Electrical Install Behind Refer

Topic: Electrical Install Behind Refer (Read 1214 times) previous topic - next topic

Electrical Install Behind Refer

September 29, 2016, 10:46:23 am

Checking the presently installed refer to see how to remove the old refer, & what has to happen, for a residential installation. I found 2 120v receptacles, and 1 wire bare ended behind the box. Anyone have ideas as to what it all is? I figure that one recpt is on the inverter, one not ( why, I don't understand ), what's the open ended wire ?

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #1 – September 29, 2016, 11:21:18 am

Quote from: toyman – September 29, 2016, 10:46:23 am

Checking the presently installed refer to see how to remove the old refer, & what has to happen, for a residential installation. I found 2 120v receptacles, and 1 wire bare ended behind the box. Anyone have ideas as to what it all is? I figure that one recpt is on the inverter, one not ( why, I don't understand ), what's the open ended wire ?

White receptacle runs fridge off shoreline only, brown receptacle runs off inverter. Inverter circuit is provided for running icemaker when boondocked and using propane for fridge cooling. That's actually what we have our residential fridge plugged into. We rarely boondock and the residential fridge is fairly energy efficient.

Not sure what the unused wire is for - is there a wire number on it?

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #2 – September 29, 2016, 11:31:53 am

Thanks Michelle. It's a Romex, in the photo just to the right of the white box, don't see a number on it. Maybe an ice maker option ?

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #3 – September 29, 2016, 11:40:10 am

I see the bare wire in your pic. Was not there during our install. As Michelle asked - Is there a number printed or attached to that bare wire. If there is you can look at the wiring diagram to determine it's function. When we installed our Refer we plugged into the Brown outlet as well and moved the Brown outlet to a location below the Gaggenau so it would be easier to get to.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #4 – September 29, 2016, 11:52:06 am

Quote from: toyman – September 29, 2016, 11:31:53 am

Thanks Michelle. It's a Romex, in the photo just to the right of the white box, don't see a number on it. Maybe an ice maker option ?

Can you tell where it goes from there?

Looking at our schematics, in '03 there was an option for central vac and according to the prints the power would be routed to "below refrigerator" and would be on the same circuit (#3) as the shore-line only fridge outlet (white). There is also an option for a basement freezer 120 Vac outlet on that circuit. I believe we have that latter option and it's routed to our full-width Joey Bed bay.

If I had to guess, especially since it looks original based on the sealant it goes through, it's probably a prewire provision (but not connected at either end) for either the central vac or a basement outlet for a freezer option.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #5 – September 29, 2016, 05:35:59 pm

I was looking behind the refrigerator which is out, asked about the receptacles.

Dave told me the white is inverter/shore

The brown is shore only.

According to him, by me being plugged into the white, I can run the new residential on inverter or shore.

If plugged into the brown, shore power only (Guess that means generator too?)

I think there was another opinion on white/brown receptacle connection?.....maybe I best confirm what Dave is doing in plugging in our refrigerator!

Note ours is a 2001 coach

mike

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #6 – September 29, 2016, 06:09:07 pm

Written on the mystery wire in felt tip, "Freezer". Now where it goes from here is still a mystery, but don't really need it, it can remain a mystery.

Thanks !

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #7 – September 29, 2016, 06:20:36 pm

Mike, you want your residential refrigerator plugged into the inverter outlet. It gets inverter power when no shoreline or generator, shoreline when it is available or generator when it is available.

Dave, it is probably the +12 volt power feed to an optional freezer. Make sure it is not hot, if it is put a crimp on cap on it.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #8 – September 29, 2016, 06:36:28 pm

According to MOT, that is what the white receptacle is for....inverter and shore....and that is what I am plugged to.

And per them, the brown box is the shore only

As for generator, I suspect it goes to both white and brown...

But I think another post has the brown for inverter.....I need to be sure I am plugged into the correct box, which they said is white.

To verify

thanks

mike

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #9 – September 29, 2016, 06:49:13 pm

Mike,

Good idea to verify:

Unplug shore power. Generator off.

Turn on inverter and see which outlet is hot.

Would hate to think a color blind assembly tech 15 years ago would cause you to pull a residential refrigerator to plug into the other outlet!

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #10 – September 29, 2016, 06:50:50 pm

Mike, do you have a circuit tester like this? They are commonly available and inexpensive.

If you are plugged in, both outlets should be energized. If not plugged in, one will be energized by the inverter, the other will not be.

You can make sure the outlet is wired correctly as well.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #11 – September 29, 2016, 07:32:33 pm

I checked and confirmed mine, white is inverter, brown in shore power. NOW, if the inverter has a pass thru defer switch, it will pass thru shore power when connected, and provide inverter power when no shore power is available. Why have the brown one.....maybe they only wanted the ice maker powered by shore power ? I'd bet a switch on the ice maker woulda been cheaper than a added circuit.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #12 – September 29, 2016, 08:14:00 pm

With an LP refrig you want the ice maker to be powered all the time. So it should be on the inverter powered outlet. The LP refrigerator is plugged into the outlet that is powered by the landline so that when the landline is connected the LP refrigerator switches to the landline and off LP.

A residential refrigerator needs 110v all the time so like the ice maker on the LP refrigerator it should be plugged into the inverter powered outlet.

That is how I understand it.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #13 – September 29, 2016, 08:41:10 pm

Makes sense Roger...with my new residential plugs into white top receptacle, where gets inverter and shore. On LP what you wrote sounds clever way handle the switch.....Dave and I talked about reroute the brown AC box out from behind refrigerator to use elsewhere but seems low value work....yet maybe could take that line some other place while have access...

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #14 – September 29, 2016, 09:45:09 pm

I moved the inverter powered outlet from behind the old LP refrigerator to the floor under the cabinet where the stove is. I then wired a switch to that outlet so that I could actually turn off the residential refrigerator (it has no on/off switch). The switch (and another outlet) is located on the front end of the kitchen cabinet. Lots easier to plug or unplug the refrigerator there than behind the refrigerator.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #15 – September 29, 2016, 09:46:09 pm

Good idea about repurposing the circuit for shore power, I'll have to look at possibilities.

Roger, your description reinforces what I surmised, the shore power receptacle was a wasted installation.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #16 – September 29, 2016, 09:52:10 pm

I have access to my elecrical plugs via the outside vent door, the one you open to look at the Dometic burner, coils. MOT built that into the design, their normal connection.

But a switch, hmmm. Gonna see where may do that

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #17 – September 29, 2016, 11:15:54 pm

I moved my outlets to make room for my skinny pantry. You can see the brown one under the insulated sliding door. And where they were originally.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #18 – September 29, 2016, 11:24:12 pm

Good topic: My Refer installation at FOT was great until I tried the Inverter. Came back to Nac to unplug/replug. Pulled the unit and swapped the plug to an Inverted circuit. It was a pre-4th of July installation. I forgive everyone on that Holiday! Hurrying to the Fireworks.

There is no room behind the fridge to access the receptacles once the box is bolted down. Hence, the trip back to Nac.

Make sure it will run on the inverter before you roll, then floor it.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #19 – September 30, 2016, 12:40:27 am

Like that sliding door Roger.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #20 – September 30, 2016, 06:39:54 am

Quote from: Michael & Jackie – September 29, 2016, 09:52:10 pm

I have access to my elecrical plugs via the outside vent door, the one you open to look at the Dometic burner, coils. MOT built that into the design, their normal connection.

We also have ready access to the plugs and a sliding door/hatch behind our residential with installation by FOT. I'll bet it depends on where the outlets were located and what size fridge you had originally and what size you went to.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #21 – September 30, 2016, 08:49:59 am

You so right Michelle, I should have thought to say that.

We got a 28 inch wide refrigerator so MOT can build in two drawers next to it...spices and such plus shelves for trays and, Roger suggestion to also measure a space for cutting boards. Anyway, that leaves from a 36 inch opening that housed the Dometic, a space 8 inchs wide at the back for the electric receptacles.

Still like Roger idea but if I need to unplug for some reason, I can. Thanks for bringing that up Michelle so clarifies for members.

(58 degrees in Nac...oh my!)

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #22 – September 30, 2016, 09:13:03 am

Quote from: toyman – September 29, 2016, 09:46:09 pm

Good idea about repurposing the circuit for shore power, I'll have to look at possibilities.

Roger, your description reinforces what I surmised, the shore power receptacle was a wasted installation.

... Not a wasted install if you factor in the AES ( Automatic Energy a Selection) of the two way fridges. If an AES fridge was plugged into inverter power it would not switch to propane automatically

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #23 – September 30, 2016, 11:39:23 am

Hope this helps and think sorta repeats above reply

1. Whether a white or brown receptacle is not important, I gather the color is not uniform that one is the inverter and the other is the shore/gen only alternative 110 plug.
2. You must test to see which is on the inverter. Plug a detector into the socket, turn off the inverter breaker at the end of the bed. If the electricity goes dead, that is the one for the inverter and plug in the residential refrigerator to that one.
3. i understand that It works like this....if the inverter breaker is thrown, it does not allow 110 via the inverter or the shore/gen thru to the refrigerator.
4. Dave said MOT always provides a way to turn off the refrigerator power. In my case it is to unplug it, but that does not always work in the position the receptacles are located and in those cases they have to move it.

This makes less sense to me, but MOT was clear. The other receptacle was/is not wasted. It had something to do with letting the LP mode to kick in. They have seen though some coaches with only one receptacle and they have had to run an inverter outlet

Sorry, this is all had time for this morning to try to clarify so if gets to where you are installing or working with electricity, be sure to run your own research or maybe Roger will set this more technical and accurate....hope so. But I am very comfortable mine is done right, they tested just to prove it, show me kinda thing, and explained the process they always us to identify and provide access to disconnect.

Re: Electrical Install Behind Refer

Reply #24 – September 30, 2016, 12:34:22 pm

On my coach,
1998 320, the heater for the water supply for the ice maker on the old two way frig was plugged into the inverter recept. This kept the water line from freezing while boon docking and the frig on LP.

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