Fridge Contoller

[wklein]

A while ago on a thread someone recommended a device to isolates 12v fridges when the batteries are not being charged. Much like a VSR but more compact (and cheaper). Can anyone tell me what its called or better still a website.

 

[colvic987]

fridgemate (the name of item, not an acknowledgement that you have a fridge, mate)

 

[skip50]

Yes Fridgemate. If charging e.g. on mains or motoring will allow current to fridge, if not charging i.e. sailing, stops the current. Can manually over-ride if you want.

http://www.jwmarine.co.uk/about_fridge_mate.html

Cost about £25, easy to connect. I am very pleased with it.

HTH

 

[wklein]

Thank you for your responses exactly what i was looking for. Just ordered two (One for a friend).

 

[nigelmercier]

You may have wasted your money; many fridges have this built-in, but set at a very low level.

 

[pvb]

You may have wasted your money; many fridges have this built-in, but set at a very low level.

The built-in feature is surely just a low voltage cut-off, which isn't what the Fridgemate does. In contrast, the Fridgemate only connects the fridge when the battery is being charged.

Personally, I find it an odd concept - I couldn't be bothered to keep pressing a button every 2 hours to get the fridge to work when there's no charging taking place!

 

[nigelmercier]

The built-in feature is surely just a low voltage cut-off, which isn't what the Fridgemate does...

But it has the same effect, although the built-in type does allow your batteries to discharge a little.

 

[pvb]

But it has the same effect, although the built-in type does allow your batteries to discharge a little.

Not wishing to be overly argumentative, but I don't think it does have the same effect. With the Fridgemate, the fridge will only work when the batteries are being charged, unless it's manually over-ridden by pressing a button, which only gives 2 hours fridge operation. With the fridge's own low-voltage cutout, the fridge will work anytime as long as it's turned on, until the battery voltage drops too low. Anyone with a reasonable amount of domestic battery capacity would probably find that the Fridgemate was a pain to use.

 

[nimbusgb]

Much more effective for me was fitting a digital thermostat instead of those manky mechanical monstrosities and then a voltage sense circuit. Now when the engine is running , the shore power is on or the solar panels are kicking out bundles I get a low setpoint and when the fridge is just running off the house batteries I get a more economical setpoint.

Who wants to get up 4 times a night to press a tit to keep the beer cold?

 

[pvb]

Who wants to get up 4 times a night to press a tit to keep the beer cold?

You expressed it much more effectively than I did!

 

[pappaecho]

If your fridge is A rated you wont need to get up because the insides stay cold without input from the battery

 

[colvic987]

Who wants to get up 4 times a night to press a tit to keep the beer cold?

I'll ask if it distrupts her sleep pattern??????????

(she's going to kill me for this one)

 

[nigelmercier]

Now when the engine is running , the shore power is on or the solar panels are kicking out bundles I get a low setpoint and when the fridge is just running off the house batteries I get a more economical setpoint...

So a dual setting thermostat, what a good idea. This might be a useful electronics project for me to construct; essentially a temperature IC, a relay and a PIC microcontroller.

 

[nimbusgb]

http://www.dixell.com/modelli/PRPRO01V/

The model I bought ( XR10CX ) runs off 12v and came standard with dual setpoint ability. All I needed was a comparator and reed relay to short out the required setpoint select contacts. You get the temperature display for 'free' and things like a compressor failure alarm and max temp and min temp displays.

A YAPP project will do it but it'll never look as slick as the dixel mounted into the panel next to my fridge The controller was only about £30.