Zig CF8, Adding additional lights/fridge/inverter

[Smokes]

Hi, we have a CF8 wired in to our hitop and just had a couple of questions I'm sure you'll be able to answer. We currently have a water pump wired in pins 5 and 6 and just one strip light wired in, pins 9 and 10.

Is it possible to wire more than one light in to the unit? We wanted to add maybe another 2 small LED ones but wired again in to 9 and 10.

I'm alos looking at a 3 way fridge (posted in another thread) and wondered if this needs to be wired in to the zig unit to run off 12v? So say pins 7 and 8.

Then I was also looking at an inverter just for the odd times we have no mains hook up and want to charge cameras/phones etc, can this also be wired in to the unit or am I asking too much?

Thanks for any help

Arron (New HItop owner! )

[MidLifeCrisis]

Have you checked out the CF8 manual, its under 'Club Stuff' (at the top of this page), then under 'Downloads'.
That has a pretty nice diagram (on page 10) that shows how lights etc should be wired into the unit.

This is a direct link to it (note that it is a pdf):

http://www.club80-90.co.uk/pages/downlo ... ig-cf8.pdf

Basically, yes, you can add additional lights so long as the total current doesn't exceed the fuse on the CF8 for that circuit (I think that they are 10amp fuses?). So a couple of extra LED lights should not be an issue.
Also, note that the CF8 has 3 separate circuits each protected by a separate 10amp fuse, you say that you have the pump on the pin 5/6 circuit and the light on the pin 9/10 circuit, so you could always use the other (pin 7/8) circuit for the additional lights if you are worried.

The fridge does not get wired to the CF8, the 12V for the fridge must come from the Starter battery, via a relay that is triggered when the engine is running (again the CF8 manual diagram shows this quite nicely). Also, the wiki has lots of info on how to connect the relay for this.

Happy Wiring!!

[Smokes]

I've just been a real donut! the current fridge (Electrolux 120) is 12v or gas and we've already fitted a relay so it works when the van is moving so no need to wire in to the zig. The previous owners said they never used the fridge on gas because they couldn't spark it so I guess I need to test it. Is there a way of running it on 12v when the van is not moving? I assume a 3 way fridge gets wired in to the main circuit breaker?

I've got the manual for the zig thanks, as we used it to sort out a problem with the previous owners wiring, I'm just not totally clued up on electrics so thought I'd ask about the extra bits At least I know I don't need to use a circuit in the zig for the fridge.

Thanks again

Arron

[MidLifeCrisis]

Having said everything I said, I guess that you could run the fridge from the Zig if the Zig was connected to the mains (i.e. you are at a campsite and plugged in) - depending on the current draw of the fridge.

BUT you'd have to be very careful that you never ran the fridge off the Zig when there was no mains power available (as you'd quickly drain your leisure battery). So you'd need some sort of switch that switched the 12v for the fridge between being sourced from the Starter battery and being sourced from the Zig (when the Zig is connected to mains) ....... but again you'd need to be very careful you weren't exceeding the max current of the Zig ... any idea what the fridge current is?

[Smokes]

1664 just replied to another of my posts, it draws 9a at 12v apparently. I think I just need to get it working on gas rather than trying to sort a more permanent 12v source and worrying about draining batteries all the time.

Thanks for your help, hope I can get it going on gas!

[1664]

The Zig is not meant to have the fridge 12v supply connected to it - the 12v fridge electronic gas ignition unit (if fitted) yes, but fridge heating element, no. The Zig manual even states that. Even running off a hook up the Zig cannot supply sufficient current and will probably overheat or rupture something internally.

Hook up's fine if your fridge has a 240v option but since 'Smokes' doesn't have this it's irrelevant really.

[1664]

The previous owners said they never used the fridge on gas because they couldn't spark it so I guess I need to test it.

The good news is that since you've had it running off the 12v when the engine is running and all was well the internal chemical evaporation and condensation cycle works so you don't have to rip out the fridge and turn it on it's head for 24 hours. No really, I'm serious

Lets take this a step at a time. You have a push button piezo ignition system where the button is at the bottom of the fridge and there's a little window that you can peer through to the back of the fridge to see the spark and (eventually) the flame once the gas has lit yes? Firstly, can you see the spark when you press the button and it 'clunks'?

[Smokes]

No push button ignition I have a stick that twists and sparks (now that I've put a flint in it). When I push the button it just goes in, I can only assume it starts the gas flowing for you to spark with this thing. Here's a couple of pics, you might know where I need to spark it

Fridge - http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/2587/2 ... 152505.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Button bit - http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/8788 ... 152513.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sparker - http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/552/20120424154123.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[1664]

Sent a PM

[sjmtlewy]

Do you actually get effective cooling when the van is moving?

Mines not worth bothering with, which I've previously put down to always driving on crazy 1:3 west country lanes, rather than endless flat american roads / german autobahns where most of these units must live.

ps. Plugging the fridge into the Zig would be a baaad idea.

[1664]

Do you actually get effective cooling when the van is moving?

Yes. I've frozen stuff on the move. Best check your 12v side hasn't gone open circuit or the relay's not switching in.

[sjmtlewy]

Hrm.. Will do.

It works well on gas, but does need to be level to get really cold.

[1664]

but does need to be level to get really cold.

yes being level is pretty important for maximim efficiency. Remember that it takes a while for the entire process to get going - maybe a good half hour or so; they're not like a domestic or compressor fridge.

[sjmtlewy]

Yup.. heating element definitely works *blows on singed fingers*