12V Fridge Issues
OK, new Class C (Gulf Stream) with 12V Dometic fridge. I have had the unit plugged into shore power, at my home, for a couple of months and have been using the fridge to keep some small things in (ove...
Forum Discussion
Well, I think I have figured this out and a good part of the issue stems from the fact that I...am an idiot.
I got to start digging into this, later in the day, and wanted to check things as close as possible before actually removing the fridge to look at the guts of it. I checked the voltage at the fuse block, and it was extremely low (abt 10.5V). This fridge requires a minimum of 10.5V so any fluctuation at all would shut down the compressor. I went out to check the batteries and that is when I noticed that the GFCI that I am plugged into was tripped. Have no idea how long it was tripped, or why, because that particular outlet has never tripped in all the years I've been here. Any way the batteries, were quite low so I needed to charge them. Funny thing is I never noticed the lack of shore power because I hadn't used any 120V appliances and my lights inside worked, albeit a bit dimly, so I never considered that possibility. Also, I am impatient, and not super efficient, so I just jumped into analyzing the fridge itself.
Anyway, once the batteries were charged up the fridge ran like a champ so...
One more funny thing: Even with low batteries my generator started up and that surprised me but, hey, I'll take it. Now I will troubleshoot the outlet on the house but that is a different matter. I am just glad that I don't have a bad fridge in a new unit since I am heading out to camp with the family in about 2 weeks.
Later gang.
I got to start digging into this, later in the day, and wanted to check things as close as possible before actually removing the fridge to look at the guts of it. I checked the voltage at the fuse block, and it was extremely low (abt 10.5V). This fridge requires a minimum of 10.5V so any fluctuation at all would shut down the compressor. I went out to check the batteries and that is when I noticed that the GFCI that I am plugged into was tripped. Have no idea how long it was tripped, or why, because that particular outlet has never tripped in all the years I've been here. Any way the batteries, were quite low so I needed to charge them. Funny thing is I never noticed the lack of shore power because I hadn't used any 120V appliances and my lights inside worked, albeit a bit dimly, so I never considered that possibility. Also, I am impatient, and not super efficient, so I just jumped into analyzing the fridge itself.
Anyway, once the batteries were charged up the fridge ran like a champ so...
One more funny thing: Even with low batteries my generator started up and that surprised me but, hey, I'll take it. Now I will troubleshoot the outlet on the house but that is a different matter. I am just glad that I don't have a bad fridge in a new unit since I am heading out to camp with the family in about 2 weeks.
Later gang.
