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Old 09-22-2019, 01:44 AM   #1
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Unhappy refrigerator power

I just picked up a 2020 Thor Challenger and can not figure out how to shut down the refrigerator while my unit is not in use

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Old 09-22-2019, 02:59 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by Dice View Post
I just picked up a 2020 Thor Challenger and can not figure out how to shut down the refrigerator while my unit is not in use
I have no idea if your refrig is like ours in our 2016 Axis. However, on the front of fridge is a little panel...with a slider...on .. off .. temp control ..
when it is on...with shore power it glows green
when it is on while driving down the road it is green with an amber light under the green light...that means you are running on propane.

So...when you arrive home...if you are shutting down completely..nothing in fridge...turn to the off position...open the doors, after wiping down interior..again if like ours..there is a little slider on both doors which hold doors open when not in use to prevent mold from forming in fridge.

Hope this is helpful ! and if not...someone on this Forum will reply who has the same unit as you !

Have fun !
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Old 09-22-2019, 01:09 PM   #3
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I'm going to guess you're looking at a SS Whirlpool residential model since as VKB posted the absorption type normally has the controls on the exterior front and can be completely shut down via the controls.

This isn't so much an RV thing but how residential models are being designed with the only way to shut down is to unplug. When you think about it how often does the average homeowner actually turn off a frost free fridge? Once a year to clean it? Moving day? Never?

Anyway, you probably can't unplug without removing the fridge so your only option might be is to trip the power breaker. Which brings you to the next step in confusion as the breaker for the fridge is probably not part of the house breaker panel and more likely on the inverter or a sub breaker panel the inverter powers. You'll need to dig a bit deeper to determine how your coach is built or another Challenger owner will post exactly where the breaker is.

And don't forget to keep the doors slightly open otherwise, only need an inch or so, or you could have a mildew problem next time you use the coach.
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Old 09-22-2019, 02:21 PM   #4
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If, in fact, you are referring to a residential refrigerator, we turn ours off by turning off the inverter. In reality, the only thing that does is to turn off the light because we do have an on/off switch in the cooling area that turns off all cooling/freezing functions.
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Old 09-22-2019, 07:52 PM   #5
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Welcome to our campfire!
It might help to list your brand and type of refrigerator...
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Old 09-23-2019, 01:00 AM   #6
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Residential Fridge

Seeing as you have a Class A, I’m assuming you have a residential refer like we do in our 31W. To turn ‘off’ the refer to NOT cool, there is a control knob inside of unit to turn OFF cooling while on shore power during resting for next journey. No need to unplug the fridge from inverter. We turn ON inverter when driving to run/cool our fridge. When plugged into shore power in our driveway, we turn on fridge the day before departure (turn on the dial inside the refer)to get it ready for our provisions.

Hope this helps
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Old 09-23-2019, 02:02 AM   #7
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Just picked up a 2020 Challenger myself and had the same issue. The fridge is powered by the inverter at all times and is not disconnected by the use/store switch. To kill the fridge you have to turn off the inverter. However, from the factory the inverter is set to always on. To change this and control the inverter on/off from the remote panel below the touch screen, you have to turn off the power button on the physical inverter screen inside the storage bay (button up for off).
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Old 09-23-2019, 02:44 AM   #8
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Just picked up a 2020 Challenger myself and had the same issue. The fridge is powered by the inverter at all times and is not disconnected by the use/store switch. To kill the fridge you have to turn off the inverter. However, from the factory the inverter is set to always on. To change this and control the inverter on/off from the remote panel below the touch screen, you have to turn off the power button on the physical inverter screen inside the storage bay (button up for off).
That is insane that they would do that. We have a Whirlpool Residential fridge. It is powered by shore power and cooling when the dial INSIDE the fridge is set to ON, no inverter needed, which is handled by the atf. When we are driving or boondocking THEN we turn ON the inverter to power the refer.

Inverter converts 12vdc to 120vac from your house/coach batteries , to run refrigerator (in residential case, microwave, and maybe outlets for tv etc) while not connected to shore power. Converter takes 120vac to 12vdc to power interior lights and any other 12volt systems in the coach while connected to shore power.
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Old 09-23-2019, 02:56 AM   #9
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The inverter is actually always in play and passes through 120 when on shore power. You are correct you can turn off the dial inside the fridge but the power is still there and will kill the batteries after a period of time. I believe the factory is setting these newer coach inverters as always on by default because most walkthroughs are spending time on setting up and using auto gen start.
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Old 09-23-2019, 03:25 AM   #10
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The inverter is actually always in play and passes through 120 when on shore power. You are correct you can turn off the dial inside the fridge but the power is still there and will kill the batteries after a period of time. I believe the factory is setting these newer coach inverters as always on by default because most walkthroughs are spending time on setting up and using auto gen start.
Yes the power is still there to inverter and fridge dial is off. How is this gonna drain batteries? I have my rig parked in driveway for 30 days on shore power with battery use on , fridge dial off between trips. No battery drain. 13.4vdc
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Old 09-23-2019, 04:01 AM   #11
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With most Xantrex and Magnum inverters, you cannot turn off the inverter if there is 120 volt power to the inverter. If you are only using battery power, the inverter can be turned off. When you start the generator or plug in the coach, the inverter will come on automatically. My Xantrex can be programed to turn off automatically when the 120 volt power is removed from the power center.
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Old 09-23-2019, 12:21 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by JJMON View Post
Yes the power is still there to inverter and fridge dial is off. How is this gonna drain batteries? I have my rig parked in driveway for 30 days on shore power with battery use on , fridge dial off between trips. No battery drain. 13.4vdc
Battery won’t drain when connected to shore power and use switch on... the converter is charging/maintaining the batteries.
The issue would be battery drain without shore power... If frig is turned off by the dial, then door should be propped open - and interior light would be on draining the battery...
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Old 09-24-2019, 05:52 PM   #13
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That's correct - inverter on, fridge dial off, door propped - light still on.
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Old 09-24-2019, 06:31 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by wdconnors View Post
That's correct - inverter on, fridge dial off, door propped - light still on.
In my Whirlpool 21 ft residential fridge, the light in the fridge goes out after about 75 seconds. By the way, Fridge is 3 years old and has a 3.6 watt LED bulb.
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Old 09-24-2019, 07:18 PM   #15
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So I guess that this isn't how you fix the problem?

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Old 09-28-2019, 09:01 PM   #16
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Guess it is just a statement...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dice View Post
I just picked up a 2020 Thor Challenger and can not figure out how to shut down the refrigerator while my unit is not in use
One post statement, must not have been a question, eh?


Stay cool
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Old 09-29-2019, 03:00 PM   #17
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Our residential refrigerator has the controls inside. Or you can turn the inverter off.
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Old 09-29-2019, 10:47 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by Beau388 View Post
In my Whirlpool 21 ft residential fridge, the light in the fridge goes out after about 75 seconds. By the way, Fridge is 3 years old and has a 3.6 watt LED bulb.
that is by design...our light in refrig of the Axis does the same..
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Old 10-06-2019, 06:04 PM   #19
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I just picked up a 2020 Thor Challenger and can not figure out how to shut down the refrigerator while my unit is not in use
Thank you all it seems the inverter is the answer
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