Hi all I’m new I’m Mark from Leicester 39 years old and recently just brought our 1st caravan a Fleetwood Libra 1996 4 birth I had to change my little sports car to a 2.0 TDI golf GT tho !!. We set everything up at home, aqua roll, pump, gas etc. and everything worked a treat for weeks. Last weekend we did our first trip out (first time towing) 4.5 hours to Caistor, Norfolk no problems at all, read up loads about towing. 12v switch on fridge (Electrolux rm4200) and switch in car position When we got there pitched up to mains etc., fridge was pretty cool, switched it over to mains and didn’t seem to cool, tried the gas and that worked so left it at that and enjoyed the holiday. Also we had a bit of difficulty with the water heater (maxol water heater malaga e) as it kept on clicking red and green lights but then found out we needed the hot water tap on first when filling up, but got hot water but then it kept randomly clicking red and green lights which I don’t know why. Anyway on the drive home with the fridge in the 12v position we got back and it wasn’t even cool. Yesterday I was doing a test with the fridge. 4 hours on the battery in the 12v position nothing (however in not 100% sure if the switch was on or off!). Gas for 30 mins the freezer box element was cold but the metal bit in the fridge nothing, so last night I put it on mains and left it over night and the fridge element is cold and the freezer box is freezing so all working, so I’m not really sure what’s going on, any idea’s ? thanks and sorry for rabbling on.
Regarding the fridge - the 12v system will only keep the fridge at the temperature it starts at. (hence your 4hr test on 12v producing no coolness - and I did the same when I first got mine!) So if your fridge is not cool to start with, it won't get it any cooler. I simply can't be bothered with mine on 12v. I fill it up with food from the fridge, frozen sausages, etc for the next few days and a couple of freezer blocks on the day I'm going away and use it as a freezer box until I get where I'm going, then either use gas or EHU to power. I think the 12v system would be useful if you were going away abroad and doing a lot of miles!
when you get to a site, and using EHU for the fridge, the way I check that it's working is to feel the outside vent. If that is producing heat, it's working! However, from not very cool to cooler to cold does take a while. Mine has sometimes taken an hour sometimes two to cool down, and I think sometimes this depends on the outside temp. Some fridges are really picky in needing to be very level in order to work. They are not so picky on gas, so maybe that's the reason yours worked on that rather than EHU when away.
From the tests you've done, I'd say the fault here is all down to the fridge needing to be absolutely level. So use a spirit level when pitching the van and all should be ok and it should work on either gas or EHU.
You just need to be patient sometimes, a lot of people think that a caravan fridge should work and be as speedy as a domestic fridge... they are not the same thing!
Yes pre load your fridge with chilled/frozen foodstuffs. It's all about thermal mass. Air is very difficult to cool however solids/liquids are easier so if you start with an already cold fridge you'll be onto a winner.
My caravan fridge is so well insulated if I load it with frozen/chilled stuff on a Friday evening they stay cool enough all weekend without needing to be on gas/ehu. Handy when you're on non electric sites and don't want to use gas.
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Topic: Fridge and water heater
