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Faulty Fridge - Do Not Worry

Hi Andrew we too have a warm milk problem in our 08 Cali have spoken to penguin and they advise taking out the controller for them to test any tips on getting it out would be mighty appreciated regards Andy / hollolegs
 
Very handy and not too far (compared to most stuff) from us either.

Our fridge is fine but that may not last...
 
Andy, follow my entry above and you won't go far wrong
Regards
Woody135
 
This is a great thread thanks for posting Andy. I've got a 06 Cali and just went away for the Mayday Bank Holiday and the fridge packed up. Due to go away again this weekend and thought I would check and see if any advice on this great forum. Anyway when I pressed the Fridge button on the control panel the snowflake flashed on, heard a click then turned off. I changed the fuse after much fiddling under the passenger seat but no luck. I'm not great with electrics (colour blindness and electrics don't mix well!!) so I called a place I knew in Coventry (I'm in Solihull) who specialise in caravans, motor homes and camper electrics called Jon Bayliss & Sons. Richard the mobile engineer came round a few days later checked it over said he'd never seen the Cali fridge before but took photos of the Danfoss and said he'd be in touch. I showed him the Forum and gave him Penguins details but he said he had his own supplier who would sort him out. Richard returned this evening saying his supplier had no idea what he was on about so he called Penguin and spoke to Zeb and said what a great bloke he was and that he couldn't have been more helpful. Zeb had emailed him a full diagnostics check sheet and told him to try it before he had to order and pay for parts. Five minutes later a working fridge!! Richard was as happy as me and refused to take any money until I insisted he at least had a drink on me,(he is local to me though) he said he's just chuffed he's found a new supplier he didn't know about, Happy days, just need to fill the fridge with beer for the Lake District now!! :thanks
 
My fridge in my 2012 cali has always been a little temperamental. I can always get it to work by adjusting the main control panel settings but it sometimes allows everything inside the fridge to warm up before chilling again. I feel the problem is more to do with the main California roof mounted panel rather than the Danfoss controller. Does anyone know;
How the California panel interfaces with the Danfoss controller?
Is the panel the thermostat/ main controller and has ultimate control over the fridge. If this is the case the temperature probe must connect to the panel and open and close a no volt contact that would connect across the thermostat connections on the Danfoss.
 
Does anyone know what firmware version they have in the roof control panel. Mine is - Software 10.03. Just wondering if there is an update.

Press the return button and rotary knob together for more than 1 sec and the scroll through the menu.
 
Hi Raggedroy,

Your fridge controller looks similar to the one I fitted on my California interior installation into my old T5. Have you scrapped the control panel in favour of this one like I did?

I do miss the ability to control the fridge to a definite temperature and may consider converting mine. Like the use of the inspection cover to house the control panel. I had mine mounted on the top of the cupboard under the hob.

Andrew.
 
Hi Andrew,
The new controller is connected in parrellel with the run signal from the control panel.
Either temperature controller will control the fridge. The two toggle switches under the new controller operate the main power to the controller and the Cooling output. If I have the cooling output switched off I can just use it as a temperature display.
The controller was brought from Amazon, shipped from China, for about £12. The trim section was about £10, I already had the two toggle switches.
 
Quality job! This has got to be on my list of early modifications. We have not had our California for long and I am missing not having jobs to do as it's already converted!
 
Hi, new on here, new to California's with a second hand 56 plate se ... seems was sold to me with faulty fridge, it comes on, then instantly hear a micro switch kind of click and its off again! we go away to france in the school hols and i need to sort first...help any one please..ps the control panel above driver wa replaced with new one at vw before we bought and also had that strap so many refer to done, but noticed the rear blower for kids started to work randomly now...must say, initial views very dissapointing as a life long vw fan! :cry:
 
My VW dealer removed the controller for my fridge (Cali 2006). He did not know how to troubleshot the controller. Now I have to put it back on again. But how do you get the controller connected to the three pins on the compressor? Is there a special tool needed?

Any tricks?

Geir
Norway.
 
Interesting post :clap :clap

Did anyone notice a relay beside the Danfoss controller with 4 wires on it????
don't suppose you have a pictures or part number? just wondering the spec of the relay

and a picture of the wiring coming out of the danfoss controller would be a great help

Paul
 
The relay located near the controller & under the fridge box is, I think, an interface relay. It is controlled by the Main Display Unit in the cab. I am not sure, as I have just started working on my fridge problem today (turn fridge on, moments later there is a click, but nothing happens) but the sensor in the fridge compartment may well be an RTD feeding the temperature to the Main Display Unit (in the cab) you then adjust the set point (desired temperature you want your fridge to run at), once the fridge temperature falls below the set point, it will command the interface relay off and vice a versa. I have performed the fault diagnostic procedure from penguin and it has indicated a possible fault with the controller, so that will be sent off on Monday. To remove the controller wasn't too difficult.

Saludos

Graham :crazy
 
any tips for getting the controller out. tools needed etc. as i have shovel sized hands and the technical skills to match. tried finding anything through that inspection hatch meant bended into positions known only in the Karma Sutra. there must be an easier way
 
after much time spent trying to figure out german engineering turns out if you unscrew the small phillips screw on the aluminium housing you can manipulate the controller out no problem. No need to take out the fridge or the kitchen. Simply one screw and some wiggling and out it comes.
 
I have to do some checks on my fridge control module, Fridge has decided not to be playing ball, Just having a quick look at the controller/plugs Question is, do the plugs just pull out, or do they have a tricky tab that has to be pushed/pulled, Think it's time for me to find my glasses,
 
This thread has been very helpful to me, I bought a van with this fridge problem. I used Martin of MRE Services based in Somerset to repair with a new controller, as the vendor will reimburse me. Martin is a mobile mechanic and I would happily recommend him. He charged £48 for call out and first half hour labour, having turned up at about 6.30pm! The fridge now keeps beer cold!
 
Hello to everyone

Here in France, I got a fridge Pb possibly linked with my Danfoss controller as mentioned in various post here..
The problem was a 1 or 3 seconds On followied by immediare switch OFF when fridge activated from the over head VW console.
I read your forum and various advices, check alim which was OK.
Got a new Danfoss (with exactly same ref as initial mine) from Penguin and got it installed here in France by a guy who was supposed to know the California...
He did change the Danfoss and the problem seemed to be resolved (fridge activation stay On from the console now) BUT in fact I discovered later that the fridge don't work in fact: no cold done whatever the temperature desired!!
...as if the temperature Thermostat was now faulty?
I looked at the connecters to the Danfoss and I suspect errors in the connections!
I give you a photo of the connecters as mounted now:



Can someone post me a photo of your own running Danfoss , to confirm /infirm my suspicion concerning the job done .
I find it strange that NO connection is made to connector C...
( I am wondering if the guy did'nt permute the two 3-wires connectors the middle one/the bottom one! )
Please excuse my accent, I am frenchy...
Can you help?
Thanks a lot.
 
rjpb said:
Hello to everyone

Here in France, I got a fridge Pb possibly linked with my Danfoss controller as mentioned in various post here..
The problem was a 1 or 3 seconds On followied by immediare switch OFF when fridge activated from the over head VW console.
I read your forum and various advices, check alim which was OK.
Got a new Danfoss (with exactly same ref as initial mine) from Penguin and got it installed here in France by a guy who was supposed to know the California...
He did change the Danfoss and the problem seemed to be resolved (fridge activation stay On from the console now) BUT in fact I discovered later that the fridge don't work in fact: no cold done whatever the temperature desired!!
...as if the temperature Thermostat was now faulty?
I looked at the connecters to the Danfoss and I suspect errors in the connections!
I give you a photo of the connecters as mounted now:



Can someone post me a photo of your own running Danfoss , to confirm /infirm my suspicion concerning the job done .
I find it strange that NO connection is made to connector C...
( I am wondering if the guy did'nt permute the two 3-wires connectors the middle one/the bottom one! )
Please excuse my accent, I am frenchy...
Can you help?
Thanks a lot.
Click to expand...

We are in Beaumes-de-Venise :thumbat the moment and got some free time so...
Here a pic taken from my 2012 SE
image.jpg

Seems slightly diffrent configuration....
 
Last edited:
rjpb said:
Sorry Hotel Calif, but I don't see your picture ! ...
Beaumes de Venise seems extremely distracting...:talktothehand
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...


Must have done something wrong ,
Look again...

Above is + and -
Below yellow in D
Blue in C and reconnected to P

F and T are empty
 
hotel california T5 said:
Must have done something wrong ,
Look again...

Above is + and -
Below yellow in D
Blue in C and reconnected to P

F and T are empty
Click to expand...
Thanks Hotel Calif !
I got the pic .
And It confirms clearly that the guy in Dinard DID permute the two connectors :Nailbiting
And I paid more than 200€ for that!....:rage
Thank for your help.
 
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