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
Oh very well! :) More measurements: (I found a way to get at it with the meter)
RV on battery only- fridge on 12v, no previous cool down on gas.
Battery voltage 12.8 Tri says 9.6 amps draw
Fridge connector voltage behind fridge- 12.3 (battery 12.8)
12v element pigtails- 11.9v !!!
So that is a lot of voltage drop for a mere 9.6 amps! (Small wires go from 12v connector behind fridge to PC Board. The pigtails go on board's blade terminals)
Disconnected the two pigtail wires from the PC Board, into my spare converter, into the Kill-A-Watt, into the fridge's 120v outlet.
Converter at 13.5v---175 watts
Converter at 14.6v---202 watts (should go down a bit as it warms up I think)
Settled at 199w. Flue too hot to touch. Left the fridge on 12v setting in case it needs that to be on for controls or whatever.
Left it running like that with thermometer in freezer at 3C (about 36F) and we'll see if this time it does anything. 200w is not 350w like with 120v, but it ought to do something IMO.
Those 16AWG aluminum wires on the element come with it AFAIK--looks like it on the parts list drawing, and they come out of the element so no way to attach them yourself.
I would cut them short and go #8 copper from there to spare converter if I get serious about 12v. Did that with my solar panel aluminum pigtails.
RV on battery only- fridge on 12v, no previous cool down on gas.
Battery voltage 12.8 Tri says 9.6 amps draw
Fridge connector voltage behind fridge- 12.3 (battery 12.8)
12v element pigtails- 11.9v !!!
So that is a lot of voltage drop for a mere 9.6 amps! (Small wires go from 12v connector behind fridge to PC Board. The pigtails go on board's blade terminals)
Disconnected the two pigtail wires from the PC Board, into my spare converter, into the Kill-A-Watt, into the fridge's 120v outlet.
Converter at 13.5v---175 watts
Converter at 14.6v---202 watts (should go down a bit as it warms up I think)
Settled at 199w. Flue too hot to touch. Left the fridge on 12v setting in case it needs that to be on for controls or whatever.
Left it running like that with thermometer in freezer at 3C (about 36F) and we'll see if this time it does anything. 200w is not 350w like with 120v, but it ought to do something IMO.
Those 16AWG aluminum wires on the element come with it AFAIK--looks like it on the parts list drawing, and they come out of the element so no way to attach them yourself.
I would cut them short and go #8 copper from there to spare converter if I get serious about 12v. Did that with my solar panel aluminum pigtails.
