is my fridge 240v?

[Rickent]

I have 3 double sockets in my bedroom that look like 240v plugs but are wired up to the 12v system.

I found this out when I plugged a 240v lamp.into them and it didn`t work. When I checked the lamp that was already there it had a 12v bulb in it.

[Alan de Enfield]

I have 3 double sockets in my bedroom that look like 240v plugs but are wired up to the 12v system.

I found this out when I plugged a 240v lamp.into them and it didn`t work. When I checked the lamp that was already there it had a 12v bulb in it.

 

I have seen that on a number of boats which is why I mentioned it earlier.

Fine whilst it is owned by the guy who did it, but once its sold on who knows the horrors that lurk ...................

[alan_fincher]

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.

 

Not necessarily!

 

"Chalice (now sold) came with a three-way Electrolux fridge. As it was connected to gas, that was all we used at first, but there was a lead coming from it with a 13 Amp mains plug on the end. I assumed this allowed it to be run on mains, as I knew the previous owner had had a generator.

 

However when I finally pulled it out, it was actually connected to the 12 volt input, and actually plugging it into mains would certainly have produced some "interesting" results.

 

Never assume with second hand boats!

[RLWP]

 

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 .................

 

I didn't say that, did I. It was built by the manufacturer with two separate inputs, one for 240V with a standard 3 pin plug, and another via two 12V connection terminals. Both in a purpose made housing

 

Richard

[by'eck]

 

I didn't say that, did I. It was built by the manufacturer with two separate inputs, one for 240V with a standard 3 pin plug, and another via two 12V connection terminals. Both in a purpose made housing

 

Richard

 

Sorry if I misunderstood, but the one we are talking about didn't have factory supplied dual inputs, it was AC only.

[ditchcrawler]

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 -

Worse than that, they bought 12/24 volt LEC fridges and sold them with a big mark up.

[Dave Payne]

Just to be clear, Vidar has no 240v system fitted, i know this.

 

I have a 240v camping cable running my coffee machines, thats it.

 

I think the fridge is a 240v converted to 12v, the cable from plug to little black box next to the compressor is only two wires, black and red, no earth.

 

I looked again last night and the compressor has a tiny label on stating 12/24v.

 

No other labels are on the fridge, anywhere.

 

I am going to assume its 12v and ditch it.

[ditchcrawler]

Just to be clear, Vidar has no 240v system fitted, i know this.

 

I have a 240v camping cable running my coffee machines, thats it.

 

I think the fridge is a 240v converted to 12v, the cable from plug to little black box next to the compressor is only two wires, black and red, no earth.

 

I looked again last night and the compressor has a tiny label on stating 12/24v.

 

No other labels are on the fridge, anywhere.

 

I am going to assume its 12v and ditch it.

I will ask again, What.s wrong with it? and I dont think its been converted but always been 12/24 volts

[Dave Payne]

The seals are shot round the door, inside is not very nice with stains, the glass is missing off the bottom tray, the freezer box doesn't appear to be that good.

 

I need a 240v, i spend 70% of my time in the marina so its kind of pointless using 12v.

 

I was just hoping it would be 240v to save me a month or two before purchasing a new one.

[ditchcrawler]

The seals are shot round the door, inside is not very nice with stains, the glass is missing off the bottom tray, the freezer box doesn't appear to be that good.

 

I need a 240v, i spend 70% of my time in the marina so its kind of pointless using 12v.

 

I was just hoping it would be 240v to save me a month or two before purchasing a new one.

So if you are buying a new charger, other post why not keep it for a bit. How do you charge your batteries now? Also if its in working order it may be worth a few pounds.

[Naughty Cal]

The seals are shot round the door, inside is not very nice with stains, the glass is missing off the bottom tray, the freezer box doesn't appear to be that good.

 

I need a 240v, i spend 70% of my time in the marina so its kind of pointless using 12v.

 

I was just hoping it would be 240v to save me a month or two before purchasing a new one.

How will you power it for the remaining 30% of the time?

[Dave Payne]

I wont, i will leave it unpowered, i can live without a fridge for a week or so when out on the cut, or plug it in to my invertor when cruising and turn off when stopping.

So if you are buying a new charger, other post why not keep it for a bit. How do you charge your batteries now? Also if its in working order it may be worth a few pounds.

 

 

Going forward i want the minimum running from the batteries as possible, just led lights and pumps, everything else will be 240v.

 

The batteries at present are hooked up to a car battery charger on the hook up.

 

You can have it when i get my new one

[Naughty Cal]

I wont, i will leave it unpowered, i can live without a fridge for a week or so when out on the cut, or plug it in to my invertor when cruising and turn off when stopping.

If you get a 12V one you won't have to go without it!

 

Ours is 12v only. When we are in the marina plugged in it is still using 12v power which the battery charger then replaces. When we are not plugged in we still have cold beer

[Dave Payne]

A 12v/240v one would be better, but i guess these are pricey?

[Paul C]

A 12v/240v one would be better, but i guess these are pricey?

 

I've never seen a 12V/240V compressor fridge. Since there is relatively little difficulty in converting from one to another (ie, battery charger or inverter) then one or the other is fine - you may as well go for 240V on cost reasons, if you can cope with using an inverter while cruising If your cruising involved not much moving and lots of being moored, it would be different - because a 240V fridge must use an inverter while off grid, so it uses more power.

[Dave Payne]

http://www.secondtek.com/icecap-sk35a-two-way-240v-12-volt-camper-caravan-motorhome-fridge-graded.ir?src=froogle&gclid=CjwKEAiApYGyBRC-g_jIstuduV8SJABCEzhZbtKoU6LXp7zoNht7JnOrEa8I3cVj5GAFmcRuSIAaFhoCE-fw_wcB

[Phil Ambrose]

My vote is with 12 volt, never seen the point of taking perfectly good 12 volt power and passing it through an inverter (at a loss) to make 240 volts

 

Phil

[ditchcrawler]

http://www.secondtek.com/icecap-sk35a-two-way-240v-12-volt-camper-caravan-motorhome-fridge-graded.ir?src=froogle&gclid=CjwKEAiApYGyBRC-g_jIstuduV8SJABCEzhZbtKoU6LXp7zoNht7JnOrEa8I3cVj5GAFmcRuSIAaFhoCE-fw_wcB

0.9 Kwh /24 hrs that will make the batteries mumble

[Dave Payne]

mumble?

[ditchcrawler]

mumble?

Well not for long

[Paul C]

http://www.secondtek.com/icecap-sk35a-two-way-240v-12-volt-camper-caravan-motorhome-fridge-graded.ir?src=froogle&gclid=CjwKEAiApYGyBRC-g_jIstuduV8SJABCEzhZbtKoU6LXp7zoNht7JnOrEa8I3cVj5GAFmcRuSIAaFhoCE-fw_wcB

 

As I said.......not sure that's a compression fridge (compression is much more efficient than absorption, but absorption allows operation on gas too; and makes dual voltage operation much easier to build in).

 

0.9 Kwh /24 hrs that will make the batteries mumble

 

The power consumption would point to being an absorption fridge.

[bottle]

I think you will find that, that fridge is not of the compressor type.

 

It is designed to be run on 12v only when the engine of the vehicle is running.

 

When running on 12v it will not be thermostatically controlled, it will only maintain temperature. it will not cool

 

It will load the batteries (if engine not running) at 6.25 amps, in 24 hrs it will use 150 amp.hrs

 

This is the important bit:

 

IMPORTANT: Please note that before every outing, the appliance must be run on mains operation to operating temperature. Once this is done, you can operate the fridge off your 12v battery for the duration of your journey. This will maintain the pre-achieved temperature until you arrive at your destination when you need to revert to a 220/240v supply to maintain temperature. Please note that the Interior Light does not operate on 12v power.

[OldGoat]

I reckon it's a hall effect unit - much the same downside as an absorption unit, with the added disadvantage that it's only powerful enough to maintain the temperature of what's in there when you go away - and away I suspect overnight / weekend only.

Even with the above caveat it takes 6.5 amps at 12V DC - my experience of these devices (fitted in a cool box) is that the 6 amps is a continuous power requirement.

 

I would give it a wide berth if your use doesn't fit the above.

 

I'm wondering if the fridge is one of those converted by this chap:-

http://www.12v-fridges.com/

 

he buys in Lec units and swaps out the compressor. Perhaps he forgot to remove the Lec label - or left it there in case you needed parts.

[ditchcrawler]

 

 

I'm wondering if the fridge is one of those converted by this chap:-

http://www.12v-fridges.com/

 

he buys in Lec units and swaps out the compressor. Perhaps he forgot to remove the Lec label - or left it there in case you needed parts.

LEC make, or use to make 12/24 volt fridges, they use to sell them direct to the public but stopped about 14 years ago just as I wanted to buy one. I had all the details and prices but hung on until I was ready to launch my boat before ordering one, but was a bit to late.

[alan_fincher]

http://www.secondtek.com/icecap-sk35a-two-way-240v-12-volt-camper-caravan-motorhome-fridge-graded.ir?src=froogle&gclid=CjwKEAiApYGyBRC-g_jIstuduV8SJABCEzhZbtKoU6LXp7zoNht7JnOrEa8I3cVj5GAFmcRuSIAaFhoCE-fw_wcB

 

I think what you are looking at there is NOT a compressor based fridge, as the power it is claimed to use is something like 3 or 4 times what a proper compressor fridge would use.

 

It may be effectively more like one of the old 3-way Electrolux/Dometic type absorption fridges, but with only a 12 volt and a 240 volt option, but no LPG gas.

 

If you Google that model and look at other advets you will find things like......

 

IMPORTANT: Please note that before every outing, the appliance must be run on mains operation to operating temperature. Once this is done, you can operate the fridge off your 12v battery for the duration of your journey. This will maintain the pre-achieved temperature until you arrive at your destination when you need to revert to a 220/240v supply to maintain temperature.

 

 

 

This tells me it is not a fridge that can function properly on both 12 and 240 volts, and that it will guzzle large amounts of power on either.

 

Not what you are after, I think!

Edited November 9, 2015 by alan_fincher