Refrigerator dead when off AC current?

[wildwolfproducts]

Our Refrigerator is dead no power to it at all off AC power. I'm thinking the inverter may have a blown fuse? I know I have seen it a couple of years ago. Anyone with a Key Largo that can tell me if its behind the panel in the basement? Thinking its there near the water lines? But would like to make sure before I unload everything to get to that panel.
It had no power to it on our way home Sunday. Then if that was not bad enough, My sugar dropped about 1 hour from home. Got off the road and into a parking lot before it went way low. Got something to eat and back on the road. Only to have the truck take out 15 miles later. That was at 12:30 pm. Had family come tow the camper home for us. And a Kodiak showed up at 5pm to load my Crew cab Kodiak C5500 on its back.

Glad my wife was behind me with the boat. AS we had been to Enid Lake Ms crappie fishing for the week.
She caught both of those on one rod at the same time. It was a nice suprise to have 2 nice crappie on at the same time.
Pete

 

[danemayer]

Hi Pete,

The Power Converter (120V AC to 12V DC) is behind the rear wall of the basement storage. It does have 3 on-board fuses that can blow, usually if the battery is installed wrong.

It's more likely you have tripped the 50 Amp 12V DC mini-circuit breaker that sits between the battery and the Power Converter. In that situation, the battery doesn't get re-charged and when shore power is disconnected, there's no power to stuff inside the coach. If the battery is not completely depleted, you can still operate slide outs and landing gear.

Look near the battery for a row of mini-circuit breakers on a buss bar. They're usually covered by a red rubber boot. One breaker is manual reset by way of a teeny-tiny reset button that's hard to seed. You may have to feel for it.

I've attached a couple of pictures.

 

[Nabo]

WOW - what a day - Pete. Question - are you loosing power to your 12 volt lights when you are off line (not on shore power or powered thru the truck)? If you have lights, then it's probably not your converter but instead a fuse somewhere down the line. Good luck.

 

[richheck]

Pete:

Is your fridge a residential model? if so you may have popped the GFI on the inverter (12 volt DC to 120 volt AC) itself, i have had this issue with my 2017 LM 365 Arlington awhile back. Open your front compartment and located above your 12 volt batteries is the inverter, look under where the 120 plug is inserted and see if yours has a GFI trip button located there like mine. If so reset the GFI and you should be good to go

Best of luck

Rich

 

[Boatman]

After having this problem and resetting the GFI, we added it to our departure checklist. Not checking it will result in a warm refrig upon arrival.
Happy travels

 

[wdk450]

After having this problem and resetting the GFI, we added it to our departure checklist. Not checking it will result in a warm refrig upon arrival.
Happy travels

It sound to me for those with inverter powered residential refrigerators, a pre-departure checklist step after disconnecting from shore power would be to open the refrigerator door and look for the interior light (indicating the refrigerator is getting power off the batteries and inverter).

 

[richheck]

After having this problem and resetting the GFI, we added it to our departure checklist. Not checking it will result in a warm refrig upon arrival.
Happy travels

Actually mine has has the digital display on the front showing both temps in the freezer and fridge. Easy to make sure they are visible before departure.

 

[danemayer]

Here's a link to a relatively easy Modification that puts a light on the front of the trailer to let you know that the inverter is running. You can see it in your left rear view mirror.

 

[Nabo]

If I remember correctly, Pete's Key Largo had the double door Norcold refrig which was the original one that came in the camper unless he exchanged it for something else.
Pete - if you think it's the converter and it's made by Progressive, call them directly. They will exchange it for you pretty cheap. We had to do that with the Big Country, the one you saw at the rally in Crossville.

 

[wildwolfproducts]

Sorry for the delay in getting back to this. But I have fished 7 or 8 days after getting back home on the 16th. Started back on the camper today. Checked the relays again that danemayer Posted about. Started moving stuff out of the basement this evening. Should have the boxes out of the way, where I can get to the panel. Thinking its a fuse there, as the fridge has no power when off AC power. On DC we have lights and the battery's were up. So its somewhere between the converter and the fridge.
NABO is correct, we have the factory 4 door fridge. My wife rode home with her cousin and unhooked the camper. I walked in today to a beeping fridge. She had set the fridge where it was on Propane. So it ran thought the 40 lb bottle. That we had filled the 13th. OOhh well I'm just happy that the truck took out on a 4 lane with a wide spot to get off the road. Rest is just normal life and will be laughed at later on.
danemayer Thanks for the link to the light. I love that ideal, as when I was running over the road. Pulling a reefer unit, got used to seeing a light. And as long as it was not red It was a good day. So will be adding one of those to the camper soon.

When I get it worked out will be sure to post what it was. Took 3 hours to fix the front AC, when all it took. Was work the phone jack plug out just a bit. Panel went to working. But if it's plugged in all the way, no power to the panel.

Pete