Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue

[Hibbo Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hibbo]

Hello all,

I have a 60 Liter Evakool Fridge/ freezer, and if the car has been off for half a day or so, the fault light on the fridge starts flashing and the fridge doesn't run properly. I can only put this down to a voltage issue, because it runs fine in a mates 80 series and on the inverter plugged into a GPO. I have 15A Pos cable running from the battery through a 15A fuse and then to the rear cigarette lighter. The 15A Neg cable comes from the cigarette lighter to a bolt that goes into the body of there car. I also have the Neg terminal of the battery earthed to the car chassis.

I am at my wits end as to how i can fix this fault light problem, so i am calling out for help and any suggestions to all PP's. Hopefully someone has had a similar experience?

Cheers.

Hibbo

[samo Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close samo]

Re: Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue

check your connections on the battery and fuse end, i had a similar thing happen with my waeco and traced it back to a dodgy fuse holder, it was gettin quite hot, changed it out and its well now goes like it was ment to. cheers samo

[lofty Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close lofty]

Re: Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue

Are you sure your battery is ok? I had sam e issues with my waeco and I was convinced my Aux battery was fine until i had it tested by a auto electrician. New battery and all is good.

[Hibbo Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hibbo]

Re: Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue

Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies. Lofty, i forgot to mention i had already replaced the battery. That was my first guess. Thanks anyways.

Samo that's a great idea :!: i didn't even think of that. I will be checking that tonight.

cheers

Hibbo

[DocK Member Find all posts View Profile Close DocK]

Re: Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue

What a coincidence - I have just purchased a Evakool RFE 60 and have the same problem. I have a 90amp hour battery - new and even if fully charged it seem to only last about 12 hours before the yellow fault light flashes (indicating low voltage). I have run a dedicated line from the second battery fuse box with 6mm wire from there to a dedicated cig lighter plug. I am in the process of having the battery assessed as this is all a bit strange. Had the alternator checked and this was OK as well. I will takes Samo's advice and check that area out. Maybe it is a current drop after all.

Keep us posted.
Cheers
DocK

[slug Member Find all posts View Profile Close slug]

Re: Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue

Ive had this!!!!!!!!

Well, what i think is the same thing. The fault light would flash, once only every however many seconds, according to instructions = low voltage. Does your fridge still keep running? I think mine did, not sure if it will cut out afte a while. It has also done it immiediatly after arriving at camp, it hadnt been sitting and also while the car is running
Anyways, this is what ive done:

:arrow: Ive had several "independant" mates check out the wiring, they all say it should be fine, its not pissy little stuff.
:arrow: Auto elec has checked the wiring and tested for voltage drop between fridge and outlet, no problem
:arrow: Have had the fridge checked by refrig mechanic, says its all fine.
:arrow: Purely through attrition i have new batteries under the bonnet, starter and aux, although not replaced at the same time, still have the prob occasionally
:arrow: Called Evakool and spoken to them. Didnt get much of a response (ive heard others say they have had good dealings with them though) but they seemed genuinly surprised and couldnt think what it would be so surmised it mustnt be the fridge

The last time it did it i started the car, let it run for a bit then stopped it, didnt do it for the rest of the weekend :?: :!:

So i dont know if i still have the problem, if there really is a problem or what to do next. It doesnt happen every time i use it but its unnerving at the start of a weekend trust me! Ill be interested to hear what others have found!

[dereki Member Find all posts View Profile Close dereki]

Re: Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue

Interesting. I have the RF-47 so a slightly different scenario. I have found however that the low voltage light can be
easy to trigger in some circumstances, usually around to do with voltage drop when the compressor starts.
My 100Ah AGM will power the thing as a -15deg freezer for 4 days before the light comes on and after that
it does not run again, so thats all good.

On the evapower 12v powersupply its fine as well, but on a crappy battery or using the ctek in supply mode
the voltage drops enough on compressor start for it to fail, with either 1 flash.. or 3 quick flashes.
(The ctek also cuts out on its own low voltage safety, so I am thinking the initial hit is quite big)

I fixed it by putting a smoothing capacitor in the wiring near the fridge. $1.20 for the component from jaycar.
(16v 4700uf electrolytic capacitor in parallel with the + and - on the ciggy lead, was just enough, maybe 2 or 3 for the bigger fridge
would be better) Not sure if it will work to fix your problem tho.

D

[karrathaprado2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close karrathaprado2]

Re: Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue

How about a quick sketch on that...I have come back from the states and there are guys with in the car stero comunity that put these big compacitors in to keep the old thump, thump, from diming the head lights. Make sense to help along the start up on the compressor and once it is up and running a lower voltage will serfice?

[dereki Member Find all posts View Profile Close dereki]

Re: Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue



This is what I have. Its only a small cap, but its big enough to fix the problem I had.
Once the initial 1/2 second is over its all good and this little cap is just about empty anyhow.
Its very simple. I almost opened up the fridge and put it in there, but figured the warranty
would be void so didn't bother. My problem was only when using the ctek in supply mode anyhow.

D

[karrathaprado2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close karrathaprado2]

Re: Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue

Thank you now I understand how it is done. So if raise the uF you will get a better power reserve par say?

[dereki Member Find all posts View Profile Close dereki]

Re: Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue

Thank you now I understand how it is done. So if raise the uF you will get a better power reserve par say?

Yes more uF = more power. You can do this be getting a bigger one or just getting more and attaching them the same as the one shown.
Just make sure you get caps that have a voltage rating higher than you expect to see. Going higher (eg a 50 volt) doesn't matter it will
only charge up to the same voltage that is there.

[DocK Member Find all posts View Profile Close DocK]

Re: Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue

No luck with alternative new battery - will now try the capacitor thingy!

[Hibbo Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hibbo]

Re: Evakool Fridge Voltage Issue

The other day i spoke to a car fridge mechanic and he said that this issue is definitely a voltage drop issue. He measured the voltage drop at the cig lighter point where i plug the fridge into and i was losing 0.50V which he said is not too bad.
He did point out however that the Evakool fridges that have a fuse on the fridge (found next to the temp control nob) that this fuse can actually drop a significant amount of Voltage through it. He recommended changing the fuse for a circuit breaker.
Apparently all the new Evakools have already changed the design and have a Circuit Breaker, so it should just be a matter of getting one from Evakool and swapping it with the fuse holder.