A DC Power Conundrum

[bluebirdfitz]

My Dometic refrigerator on our 78FC 31 is currently getting its DC power from
the genset
battery. I am not really sure why, but I am trying to shift it to drawing on
the house banks
instead. There is a solenoid on the inside right of the genset tray. I found a
hot lead on
the solenoid post, but when I hook up the terminal that was on the genset
battery post to
the solenoid post the fridge won't turn on. Is there a difference in the power
supply that I
don't know about (and I'll admit, I don't know much!). Is there a better way to
access the
DC on the house banks?

Thanks for any help.

John Fitz
78 FC31
Maynard MA

[John Suter]

If you don't receive a better answer, try "trouble
shooting" the DC circuit with a good digital
voltmeter.

As you know, the circuit will require both a good
positive and a good negative from the same DC source;
and a break in either will prevent the circuit from
properly operating. I'd be especially suspicious of
the ground/negative side.

Additionally, if either the positive or negative
leads/wires possesses an unusual resistance, a drop in
the voltage may occur under load - which can occur
with corroded connections and/or too small gauge of
wire and too high current/amperage required by the
appliance - therefore, if you can't measure the
voltage under load and without load at the refrig
itself, measure the voltage at the hot lead of the
solenoid post at the same time as the refrig is
presumably operating, to determine if the voltage is
dropping under load. Voltage drop problems take a bit
of time to isolate and correct.

John Suter




--- bluebirdfitz wrote:

> My Dometic refrigerator on our 78FC 31 is currently
> getting its DC power from the genset
> battery. I am not really sure why, but I am trying
> to shift it to drawing on the house banks
> instead. There is a solenoid on the inside right of
> the genset tray. I found a hot lead on
> the solenoid post, but when I hook up the terminal
> that was on the genset battery post to
> the solenoid post the fridge won't turn on. Is
> there a difference in the power supply that I
> don't know about (and I'll admit, I don't know
> much!). Is there a better way to access the
> DC on the house banks?
>
> Thanks for any help.
>
> John Fitz
> 78 FC31
> Maynard MA
>
>
>
>



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[bluebirdfitz]

Thanks John,
"As you know, the circuit will require both a good
> positive and a good negative from the same DC source;
> and a break in either will prevent the circuit from
> properly operating"--John

I think you are right. An old neighbor of mine thought it had to be the ground
of the
fridge being on a different ground. I will check that tomorrow. Thanks for
your help.

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, John Suter wrote:
> If you don't receive a better answer, try "trouble
> shooting" the DC circuit with a good digital
> voltmeter.
>
> As you know, the circuit will require both a good
> positive and a good negative from the same DC source;
> and a break in either will prevent the circuit from
> properly operating. I'd be especially suspicious of
> the ground/negative side.
>
> Additionally, if either the positive or negative
> leads/wires possesses an unusual resistance, a drop in
> the voltage may occur under load - which can occur
> with corroded connections and/or too small gauge of
> wire and too high current/amperage required by the
> appliance - therefore, if you can't measure the
> voltage under load and without load at the refrig
> itself, measure the voltage at the hot lead of the
> solenoid post at the same time as the refrig is
> presumably operating, to determine if the voltage is
> dropping under load. Voltage drop problems take a bit
> of time to isolate and correct.
>
> John Suter
>
>
>
>
> --- bluebirdfitz wrote:
>
> > My Dometic refrigerator on our 78FC 31 is currently
> > getting its DC power from the genset
> > battery. I am not really sure why, but I am trying
> > to shift it to drawing on the house banks
> > instead. There is a solenoid on the inside right of
> > the genset tray. I found a hot lead on
> > the solenoid post, but when I hook up the terminal
> > that was on the genset battery post to
> > the solenoid post the fridge won't turn on. Is
> > there a difference in the power supply that I
> > don't know about (and I'll admit, I don't know
> > much!). Is there a better way to access the
> > DC on the house banks?
> >
> > Thanks for any help.
> >
> > John Fitz
> > 78 FC31
> > Maynard MA
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> ____________________________________________________
> Yahoo! Sports
> Rekindle the Rivalries. Sign up for Fantasy Football
> http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com

[Steve Anderson]

John,
As original the 78 Dometic refer did not require 12 v DC. Changing
modes from gas to 110 v required the operator to operate the
switchover manually. Any 12V DC to your present refer was added by
whoever changed out the original refrigerator. My recomendation would
be to change the wiring from the generator battery to a fused supply
from the house batteries. even though the current draw for the refer
is probably small,I would not want the generator battery to be run
down by the refer. I like the generator to always be available for
charging the house batteries if needed.

Steve Anderson
79 FC 35
Poulsbo,Wa.




--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "bluebirdfitz"
wrote:
> My Dometic refrigerator on our 78FC 31 is currently getting its DC
power from the genset
> battery. I am not really sure why, but I am trying to shift it to
drawing on the house banks
> instead. There is a solenoid on the inside right of the genset
tray. I found a hot lead on
> the solenoid post, but when I hook up the terminal that was on the
genset battery post to
> the solenoid post the fridge won't turn on. Is there a difference
in the power supply that I
> don't know about (and I'll admit, I don't know much!). Is there a
better way to access the
> DC on the house banks?
>
> Thanks for any help.
>
> John Fitz
> 78 FC31
> Maynard MA

[bluebirdfitz]

Thanks Steve,

That is what I am going to try and do (after our trip through NH)!. I also
don't like to be
without a generator battery. I have a trickle charger on the genset that runs
whenever the
ac power is being used.

John fitz

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Anderson"
wrote:
> John,
> As original the 78 Dometic refer did not require 12 v DC. Changing
> modes from gas to 110 v required the operator to operate the
> switchover manually. Any 12V DC to your present refer was added by
> whoever changed out the original refrigerator. My recomendation would
> be to change the wiring from the generator battery to a fused supply
> from the house batteries. even though the current draw for the refer
> is probably small,I would not want the generator battery to be run
> down by the refer. I like the generator to always be available for
> charging the house batteries if needed.
>
> Steve Anderson
> 79 FC 35
> Poulsbo,Wa.
>
>
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "bluebirdfitz"
> wrote:
> > My Dometic refrigerator on our 78FC 31 is currently getting its DC
> power from the genset
> > battery. I am not really sure why, but I am trying to shift it to
> drawing on the house banks
> > instead. There is a solenoid on the inside right of the genset
> tray. I found a hot lead on
> > the solenoid post, but when I hook up the terminal that was on the
> genset battery post to
> > the solenoid post the fridge won't turn on. Is there a difference
> in the power supply that I
> > don't know about (and I'll admit, I don't know much!). Is there a
> better way to access the
> > DC on the house banks?
> >
> > Thanks for any help.
> >
> > John Fitz
> > 78 FC31
> > Maynard MA