Wiring up Conway Fridge box

[Chris Holmes]

As mentioned in a recent post, I think I may be able to get hold of one of these second hand.

Is there an "official" way to wire them for running the fridge (CTL

350) whilst travelling?

I am thinking of running a plug out to the 12S socket on the back of the car and back to a socket mouted inside the box and then fitting a

12S plug onto the fridge to take it from there.

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

[Smk]

yes, have the bloody common decency to acknowledge help given in your previous posting, before trying to get other people to sort out yet another problem for you. Alternatively, get off your lazy arse and find out how to do things for yourself.

[Andrew Gabriel]

They consume about the same amount of power they pump when used at normal refrigeration temperature differentials, which is indeed significantly lower efficiency than a conventional fridge. The standard 40mm square Peltier element takes about 4A at 12V, and more at the car's charging voltage. I'm not familiar with the particular fridge the OP mentioned, so I don't know what size Peltier element it uses.

[Chris Holmes]

As usual, i'd not given enough info :=((

I think the where to connect which pin shouldn't take too much figuring out. For the record, the CTL 350 is (was) made by camping gas (well it's got their badge on anyway and is 3 way ie it runs on gas leccy or 12(ish)V. Dunno what kind of element it used for the

12V, but it's rated at just short of 7A.

My real enquiry was to find out whether there was a standard way of routing the cable into the Conway fridge box, standard place to mount the socket etc.

Or indeed if this arrangement of "fixed extension lead" was the way to go.

Many overdue thanks, appologies and felicitations to those in uk.rec.caravanning for thair many and various suggestions. On the previous thread I initiated.

I think perhaps i'll stay where I belong in uk.diy in future mind or perhaps uk.rec.motorcycling. The heat is a little too strong in uk.rec.caravanning

[Chris Holmes]

Replying to my own reply for the benefit of anyone who comes Googling.

I discovered from Tony Maris who hangs out in uk.rec.caravanning (and runs a towbar fitting and trailer business in Derbyshire (Towbars & Trailers

that the correct pins were 3 (earth) and 6 (fridge). His site has some useful wireing diagrams which show where these are. Mine of course had no voltage on pin 6 even when the engine was running :=((

I had a dig about behind the carpet in the "boot" and discovered a black box which I decided must be the split load relay and to cut a long story short, eventualy worked out that there was a broken connection inside the relay. I soldered this back on and now have the necessary volts appearing on pin 6. (When ignition is on only)

The wire I soldered back looked a bit thin to be pulling 7A for the fridge and potentially the current for charging a second battery as well, but i'll see what happens before putting in thicker wire or getting a new relay.

I think I read somewhere that some newer designs are voltage senseing and don't switch the current through to the fridge & battery until they see lots of volts comeing out of the alternator.

Either way, although Trailers & Towbars aren't strictly part of the uk.d-i-y remit, I imagine lots of us have them, and I would like to propose "Towbars & Trailers" for inclusion in the FAQ.

Towbars & Trailers Davian Works, Storforth Lane Chesterfield S40 2TU Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] Web

Tony also answers questions on the aforementioned newsgroup and will discuss specific problems via email, but he only logs on during the hours of darkness (well a little bit before in the summer months).

[Tony Maris]

Hello Chris,

Thanks for the plug!!

Sorry I haven't got back to you yet about altering the chassis. I've been reading a 244 page EC document about introduction of type approval on commercial vehicles and trailers...... :-0 [yawn]

Hopefully tomorrow evening....

Regards

-- Tony M Towbars & Trailers Chesterfield Specialists in Towing Equipment NTTA Council Member

accredited for Towbars and Trailers

[Chris Holmes]

My "little man" has shifted the "box" back 11 inches, and very wierd the trailer looks too.

Unfortunately, the second hand Conway box isn't available before this weekend, so I just ordered a Storage Box from B&Q (which I hope will do) only to discover after the web site had taken the order that it won't be despatched till tomorrow (if you know the right route to take and burrow through about 15 pages on their site, there is a notice to say that after 2.00 PM it takes an extra day. Not impressed!

Still if it arrives early on Friday and I can build it during my lunch hour..............