12v vs. 12v/120v Refrigerator

B

baz

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Jun 19, 2009
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Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C
This is a FYI...

I've been a little puzzled about the two circuit breakers on our MY2010 R25 for the Fridge. There's a 12v breaker on the 12v Distribution panel and one on the AC 120v Distribution panel. Both are labelled REFRIGERATOR.

My confusion comes from when having the shore power connected and leaving the boat at slip for a few days unattended with food and/or drinks in the Fridge, and wanting to leave the Fridge ON.

Which circuit breaker should be left on ?????

I placed a few drinks in the FRidge and flipped the 12v breaker for the Fridge ON and two days later checked and found the drinks had been kept cool. Hmmmm -- so what was the 120v breaker for I wondered?

Well, I happend to meet up with Jeff Messmer yesterday and discussed this with him. He told me that with MY2010 the Fridge had now been changed from being a combo 12v/120v Fridge to just a 12v Fridge. He was please I had figured it out from experimentation. The 120v panel's REFRIGERATOR breaker was in fact defunct but as the panel came with the REFRIGERATOR label from the supplier it was simply left there by Ranger. Apparently the 12v/120v Fridge's electrical draw was more than was desirable. Changing it over to be solely 12v has corrected this issue.

Mystery resolved. 🙂
 
We have the first 2009 R25. Same situation with two breakers clearly labeled Refrigerator, one on the 12v, one on the AC panel. We assumed, silly us, that the fridge worked on either method. It would have been nice to have the phoney label removed or covered....
 
This is an interesting point but missing another very succesful fridge and that is the three way fridge. I have had several RV's with 12V, 110 and propane fridges. When used on propane they are amazing performers. There is propane barbeques and stoves in boats, why not fridges? For that matter propane heat too? I have run a 33 foot Airstream trailer for a week on a 20 LB bottle of propane running the stove, oven, fridge and furnace with three kids and a dog aboard (the dog had little demand for cold beer!). I am mystified by the reluctance to use propane. I openly claim ignorance on this one, please fill me in???

Thanks, Leon
 
I also claim ignorance but like the President will give my opinion. Perhaps it is the ventilation issue, as RV propane units have critical ventilation needs. Some RV fires have been linked to the propane refrigerators. I personally have had the Norcold factory redo the ventilation shaft on my previous rv.
 
Propane is heavier than air and if a leak occurs, it will seek out the lowest point. Boats DO have propane but it's in a locker vented not only to the outside but overboard. On an R25, it would have to be back in the stern, more than likely with a vent overboard. The piping and connections would be susceptible to leakage wherever those points are and, if they did, you'd end up with a bilge full of flammable gas. 😱 Not a good situation.

Charlie
 
Not only flammable but explosive. There is a monument on an island ( Powel Cay) in the Abacos. A plaque in rememberance of a family of 5. All died in the explosion from propane. The tank itself is a potential bomb and even a small leak into the bilge adds up to an even bigger bomb.

Herb, Where did you find the Norcold factory to give you service? I have the 100 lb, $1000 freezer that works once in a while. Been to three dealers but they have no idea. I have never found even a phone number of the factory. I would like to complain. I have tried everything. Guess it will go to the dump. No more Norcolds for me. The one in my camper is also dead. I'm on the third board at $300 apiece. That would have bought a new Dometic.

captd
 
Most of the "3 way" RV frigs use an absorsion cycle (no compressor) the electrical source or the propane will heat the gas. I believe our frigs used a motor driven compressor which would likely rule out use of propane.

I believe the 2 breakers are just 2 separate power supplies to provide 100% redundant electrical sources. I normally leave the 120VAC breaker "on" while on SP & use the 12VDC breaker while underway for extended trips. I assume each breaker should be "off" if the alternate source breaker is used. One question would be if the frig is vunerable to damage if both sources are left "on" with both 12VDC & 120VAC power available at same time. If it is just a transformer feed with a single 12VDC compressor then that is probably not a concern.
 
captd":cfklunbu said:
Herb, Where did you find the Norcold factory to give you service? I have the 100 lb, $1000 freezer that works once in a while. Been to three dealers but they have no idea. I have never found even a phone number of the factory. I would like to complain. I have tried everything. Guess it will go to the dump. No more Norcolds for me. The one in my camper is also dead. I'm on the third board at $300 apiece. That would have bought a new Dometic.

captd
Click to expand...

Rafael Hernandez
Team Manager: Field, Thetford Norcold
hernandez@norcold.com
Primary Phone: (937) 497-3069 - Home
(800) 543-1219 x3069 - Work
(937) 497-3183 - Work Fax
2655 Cambell Road
Sidney OH 45365

Not sure if Rafael is still there, he was too competant to not be promoted..grin. We were at a rally in PA and he suggested we come to OH after the rally for him to fix our problem. The problem was not a build up of propane, but heat at the rear of the box.

We now have a residential Maytag in our Monaco.
 
I need to correct my original post as I was going from memory and having the R25 manual in front of me. The R25 manual (presumably one that describes MY2009 and earlier) shows clearly the 12v and 120v circuit breaker labels.

However, yesterday while on the boat with Capt. Mac I noticed that my 120v panel no longer has the REFRIGERATOR label. Only the 12v panel has REFRIGERATOR.

I will be making a note in my R25 manual on the page that shows the 120v panel layout to indicate the REFRIGERATOR label is not present -- Fridge is solely 12v powered.

I would agree with others about the use of propane on a boat. Sounds like a very serious explosive situation.
 
Propane is excellent if it is done right. We use a propane oven and cooktop on the R29. It is in a sealed container with an automatic lockout on the valve if it detects a leak. The sealed container is also vented overboard as Charlkie explains. There is alot of work that goes into the installation of propane devices on a boat. I am more then confident on the one we install now. Don't think you will ever see it on an R25 though.

We install only 12volt Refers on all of our Tugs now. We have had a great experience with the Nova Kools we are using. They have a max draw of about 2.5 amps per hour. I watched one on a meter draw about 1.0 amps per hour here in the northwest. Good catch in the manual. I will have to make the change on the next set I print out.
 
Thanks for the Norcold info Herb. I will be talking to them.
captd aka Darrel 🙂
 
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