Electrical Question

Confusion re car battery and leisure battery

 
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danduffymallow
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Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #1
Hi, hoping this isn't too obvious a question, just want to have something confirmed. If on a ferry from Ireland to France, I switched the fridge to 12v. Then it would operate under the leisure battery right? So when the leisure battery depleted, the fridge would just stop - it wouldn't draw from the car battery would it? Obviously I have no intention of using gas while we are at sea as its not permitted, so just wandering if I could switch to 12v, use the leisure battery till it depleted, and still be able to start the van once we reached France, because the car battery was not activated to keep the fridge going. Thanks
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #2
Not usually possible, the 12volt is when the engine is going only. A fridge would drain a battery in no time without the engine charging it.
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #3
My 12 volt on the fridge only operates when the engine is running.
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #4
so just to clarify purely for to get it into me head! Its a 3 way fridge, electric / gas / 12v. The 12v is only for the car battery then and not for the leisure battery?
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #5
If this is the case, when you use an electrical appliance in your motorhome on 12v, like for example a 12v TV or kettle, are you not drawing then from the leisure battery?
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #6
Quote by danduffymallow

so just to clarify purely for to get it into me head! Its a 3 way fridge, electric / gas / 12v. The 12v is only for the car battery then and not for the leisure battery?


No, the 12v on the fridge works of the leisure battery, I think, but that is being charged by the alternator when the engine is running.

Edit: maybe it works directly of the alternator, but it wont work of Leisure alone.
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #7
Quote by danduffymallow

If this is the case, when you use an electrical appliance in your motorhome on 12v, like for example a 12v TV or kettle, are you not drawing then from the leisure battery?


12volt TV yes, Kettle no, that would either be gas or 240volt electric.
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #8
Anything that produces heat uses a lot of power and fridges get very hot. Only low consumption devices work of the leisure battery (with the engine not running)
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #9
So Ally, and hoping I haven't misunderstood, this means that, apart from the fact that it may not last long, if you are static with engine off, as in a ferry, and you switched your fridge to 12v, are you working off the leisure battery? And then when you get into the van, and turn the engine, and leave the fridge on 12v, the fridge switches to the car battery?
An, if this is the case, when static and the leisure battery depletes fully, it will not switch over to the car battery because it would not have switched to the alternator until you turn the engine?
You can see why my head is wrecked ...
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #10
I'm not sure which battery it is connected to but the 12 volt usually only operates whilst the engine is running as you would normally switch to either gas or electric when you arrive on site. The fridge on 12 volt is power hungry as when on 12volt the thermostat is not used and it continues to draw 8- 10 amps per hour. Your battery maybe 110 amp + but inefficiency means that they are generally only charged to 85% and discharging below 50% is best avoiding on a regular basis. Therefore we only have 35% usage per battery. So in theory a 110 amp battery should be capable of running it only for between 3 and 5 hours. that is if you could ascertain that it is connected to the house battery and override the engine running set up.
There have been posts on here in the past where folks have frozen milk containers Caprisun etc in their freezers and placed these in the fridge compartment when shutting down for the crossing.
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #11
A compressor fridge 12v and 240v only as used in many smaller van conversions is much easier on 12 volt supply than absorbsion ones as they start up and click back out again similar to our home fridges.
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #12
good answer Paul thanks
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #13
Quote by danduffymallow

So Ally, and hoping I haven't misunderstood, this means that, apart from the fact that it may not last long, if you are static with engine off, as in a ferry, and you switched your fridge to 12v, are you working off the leisure battery?


Your fridge if wire correctly will not work of the batteries without the engine running. It will do nothing if switched to 12volt without the engine running.
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #14
Thanks Ally and Paul.
Time to start freezing my Capri-sons and milk cartons (and Stella for the cornflakes)
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #15
Hope this makes it easier to under stand,
Imagine your fridge ran from alternator only, get batteries out of your head,
Alternator only works with engine running, :up:
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #16
Ask for hook up on the ferry. You will usually get it.
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #17
Quote by mark

Ask for hook up on the ferry. You will usually get it.


No hook up on Stena,
I asked and was told that they only had the 32amp for reefer trailers,

Irish ferries have hook up :up:
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #18
Sorry. I thought both provided hook up.
Another reason to go with Irish ferries.
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Re: Electrical Question

 ·  Posted: 08.07.2016  ·  #19
Unless you have medicines or specific needs, then bringing supplies to France is a bit pointless. The only other inconvenience is arriving on a Sunday since most supermarkets etc close at midday.

The supermarkets in France (Super U, Carrefour, Intermarche and Le Clerc) have huge ranges of pretty much everything you will ever need. In fact they would put any Irish supermarket to shame, with the possible exception of Scally''s in Clonakilty. The only downside is not recognising brands (bit like going to Lidl) half the craic is visiting the markets and choosing what to buy every few days. Experiment with local foods otherwise you are not getting the best out of your trip.

Every year for the past seven we had hook up on Oscar Wilde, this year we did not bother. Bit of milk, ham, butter and cheese lasts the trip and gets you started. It stays cool enough in the fridge, more so if you follow the caprisun route.

Davy
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