T6 Fridge works but not off leisure batteries.

[Madhutter]

Having a nightmare with our fridge after a week on the road we’ve realised the fridge cools while driving then again on EHU but leisure batteries show between 60 and 100% when receiving a charge from these sources but display 0% when engine off and the fridge turns off. After looking through the forum at previous posts I tried to do a various resets of the system to re-set by disconnecting red terminal on the main battery, another attempt by removing fuses also failed as the reset requested removing fuses 5,6,7&8 all 25amp but the fuse board on or 2019 T6 Cali Ocean doesn’t have 4 x 25amp fuses anywhere that I can see…

Can’t check the two leisure batteries at the moment as we’re travelling between festivals on a tight schedule with little time and no tools so filling the fridge with masses of large bags of ice cubes to try to get through periods between hook ups but if anyone had any ideas of what might be going on or how to fix please let me know…!

Thanks all !

 

[KGCali]

Sounds like your batteries are not holding charge, replacements Varta LA80 from Tayna Batteries

 

[Madhutter]

Sounds like your batteries are not holding charge, replacements Varta LA80 from Tayna Batteries

Thanks I will look into them - one of my issues is the existing batteries were like-for-like replacements of the originals which started to loose the ability to hold charge after five years have was hoping to get more than two years use out of the new ones!

 

[vbk1975]

Having a nightmare with our fridge after a week on the road we’ve realised the fridge cools while driving then again on EHU but leisure batteries show between 60 and 100% when receiving a charge from these sources but display 0% when engine off and the fridge turns off. After looking through the forum at previous posts I tried to do a various resets of the system to re-set by disconnecting red terminal on the main battery, another attempt by removing fuses also failed as the reset requested removing fuses 5,6,7&8 all 25amp but the fuse board on or 2019 T6 Cali Ocean doesn’t have 4 x 25amp fuses anywhere that I can see…

Can’t check the two leisure batteries at the moment as we’re travelling between festivals on a tight schedule with little time and no tools so filling the fridge with masses of large bags of ice cubes to try to get through periods between hook ups but if anyone had any ideas of what might be going on or how to fix please let me know…!

Thanks all !

I agree with @KGCali - The Fridge doesn't know if it is connected to the hook up or 12v batteries directly. The Control panel requests the fridge on and off based off the Fridge temp sensor and the Fridge Temp setting.

The Fridge controller will only operate above a certain voltage, otherwise it just switches on and off a requested by the control panel.

So it very much looks like the batteries are worn out and have a very low voltage and the fact the fridge operates whilst driving or or on the EHU suggests the fridge just not operating due to the low voltage. The wiring for the fridge is all combined with the rest of the leisure circuits so again there isn't a issue that would only effect the battery operation and not the EHU or Engine Running, other than if they are disconnected or both battery fuses blown. A blown cube fuse on the rear battery, would still operate for a shorter time.

 

[temporarysecretary]

Thanks I will look into them - one of my issues is the existing batteries were like-for-like replacements of the originals which started to loose the ability to hold charge after five years have was hoping to get more than two years use out of the new ones!

To keep them healthy they need to be plugged into mains hookup every month.

If they go low and stay low they can get killed off pretty quick.

Other thing to check is that the fuse that connects the batteries isn't blown. If it is then you would have the capacity of 1 battery instead of 2.

For healthy batteries, solar is unbeatable. I went for a single panel after I replaced my leisure batteries due to low capacity and have had the fridge running for months.

 

[Madhutter]

To keep them healthy they need to be plugged into mains hookup every month.

If they go low and stay low they can get killed off pretty quick.

Other thing to check is that the fuse that connects the batteries isn't blown. If it is then you would have the capacity of 1 battery instead of 2.

For healthy batteries, solar is unbeatable. I went for a single panel after I replaced my leisure batteries due to low capacity and have had the fridge running for months.

Thanks - the frustrating thing is I have a solar panel and the Cali is parked outside so should be getting a top up - I did think maybe it’s a cube fuse issue on the rear battery but haven’t had opportunity to check it - other posts mentioned that the batteries don’t go to 0% as shown on the control panel and the system prevents charging if the batteries drop below a certain level as a protective measure - but also that it can be re-set which was what I was trying to do without luck‍

 

[temporarysecretary]

Thanks - the frustrating thing is I have a solar panel and the Cali is parked outside so should be getting a top up - I did think maybe it’s a cube fuse issue on the rear battery but haven’t had opportunity to check it - other posts mentioned that the batteries don’t go to 0% as shown on the control panel and the system prevents charging if the batteries drop below a certain level as a protective measure - but also that it can be re-set which was what I was trying to do without luck‍

The % on the screen is fictional.

Stock to volts


From memory I think the fridge switches off at 11.5V.

If you have gone flat with solar in this weather you definitely have a fault to find.

I'd check for solar output to and from your controller and the cube fuse.

 

[Madhutter]

The % on the screen is fictional.

Stock to volts

View attachment 150121
From memory I think the fridge switches off at 11.5V.

If you have gone flat with solar in this weather you definitely have a fault to find.

I'd check for solar output to and from your controller and the cube fuse.

Thanks for the voltage info will check outputs

 

[KGCali]

Well worth checking the rear battery cube fuse as it can blow when changing batteries or adding solar.

 

[Madhutter]

Well worth checking the rear battery cube fuse as it can blow when changing batteries or adding solar.

Next job on the list!

 

[Madhutter]

T6 FRIDGE WORKS BUT NOT OFF LEISURE BATTERIES -​

It does now...!

thought it might be helpful if anyone else has this problem to realise that the issue with the leisure batteries not charging required only a reset of the control panel on the T6.
With the batteries having fallen below the 10v level the control panel showed 0% and would not allow the batteries to be charged up without a reset. Tried a variety of versions seen in other threads for re-setting the controller but in the end this is the one that works for me...

Tilt control panel upward at bottom to reveal side clips
Press side clips to allow panel to pull further forward

Release two clips at top with flat tool / credit card to release upper part

finally detach large power cable only from right hand slot for 10 seconds to reset the control panel which then displays the image in the photo at the top here. The control panel now allows the leisure batteries to be fully charged using EHU for 24hrs.


And I've also found out that my solar panel is dead the cells having delaminated so will upgrade to Solar Camper Solution's 190 or 280v kit and get the MTTP which trickle charges all of the batteries...