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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Propane Fridge question
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B Loj
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2023 03:09pm
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Hello. Anyone help me troubleshoot a problem I'm having with my Norcold RV style propane fridge by chance? I turn the fridge power and propane tank off before leaving our cabin we visit every 2 months or so. The fridge is hooked up to propane and my 12V solar system. The last 2 times I returned to my cabin the fridge power was on. I have no explanation other than perhaps the motherboard went bad? We now pull the fuse before departure to ensure it won't turn on again when we're gone. This is a true mystery to me. Thanks for any ideas as this is not my area of expertise!

ICC
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2023 04:08pm
Reply 


If there are no devices that need to remain powered when a place is left vacant the best strategy is to have a positive disconnect such as a purpose built cutoff. Or a circuit breaker whose design allows use as a shut off.

That goes for disconnecting the DC inputs to an inverter even when the inverter has its own on-off switch.

I have no real idea how or why that fridge would become powered on again, but that is why I have a master DC breaker I pull when I leave my cabin or my bus rv in a shutdown mode. I do not trust on-off switches that are built into devices to guarantee total disconnection. Parasite loads abound.

When I used to use lead-acid storage batteries I did usually leave the solar charge controller active to preserve the batteries. Except for summer and fall lightning season. Now with lithium batteries there is no need to leave even the solar charging active when absent.

travellerw
Member
# Posted: 10 May 2023 11:15pm
Reply 


Can you turn it off without pulling the fuse now?

If not, then a relay on the control board has failed fused closed. I have seen it happen a few times.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 11 May 2023 06:09am
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Mine has a disconnect on the battery. I left it on for 5 days once and came back to a stone dead battery.

B Loj
Member
# Posted: 11 May 2023 06:58am
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We're heading up there this weekend to fiddle with it thanks for the ideas much appreciated!

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