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Old 06-27-2019, 04:02 PM   #1
Rainsmik
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Steps to keep residential frig. running during tow?

I am or was under the impression that my residential refrigerator would keep running while I was connected and travelling down the road. Out of curiosity I hooked up and opened the refrigerator door to find no light shining. Does this mean the refrigerator is not running while I tow? If so what do I need to do to keep it running? I am a couple of weeks away from a two week trip and would like to keep it running while towing if possible. Thanks for your time.



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Old 06-27-2019, 04:17 PM   #2
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Mike,

You need to take the time to learn how your inverter works. It provide ac power to your fridge when you are not hooked to shore power.

The inverter takes dc power out of your batteries in the trailer and converts it to 120 ac. While towing, the generator in your truck should recharge your trailer batteries through the 7 pin connector. My understanding is you need to apply the manual brake on your truck to start that charging process on your 2018 Ford.

Your batteries (assuming 2 of decent size) should be able to run your fridge for 24 hours or so without any charge assuming there is not other load put on them.
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Old 06-27-2019, 04:50 PM   #3
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Yes, you probably just have to turn your inverter on. It is likely mounted to the ceiling of your basement and just press the on/off button. Also make sure the battery disconnect to it in the front compartment at the battery (s) is in the on position.
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Old 06-27-2019, 05:53 PM   #4
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Mike, go into the cargo compartment under the bedroom slide. Look on the ceiling for the inverter. Be sure it is turned on and shows about 12.5 to 13 volts. The inverter MUST be turned on for the refer to work on battery. Also, there is a battery shut off switch on the wall above the battery box. Be sure that switch is turned on also.
Does the refer work when plugged into 110 volts? If not then you should check the plug.
Open the cabinet on the floor beside the refer behind. The back wall of this cabinet is removable by removing a few screws. Behind that rear wall is the valve for the ice maker and the plug where the refer plugs into 110 volts. Make sure that plug is plugged in tight. If the refer does work on 110 but not on 12 then check that inverter.
Let us know how you make out.
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Old 06-27-2019, 06:20 PM   #5
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X 2 Slufoot.

The only thing that i can add, is check the water connection while you have the panel off. We had to replace the fitting it leaked.
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Old 06-27-2019, 07:10 PM   #6
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Inverter

I need to follow up with a question.
Do you leave the inverter on full time?
Or do you turn it on for travel and off when you plug into shore power?

One more thing...I went out to see if mine was on or off right now. Sorry to say I have never checked it. I currently get no green light whether I am plugged into shore power or not. I checked the gfci buttons and nothing trips or resets - with shore power or without. Pushing the green button does nothing. Does this mean my inverter is dead?

I can’t get to my owners manual right now and supper was ready. What should I do to test it further? For what it’s worth I have always noticed that the residential fridge warmed up a bit when we travel - by a few degrees...just figured the inverter did not put out enough power to keep it in the artic range. Fridge and ice maker works great on shore power and water connection.
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Old 06-27-2019, 07:11 PM   #7
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I am ok when plugged into 110. I am assuming that when I am plugged in I need to switch the inverter and the battery switch both to off?
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Old 06-27-2019, 07:23 PM   #8
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I think you need to download the manual for your Inverter to understand how it works. I have a Magnum Inverter in my SOB which has a built-in Transfer switch, which means when connected to shore power the shore power is sent directly to the Fridge outlet, but once disconnected from shore power the Inverter kicks in to supply power to the Fridge. I never turn my Inverter off because when it's not needed it goes into a sleep mode.
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Old 06-27-2019, 07:26 PM   #9
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My inverter stays on until my rig goes in storage.
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Old 06-27-2019, 08:38 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rainsmik View Post
I am ok when plugged into 110. I am assuming that when I am plugged in I need to switch the inverter and the battery switch both to off?
Mike you can leave your Inverter on all the time it knows when you are on shore power no need to turn it off. and leave the battery cut off on all the time also or your battery's wont charge on shore power or when you are hooked to your truck.
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Old 06-27-2019, 10:15 PM   #11
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I leave ithe inverter on when we are using the RV.
I turn the inverter off when it is just setting not be used.
I leave the inverter battery shut off on all the time.

U never know when the shore power will go out.. that had to 3 time this year already. The inverter took over to power the frig.

To answer your second question. Use a voltage meter and check the power coming into the back of the inverter from the batteries.
Maybe a loose connection between the inverter and the battery bank
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Old 06-28-2019, 06:15 AM   #12
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Only thing I can add to the responses above is to have two, well-charged batteries; one battery Is not enough to run the fridge very long.
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Old 06-28-2019, 04:08 PM   #13
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Mike,

Follow Slufoot's instructions.
When on batteries it should be on as if it is on 110.
Temperature should hold pretty close.

It could be you have a bad inverter or transfer switch
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Old 06-28-2019, 06:33 PM   #14
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Inverter

The good lord looks after idiots like me!
The 80 amp breaker in the bottom pic below has a red button reset and a blade switch on the bottom side (that I did not know was there). I reset the blade switch and my unit inverter came back to life...but this incident generated more questions for me. This may not be the right thread but here goes.

There was a recent thread called “Level up” discussing the replacement of the OEM 50 amp breaker with an 80 amp breaker. The original posters pics showed an in line Magnum fuse on the red wire going to the inverter. My red wire going to the inverter had the OEM 50 amp circuit breaker on it which I replaced with a 80 amp breaker. The original poster has a 2019 model. The Magnum Inverter Owners manual diagram shows a fuse like the 2019 pic. So - does my circuit breaker function act as the inverter “fuse”? How did placing an 80 amp circuit breaker on my inverter red wire power source fix my hydraulic level up issue? Did they start using an in line fuse in the 2019 models?

In the top pic you can see a red wire for the hydraulic pump coming from one of those auto reset circuit breakers (red cap thing). Should my 80 amp CB be on that red wired and not on the inverter red wire line? And I should put the OEM 50 amp CB back on the inverter red wire?
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Old 06-28-2019, 06:47 PM   #15
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If you have the typical 1000 Watt Inverter, it can draw in excess of 100 Amps from the batteries and it normally fused with a 150 to 200 Amp Fuse. Did you install the 80 Amp Breaker or did someone else?? No matter what, that 80 Amp Breaker should be on the Red cable from the Batteries to the Hydraulic Pump.
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Old 06-28-2019, 06:49 PM   #16
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The inverter is fed by its own cutoff switch as shown in the photo. The switch is fed by a high amperage circuit breaker, which I think is right below the switch. The cat bkr is fed by a cable right off the positive terminal of the battery. That ckt bkr should be rated at something like 150 amps for a 1000 watt inverter.
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Old 06-28-2019, 08:43 PM   #17
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Inverter

My original set up is the same as in my previous pic except the OEM black circuit breaker was a 50 amp. I installed the 80 amp in January in the same spot as the 50 amp. The pic below is from a 2019 model showing the in line fuse - but I can’t read the details on it...just that it is by magnum. I have a pic of my original setup but it is on my laptop (not this iPad).
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Old 06-29-2019, 09:52 AM   #18
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Old 07-03-2019, 02:13 PM   #19
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I'm surprised the dealer didn't mention the inverter during walk-thru. CW?
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Old 07-03-2019, 02:18 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rainsmik View Post
I am or was under the impression that my residential refrigerator would keep running while I was connected and travelling down the road. Out of curiosity I hooked up and opened the refrigerator door to find no light shining. Does this mean the refrigerator is not running while I tow? If so what do I need to do to keep it running? I am a couple of weeks away from a two week trip and would like to keep it running while towing if possible. Thanks for your time.



Mike Rains
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2018 Ford F-350 dually
I was never able to get mine to stay on either in a 2109 3731. Checked all the usual stuff and contacted the inverter people. Keystone mounted mine sideways, upside down and with almost no space between it and wall to see the display. I cant get to the refer door when all slides are in to check if its on or not. When at the dealer for something else, I asked them to show me how to get the thing to stay on and they said they found a loose or disconnected wire but I never found out where or what it was. Mine mostly stays in one or 2 places all year, so I just take out all the food before moving
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