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Old 01-23-2020, 08:07 PM   #1
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THOR #15622
Need help on electrical wiring

The refrigerator does not automatically switch to GAS when shore power is removed. The reason is that the refrigerator is wired to the inverter and if shore power is removed from coach, the inverter powers the refrigerator.
Now, I would think this would be a simple fix if I could just figure out where all the wires go.
Is there a "junction box" where all the outlets to be powered by the inverter are brought together? Where should I look to find that?
The factory can only supply me a block wiring diagram, no specifics. Many thanks for your help in advance.
DangerousDan

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Old 01-23-2020, 08:36 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by DangerousDan View Post
The refrigerator does not automatically switch to GAS when shore power is removed. The reason is that the refrigerator is wired to the inverter and if shore power is removed from coach, the inverter powers the refrigerator.
Now, I would think this would be a simple fix if I could just figure out where all the wires go.
Is there a "junction box" where all the outlets to be powered by the inverter are brought together? Where should I look to find that?
The factory can only supply me a block wiring diagram, no specifics. Many thanks for your help in advance.
DangerousDan
Is there not a switch that when you unplug that you can’t just turn so it uses gas? That is how I did it on my Norcold fridge.
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Old 01-23-2020, 08:47 PM   #3
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Yes, I can manually switch it and that works but why should I do that when it is intended to switch automatically. This presented itself when I noticed that when running without shore power, the batteries only lasted about 10 hours. So the dealer was trying to fix the batteries. Time expired, I took the MC back and saw the problem.
I guess I just like thing work the way they were intended to work. Or, to put it another way, I paid for the thing to work properly. Dan
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Old 01-23-2020, 08:53 PM   #4
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Generally, a gas fridge MH doesn't have an inverter so the fridge only has two options...gas or 120V, and it adjusts itself accordingly. The inverter is the exception. The fridge isn't designed to deal with this 3rd option...it reads power from inverter as 120V. Just turn inverter off or manually switch fridge over to gas. I think that's your only two options. It's a plus to have an inverter.
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Old 01-23-2020, 09:26 PM   #5
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I know there are safety Sally's that wire their 2-way fridges to an inverter so they don't have to use the dreaded propane, but I have never seen a 2-way fridge wired that way from the factory.
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Old 01-23-2020, 09:35 PM   #6
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Which inverter do you have? Some have a switch that allow you to turn the inverter off so if you remove shore power it won't automatically kick on to supply AC power.
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Old 01-23-2020, 10:10 PM   #7
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I am not looking for a “work around.” I just want to wire it up correctly. The converter is located under the bed. I will remove all the bed clothes and mattress so I can get in that area and hopefully I will find there how it is wired.
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Old 01-23-2020, 10:29 PM   #8
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My point...I think it is wired correctly...just not doing what you want it to do. Call Thor Customer Service. Good luck!
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Old 01-23-2020, 10:30 PM   #9
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I am not looking for a “work around.” I just want to wire it up correctly. The converter is located under the bed. I will remove all the bed clothes and mattress so I can get in that area and hopefully I will find there how it is wired.

The Converter / Charger is likely under the bed. However it handles the 12V circuits and not the AC circuits.

The Inverter handles running AC circuits off the batteries and is typically located in an outside storage bin... at least on most of the Thor Class C's.
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Old 01-23-2020, 11:58 PM   #10
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while you may be thinking that the Propane RV fridge is wired to the Inverter, this is NOT a common feature of most any RV ... is it a THREE way fridge?
If so, it may continue to operate with the 12v system, not necessarily because you might have an inverter.

Generally, inverters are used when an RV has a 120v HOUSEHOLD type fridge, which operates on 120v power ONLY, either Shore power or the Inverter. If you have a RV fridge, you may not have an inverter at all - what makes you think you do?


interesting... we need more info.
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Old 01-24-2020, 12:11 AM   #11
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I don’t consider myself a “safety Sally” but I prefer to drive with the propane off at the tank - mostly in case of an accident. It was an easy, cheap and fun project to put a dedicated inverter and automatic transfer switch on the fridge. I can still run it on propane by turning the inverter off or manually switching it at the fridge. But I too have not encountered a factory 3 way in quite a few years.
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Old 01-24-2020, 12:32 AM   #12
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I think I have a solution for you:

- Your inverter powers all regular outlets
- Your Fridge is plugged into a regular outlet
- If you don’t want your Fridge powered by your inverter, then you need to run an extension cord (easiest way) from a GFI outlet (not powered by your inverter) to your Fridge plug
- Most Thor RVs have an outside TV that is plugged into a GFI outlet. And on my Vegas, the Fridge and outside TV are on the same side of the RV
- So you could easily access the GFI outlet under/behind the cabinets, plug-in an extension cord, and run it to the rear of the Fridge

This is an easy work-around without changing the interior wiring.

On my Vegas, I’ve added an integrated inverter that powers the Fridge plug. So I feel your pain. I understand the hassle you describe.

But, as previously mentioned in this thread...while driving many prefer to power the Fridge thru the inverter. It saves propane, and is safer.
And, while driving, your house batteries are always charging.
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Old 01-24-2020, 12:33 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by TurnerFam View Post
while you may be thinking that the Propane RV fridge is wired to the Inverter, this is NOT a common feature of most any RV ... is it a THREE way fridge?
If so, it may continue to operate with the 12v system, not necessarily because you might have an inverter.

Generally, inverters are used when an RV has a 120v HOUSEHOLD type fridge, which operates on 120v power ONLY, either Shore power or the Inverter. If you have a RV fridge, you may not have an inverter at all - what makes you think you do?


interesting... we need more info.
His fridge is not a 3-way, factory installed is the standard 2-way 120 VAC & Propane with 12 VDC control power.
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Old 01-26-2020, 03:11 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by DangerousDan View Post
The refrigerator does not automatically switch to GAS when shore power is removed.
That usually happens to us when the LP has been shut off for a while (in storage) and the pressure hasn't forced enough gas up to the fridge, yet. Same thing happens trying to keep the stove burners going the first time after LP shut off.

In any case, when we disconnect from shore power, we just flip the switch from "AUTO" to "Gas", when the light's green, flip it back to "Auto".

DW knows this and one of us always checks it before we depart a campground site.
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Old 01-26-2020, 03:25 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by DangerousDan View Post
I am not looking for a “work around.” I just want to wire it up correctly. The converter is located under the bed. I will remove all the bed clothes and mattress so I can get in that area and hopefully I will find there how it is wired.
Listen to the people trying to help you. It is wired correctly. If you lose shore power it will not change to gas because it is still getting 120 volt power from the inverter. The fridge does not care if it is shore or inverter. It just knows it is 120 volts. If you want it to switch you must disconnect it from the Inverter. It must lose 120 volts in order to change to gas. What you have is exactly the way it is designed to do.
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Old 01-26-2020, 03:53 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by Mr.Goodbar View Post
That usually happens to us when the LP has been shut off for a while (in storage) and the pressure hasn't forced enough gas up to the fridge, yet. Same thing happens trying to keep the stove burners going the first time after LP shut off.

In any case, when we disconnect from shore power, we just flip the switch from "AUTO" to "Gas", when the light's green, flip it back to "Auto".

DW knows this and one of us always checks it before we depart a campground site.
His problem is not that it switches to gas and there is no gas or air in the gas line: his problem is that it DOES NOT switch to gas because the fridge is still supplied with 120 VAC when Shore Power is removed.
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Old 01-26-2020, 09:52 AM   #17
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his problem is not that it switches to gas and there is no gas or air in the gas line: His problem is that it does not switch to gas because the fridge is still supplied with 120 vac when shore power is removed.
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Old 01-26-2020, 09:56 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by taylorbob1 View Post
I think I have a solution for you:

- Your inverter powers all regular outlets
- Your Fridge is plugged into a regular outlet
- If you don’t want your Fridge powered by your inverter, then you need to run an extension cord (easiest way) from a GFI outlet (not powered by your inverter) to your Fridge plug
- Most Thor RVs have an outside TV that is plugged into a GFI outlet. And on my Vegas, the Fridge and outside TV are on the same side of the RV
- So you could easily access the GFI outlet under/behind the cabinets, plug-in an extension cord, and run it to the rear of the Fridge


This is an easy work-around without changing the interior wiring.

On my Vegas, I’ve added an integrated inverter that powers the Fridge plug. So I feel your pain. I understand the hassle you describe.

But, as previously mentioned in this thread...while driving many prefer to power the Fridge thru the inverter. It saves propane, and is safer.
And, while driving, your house batteries are always charging.
You do not want or need your fridge to be on a GFI circuit. There is no NEC code requiring a fridge to be on a GFI circuit.
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Old 01-26-2020, 02:53 PM   #19
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OK let's review:


Most inverters have an automatic pass through feature so when the RV is on shore power, the 120 VAC from the power pedestal is "passed through" the inverter so it is not constantly "inverting" the batteries DC current to AC.

His refrigerator is dual 120 VAC and propane.

When shore power is removed, his inverter automatically switches over to inverting his batteries' 12 VDC to 120 VAC to continue powering his refrigerator on AC power.

By so doing, the refrigerator does not switch over to propane gas because the 120VAC is constantly provided due to the inverter providing 120 VAC after the shore power is removed.

So long as the refrigerator is constantly receiving 120VAC (first from shore power and then from the inverter when shore power is removed) the refrigerator will not automatically switch to gas unless the inverter is turned off or the refrigerator is unplugged from the inverter.
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Old 01-26-2020, 03:02 PM   #20
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I'd love to have the option of propane on my 31W residential fridge. If I was the OP I would leave the fridge on AC unless I was boondocking. Then I would manually switch to gas. That way either shore when plugged in or inverter while driving. Perfect!
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