Date:         Tue, 18 Feb 2014 08:41:54 -0800
Reply-To:     mark drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         mark drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: Puzzle - strange
Comments: To: thewestyman <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <TjZ51n01N08X5Fr01jZAkm>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed

It is common for someone to have added an aux battery and then wired it
to run the kitchen. The aux battery gets charged when the engine is
running. If the aux battery is dead, the kitchen stuff will only work
while the engine is running and trying to charge the aux battery. Does
this van have an aux battery under the driver seat?

If it has an aux battery I would put a strong charger on the aux battery
and after a few minutes check to see if the kitchen stuff works while
the charger is still hooked to the aux battery. If it does then you know
that the aux battery has died. It may come back to life or it may need
to be replaced. The various methods people have used to connect aux
batteries include some poor methods. One of these poor methods attempts
to use the original fridge relay under the driver seat as the aux
battery relay. This usually means they also wired the fridge to the aux
battery without a fridge relay anymore. This lets the fridge quickly
kill the aux battery if the fridge is ever left turned on to the 12 volt
setting while parked. So if you replace the aux battery you should make
certain that the fridge isn't wired to it without a second relay wired
to turn off the fridge when parked or the new battery will be killed also.

The other suggestions already given could be the problem too. I would go
with checking the wiring at the fridge relay. Someone could have
replaced it and hooked it up wrong or worked on the wiring there and
hooked it back up wrong.  Often people don't grasp how VW meant for the
relay to be wired and the way they think makes sense makes it so the
whole kitchen only works with the engine running.

Mark

thewestyman wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I was working on the camping equipment.  Namely the faucet.  And I noticed, I only get power if the engine is RUNNING.  Yes, running.  Not even if I have ignition on.  And the galley monitor is also only come up when it’s running only.  I can not think of whatever can be the culprit.  Normally, there is always power there.
> Would any of you know this?
>
> Best regards to the Great List.
> Zoltan
>