Smart Alternator Technology etc.

I must admit this is something I have never noticed when towing with my 14 reg Kuga.It has has two different vans on the back, and I have never known either of the  fridges to "defrost" when towing.Even when using the vans in France.

I do check the blue 12v led is glowing on the fridge before leaving site or home and it is still on when arriving at my destination.

Note the blue fridge light only works with engine running.It flashes when engine turned off.

Re Tony Burton (above post)how do you know the alternator is delivering a charge when you brake?

Hi Fozzie,

How do I know it only charges the car battery when I brake? The sales blurb told me so! I'm a believing soul!! I think it monitors the battery voltage and only charges continuously if the battery is low. It's very clever!! (I think) The temperature in France was approaching 30 degrees and we were driving for about 8 hours. My wife mopped up the water in the bottom of the fridge as I had driven such a long way.

Tony Thanks for the reply only I was wondering if you had extra instrumentation on your Kuga to inform you when it was charging.

All I can think of is my towbar fitter possibly used a switched live from the rear of the car rather than an alternator 12v supply.

I to had high temps in France this year and travelling from the Loire back up to Jumeiges, had no mopping up of water from the fridge.

I had this issue in 2013 and this is what i found.

1/ the battery will charge when braking, or on the overrun, using regenerative braking.

2/ It is possible to see the volts low enough for a Voltage sensitive relay to not pullin, so no fridge feed or battery charging to the caravan.

And even if it does pull in the drop out voltage on my VSR was 12.8 volts, so it can drop out.

3/ Fit a plug in voltage meter, a couple of pounds from amazon, then you can see what voltage the battery is giving.

4/ A way round it is to fit an ignition operated relay instead of a VSR, or put your lights on.

5/ The battery will have some current monitoring fitted, mine is adjacent the negative lead, this current can trigger the the alternator to charge, in practise it tells the ECU to increase the alternators field current, which sends out more volts.

I suspect ford have updated it recently. I recently took possession of a new Smax and noticed that the fridge stays on even when the engine is off.  Queried this with the towbar fitting company who think it switches off after a period of time but yet to test it and will also be with a new van anyway

I had the same problem with a BMW X5, and now have it with a Porsche Cayenne. Fridge receives power whilst engine running, but defrosts on journeys more than 2 hours.

I have visited the Birmingham show today and have asked the Tech bods on the Hyundi and Jeep stands also the NCC tech bod and the caravan club( As will always be)techies and all admit it is a problem that at the moment is still being "worked on?"but none would say yes to the directly wiring to the fridge,even Dometic are trying to find a way to solve it ,they all say that it is definatly the not so "smart" alternators,which are all pert of the drive for lower emmisions and higher mpg,

When i suggested driving with dipped headlights, they thought that is possibly the only way round it for now,

Or buy a Land Rover.

That's one way to solve the problem then the recovery truck can supply voltage to you fridge as your been recovered again👿😈👹

I have a freelander 2 and the same problems with my fridge. Buying a land rover is not the answer