Magic Chef Residential Refrigerators

[roachcoach]

Recently installed a Magic Chef residential refrigerator and I would like to know what the procedure would be if any on turning the generator on or off while running the inverter with the refrigerator. Also while on shore power is there something you have to be aware of?

[Mile_High]

I was thinking the method wolfe10 describes above would have been the cheapest and easiest for a retrofit. If so I hope the coach charging and converter has enough capacity to keep those 4 additional batteries charged.

Just make sure the inverter shuts off with the Master Switch for storage, or you may have to manually shut it off. When they first started putting res fridges and inverters in our last fifth wheel brand, they overlooked that part and guys would find dead batteries when they went back to get it.

[wolfe10]

Not familiar with the 1220 Kisae Pure Sine inverter, but a quick glance at the specs does not suggest there is any 120 VAC INPUT or ATS.

So, initial assumption is that this inverter powers the refrigerator 24/7 and that your on-board converter or charger recharges the batteries from shore power or generator.

Is that how it works-- that the refrigerator is plugged directly into your Kisae inverter and that the inverter has no 120 VAC in from your coach 120 VAC breaker panel.

If this is so, no problem as long as you do not let battery voltage run too low before recharging.

[Bill_Satellite]

No, you don't have to do anything with the fridge. If you start the generator your transfer switch will not send the power to the coach until the power has stabilized. If you unplug from shore power the inverter will kick in automatically so in either case you will have uninterrupted power to the fridge. My GE Profile 21 cf fridge has been running fine since it was installed in 1999 and we full time so it runs 24.7.

[roachcoach]

Have a 1220 Kisae Pure Sine inverter with 4 deep cycle Golf Batteries from Sam's Club. I want to learn as much as I can about about this residential refrigerator. It is a Magic Chef 10.cu ft and so far have been very happy with it. You hear positive and negative about these things and just don't want to learn the hard way.
My biggest concern is when you disconnect off of shore power and want to use the generator for ac power do you have to completely unplug the fridge until the generator is stabilized.

[Bill_Satellite]

Do you have a dedicated inverter used just for the fridge? It sounds like that's what you are saying. If so then shore power or generator power would make no difference at all and you would not need to do anything to the fridge when changing power sources.

[wolfe10]

Actually, the issues is whether you have TWO transfer switches:

Shore power vs generator

Inverter output so it defers to shore power when available and switches to inverter for some circuits including the refrigerator. Again, many inverter/chargers have this ATS built in. WHAT INVERTER/CHARGER DO YOU HAVE?

[roachcoach]

Yes I have an automatic transfer switch

[Ivylog]

Someone with hands on does not know but we might??? Good Luck

[MrWizard]

Shore power, nothing special
Do you have an auto transfer switch in the circuit ?

Yes? The only thing you have to be aware of is battery condition
As long as the batteries get kept st a proper level of charge you Ares good to go

N no transfer switch
Manual mode switching ? Moving the plug?
Then turn off fridge before swapping the plug
This is to protect the plug and the sockets from arcing
Which pits them and causes damage heat and burning

[roachcoach]

Oldman he didn't know that's why I'm checking with you smart people

[2oldman]

The person who recently installed it should know.

[Ivylog]

I agree with Brett but as a recent install do you have a transfer switch? When I installed mine I left the two power sources from my NoCold (shore plus MSW inverter) and added a PSW inverter. When traveling I plug it into the PSW which has a transfer switch and when Snowbirding I plug it into the shore power. The MSW is for an emergency if my PSW has a problem. I should have mounted these outlets easier to get at.
My transfer reacts so fast that the compressor does not stop running... not so for some of the electronics.

[wolfe10]

Depends somewhat on what inverter/charger you have.

If you have one with a built in transfer switch, just "do it". Yes, it would be slightly better electrically to switch with no load, but with the low amp draw of a residential refrigerator (which may or may not be running at the time of switching) I don't thing it is worth the effort.

Shore power is exactly what the refrigerator was designed to run on, so see zero issues.