Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 03-26-2008, 03:22 PM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Florida
Posts: 11
Default Add a relay for fridge to prevent dead battery

I need to add a relay system to my 94 RT to ensure that the fridge will only run on 12V when the engine is running. Objective: avoid the possibility of a dead battery. This needs to be thought through as to overall logic

JA.
K1smm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2008, 05:45 PM   #2
Platinum Member
 
renrut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 254
Default

A simple fog light relay from any auto parts store would do the job but you have to find a source to enable it. The ignition would be a good one but I don't know how difficult it would be to run the wiring for it.

You also might want to concider placing a switch on the system so you can run the fridge when the ignition is off.
renrut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-26-2008, 06:51 PM   #3
Platinum Member
 
markopolo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Posts: 8,828
Default

If you are trying to avoid having a dead engine battery from running the fridge on 12v then I think Roadtrek already built that in with the isolator in your '94. My '04 had it.

The fridge should be connected to the house battery. When the engine is running, the house battery and the engine battery are combined so that both get charged. When the engine is not running, the engine battery is "isolated" from the house battery by the isolator. The fridge could run the house battery down but not the engine battery.

---------------------------------------

If you are trying to avoid having a dead house battery from running the fridge on 12v that's more involved. In my RT, I just had to remember to either switch the fridge to electric, off or propane, depending on what was best at the time to avoid running the house battery down.

---------------------------------------

Dave posted great info about Battery Cutoff Devices (retail and home-made) on his site here:

http://www.roadtreker.com.....Battery Cutoff Device

Here's the link to the rest of Dave's site:
http://www.roadtreker.com/
markopolo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2008, 08:50 PM   #4
New Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Florida
Posts: 11
Default

Yes, the point is that running down the house battery, being a very poor idea, is to be avoided. The only time I can see running the refer on 12 V is while going down the road, when lots of amps are available.

Being careful not to leave it on 12V is to be avoided, with a brain like mine. My modern refer in my 33' Holiday rambler, figures out the proper priorities all by itself, but even it could kill the battery if you let it.

Jack
K1smm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2008, 03:40 AM   #5
New Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1
Default Add a relay

I have had such a relay in my last 2 rigs, it is very simple.
Buy a 12V relay at an Auto parts store or Radio Shack and mount it in the back of the fridge. Cut the wire running to the 12V fridge heater and attach the ends to the normally open contacts. attach one of the relay contacts to ground and run a wire to the engine compartment from the other contact. Fuse this wire and attach it to power that is only on when the ignition is on. When the fridge is on 12V you can shut off the engine and the fridge will still think it is on but there will be no power to the heater. start up after lunch or shopping and it is back on.
Wayne
wsfurrie is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT. The time now is 08:06 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.