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Refrigerator Electrical Plug

January 25, 2015, 03:35:33 pm

Good Afternoon,

 I'm helping my parents out on there  97 U320.  They have replaced the original  refrigerator and are nearing finishing the install. Behind the unit there are two electrical outlets marked A and B. Can anyone tell me which plug the refrigerator was plugged into.  My folks can't remember what location it was when they unplug it.  It may not make a difference but I don't want to take the chance. Thanks Mike

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Re: Refrigerator Electrical Plug

Reply #1 – January 25, 2015, 03:48:49 pm

Mike, One of those plugs is 110 Volts AC from either the generator or the pedestal source.
The other plug is fed by the Inverter only.
You would want a refrigerator to be plugged into a source other than the Inverter.
To determine which take a voltmeter or tester and with the inverter turned off plug the refrigerator in to the one that has power on it.
To double check you can then test the other plug and it should have no power, then turn on the inverter and it should have power.
Gary B

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Re: Refrigerator Electrical Plug

Reply #2 – January 25, 2015, 03:50:33 pm

Always amazed by the wealth of information and help just a short click away. Within 15 minutes. Way to go Gary.

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Re: Refrigerator Electrical Plug

Reply #3 – January 25, 2015, 03:58:39 pm

Thank You for the information. Amazing people and forum. Mike

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Reply #4 – January 25, 2015, 04:12:50 pm

My residential runs off the inventor, so food stays cold whether plugged in, generator running, or driving down the road.
Is this an RV or residential refrigerator?

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Re: Refrigerator Electrical Plug

Reply #5 – January 25, 2015, 04:13:50 pm

If residential model, you definitely want it on the inventor

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Reply #6 – January 25, 2015, 04:23:24 pm

Tim, Would you not stand a chance of running the batteries down pretty quickly if refrigerator is on the inverter ? I assumed that this is a standard RV refrigerator. If a residential you may be right but I still question using the inverter to power a 110V refrigerator.
Gary B

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Re: Refrigerator Electrical Plug

Reply #7 – January 25, 2015, 04:31:43 pm

2-3 days on my residential. How else would you assure constant refrigeration with a residential unit.
 Previous Dometic was a three way, plus it had a seperate compressor for the icemaker in frig. Gas, 12 volt or 115 v

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Re: Refrigerator Electrical Plug

Reply #8 – January 25, 2015, 09:18:50 pm

now that I think about this this is another deep thought from foretravel.  in other words if you can modify the coach in small ways you increase the number of backup systems the coach has.

the idea of changing the plug in outside switches the refer to the inverter side is another backup. 

was not necessarily thought about for running a household compressor refer.

the dometic  refers  freezer compressor on my 97 is wired to run off the inverter.  another backup.  plus the bay refer/freezer.

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Re: Refrigerator Electrical Plug

Reply #9 – January 26, 2015, 12:45:05 am

If your residential refrigerator does not have an on/of switch (many don't) then the only way to turn it off is by ...
Opening the circuit breaker but then shuts off other stuff.
Unplugging it through the exterior side wall vent.

Or ...
Rewiring it so that the outlet is somewhere accessible from inside the coach (in my case under the kitchen cabinets) and adding a switch to make the outlet switched.  Might as well add another duplex outlet while your at it.

Roger

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Re: Refrigerator Electrical Plug

Reply #10 – January 26, 2015, 06:59:37 pm

When I installed our residential fridge, I added an outlet in the outside fridge vent compartment and split it so one side goes to the dedicated 1 KW inverter, and the other goes to the house inverter.  Good to have options other than spoiled food if one of the inverters ever fails. The pre-existing 120V outlet behind the fridge is direct to shore or generator, providing even more options if we need to disconnect the batteries for some reason.

When we're boondocking, the fridge is connected to its dedicated inverter and we can shut down the main inverter to manage power consumption at night.

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Reply #11 – January 26, 2015, 07:35:56 pm

The land line outlet is still behind the res refrigerator so I could plug it in there for use with a land line or generator if need be.  I have been thinking about removing the big LP tanks for a 5 or 10 lb tank that would last for months and putting in anothe battery or two and a small dedicated inverter.  On my Samsung I thing the max amps at startup was about 6 amps and we are not using the ice maker so a small inverter would worl well.

The Samsung had no off switch and I want to be able to turn it off without unplugging it or flipping the breaker.  A couple extra outlets never hurts either.

Roger

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Reply #12 – January 26, 2015, 07:48:08 pm

Roger, I removed my LP tank, installed the 4th 8D Gel battery in that space.  That did wonders for the big refrig, and did not install a small LP tank/bottle, so I was able to change the door latch to a keyed lock.  Still have the gas cook top, but it is dead, will install the 120 volt unit in place of the current LP unit.  In the east, there are tunnels and LP equipped anything has restrictions / inspections. big pita !!

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Re: Refrigerator Electrical Plug

Reply #13 – January 26, 2015, 08:29:01 pm

Hi Dave,
I though about using the 1 lb LP bottles that my grill uses. One of these will run my grill (or my stove) for maybe 6 or 8 hours or more.  They are refillable or easy to find, 2 for about $5 or less.  We use the stove so we want to keep that capability. Do the tunnel rules apply to small LP bottles used by plumbers and gas grills or lanterns?

I have two spare 8D batteries that I am hoping to fit into the LP compartment.  Does your charger or alternator have any problems keep the extra battery charged?

I hope your trip home from NAC went well.  Hiw did your tire pressure experiment work out?  What PSI did you end up using?

Roger

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Re: Refrigerator Electrical Plug

Reply #14 – January 26, 2015, 10:48:37 pm

"Do the tunnel rules apply to small LP bottles used by plumbers and gas grills or lanterns?"

It is a bit more than tunnel rules.  DOT rules make it illegal to transport refilled 1 lb. containers on any public highway.

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Reply #15 – January 26, 2015, 11:11:03 pm

Thanks for the heads up Monti.  There are 1, 5 and 10 lb refillable tanks with overfill protection devices available now which can be legally refilled and transported.  I was thinking of one of these in a 5 lb size. 

The gas grill cylinders are pretty cheap for the amount of time I get out of them.  There are refill fittings available at Camping World and lot of other places. I guess you can refill them but not transport them.

Roger

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Re: Refrigerator Electrical Plug

Reply #16 – January 26, 2015, 11:37:48 pm

Here is a DOT approved refillable #1 bottle.

Manchester Tank: 1# Refillable Cylinders

Edit, doesn't say DOT approved, "meets DOT requirements"

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