Hilux 4x4 Forum

Evening all,

I've got two indel B 32L fridges running off of a 100 ah gel battery.
The fridges connect through a steca solar regulator.
My issue is that the fridges cut off for no apparent reason. If running one or both fridges they will cut out at random times.

Then the fridges won't turn on for a while. But voltage is fine on the battery. I've had the fridges checked and they are also fine.

Any ideas on what could be the issue?

How thick are the wires to the fridge? And long are the wires to the fridge.

Rule of thumb, for every meter to the fridge increase the wire thickness by 1mm in diameter.

Disclaimer! I am not an electrician..............but the info i give worked like a charm and has saved me many rands in the past.

Morning.

The cables are the standard cables for the fridge at a 1m length. Only thing changed is the cigarette plug has been changed to a Brad Harrison

What do you mean "cut-out"? Is it not simply that it's reached the correct temperature?

Cut out as in the fridges turn off.
No lights or display what so ever.
If they reach the correct temp the compressors turn off as should but display shows current temp.

These just shut down totally and won't turn on for a few mins.

Did you put the brad harison plug on the cig wires? If so the cig wires are hopelesly too thin.
Then run wires directly from the battery to the fridge, using the formula i gave you. Ensure you have a fuse as close as possible to the battery.

Yes Brad Harrison directly onto the original wires. I don't see how the wires supplied with the fridge can be too thin.
The Brad Harrison was installed just to make sure the connections cannot pop off.

Do you think the wires supplied by the manufacturer are to Thin?

Ryan, no, not on the fridge side. How thick are the wires you are connecting to on the vehicle side?

I just read your post again. Make sure your fridge wires connect directly to the battery!

Howzit knuppel

So I shouldn't take the connections for the fridges through my solar regulator.
I should go directly to the battery?

The wiring is 4mm ripcord. From the battery to the fridges.

Ryan, you need to take straight from the battery.

Then, 4mm Diameter or 4mm² surface area? Copper area only and not insulation included
4mm dia is good for 4 meters from the battery.
4mm² is good for not much

Do a test and see what happens. The Steca will not be happy with the startup current of those fridges.

Once again, I am not an electrician but got plenty experience with 12v fridges

If ya trying to run a fridge at the opposite end of ya rig from the battery you'll want 6mm. Ive done heaps of systems at work and never had a drama with 6mm.

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

The fridges are right next to the battery maximum 300mm of cable from the battery to the fridges.I used 4mm cable I don't see an issue with the wiring.

Il try going straight to the battery and bypass the steca. Maybe that's he issue.

Thanks for the help lads. Appreciated.

That we did not know! Other wise you would not have revieved all the teck jargon

Ya I shortened every wire to see if I was having issues there. But still does the same thing.

It must be the regulator then. Well I hope.

What is your battery voltage, if that is too low then it will also not fire up the fridges.

Just out of interest, could you post a picture of your setup please?

Will do so when I'm home

If your battery volts drop under 50% use of battery the regulator cut out.
100 AH battery -the amp hours is to little for two fridges.

So what I've found is.
I had a fuse installed on the positive between the battery and the fridges.
Not sure what the fuse is called but if there is a short etc the fuse opens thus cutting power.

The fuse was faulty and with both fridges Turing on the draw from the fridges open the fuse and cut power

I've removed that fuse and installed a normal block fuse. Non more issues.