Testing fridge power
 

Can anyone tell me how I can check whether the fridge power is working on my 2019 V90 with the genuine Volvo electrically deployed towbar 13 pin socket?
I thought I would be able to measure it with a multimeter when the engine is running but I can seem to get any readings from the socket. Does it need a load to give resistance?

I am pretty sure that the Volvo system needs a load to work. If you can plug the caravan in and switching the fridge on.

Hi we have an xc60 and had the towbar fitted at Volvo, our old Honda wouldn’t power the fridge however I can confirm the Volvo does. As said we had ours fitted after we brought the car and works perfectly

A quick way to check is to plug in the 13 way plug and with the engine running none of the electrical features in the caravan should be working. The fridge supply is used to activate the habitation relay.

Pin 10 is the fridge positive output within the 13 pin socket. This pin also activates a relay within the caravan to link the caravan battery to Pin 9 and charge it from your vehicle. Pin 11 is the negative earth return for the fridge. Most cars don't require a load or connection to activate Pin 10 - it is usually ignition switched. However, some VW cars and perhaps Volvos do have an option to program the output to be dependant on a trailer or caravan being connected. Many OE fitted towbars (BMWs in particular) don't have Pin 10 connected at all - the excuse I've heard being that it apparently isn't used on German caravans. Pin 9 should be constantly powered with the caravan connected and runs the battery charging supply and also the Alko ATC electronic stabiliser built into some modern caravans.
I'd use a simple 12v test light to probe between Pin 10(+) and Pin 11(-) on your Volvo socket with the engine running and hope to see an output which should switch off when you stop the engine.
If you see nothing, perhaps the system requires a load - so you could connect up your caravan, start your engine . . . . but where to check? Don't rely on the light in the fridge as it is powered from the caravan, and they make no sound so listening is no good. Most have no lights on them either.
However, if you have a volt meter built into the caravan or have a meter to connect across the caravan battery, you should observe a charging voltage of around 13.5 volts, and this is reliant on Pin 10 working correctly. If the caravan battery isn't charging from the car then you need to check the Pin 9 output. If that's ok then its highly likely that Pin 10 isn't working - so no fridge supply and no battery charging.

Dealer confirmation
 

I have an XC60 T8 recharge on order to tow my caravan.
I asked about Fridge Charging.

Tow Pack - 13 pin connections.
Please confirm that the Tow bar wiring will be complete and conform to UK standards?
Specifically that Pin 10 (The fridge supply) will be correctly supplied with 12v. (I have had a new car in the past where this circuit was not live on delivery as that manufacturer claimed it followed it's standards not UK Standards. Clearly not acceptable).

His reply - 'The Tow Bar is to a UK Standard and is the same tow bar that is fitted at the factory.'

I read this to confirm that the Volvo Tow connections will be powering pin 10 and hence the fridge.

Another quick test is to observe a digital voltmeter in the van and look for a flicker or change as the fridge is switched to battery whilst the engine is running.

I have had BMW's and each time I had to insist that Pin 10 be supplied to UK Standards not to 'BMW Standards'.

In the past I wired a small indicator across the fridge battery element and displayed it on the Fridge switch panel. This allowed be to be confident that the battery heater was being fed once the engine was running before setting off.