Swap 12v for 120v Fridge Element? UPDATE 2
EDIT--it turned out you can't swap them--they are not the same and it would fry things if you applied 120v to the 12v element ---------------------- UPDATE 25 Jan--12v is cooling down the freezer....
Forum Discussion
If PT is right that the 12v element "works better" at 14.4v than at 13.6v, and "works better" means "gets hotter", where would be the place to aim your IR gun to measure the temperatures in each case?
Right on the element or somewhere at the back of the fridge and how high up? I can only see the lower part of the back from the opening.
I could see on the Trimetric if the 12v element draws more amps at higher voltage.
13.6 and 9.7 = 132w. 15v and ? 15a? = 225w I wonder what the watts limit for that element is, or perhaps it is a temperature limit.
EDIT--manual says it draws about 14 amps at 12v and about 16 amps at 14v. So my 9.7 amps might have been because the fridge was already cold or whatever--more testing needed.
DC spec limit is 15.4v max and 11v min
The owner's manual states that the fridge to battery 12v wiring needs to be sufficient to avoid voltage drop. "Voltage drop affects the wattage output of the cartridge heater and resultant refrigerator performance."
Spec wiring is #10 AWG and a 30 amp fuse for under 20 feet, and #8 AWG and a 40 amp fuse for over 20 feet. A reminder there, that the fuse is for the wire, not for the element?
So the Parts List diagram with the 20 amp fuse is interesting. I did not check to see what size fuse is actually in mine. I could change to fatter wire.
Later today I can check some of this out.
EDIT--just checked the fridge after 15 hours and the 12v was not running, so freezer temp was back up to zero C. Don't know why, it is still dark out. Get on that later.
Right on the element or somewhere at the back of the fridge and how high up? I can only see the lower part of the back from the opening.
I could see on the Trimetric if the 12v element draws more amps at higher voltage.
13.6 and 9.7 = 132w. 15v and ? 15a? = 225w I wonder what the watts limit for that element is, or perhaps it is a temperature limit.
EDIT--manual says it draws about 14 amps at 12v and about 16 amps at 14v. So my 9.7 amps might have been because the fridge was already cold or whatever--more testing needed.
DC spec limit is 15.4v max and 11v min
The owner's manual states that the fridge to battery 12v wiring needs to be sufficient to avoid voltage drop. "Voltage drop affects the wattage output of the cartridge heater and resultant refrigerator performance."
Spec wiring is #10 AWG and a 30 amp fuse for under 20 feet, and #8 AWG and a 40 amp fuse for over 20 feet. A reminder there, that the fuse is for the wire, not for the element?
So the Parts List diagram with the 20 amp fuse is interesting. I did not check to see what size fuse is actually in mine. I could change to fatter wire.
Later today I can check some of this out.
EDIT--just checked the fridge after 15 hours and the 12v was not running, so freezer temp was back up to zero C. Don't know why, it is still dark out. Get on that later.
