is my fridge 240v?

[Dave Payne]

My fridge is an lec r450cw, at the minute its plugged into the 12v system and has been since I purchased vidar. Been having battery issues and now need to replace, had a look at the back of the fridge and it would appear to me that all the wires look like 240v, had a google but cant find anything about it.

 

It has a standard 240v plug, shall I just plug it in to the 240v system and see what happens, or will it go boom?

[Naughty Cal]

Have you got an inverter onboard?

[GreyLady]

My fridge is an lec r450cw, at the minute its plugged into the 12v system and has been since I purchased vidar. Been having battery issues and now need to replace, had a look at the back of the fridge and it would appear to me that all the wires look like 240v, had a google but cant find anything about it.

It has a standard 240v plug, shall I just plug it in to the 240v system and see what happens, or will it go boom?

LEC R450cw Fridge & Freezer Spares. We found 68 items. [1]23457Next » · 15 Watt/240V Fridge Lamp - SES

 

I would imagine its a 240v looking at that.

Edited November 8, 2015 by GreyLady

[Dave Payne]

I do, but why do you ask?

I wonder if it has been converted though as there is no earth from the plug to the little black box on the back.

[DeanS]

If the fridge has a plug that "looks" like a 240V plug....does not mean it IS a 240V plug. If it is currently plugged into a plug that other 240V appliances are plugged into, then it's safe to assume it is 240V too. Some fridges are 2 way....both 12V and 240V.......Often the wires used look similar.

 

The fridge should have a label plate at the back showing the electrical voltage/wattage etc.

 

Lastly, do you have a fuse box...or 12V isolator. Turning the 12V supply off to the boat...should switch off the fridge, unless it's 240V and fed from the invertor.

[bottle]

If you have an inverter and a light in the fridge, open fridge door to turn on light, turn off inverter if light goes out, it is 240v.

 

If you do the same and the light stays on it is 12v (assuming your boat is 12v and not 24v

 

Lastly, do you have a fuse box...or 12V isolator. Turning the 12V supply off to the boat...should switch off the fridge, unless it's 240V and fed from the invertor.

 

doing that will also turn off the inverter, so will not prove either way.

[Dave Payne]

The fridge has no label on the back to say volts or watts, have had a good look.

 

It's plugged into the 12v system, I know this as vidar has no 240v system fitted, the invertor is not turned on and only has one socket.

 

Plus the 12v fuse box has a switch marked up as fridge, I have turned it from here before.

 

I'm just going to stick with it being a 12v I think, don't really want to blow it up.

[b0atman]

maybe a label on compressor would be best indicator of voltage as fridge may have been converted from 240v to 12v yet fridge label not changed. Get out your multimeter and read the voltage at fridge terminals.

[by'eck]

Does this help

 

 

A liitle confused by your explanation regarding plugs. If it has a 13 amp mains plug on it and above suggests its a mains fridge, I'm lost as to how you managed to connect it to your 12 volt system.

[ditchcrawler]

My fridge is an lec r450cw, at the minute its plugged into the 12v system and has been since I purchased vidar. Been having battery issues and now need to replace,

 

What is wrong with it

[bottle]

The fridge has no label on the back to say volts or watts, have had a good look.

 

It's plugged into the 12v system, I know this as vidar has no 240v system fitted, the invertor is not turned on and only has one socket.

 

Plus the 12v fuse box has a switch marked up as fridge, I have turned it from here before.

 

I'm just going to stick with it being a 12v I think, don't really want to blow it up.

 

Have a look inside or on the door edge for the label.

 

Reading the above you say you have no 240v system then how could the fridge be 240v unless it is connected directly to the inverter which you say only has one socket and if the fridge is not plugged into that one socket how can the fridge be 240v.

 

The most worrying thing is that it is connected to 'standard 240v plug' if it is not, as seems now 240v

[alan_fincher]

I'm not sure everybody replying s actually reading all Dave's posts.

 

It's plugged into the 12v system, I know this as vidar has no 240v system fitted, the invertor is not turned on and only has one socket.

 

If Dave is confident about the above, there seems little point in investing effort to see if it is currently being supplied with 240 volts!

[bottle]

If it does not have a label how do you know the model?

We did read it and as usual the information was not in the first post it was only after some enquiries were made that it came to light.

[alan_fincher]

Does this help

 

 

A liitle confused by your explanation regarding plugs. If it has a 13 amp mains plug on it and above suggests its a mains fridge, I'm lost as to how you managed to connect it to your 12 volt system.

 

I'm assuming it has a 12vvolt connection that doesn't include the 240 volt plug not currently in use.

 

I thought some of the 12 volt fridges sold were actually 240 volt ones originally that have had the compressor swapped out for a 12 volt one. Perhaps this is the case here, but that for whatever reason it still has a 240 volt lead attached. (It would seem an odd way to leave it though, I admit!).

 

Dave is it not easily possible to follow the 240 volt lead into the fridge and see what (if anything) it connects to?

[RLWP]

 

I thought some of the 12 volt fridges sold were actually 240 volt ones originally that have had the compressor swapped out for a 12 volt one.

 

Our current fridge is one of those. Our previous fridge was a 240V one with a built in inverter! Surprised me no end when we pulled it out and found an unplugged three pin plug on it

 

Richard

[alan_fincher]

This outfit appears to be one of those that sells mains fridges with a 12 volt conversion.

 

There are certainly (originally) LEC models offered, although I can't see this particular model mentioned.

[Naughty Cal]

I do, but why do you ask?

I wonder if it has been converted though as there is no earth from the plug to the little black box on the back.

Do you leave your inverter turned on?

 

What else 240v is plugged in and turned on?

[Alan de Enfield]

Thoughts -

 

Has it been working (getting cold) ?

You are sure there is no 220/240 volts on board ?

Have you checked to see if it has its own dedicated (small) inverter in a cupboard ?

Maybe when someone wired the boat up they used standard 220v plugs and sockets, knowing that there was no 220v on board it wouldn't be a problem (it never is whilst the original owner is the owner)

 

Check inside the fridge ( on the inside of the door, on the inside 'back wall') for a label showing volts & watts.

 

ASSUMING the fridge is running and working, pull it out and 'dab' your test meter across the terminals where the existing power is fed. What is shown ?

 

If all else fails get someone who knows what they are doing to have a look. It could be tested with a 220v table lamp with the plug removed - but it is dangerous and should not be undertaken unless you are confident around mains voltages. Using a test meter is by far more preferable.

[ditchcrawler]

Or even take the bulb out and see what voltage is printed on it

[Grebe]

We've got a Shoreline 12 volt fridge on Grebe.

 

Shoreline used to use Lec fidges as a base unit, remove the 220/240 volt compressor and fit a Danfoss 12-24 volt compressor instead. Hence the high price - buying a wasted compressor-buying a replacement compressor-labour- and low volumes.

 

So pull it iut and have a good look at the compressor, usually a round thing with a domed top, usually near the bottom, may be black.

[by'eck]

 

Our current fridge is one of those. Our previous fridge was a 240V one with a built in inverter! Surprised me no end when we pulled it out and found an unplugged three pin plug on it

 

Richard

 

Starting to get scary. So if its been modified with onboard inverter (which would be a lot cheaper than a 12 volt compressor) connected to mains input and original mains lead with plug appears to be still connected to a box on the fridge .................

[cuthound]

If you have a multi meter (or can borrow one), you could remove the plug from the socket, stick the meter probes into the socket and measure the voltage.

 

That way you will know for sure

[MtB]

What is wrong with it

 

 

I'm wondering if it doesn't actually work, and never has since the OP bought the boat!

[dor]

My last boat had 230V 13A sockets for the 12V system. There was no inverter on board. Presumably it was done as the person who did it had some 13A sockets going spare. Better I suppose than having DC sockets on the 230V system.

 

If the OP's boat has no 230V system installed, then the fridge must be DC. The fridge model might well be a 230V one, with a 12V dc conversion.

 

Unless of course, as Mike infers, it has never worked on the DC supply!

Edited November 8, 2015 by dor

[Paul C]

The only way you'll 100% know is to measure the voltage at the socket. The problem here is, you need to take precautions as if it is a 230V electrical system and measure it by arranging for example, to be able to plug the probes of a multimeter safely into the socket, or turn it off attach crocodile clips then turn it on. And start the voltmeter on 230V AC setting or whichever can read this, and don't put your fingers anywhere near the leads; then turn if off again before disconnecting the leads.

ETA looking at the voltage printed on the bulb, is a 99% sure way though. A 12V bulb would definitely blow on a 230V circuit; and I doubt a 230V bulb would light up on 12V.