Frustrated at Atwood HE-0601 fridge

[michellep]

Thanks, Neil. I'm about to go try!

Pulled the thing off the fridge light fixture. I just learned another something new today - spade connector. I used 2 pair of needle nose pliers (the second to keep from yanking the holder from the side of the fridge) and it came off with a small amount of pressure! Light went out. I am assuming the heater is off, too.

Now the question is, do I just leave that unplugged end hanging around the fridge, or should I do something to cover/protect the end?

When I'm plugged into 120V, I'll keep it connected.

[Travels with Yoly]

The loose end is not powered so it's safe to tuck it away. The terminal it came off of is probably powered so best not to let anything metal bump into it.

[LJAZ]

Looks like you could just remove the light bulb and accomplish the same thing.

[profdant139]

Just in the interests of caution, it might be a good idea to put a bit of tape around the loose end of the wire -- I think that if the prongs of the spade bit were to come into contact with metal, the metal might complete the circuit.

Having said that, beware of any electrical advice that I ever give you -- I know nothing, sadly. I am ignorant, which is why I am over-cautious.

[michellep]

Originally Posted by LJAZ

Looks like you could just remove the light bulb and accomplish the same thing.

Would that mean that the bulb completes the circuit for both the light AND the heating element?

[profdant139]

Michelle, I think there is a way to tell if the bulb is the key or not -- you would need an ordinary multi-meter, which costs just a few dollars. You test the draw of the fridge with the bulb screwed in and then not, and you do the same thing with the spade connector unplugged and plugged, to see if there is a difference.

Here is a "cookbook" for measuring the current draw -- I put this together, using information from the Web -- it worked well for me. It is not complicated or difficult:


1. Make sure everything in the trailer is off.Â*



2. Disconnect the battery, using the battery disconnect switch.



3. Put the red (positive) multimeter plug into the 10 amp socket on the front of the multimeter. You may need to read the instruction manual to find out which socket is the right one.

4. Unhook the negative terminal of the battery. Using an alligator clip, clip the multimeter's red lead to the negative cable (the one that would've been connected to the battery). (You could probably also use masking tape instead of an alligator clip.)Â*



5. Using an alligator clip, clip the black lead to the screw post of the negative terminal on the battery. I think that what I've just described is called hooking up the multimeter "in series" – i.e., the current has to flow from the negative battery cable through the multimeter to the negative terminal.

Â*

6. Turn the multimeter on to the 10 amp setting. It should read "zero."Â*



7. Reconnect the battery, using the battery disconnect switch. You should get a fairly low reading – this is the background or parasitic draw of the carbon monoxide monitor, the smoke detector, and the propane detector.Â*



8. Turn on each of the electrical devices in your RV, one at a time, and see how the meter changes. So, for example, if the background number is 0.10 amps, and you turn on the fridge, the meter jumps to 0.30, you know that whatever you are testing draws 0.20 amps.Â*

You can then determine how much current each of your electrical devices is drawing. There is a formula for converting amps to watts, but (frankly) it's a lot easier to use the conversion utilities that are provided free on the Internet. Just type in "watts volts amps," and the calculators will pop up.

Here are some of my readings, for the sake of comparison - "0.1" means a tenth of an amp, and so on:

Baseline load (probably propane detector and so forth): 0.1

Inverter: .4

One LED bulb: .6

Bathroom fan: 2.1

Kitchen fan: 2.1


I hope this helps!!

[michellep]

Thanks, Dan. I've printed this out and will take it over to the trailer later.

[Travels with Yoly]

Wow Dan !! You should be an instructor

[michellep]

What's an alligator clip?
I don't live near the ocean...

Aw, just kidding. It's been one of those mornings.

[Eagle]

It's a small clip that can be fastened to a wire for temporarily securing it to a contact point.

Like these:

http://muellerelectric.com/product-c...insulators-aa/

[Travels with Yoly]

Originally Posted by michellep

What's an alligator clip?

And I thought it was like an Crocodile Walk only faster

Edited for accuracy

[Eagle]

A few decades ago when working in Louisana, I had the opportunity to sample a taste of alligator.

BIG MISTAKE ~ even worse tasting than fish and I didn't think that was possible...

[michellep]

Originally Posted by Eagle

It's a small clip that can be fastened to a wire for temporarily securing it to a contact point.

Like these:

http://muellerelectric.com/product-c...insulators-aa/

I take it you missed the part where I said I was kidding????

And I've had alligator and couldn't agree with you more, only about the alligator part...I like fish. And the smell. OMG.

Good one, Neil!

[Travels with Yoly]

Geeeezz .... I messed up my own joke !! I meant to say Crocodile Walk

Senior moment I guess

[michellep]

.
Okay, so I printed Dan's instructions. Checked and triple checked. Pulled the battery switch back to "ON". Nothing. Nada. Even the little CO sensor light did not light.



How do I check to make sure the AMP hole on my multimeter is functioning properly?

And people wonder why I like my glass of wine...

[Eagle]

Originally Posted by michellep

I take it you missed the part where I said I was kidding????

And I've had alligator and couldn't agree with you more, only about the alligator part...I like fish. And the smell. OMG.

Good one, Neil!

Yup... missed the 'just kidding' part!

[profdant139]

I don't know why the multimeter is not working -- that looks like a really simple unit -- it might be worth getting a slightly better one at Harbor Freight for a few dollars?

I sure like the clothespin, though -- very clever solution!

[michellep]

It was not that cheap...there were quite a few cheaper.
I may have blown a fuse.

[LJAZ]

I spent some time looking over the wiring diagram you posted on the rv.net forum. It appears that the fridge light and the door heater run in parallel so removing the light bulb won't accomplish anything. It's difficult to tell from the photo you posted, but if there are 2 wires on that spade connector and one goes to the light bulb then the other should go to the door heater. So removing that spade connector should dispable both the light and the heater.

[michellep]

Someone was concerned that pulling that spade connector might disconnect ground and cause bigger issues?

Yes, there are 2 wires - one a bit thicker than the other.

I need to figure out how to measure appliance "draw" - lights and fridge and pump...

I just this morning ordered one of these, and I can use it in the new 12v outlet I just had installed. George's 2012 189fds came with a 12v outlet already installed. My 2015 did not.