Troubling Battery message when using ARB fridge

[sarum87]

So yesterday I used my ARB fridge in my jeep for the first time and got a troubling message on my dash even though I was driving the Jeep all day. "Start stop not ready, Battery Protection Mode" Here is what happened.

- The night before I loaded up my fridge in the back and plugged it into the 12volt outlet in the back of the cargo area on the Jeep. This plug is live and powered my fridge all night.
- next morning the Jeep started no problem and I drove it all day on the trails.
- voltage of the battery as I was driving in the middle of the day was 12.7 volts, yet I was still getting a Battery Protection mode message on my dash.

Any ideas on what the problem is? Thanks!

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[Maverick909]

ive seen this time to time with mine without a fridge plugged in. ive heard the the JL bad a bad run on batteries or well i read on this forum. pretty sure you can search it and it will come up.

 

[digitalbliss]

Shouldn't you be closer to 14v when the battery is being charged/used like that?

 

[Kidder212]

I have the 2.0L and mine runs at 14.1 volts. I believe 13.6 is minimum to charge batteries

 

[Rahneld]

So yesterday I used my ARB fridge in my jeep for the first time and got a troubling message on my dash even though I was driving the Jeep all day. "Start stop not ready, Battery Protection Mode" Here is what happened.

- The night before I loaded up my fridge in the back and plugged it into the 12volt outlet in the back of the cargo area on the Jeep. This plug is live and powered my fridge all night.
- next morning the Jeep started no problem and I drove it all day on the trails.
- voltage of the battery as I was driving in the middle of the day was 12.7 volts, yet I was still getting a Battery Protection mode message on my dash.

Any ideas on what the problem is? Thanks!

When the 3.6L rig's engine is off the ESS/Aux battery and main battery are connected in parallel (they almost always are--a story for another thread.)

Accordingly they each supply that 12volt battery outlet in the back as a unit when the rig is parked, and each battery took a bit of a hit energizing that fridge overnight to the point where your ESS/Aux battery had enough power to crank the rig....(the ESS/Aux battery has a critical function in cranking your rig it must do in isolation of the main battery) but not enough to allow you to enter into ESS events once the rig is successfully crank: as the rig will check the ESS/Aux battery and only allow such ESS events to occur if it has enough power.

Drive around for a while and things should be fine. Plug your rig into a trickle charger perhaps--although the fridge may deplete faster than the trickle charger replenishes.

Maybe you want to plug the fridge in overnight prior to trips into its own 12V source.

I trickle charge my 3.6L regularly.

Note: I didn't say the ESS/Aux battery cranks the 3.6L rig, even though it actually does, in parallel combination with the main battery--I said it plays a key role in the crank, signaling the starter relay alone just prior to any crank, whereafter the two batteries are reconnected to effect the actual crank. : - )

 

[sarum87]

Sorry for delayed response. Thanks for the information !

 

[LincolnSixAlpha]

I'd recommend simply throwing your fridge on AC over the evening before you leave. I've opted for the Genesis dual battery system for a couple of reasons. One being able to eliminate that nasty little motorcycle battery buried under the fuse box, and two because I can power my ARB fridge offroad, or while traveling without worrying about batteries depleting while camping, etc. I also invested in a really good battery charger, so I'll frequently throw it on the pair of batteries when my jeep sits for a few days or so. Not that it's really needed, I just want to keep the batteries healthy.

 

[offcamber]

When the 3.6L rig's engine is off the ESS/Aux battery and main battery are connected in parallel (they almost always are--a story for another thread.)

Accordingly they each supply that 12volt battery outlet in the back as a unit when the rig is parked, and each battery took a bit of a hit energizing that fridge overnight to the point where your ESS/Aux battery had enough power to crank the rig....(the ESS/Aux battery has a critical function in cranking your rig it must do in isolation of the main battery) but not enough to allow you to enter into ESS events once the rig is successfully crank: as the rig will check the ESS/Aux battery and only allow such ESS events to occur if it has enough power.

Drive around for a while and things should be fine. Plug your rig into a trickle charger perhaps--although the fridge may deplete faster than the trickle charger replenishes.

Maybe you want to plug the fridge in overnight prior to trips into its own 12V source.

I trickle charge my 3.6L regularly.

Note: I didn't say the ESS/Aux battery cranks the 3.6L rig, even though it actually does, in parallel combination with the main battery--I said it plays a key role in the crank, signaling the starter relay alone just prior to any crank, whereafter the two batteries are reconnected to effect the actual crank. : - )

That sucks. I could leave my ARB in my Jeep for 2 days in my JK before the battery really started feeling it. I've taken it in the JL one time and left it over night without any problems, but I don't have Start and Stop enabled on my Jeep so not sure if i'd get the error...

 

[Maverick909]

i mean you could run the battery tender while running the fridge the night before. as the fridge cycles and a good tender should be able to handle a small amp draw over night without issue. I just stated battery tending my jeep as i don't drive it much if at all during the week. seems to have helped out alot with keeping ESS working.

 

[Rahneld]

That sucks. I could leave my ARB in my Jeep for 2 days in my JK before the battery really started feeling it. I've taken it in the JL one time and left it over night without any problems, but I don't have Start and Stop enabled on my Jeep so not sure if i'd get the error...

Here's what I think you need Bob...

A properly amp rated on and off switch that is spliced between the hot lead that connects the main battery with the ESS one.

During idle times when the rig is parked you can turn this switch to the off position and break the connection between the two batteries such that your fridge runs solely off the main battery.

An instant before you press the start button, turn the switch on and crank your 3.0L JL.

The ESS battery, left untouched until you turned the switch back on will hopefully have not drained much to the main battery since turning the switch back on a second ago, and have power to not only signal the starter relay, but crank the engine.

Recall that the ESS battery is isolated to signal the starter relay, the two batteries are re-connected in parallel, and the starter uses both batteries to crank the engine.

It's why you can crank with a loaded ESS battery and no main battery, but not the opposite (the starter relay never tells the starter to work when the ESS battery is out of the picture.)

Accordingly, with the switch in the off position, cranking the rig will not be possible.

If you have the Aux switches accessory, I suspect you could break and reconnect the two batteries from one of those switches.

I hope this helps. : - )

 

[sjl136]

It may not be a cheap option ($370), but I've been enjoying using a portable battery power pack to run my ARB fridge off of DC, and keep it plugged into the 12V outlet while driving around to keep the charge level up. It gives me a buffer to protect the Jeep batteries, and also allows me to run the fridge outside of the Jeep around camp if I want, and I throw it and the fridge in the family car for other weekend trips, all without worrying about draining the car batteries. Plus I can run a whole bunch of other items off of it when needed and not a bad back-up power solution for home power outages: https://www.flexopowerusa.com/products/lithium444

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