Date:         Thu, 12 Apr 2007 13:49:20 -0700
Reply-To:     Mark Drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: Dometic fridge wiring question (diagram supplied)
Comments: To: neil <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <c4e7c5f90704121333h70efc59cyb71f2511020947a7@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

If you use the switch method it is only a matter of time until tragedy
strikes and you kill the aux battery. I have learned this the hard way.
One way to reduce this danger is to rig a light on the stove panel that
is on whenever the fridge is running on 12 volts. I have done this and
it also lets you know without opening the fridge to check the switch
position.

Why not use the blue wire to trigger both relays and never have to worry?

The stock aux battery relay on models so equipped is a metal cased 40
amp type that is screwed to the body under the front seat with ~10 gauge
wire between the batteries.

Mark

neil wrote:
> Hi all.
>
> In learning how to hook up accessories to aux. battery, I now
> understand (thanks Mark) that the two wires going to fridge (relay
> trigger wire - larger white. Heater element supply wire - #12 red)
> can't simply be connected to aux. batt. Even when fridge NOT set to
> 12V fridge relay is still drawing power from aux. battery.
>
> In order to allow option to operate fridge on 12V SHORT term, I'm
> thinking of altering wiring as such:
>
> http://web.mac.com/tubaneil/iWeb/Site%205/Refer_wiring_mod.html
>
> Has anyone else done this successfully?
>
> Is this idea/schematic correct or just entirely gerfunktabooten? (bad)
>
> One drawback is that new switch could be left "on" by accident. I
> imagine a relay could be used in place of switch. One that would be
> triggered by the 12v switch on fridge. I dunno....
>
> Thanks for any help, and hopefully my diagram will help others out.
>
> Neil.
>
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia.
>
> http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
>