Refer unit in pop up camper

Question

The refer in pop up camper haven't been in used for over 10 years and the access panel had been missing all those year so the heating element been exposed to outdoor elements.

Today I took the refer out and use a blow gun to blow all the rat nests and leaves out of it then gave it a good scrubbing inside with borax and dawn.

I hooked it up to a 12V battery running on a charger. The heating element seem to be heating up getting hot but I am smelling some odors from it. I am hoping the odor are just dead bugs that I can't see in heating element burning up.

It been only running for an hour now and it cooling down inside the refer but I notice it draining the battery quite fast requiring me to use charger to keep it stable,

Is that normal for it to drain so fast when on 12 volt?

I need to replace the 110v to 12v converter since one in it is like a big old transformer and doesn't seem to be working.

Will the modern day converter be able to keep up with the current demand of the older model refers? It seem smaller when I looked at them at the RV salvage yard and they wanted a hundred a piece.

A photo with the refer out of the pop up camper and being tested on a 12 v battery attached to a charger.

Bill

techbill · Answer

One more question....If I install a modern day 12v converter, what amp fuse should I install between the converter and refer? will 20A do or should I go to 30A?Bill

old-biscuit · Answer

YES....running it on 12V DC will drain a battery very quickly. That is why the 12V DC is typically used while traveling so vehicle can charge battery as it is being drawn on.

When on shore power the converter along with battery can provide/maintain the 12V DC draw but mos folks use the 120V AC heater when on shore power or propane.
Propane can also be used while traveling.

Fuse/wire.....minimum 10AWG wire with 30A fuse. Any voltage drop will really affect the performance of 12V DC heater (probably a 150W heater---which can pull 12.5A)

techbill · Answer

Old-Biscuit wrote:YES....running it on 12V DC will drain a battery very quickly. That is why the 12V DC is typically used while traveling so vehicle can charge battery as it is being drawn on.When on shore power the converter along with battery can provide/maintain the 12V DC draw but mos folks use the 120V AC heater when on shore power or propane.Propane can also be used while traveling.Fuse/wire.....minimum 10AWG wire with 30A fuse. Any voltage drop will really affect the performance of 12V DC heater (probably a 150W heater---which can pull 12.5A)Thank you for the feedback. It doesn't have a 120V heater on it so I am going to use 12V DC and a converter to run it for now. It also run on propane but I got a camping trip coming up in a few days and I don't have time to test the propane lines in the pop up camper.  All of our cooking will be done outside on a grill.I am using the same wiring that was hooked to the refer in the pop up which was installed by the factory. Just needed to find a converter or at least try to fix the one that already in it. The converter that in it is a B-W Manufacture Series 6400 / Model 6415. Reason I took it out because it was tripping the house breaker when I plugged it in so I am not sure if there a short in the converter or in the wiring. I plan to test it tomorrow and see if it still trip the breaker when I plug it in. The transformer doesn't seem to be burnt or I could not find any burnt wiring in the converter. But I been reading stories on the internet about transformer type converter sometime catches on fire etc. That one reason I was thinking about changing it to a modern day converter. Problem is that I would have to build some type of sub panel or use screw in fuse found on home furnace units to install a outlet for converter to plug in. Again thank you for the information. It helped me. Bill

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Refer unit in pop up camper

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