Learned something new about the Nova Kool R4500 refrigerator

[scross]

We have the Nova Kool R4500 refrigerator in our 2009 R-25 Classic. I always assumed this refrigerator ran on both 12 volt DC and 120 volt AC because that’s what the R-25 Classic owners manual implied. The owners manual shows a breaker on the A/C panel labeled “Refrigerator”.
Page 18: https://www.gisails.com/pdfs/R25OwnersManual.pdf
Our boat didn’t have that, that switch was labeled “Outlets” which I assumed meant the outlet for the refrigerator which was hidden away somewhere near the back of the refrigerator.
During winterization this year, I started to question my assumption. The Nova Kool owners manual says there are two versions of the R4500 refrigerator - one version only running on DC power and the fancier one that runs both DC and AC. After sticking my phone into the left side of the refrigerator to see the manufacture’s plate, it turns out that my refrigerator is the DC only version.
So I now know that when I turn of the Refrigerator breaker on the DC panel I am turning off the refrigerator regardless of it it is connected to shore power or not. It only took me five plus years to figure that out! If you are going to leave the refrigerator door open during winter storage to prevent mold it’s important to know you really have turned it off!
If you have a Nova Kool refrigerator are you sure you know which version you have?

 

[Martin610]

I remove the refrigerator fuse for winter storage.

 

[scross]

Martin,
I’ve read people mention pulling the fuse before. Other than the breaker on the DC panel, I can find no fuse for the refrigerator. Do you pull the refrigerator out to access the fuse?

 

[Martin610]

Hi,

I have a C-28. On my boat, the fuse panel for the fridge is behind the mirror "door" in the head compartment. Some of the fuse panels in the fluid motion boats are in out of the way places. If you look at the wiring diagram for the R-25 you should find some clues to the general location.

You do want to know where it is, not only because a fuse might blow, but sometimes they can develop a little corrosion and cause a circuit to stop working even though they are not blown.

-martin

 

[Martin610]

Out of curiosity I pulled the owner's manual for the R25 and gave it a gander. It looks like you have a 12 volt fuse panel in the V berth. However, you also might have a 12 volt distribution panel with a 15 amp breaker for the fridge. If that's the case you can just open that breaker for the winter. That would accomplish the same thing.

 

[scross]

Good suggestions in looking for the refrigerator fuse. It’s not in the fuse block behind the helm which is accessed from the v-berth. There’s no fuse block or even any inline fuses in the head. There are a large number of labeled inline fuses scattered around the two port side cockpit lockers but none labeled “Refrigerator”.
The only two breakers that would shut off the refrigerator are on the DC panel and the big all House breaker in the bilge. If there is a dedicated refrigerator fuse it’s unlabeled and/or inaccessible.

 

[Wee Venture]

If you have a breaker in your DC panel that serves just the refrigerator, there would be no need that I can think of for a separate fuse. That’s the way it is on our boat (R-31).

Edit: Actually that breaker serves both the refrigerator and the wine cooler and there still is no separate fuse for either one.

John

 

[doke01]

On my early R-25 there is a breaker on the AC panel and a breaker on the DC panel. It is a true 120v/12v fridge. If you don't I believe it is confirmation you only have the 12v. At some point early on, I believe it was 2009, they switched from the 120/12 to the 12.

When plugged into shore power it automatically defaults to 120v. The breakers serve in the place of fuses.