Remote Fridge Cutoff Switch

[Picinisco]

In the discussion on driving with the fridge running the only issue I see is having the propane pilot on while in a gas station. I am sure I saw somewhere that a remote switch near the outside front of the RV can be used to turn on and off the 12V to the fridge control board. Has anyone heard of this, have this or added a switch like this.

[Picinisco]

wildtoad wrote:
Question... Is your fridge on the driver side? Mine is and should I desire a switch to turn it on or off while fueling, I’d do something with the outlet it plugs into which is behind the lower vent cover. Because my Dometic is in a slide I have two vent covers.

Passenger side but I can run a wire to a switch on the driver's side.

[Picinisco]

JBarca wrote:
yes you can install a properly sized amperage 12 volt toggle switch in the incoming power line to the fridge. At the fridge vent on the side of the camper, take that vent cover off and find the 12 volt DC power line connection. Install the switch in that power line. You can then figure out where to mount the switch that is not affected by rain water and towing in the rain.

Hope this helps

John

Yes that helps. Thanks

[wildtoad]

Question... Is your fridge on the driver side? Mine is and should I desire a switch to turn it on or off while fueling, I’d do something with the outlet it plugs into which is behind the lower vent cover. Because my Dometic is in a slide I have two vent covers.

[K_Charles]

The switch on the fridge will cut the power to the gas valve

[JBarca]

What brand fridge do you have?

I have an semi older Dometic RM2652 and this brand/model will re-activate the fridge when the power comes back up, assuming the button inside is pressed on. In my case, I have a disconnect switch on the A Frame header that kills the battery power inside the camper. At the gas station, I just turn off the battery disconnect, fuel up, pull away from the pumps and then a short ways away, get out turn on the disconnect and drive off.

I have heard, (do not know if they are all this way) that on a Norcold fridge you have to go back inside and press the fridge on button. There must be a relay inside that has to be reset upon power up. The battery disconnect switch would not work on this brand like we wanted it to.

If you have no battery disconnect switch, and your fridge brand/model will reset and turn back on when the power comes back on, then yes you can install a properly sized amperage 12 volt toggle switch in the incoming power line to the fridge. At the fridge vent on the side of the camper, take that vent cover off and find the 12 volt DC power line connection. Install the switch in that power line. You can then figure out where to mount the switch that is not affected by rain water and towing in the rain.

Hope this helps

John

[Picinisco]

winniman wrote:
You could also shut off the main propane valve if you are already outside.

I am trying to come up with a toggle switch that just shuts off the 12V to the fridge control panel.

Shutting off the main propane will shut off the pilot light once the gas remaining in the feed line is used up. This will then trigger the igniter to spark to try and restart the pilot for a few cycles before shutting down. Turning the propane back on will not message the igniter to start over. You will need to wait 5 minutes till the gas reaches the fridge again then go back into the rv and restart the fridge.

[winniman]

If you are driving into a gas station, the fridge is only a few feet from the door you have to exit to fuel the rv. Why not just shut it off at the fridge. I think this is being a little overthought. You could also shut off the main propane valve if you are already outside.

[NRALIFR]

You can accomplish what you’re wanting with a battery master disconnect switch, and avoid creating a new failure point for your fridge. If your trailer doesn’t already have a master disconnect switch that completely disconnects the house batteries, I would install one anyway.

The switch and the wires would need to be rated in excess of the full load from the batteries.

This is how my master disconnect switch and fridge work:

If the fridge is set to run in DC, LP or AUTO, when I set the master disconnect switch to OFF, the fridge turns off. When the master switch is set to ON, the fridge turns back on in the same mode it was in before.

This assumes that the 12 VDC circuit from the tow vehicle is either switched off when the ignition is off, and/or is switched off by the master disconnect switch.

You should of course make sure yours works the same way.

:):)

[garyemunson]

I haven't but would be a good idea!