sounds like a charger problem perhaps. Check all breakers etc but I have heard folks have a problem with the kettle type plug in the back of chargers working loose from the socket and needing pushing back in. Worth a check

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,310 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #17

    If it's like our Unicorn, there is a control panel near the door. Top one clock, temp and battery status. Bottom one Alde controls. By cycling through the functions on the top one you can see if your battery is charging. If it is the figure you see should be 13.8 volts. If it is only reading 12.8 or less the charger is not working.

  • Lukey
    Lukey Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited March 2017 #18

    Thanks Steve yes same system, but I thought if on mains that took over, it would appear without the caravan battery the caravan is inoperative.

  • lamman52
    lamman52 Forum Participant Posts: 50
    edited March 2017 #19

    when RWS goes on the ferry and applies handbrake could he unplug the car and the caravan battery will kick in (remembering to plug the car back in on arrival) ?

    in his question he wanted to know if a battery will run a fridge for 9 hours?

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #20

    The caravan fridge will not run off the 12v habitation battery is my understanding, and I have read nothing on this thread to change my mind. It certainly doesn't on a motorhome.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2017 #21

    Or, as I posted earlier, your on-board charger is not operating

  • lamman52
    lamman52 Forum Participant Posts: 50
    edited March 2017 #22

    I am picking up my first caravan in 30 years next week

    I assumed that if you was on a site without EHU the leisure battery would run the fridge

    is this wrong?

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2017 #23

    A caravan's fridge NEVER operates from the caravan's battery. As Steve says above,  using a battery symbol is misleading, the only time the fridge uses 12 volts is when the caravan is plugged into the back of  the towcar & the engine is running. If you did a rewire & did power the fridge from the caravan battery, it'd only last  a few hours anyway before the battery was completely flat. Not sure about my present  fridge, but the previous fridge drew 10 amps ..... so leave you to do the maths 

  • JohnM20
    JohnM20 Forum Participant Posts: 1,416
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    edited March 2017 #24

    In a word, Yes. You would have to run it on gas. 12volt power, (battery),  is only available from a running engine.

  • lamman52
    lamman52 Forum Participant Posts: 50
    edited March 2017 #25

    thanks for that

    I would have assumed there was a problemtongue-out

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2017 #26

    There would have been if you were able to run off the caravan battery. It would be down to half charge within 3 to 5 hours depending on your battery

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited March 2017 #27
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  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2017 #28

     I agree - however the risk is not just yours!

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #29

    If you want, if you really really want, stick your stuff in an electric ice box and leave it in the car plugged into a socket that does not switch off.  (Can one bump start an auto gearbox car?)

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited March 2017 #30
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,310 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #31

    You could not do it in ours. It has two sockets, front and rear and both turn off 15 minutes after turning the ignition position to zero, and without doing that you can't lock it.

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