Wiring caravan dometic fridge model RM 2350, in 2003 pop top van.

J_KZ-1 · Veteran Member

Wiring caravan dometic fridge model RM 2350, in 2003 pop top van.

2happy · Member

Hi J KZ1,

No helpers yet? I can't talk from direct experience atm as we have upgraded from a 2006 Jayco O/B Eagle to a Goldstream pop-top only recently. However I'm fairly sure the eagle had that same model fridge as yours and we bought it and owned it from new. Over the years I did a heap of tinkering on the Jayco, and playing with the fridge wiring was on the list. So, remember I'm purely talking from memory with any advice I give !

I recall that when we picked the van up it was not wired for the fridge to run on battery either. So I simply wired a anderson plug on the tug to a new and separate connection on the from of the eagle. The wiring was run on the inside of the chassis rail up to the approx location of the fridge from below floor line and then go through the floor to the rear of the fridge unit (access is easy above the floor as you should be able to remove the lower vent (at least it was for me). Provision for the 12v input was clearly marked. Stick a 30 amp in line fuse on it and you should be good to go.

Not sure if your 6mm cable will be up to the task - but try to make the cable run as short as possible and see what the voltage drop is (measure it with the fridge going) . You may get away with it.

So, in short - don't move the fridge, access is easy and just have a go with the cable you have.

Good luck.

MikeW

PeterD · Guru

When you talk about "(white 12S plug still functional)" do you mean the 7-pin trailer connector Type 12S (ISO 3732)? If so I suggest you forget it. The connectors are too small to take the fridge current if you use a cable of sufficient size to power the fridge. I would suggest using a bigger capacity connector, the Anderson style is popular with forum members.

You mention some leftover cable that is 6 mm. Is this 6 mm auto cable or cable with a cross-section of 6 mm2 (6 square of copper?) Six mm auto cable is 6 mm insulation diameter, it generally only carries 4.8 mm2 of copper in it. If you use 6 mm2 cable then it will be only just sufficient if the fridge is in the front of the van. If not then use 8 mm2 cable or for preference use 10 mm2 cable.

As for removing the fridge, if it is properly installed, you should be able to reach the 12 V terminals through the bottom vent at the rear of the fridge, on the bottom LHS.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Wire resistance is the total length of + & - so if it is 12 mfrom the car battery, it's actually 24 metres. Three way fridges use about 12 amps continuously so you will need to run some 6awg wire.

J_KZ-1 · Veteran Member

To 2happy, PeterD, whenarewethere,

Thanks for all the input and advise.

Might have to re-think using left over wire, just a roll of twin core purchased from a repco shop off the shelf. Label stated 6mm. We my youngest son and me, where going to re-wire an old 6x4 trailer that his father-in-law, an older chap, had laying around, but the F-I-L changed his mind, as he didnt think hed use it and it need more work.

Will look into 8b&s/awg or 6B&S/awg wire. I will take PeterDs point re the 12S plug (Europe style plug). Will stay with 6B&S cable as used this cable already.

Based on previous advise, I had a 6B&S twin core cable connected to car battery with an Anderson plug to rear of car to feed power via Anderson plug connectors to the caravans dc to dc charger (charger has solar capabilities). This cable has 6B&S twin core run to the front of caravan to Anderson plug.

Question, do I run another twin cable (6B&S/awg) from the battery to rear of car or can I loop some cable (6B&S +/-) from the present Anderson plug to the new Anderson plug close by for the fridge?

Still learning all the bits and pieces of caravanning maitance

Thanks for your patience.

Cheers,

John.

Whenarewethere · Guru

You can loop to a second Anderson plug. A 50amp Anderson plug can take 120amps with 6awg wire, & plugged/unplugged with an open circuit. 50amps with a closed circuit.

A heat gun works great for soldering, drill a hole in a block of wood to stand up the lug.

Jaycar is the easiest place to get wire etc.

In the Hints & Tips thread a few more ideas:

https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t65662065/50amp-anderson-plug-expand-for-4-awg-cable/

https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t65697648/compact-anderson-175amp-to-50amp-adapter/

IMG_20210319_074841815~2.jpg

J_KZ-1 · Veteran Member

Thanks for reply and photo.

Have now come into possession of 5 Anderson plugs as gift from friend this will help in not having plugs all over rear bumper.

Cheers. John

Whenarewethere · Guru

The above Allen bolts 316 are tapped into the plug, Sutton M4 taper tap.

If tapping into metal use tapping fluid, & drill the correct size hole.

Nyloc nuts are handy.

J_KZ-1 · Veteran Member

Thanks for additional info.

looking at photo, I?m presuming the joined units are: one for battery dc to dc charger to plug into and the other for fridge and the independent single anderson plug is connected to the Anderson plug on the rear bumper of car: the 3 connected units act as one?

Smarter than me, I was going to have cables dangling every where. 12 pin plug, two seperate Anderson plugs screwed on to bumper, one looped to the Anderson plug from cable connected to tug battery, then 3 leads from van plugged into the 3 seperate units screwed into the bumper, also the Anderson plug on side of draw bar for solar connection. As previous stated I know jacks..t about auto wiring!

On further looking at photo, I see you you have neg wire going from one of the joined units to the other the joined unit, then a positive from single unit to one of the joined units, I cant see a negative connection for the single. As stated know nothing on wiring.

See my drawing of what is was going to do. Most like biggest F up on the planet. Tug Ando. plug is already on car for van battery charge, was going break into to the plug that was there and do loop to new Ando.plug!

What I know.

J_KZ-1 · Veteran Member

Thanks Peter,

I have checked: it is the ISO 3732 plug we have!

I starting to regret agreeing on taking the trip when wife asked. Will go the Anderson plug route as you suggested.

Can I impose on you with a further question.

Re the new Anderson plug, on car bumper, & 6B&S twin core connected to the battery (with 50 amp fuse on the + near battery) for van battery connection. Can I loop another Anderson plug to this Anderson plug for fridge feed. Either one on top of the other or side by side on the car.

I am attaching a drawing (of sorts), hopefully will help with what I am trying to say: this is all on the car bumper.

Any comment would be greatly appreciated: hopefully at some point in near future everything will sink in for me.

Thanks. John.

Whenarewethere · Guru

The 1 to 2 adaptor is in the car, in this photo on the right of the box, plugged in. It is for my fourth (added later) auxiliary battery which "floats" around the car. In the boot when not traveling, behind the front passenger seat when camping.

In the above photo the Anderson plug on the left on the side on the box points up, it is kept separate to plug my solar panels in, so there is no mix up. I could have got a different colour.

On right of the box to plug the batteries in, & pointing down.

The red plug is where the DC-DC charges the battery.

Black plug is where the fridge plugs in.

In photo, top blue box in Victron 100/20 MPPT, below are two 9amp Victron DC-DC chargers in parallel, one stacked on top of the other.

The plug unplugged plugs into the car to power the DC-DC chargers.

The wiring in the box I need to change a bit as the system has changed a bit since I first set it up. Like everthever, work in progress!

You can stick them anywhere you want them. If you want multiple outlets just stick 2 or 3 side by side or stack them, just make about a 3mm gap between any additional plug or surface so when plugging in the other half or the plug it doesn't foul.

If outside try to weather proof to some degree. Also heat shrink all ends.

If you have live power outside have a switch inside to turn it off & make sure you have a fuse close to every battery!

My solar setup:

https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t65231112/custom-6x20-watts-solar-setup-with-mppt/

Whenarewethere · Guru

Land Rovers have a stack of electrics. Make sure the starter battery is only used for starting the car. So when the car is off you are not using the car's battery.

When we camp & are around the car, we never close the doors fully because otherwise every time you open a door from fully closed the car goes through a cycle of thinking you are going to drive somewhere.

You will be surprised just how many times you open doors!

We turn both ceiling lights off, boot & footwell globes we have removed.

The Travelling Dillberries · Guru

J_KZ-1 wrote:

Thanks Peter,
I have checked: it is the ISO 3732 plug we have!
I starting to regret agreeing on taking the trip when wife asked. Will go the Anderson plug route as you suggested.
Can I impose on you with a further question.

Re the new Anderson plug, on car bumper, & 6B&S twin core connected to the battery (with 50 amp fuse on the + near battery) for van battery connection. Can I loop another Anderson plug to this Anderson plug for fridge feed. Either one on top of the other or side by side on the car.
I am attaching a drawing (of sorts), hopefully will help with what I am trying to say: this is all on the car bumper.

Any comment would be greatly appreciated: hopefully at some point in near future everything will sink in for me.

Thanks. John.

To answer your question, yes you can loop them. My last van and new van are "looped" under the van permanently.

In other words the car charges the battery and provides power for the fridge when travelling. Car battery is protected by volt sense relay but you (me) have to remember that as a result of that "loop" the fridge is connected to the van batteries when stopped. A vsr can be wired into the loop to stop the fridge draining the van bats.

J_KZ-1 · Veteran Member

Thanks Chris & Sharyn,

Having watched my son-in-law (now a sparky) laying new 240v cable for new power points in house using the daisy chain method I was hoping I could do that with 12v system in car, but theres no safety switches in cars if you do it wrong.

After your advice, I will now go ahead and not hold my breath hoping I havent blown something up.

Good point about vsr on the fridge line, I would not have thought of that. Ive Got a lot of learning to do.

Thanks and cheers, to you andSharyn.

John & Kerrie.

Chris apologise for adding a question after thanking reply.

While sitting watching the news, (by the way: hope youre safe where you are with the rain, concern for oldest son he lives up in Clarenza/Grafton area). I realised you stated you have yours under the van.

Do you need have them covered/protected from water, dirty etc. getting into the plugs or are they fine as is?

Thanks: John

-- Edited by J_KZ-1 on Sunday 21st of March 2021 07:01:36 PM

-- Edited by J_KZ-1 on Sunday 21st of March 2021 07:03:03 PM

The Travelling Dillberries · Guru

J_KZ-1 wrote:

Thanks Chris & Sharyn,

Having watched my son-in-law (now a sparky) laying new 240v cable for new power points in house using the daisy chain method I was hoping I could do that with 12v system in car, but theres no safety switches in cars if you do it wrong.

After your advice, I will now go ahead and not hold my breath hoping I havent blown something up.

Good point about vsr on the fridge line, I would not have thought of that. Ive Got a lot of learning to do.

Thanks and cheers, to you andSharyn.

John & Kerrie.

Chris apologise for adding a question after thanking reply.
While sitting watching the news, (by the way: hope youre safe where you are with the rain, concern for oldest son he lives up in Clarenza/Grafton area). I realised you stated you have yours under the van.
Do you need have them covered/protected from water, dirty etc. getting into the plugs or are they fine as is?
Thanks: John

-- Edited by J_KZ-1 on Sunday 21st of March 2021 07:01:36 PM

-- Edited by J_KZ-1 on Sunday 21st of March 2021 07:03:03 PM

Yes thanks John, we can't go anywhere

We live on a small hill so safe from the floods, lucky.

So to your question, under our van there is a junction box for the cables that the fridge supply from car (Anderson plug) goes thru, it's only a matter of finding these and joining 2 cables to these and run them to the battery vsr which can be next to your battery. You still would need to make sure the cables, as previously stated are big enough.

Cheers.

The Travelling Dillberries · Guru

John, the point of doing the connections under the van, as above, is that you only need one Anderson plug on the car and van.

J_KZ-1 · Veteran Member

Good too read your safe, Chris,

Thanks for that Chris. I presumed that did you have one Ando plug on car. But coming from the van a single cable Ando pluged to connect to car, but daisy chained/looped) with Ando plugs at the other end under van one for cable from van battery with Ando plug to plug into, the other for cable from fridge with Ando plug. Did not think of junction box just Andos every where. Youve enlighten me re junction box.

Did the above make any sense to you. Just ignore any of my future posts for what query for your own sanity!

6B&S from fridge through to car but 8B&S for 20amp mppt multi charger with solar. Should have got a 40amp.

As you have by now gathered I have no knowledge of caravan electrical setup or car for that matter. At one point I had visions of Anderson plugs all across the bottom of the van to plug into.

Thanks again. I leave you be now. Both you and Sharyn stay safe.

Cheers: John

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Hi J_KZ-1,
We had one of those fridges in our Eagle. After we fitted anti-dust flaps to the outside vents we never ran it while we were travelling mainly because the plastic windows folded down on the inside vent. We found we could keep the fridge cold, the freezer contents frozen by adding frozen containers within the fridge & use it as a big esky.

It would last us well past Rockhampton - 700kms - 8 hours, generally our first overnight stop where we refroze the containers.

J_KZ-1 · Veteran Member

Thanks for that: Warren-Pat 01,

Even if we do get it too work will fill it with freezer packs, for the trip.

Cheers: John & Kerrie.