Cannot select AC on refridgerator?

[jkordzi]

Hi,


Today I found out that I cannot select AC on the refrigerator on our 2017 5.0TA. I can select DC (which seems to work fine) or propane but not AC. Currently, it is parked next to our house and I have run the 30A pigtail to a 20A circuit via an adapter. The microwave works fine so I assume it's not a current limitation. ThAnks for any help.

[Vermilye]

Check that the 120V AC plug hasn't fallen out...

[jkordzi]

Well, I rechecked all the AC circuits and they work fine. Then I reset the only GFCI I know of - on the outside, went back in and fiddled with the AC-DC-gas buttons again and after turning it off and hitting Auto a few times, it went to AC. So I'm not really sure what the issue was.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by jkordzi

Well, I rechecked all the AC circuits and they work fine. Then I reset the only GFCI I know of - on the outside, went back in and fiddled with the AC-DC-gas buttons again and after turning it off and hitting Auto a few times, it went to AC. So I'm not really sure what the issue was.

Hi: jkordzi... Maybe you were using the wrong finger!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Centex]

I've found my fridge is Very Recalcitrant to enter AC mode when a propane tank valve is open / there's pressure in the propane system.

Close the tank valves and burn off the pressure with the stove, it's happy to go to AC mode promptly.

YMMV.

[jkordzi]

Thanks. Chalk it up to another quirky thing with these trailers.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Centex

I've found my fridge is Very Recalcitrant to enter AC mode when a propane tank valve is open / there's pressure in the propane system.

Close the tank valves and burn off the pressure with the stove, it's happy to go to AC mode promptly.

That really should have no impact on it. I think that if you experienced it, it was random correlation.

[Viajante]

Jkordzi, what happens when you turn the fridge on with it plugged into AC with the gas on and auto mode selected? Does the AC light go on briefly? Then does it switch to DC or propane?

[jkordzi]

Well, initially, with the gas on I could not get it to go to AC even briefly using the AC/DC buttons or the auto button. After tripping and resetting the outside 120 volt outlet (which was working), and fiddling with the auto and AC/DC buttons again, it decided to come on.

Originally Posted by Viajante

Jkordzi, what happens when you turn the fridge on with it plugged into AC with the gas on and auto mode selected? Does the AC light go on briefly? Then does it switch to DC or propane?

[Viajante]

Jkordzi, you are right, it is puzzling. The fact that it goes directly to gas indicates that AC isn’t detected or is not getting to the board.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I suspect the fridge outlet is slaved to the GFCI outlet, same as the kitchen outlet.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

I suspect the fridge outlet is slaved to the GFCI outlet, same as the kitchen outlet.

FWIW the fridge AC outlet was not slaved to the GFCI on my August 2021 build 5.0.

The fridge was on the same 15A AC breaker as the WFCO Converter (and 'only' those two items on that breaker in slot #2, with ETI's hand-written label being "Converter").

The 15A AC breaker in slot #3 was labeled "Fridge" by ETI, but in fact the fridge outlet was not wired to that breaker.

YMMV, ETI seems to have been very inconsistent in this regard over time (and / or perhaps among different wiring 'crews').

Yes, my circuits have now been re-arranged in the breaker panel with proper descriptive labels affixed to aid in troubleshooting.

[John in Santa Cruz]

oh you know what, I think my 2014 was like that too, the WFCO converter and fridge were on the same breaker with a funky splice in the breaker box. when I installed my compressor fridge, I moved the (now unused) fridge outlet to its own breaker.

[CharlesinGA]

It is somewhat common for RV manufacturers to put the converter and the fridge on the same breaker, not real sure why, its just convenient for them. Winnebago does this and uses a ferrule to join the two wire ends so they do not double tap the breaker.

Charles

[Grasshog]

There is a guy on YouTube. His channel is called “my RV works.”He is an RV tech and he does several refrigerator videos just in case you haven’t looked on YouTube yet check him out.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

It is somewhat common for RV manufacturers to put the converter and the fridge on the same breaker, not real sure why, its just convenient for them. Winnebago does this and uses a ferrule to join the two wire ends so they do not double tap the breaker.

The converter wire comes with a pigtail on it from WFCO.

[sameo416]

I’ve found with our 2021 3-way it can be reluctant to switch modes if it’s not in auto. In auto it always picks up AC over gas.

The day I wanted DC as a battery test it took some fiddling to get it to switch.