Running Your Gas Absorption Refrigerator on the Inverter

October 29, 2012, 06:42:13 pm

Scott, no disrespect intended, but I consider what you are doing as a kludge. The two circuits cannot be adequately protected when the both are tied to a single 15 amp breaker. I don't think that you know enough about the subject of protection to make that statement.
I never said anything about a rubber extension cord. I envisioned using regular 3 wire # 14 wire snaked inside the walls with plugs on each end. It is the plugs that get you around the code. The wire itself would be no different than all the other AC wiring running around the living space of a moving vehicle. BTW what is the carrying capacity and interrupting capacity of your small relay?
I don't understand why you think that 240/120 volt wire needs shielding. That is for high frequency wiring. Each of the individual wires inside the outside housing is fully insulated. I saw no bare wires in your picture so I don't see where any rules have been broken.
In your second picture I see two badly damaged electric heating elements clearly the result of a refrigerant leak but where is the rust you mentioned. I see some accumulated crud but not something that appears to me to be rust. Maybe the lighting is throwing me off.
Oh and in you previous post the 30 amp breaker is not too large because that the inverter should have it's own overload protection. The first 30 amp breaker is based on the #14 wire connecting it to the second 30 amp breaker. The second is based on the capacity of downstream equipment such as the bus in the box etc.
I doesn't make sense to me to use on the road time to further test you your invention. How long should you wait for it to break and what are the consequences if it does. One should always consider what happens is something breaks not just assume that it won't. I don't feel that you have adequately examined it in that light. I will try to push down the big red flag that keeps popping up on me and not bother you or, more importantly, everyone else with any more discussion on it. It appears that you did not wish to carry on our conversation off line as I tried a couple of times with no results

Don Seager

Re: Running Your Gas Absorption Refrigerator on the Inverter

Reply #1 – October 29, 2012, 11:41:14 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 83546

Don - Thanks for your opinions and information. We need solutions and some "can do" spirit to provide for the special requirements some of us are faced with. I'm exploring some of those options albeit with some possible rough edges to work out. I'll continue to present my ideas, findings and implications for the group to decide what's best. You've made you position clear and I respect that. Each to his own.
As for the frig heaters they are stainless steel and both were fine. In fact they were used with the new cooling unit. Now on line for 18+ months and working perfectly. It's the boiler piping near the heaters and burner that rusted which is obvious from the sodium chromate residue shown in the photo. Like I said, you better do some checking of yours.
I can't be preoccupied with a negative view of something that has been thought through perhaps more carefully than you're willing to acknowledge. So I wouldn't pass judgement on my testing efforts quite so emphatically. Doom, gloom and the bomb is one school of thought but I tend to be more optimistic than that. Plus the risks I'm taking (if any truly exist) are my own. If I should discover serious problems I will report them for others to benefit from. In other words, look closely at what I've done and then don't do it. I'm not anticipating a disaster just yet. As mentioned, I'm not expecting a serious problem just some possible glitches that need some ironing out. Time needs to be logged. I tease people and say, "I only look stupid!" And we all need to keep a sense of humor about us.
I answer any and all emails sent to me. As of late, I haven't received any from you. Feel free to send along anything you wish and I will be happy to respond. As for this thread I'll wrap it up here as the value has pretty much gone out of it. We are coming at solving problems and developing practical knowledge from different points of view. No right, no wrong just different points of view. There is a bigger picture here that's important not to miss. Folks need some solid information about RV refrigeration, suggestions, can dos, what works, is safe, is practical and effective. And also what doesn't work. Many options exist and the more information the better IMHO. I've thrown my 2 cents into the ring. Some toads will need to be kissed on that pathway to the prince. I'm endeavoring to make some progress. That said, you are free to pursue your own ideas about what works and/or comment critically about the efforts of others. But the question still remains.... How can we provide AC power to a refrigerator while traveling?? To that end, I'm exploring one option and testing it. With some refinements I believe it's workable and will provide some assistance. If problems do exist, I will find them, document them and make adjustments in the approach coming forward with something better. Should I experience a meltdown (as you imply), I'll document that too and warn people. We will do better with specifics as opposed to generalizations. It's called R&D and most such efforts evolve through the rough edges and that's the process. Those experimenting must have the guts to fail, screw things up, experience setbacks and above all keep moving forward until it's right. Nicola Tesla lit the world with this attitude. Safe travels.

The relay's contacts are rated at 20A resistive load.

At 03:28 PM 10/29/2012, you wrote:

Country Coach Owners Forum Country Coach Motorcoach Forum