Why is refrig still on with battery switch off?

**stroguy** · 08-14-2022, 01:45 PM

I’m not missing the point x at all. I fully understand his fridge will never see the light of 120V. My point was that in my setup there is an additional 12V fuse in my inverter panel that will kill the fridge. This fuse placed by GD is in addition to the 12V fuse provided by Dometic. I inferred he could have an additional fuse in his inverter box that supplies 12V to his fridge. Or it may be wired directly to his battery, I don’t think it would be. But I am not at his fridge.

Surely his Furrion ON/OFF switch would render the fridge OFF when OFF is selected. But his first post (assume a male) made it sound like his coach battery switch was OFF and the fridge continued to run. I would have preferred the fridge is killed with the battery disco OFF, but maybe the factory missed something.

So my original point was there may be an additional fuse that GD installed to kill the fridge. It would be easier for that fuse to be pulled if chosen than to open the rear of the fridge and pull the Furrion 15A DC fuse.

**xrated** · 08-14-2022, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by stroguy

I’m not missing the point x at all. I fully understand his fridge will never see the light of 120V. My point was that in my setup there is an additional 12V fuse in my inverter panel that will kill the fridge. This fuse placed by GD is in addition to the 12V fuse provided by Dometic. I inferred he could have an additional fuse in his inverter box that supplies 12V to his fridge. Or it may be wired directly to his battery, I don’t think it would be. But I am not at his fridge.

Surely his Furrion ON/OFF switch would render the fridge OFF when OFF is selected. But his first post (assume a male) made it sound like his coach battery switch was OFF and the fridge continued to run. I would have preferred the fridge is killed with the battery disco OFF, but maybe the factory missed something.

So my original point was there may be an additional fuse that GD installed to kill the fridge. It would be easier for that fuse to be pulled if chosen than to open the rear of the fridge and pull the Furrion 15A DC fuse.

No where in his post did he even mention an "Inverter". And to further that point, his fridge has absolutely ZERO use for an inverter. I'll take a guess here....he probably doesn't even have an inverter. Why would there be an Inverter in his for anything fridge related? You have totally lost me with the inverter talk in relation to his 12VDC fridge.

**johnzhang** · 08-14-2022, 02:33 PM

Thank you for the explanation. i understand what GD would like us to do, but I just feel the procedure is not fool proof. I can imagine that I could get tired after the trip and forget to turn the refirg knob off when putting back to storage location and see a dead battery later on. My personal preference is to have the battery disconnect switch can control the refrig power. It also doesn't seem to have any harms/drawbacks of doing that based on all the comments I have seen. (My battery disconnect switch is always ON/closed to provide battery power when in use and OFF/open to protect the battery when in storage). I might leave this as a potential RV project and see what I can get to.

**johnzhang** · 08-14-2022, 02:40 PM

Yes. I am a male. :-) Your understanding is correct that refrig is still ON, even after the battery disco OFF with all the other appliance killed. I don't quite understand what makes refrig be treated differently from other appliances. That's why I first wondered whether refrig is not wired correctly for my rig and would like to check with other folks in the forum. I have an upcoming service appointment and might also ask service tech. If I learn something, I will post an update later.

**xrated** · 08-14-2022, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by johnzhang

Yes. I am a male. :-) Your understanding is correct that refrig is still ON, even after the battery disco OFF with all the other appliance killed. I don't quite understand what makes refrig be treated differently from other appliances. That's why I first wondered whether refrig is not wired correctly for my rig and would like to check with other folks in the forum. I have an upcoming service appointment and might also ask service tech. If I learn something, I will post an update later.

When I redid my batteries this past spring and built a LiFePO battery from 4 LFP cells, I added a true battery disconnect switch. The Pos pole of the battery has a 300A fuse on it and off of that the cable goes to a Blue Seas 300A switch. When that is off, the entire 12VDC system is dead in my trailer. I don't need the breakaway switch when it's parked, I don't need the smoke or CO2 detector when I'm parked and not in it, and I don't need any unnecessary drain on the battery.

**Second Chance** · 08-14-2022, 03:01 PM

OK, everyone... besides getting a bit off-track, several of the replies come across as argumentative. Let's remember the forum's "be nice" rule and think about how we express things.

Rob

**Second Chance** · 08-14-2022, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by johnzhang

Yes. I am a male. :-) Your understanding is correct that refrig is still ON, even after the battery disco OFF with all the other appliance killed. I don't quite understand what makes refrig be treated differently from other appliances. That's why I first wondered whether refrig is not wired correctly for my rig and would like to check with other folks in the forum. I have an upcoming service appointment and might also ask service tech. If I learn something, I will post an update later.

@johnzhang -

As this thread gets longer, here are a few tips for helping to keep threads more organized and helping people know to whom you are responding:

1) If you use "Reply With Quote" (to the right of "Reply") as I have here, folks will know to whom you are responding and that person will get a notification.

2) You can also tag folks using the "@" symbol and their user name (as I have done yours) - they'll also get a notification that way.

3) You can create a signature block with your RV and tow vehicle information (see mine below). That way you won't have to repeat that information whenever you post or ask a question - and others won't have to ask. You can create a signature by going to:

Forum Actions (on menu bar) -> Edit Profile -> Edit Signature (under My Settings on the left)

Rob

**johnzhang** · 08-14-2022, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by xrated

When I redid my batteries this past spring and built a LiFePO battery from 4 LFP cells, I added a true battery disconnect switch. The Pos pole of the battery has a 300A fuse on it and off of that the cable goes to a Blue Seas 300A switch. When that is off, the entire 12VDC system is dead in my trailer. I don't need the breakaway switch when it's parked, I don't need the smoke or CO2 detector when I'm parked and not in it, and I don't need any unnecessary drain on the battery.

It seemed I didn't reply with quote in some previous replies, as I am new to this forum. Now I get it. This seems a good alternative for my potential modification. I can easily access the battery cable in the front compartment and add a switch like you had. That way I don't need to figure out wiring among all those messy wires bundled together.

**johnzhang** · 08-14-2022, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by Second Chance

@johnzhang -

As this thread gets longer, here are a few tips for helping to keep threads more organized and helping people know to whom you are responding:

1) If you use "Reply With Quote" (to the right of "Reply") as I have here, folks will know to whom you are responding and that person will get a notification.

2) You can also tag folks using the "@" symbol and their user name (as I have done yours) - they'll also get a notification that way.

3) You can create a signature block with your RV and tow vehicle information (see mine below). That way you won't have to repeat that information whenever you post or ask a question - and others won't have to ask. You can create a signature by going to:

Forum Actions (on menu bar) -> Edit Profile -> Edit Signature (under My Settings on the left)

Rob

Thank you for the tips, @Second Chance! I am new to the forum and still in learning mode. :-)

**xrated** · 08-14-2022, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by johnzhang

It seemed I didn't reply with quote in some previous replies, as I am new to this forum. Now I get it. This seems a good alternative for my potential modification. I can easily access the battery cable in the front compartment and add a switch like you had. That way I don't need to figure out wiring among all those messy wires bundled together.

Here is a pic of the switch that I installed. The incoming cable is directly from the Pos. terminal fuse. The outgoing cable feeds up to my buss bar. If that switch is off, nothing 12V in the trailer.....unless I am plugged into shore power and the converter/charger is outputting 12V.....