Invertor AC power to Frig compartment

[Bob McCORMACK]

After considering all the facts I am replacing the older Norcold frig unit in my 96 Patriot with a Whirlpool residential unit.  Uses less battery power on ac that the old unit does when it runs on propane.  Plus I gain 2 cu. Ft. of storage and eliminate the fire potential.  The cost of the frig at $350 is less than  either a new cooling unit or fire suppression system for the existing unit.  About the same weight and fits in the same opening.  With a 700 amp hour battery bank and 650 watts of solar, it makes sense.

The question is how to power the new unit from the inverter rather than the shore line plug currently used for the ac operation.   In the compartment there is one of the white flat cables used to carry 120 volts.  It enters from the bottom, has a plastic joiner connection and continues up to the top of the compartment.   Does anyone know if this is from the  inverter ?

Racer Bob

[Richard And Babs Ames]

I wound consider changing at the circut  breaker box and should'nt be a big deal. Identify a circut that is to the refrigerator and tap to  the inverter circut.. Power management issues must be taken into account so you do not overload a circut and that your inverter can handle the additional load.

[Edward Buker]

There should be a 30 amp breaker in the main panel that feeds the inverter. If you measure the voltage at the J box ?(plastic joiner connection) that you are referring to with the 30amp breaker on and off it should tell you if that circuit is fed from the inverter. I believe that it will be and if it is you can break it down further by following the same on off routine at a small inverter fed breaker box usually mounted near the inverter. Using the same measurement technique you should be able to find which individual breaker feeds the box and what else is on the same circuit. The old frig should have a 120v outlet in the vent area behind the frig which may already be fed by the inverter.

later Ed

[Gerald Farris]

The easy way to determine which 120V sockets are supplied by the inverter is to disconnect the shore power and turn on the inverter, then take a A/C volt meter and test the voltage at all sockets. If you do not have a meter, you can use a lamp or something that will light up when 120V A/C is present.

As for as the current draw is concerned for the new refrigerator, I would not be concerned because the new residential style units for RV use have a very low current draw and any existing inverter circuits should supply enough current.

Gerald

[Bob McCORMACK]

Appreciate the info.  The inverter is on the main breaker box in the bedroom.  The plug in the frig compartment is also listed on the main breaker box so it is not through the inverter.    One other question.  I will have to remove the street side window with the "emergency exit" sticker.   Any special trick to this, nothing in the manuals.  Wondering how in an emergency one knows how to get through the window other than to push out the screen and try to squeeze through the half open window.

Racer Bob