New refrigerator install

[Rv Wandering Wards]

Thanks again I will look into it more before install.

[ncitro]

Great advice. I will dig into front bay connections tomorrow and start check a route out to the slide. I just want to make sure and wire this correctly so I don’t do damage to fifth wheel or new fridge. Appreciate your help. Also attached wire suggestions from manual and will be running larger size wire due to distance to battery. Again thank you and I may post some updates once I do this install for other people to view.

I can tell you that on the boards a lot of the issues we have seen were voltage related, so I would pay careful attention to wire size recommendations. Once you get into the front bay you either fuse directly to the battery, or I believe the factory uses a auto resetting breaker on the copper bus bar.

[Rv Wandering Wards]

Great advice. I will dig into front bay connections tomorrow and start check a route out to the slide. I just want to make sure and wire this correctly so I don’t do damage to fifth wheel or new fridge. Appreciate your help. Also attached wire suggestions from manual and will be running larger size wire due to distance to battery. Again thank you and I may post some updates once I do this install for other people to view.

[ncitro]

Ok so sounds like I will be figuring out a route back to battery area. So even possibly running new wires to fuse panel may not suffice? Appreciate the info and your help

On the fifth wheels they tie the fridge to the terminal strips in the front bay, I am not sure, but I would assume its due to the capacity of the fuse panel inside.

[Rv Wandering Wards]

Ok so sounds like I will be figuring out a route back to battery area. So even possibly running new wires to fuse panel may not suffice? Appreciate the info and your help

[ncitro]

Wire size calls for 10awg and 15 amp fuse which I believe that is what current wire size installed is. The fuse in panel is also a 15 amp already

I would be surprised if your factory wiring is 10AWG. GD commonly ran 14AWG for most things on the DC side.

[Rv Wandering Wards]

Wire size calls for 10awg and 15 amp fuse which I believe that is what current wire size installed is. The fuse in panel is also a 15 amp already

[ncitro]

I have a general question about the change from evaporative norcold fridge to a 12v furrion. We have a 2021 337rls with the norcold. I have ordered the replacement 12v furrion which is now standard install on newer models. The question I have is on the wiring for the 12v that currently exist there are what appears as 2 power supply and 2 ground. Just don’t want to fry anything. The new fridge shows a 12v + , 12v-, & ground. 12v should already ground out to the chassis I believe. Can we wire in new fridge to existing dc wiring?(how to adapt?) or will I need to run new wiring directly back to battery with an in line fuse?

I would expect you would need to run new wiring up to the battery. From the factory these are fused at 30A, which would be 10 gauge wire. Does the install manual state a wire or fuse size?

[Rv Wandering Wards]

I have a general question about the change from evaporative norcold fridge to a 12v furrion. We have a 2021 337rls with the norcold. I have ordered the replacement 12v furrion which is now standard install on newer models. The question I have is on the wiring for the 12v that currently exist there are what appears as 2 power supply and 2 ground. Just don’t want to fry anything. The new fridge shows a 12v + , 12v-, & ground. 12v should already ground out to the chassis I believe. Can we wire in new fridge to existing dc wiring?(how to adapt?) or will I need to run new wiring directly back to battery with an in line fuse?

[TucsonJim]

Jim,

What size refrigerator do you have?
Did you replace another unit?

Jim

Good afternoon Jim,

The original gas absorption refrigerator was a Norcold N811FRT. This is one of the smaller refrigerators and was 8 cubic feet. I replaced it with a 12V Norcold N10DCX. This refrigerator fit into the existing cabinet with very few modifications and is 10 cubic feet.

Jim

[jamieline]

Jim,

What size refrigerator do you have?
Did you replace another unit?

Jim

[TucsonJim]

I'm very happy with my 12V Norcold unit. I've had it for about three years now. But 80% or our camping is boondocking, so a residential just doesn't make sense. With 800 watts of solar and three LiFePO4 batteries, I've always been able to camp without a generator.

I do have a 2000 watt inverter though for items like the microwave, coffee brewer, or television.

Jim

[jamieline]

Thanks Jim. That's an item i was going to make sure of.
Might be leaning towards the residential but not sure yet. Like I mentioned I want to clean up the 12 volt connections and just want to ensure I wire correctly. I would parallel the batteries but want to make sure the emergency brake supply does not have to be separate. Looking at an inverter and the wiring associated with it.

[TucsonJim]

I don't have a wiring diagram for the 337, and I don't think one exists.

If you do go with a 12V reefer, the primary thing to check is that the 12VDC wiring is large enough to handle the current requirements. Most of the models will spell out the installation requirements which I believe will cover the wire size.

Jim

[jamieline]

First, is there a wiring diagram for a 2016 337RLS? I have been looking at the one posted that is a 297RSTS. Trying to get an idea on how the wiring is done with an inverter. I noticed 2 batteries and assume they are 6 volt as they are hooking in series. Trying to look at how my batteries are connected. I have 2 batteries but they don't seemed to be hooked in parallel. The factory wiring is not the best and will be corrected in this process. I would like to have all the wires connected in a central location instead of multiple wires to each battery. Do they have to be separate due to emergency brakes?

One of the items I am deciding is between a 12 volt or residential refrigerator. Don't want to debate that too much but looking at if I install a residential model I will need to install an inverter. to power the refridge going down the road i will need some type of transfer switch to power the fridge. also disconnect the converter.

If going with the 12 volt model is there any additional modification needed? I know batteries could be an issue but we do limited boondocking other than a possible night in traveling.

If all this has been covered before just point me in the direction.
Thanks