ARB fridge problems

[Enigma]

Not sure if this would be the correct forum for this, but here goes....

I won a new 47 litre ARB fridge a short while ago, with the transit bag. Yes I was giddy with excitement.
So with my 1/2 electrical skills, I ran some 16 ga wire with a soldered crimp style round end thing from the positive end of my (rhd) drivers side battery (my hdj81 has 2 batteries for it's 24v start system, but otherwise it's a 12v system) back to the rear compartment. I bought a 12v accessory plug, and a 15 amp inline fuse as well.
The fuse wire was 14 ga, and I twisted those ends and soldered them to the 16 ga wire. The other end of the fuse wire to the 12v plug (which was 16 ga. as well) twisted and soldered. I ran a short 16 ga. ground from the the 12v plug to a bolt on my rear bed platform that goes into the body.

So it worked. I ran the fridge all week (with nothing in it) and no problems.
But this last weekend as we are packing to go camping, the morning we go to leave I notice the red error light flashing and the temp readout has climbed up to -1 from where I had it set at -7.
Even with the fridges built in battery management system set to 'low', there was not enought juice to start the truck.
Since we were heading out with another truck, I jump started it and continued packing, and the temp reading gradually climbed back down to -7.
The entire weekend I kept peeking at it, and at various times the red error light was flashing and of course no starting.
Only once did I notice the green power light turn amber to indicate it had reached and was holding temp.
I did also notice than on occasion, but not always, the 12v plug body would get quite warm, I guess 'cause it was cycling so often?
When I installed the fridge, I attempted to keep the min. recommended 2" clearance all around for air flow. I had that easily on 3 sides, but with the left side (as facing the fridge) it was perhaps only 1/2" due to my roll out plastic storage container.
The ambient temperatures here have been quite hot recently, mid 30 deg celsius.

So, any ideas and suggestions?

 

[firetruck41]

Personally, I went with thicker gauge wire (10g, IIRC), for my cargo area power point. Also make sure the wire is fused within a few inches of the battery, for safety sake. Other than that, not sure what your problem might be. Seems like the fridge is not cutting off as it should with low voltage, and the battery may be weak.

 

[Enigma]

New batteries last year I should add.

 

[Bogo]

While 16AWG is technically large enough for the ARB, I'd strongly recommend larger wires. I use 12AWG wires scavenged from an extension cord that got damaged. All that warmth in the plug is lost energy that wasn't able to be used to run the fridge. Also the cigarette lighter plug was never meant to be a continuous duty plug.

As for the battery state. I don't know. Do you have a volt meter you can use to check on the voltage as it is operating?

 

[photogod]

If you are running to the rear from the battery you might think of running at least 6 ga. for 12 volt with a fuse close to the battery. 16 ga. is way to small. do you have deep cycle/starting batteries? Marine cable with thin strand and tinned is my favorite as well as a heavy duty marine plug instead of the auto parts cheepy. Thin strand has much less resistance and has greater fatigue qualities. Just a thought, good luck.

I have 6 back to a fuse panel and can run my 45 qt for three or four days without a recharge.

 

[Enigma]

They are not deep cycle, just good quality normal type batteries. I will pick up some heavier gauge wire, but 6 ga? It's not a welding machine back there!
I also just re-read the manual, and I had the battery management system set on low, which is supposed to be only used for an auxiliary battery, and it should have been set on high. That at least, in theory, should have left me enough juice to start.

 

[Bogo]

Thin strand has much less resistance

Only for AC current and then only for very high frequency AC current. Anyways the difference is so small that going to the next larger wire size will easily swamp it. If you want much less resistance, get oxygen free 100% copper. That can easily get you a 10% to 30% decrease in resistance. Just a small amount of impurities can increase the resistance of copper greatly. Another thing to think about is how long will that oxygen free wire stay oxygen free? Again, going one size larger usually works better, but this time it is in the long run. Just get a good automotive grade wire and be done with it. Oh yeah, do crimps properly and don't solder. Soldering makes hard points that will fatigue faster and the flux adds corrosive agents to the wire between the strands. When you crimp the end on, slip a tube of heat shrink with hot melt glue over and seal it up to keep the water out.

GPT PRIMARY WIRE SAE J1128 WIRE AND CABLE* - Waytek Wire is a good choice. Pick up red and black spools of the size you want. They also have the rest of the stuff you will need.

 

[Enigma]

Well I stand corrected. I read the manual, again, and kinda missed the big important point where ARB recommends 6mm wire for lengths up to 9 meters. So 6 mm would be 10 gauge from what I just looked up. Pardon me all over the place there Photogod

I had always thought soldering was the thing to do, thanks for the info.

 

[Bogo]

Look at 10AWG as a minimum. I'd still go a size or two larger. Then you could put a second or third outlet back there and run other stuff too. Inverter? Bunk heating pad? Extra lighting?

If the wires are at all exposed on the underside of the chassis, protect them with a wire loom. This is to protect them from thrown stones, etc.. Use a non split one if possible, but a split one will do. In general protecting them with a wire loom for their whole length is best.

 

[photogod]

Well I stand corrected. I read the manual, again, and kinda missed the big important point where ARB recommends 6mm wire for lengths up to 9 meters. So 6 mm would be 10 gauge from what I just looked up. Pardon me all over the place there Photogod

I had always thought soldering was the thing to do, thanks for the info.

Not a problem! Just throwing in my two cents. I have a fuse box in my rear panel so I used a bit larger wire. And thin strand tinned wire does offer less resistance. No need to go into a profound explanation but that is why it is used on all good marine wiring projects, DC 12 volt current.