[C320-list] Fridge Usage

[Colin Evans]

 Yesterday I made a bit of an error.  I have just spent a couple of hours
taking readings with the fridge running, and not running.  Thr first thing I
did was to turn off the shore power and leave thing for a while.
Fridge on  12.34v at fridge, 12.48 at Battery
Fridge off  12.15 at switch board 12.74 at battery  That`s the one I can`t
understand as other items on the switch board were reading around 12.72
Fridge running, 11.97 at the fridge 12.51 at battery and a reading of 0.7 at
the switchboard.  I don`t know what that means
I took several readings all about the same, but the last was with the fridge
switched off on the board I got 12.5 across the switch. 
Now I am completely confused.

Ignoring the first reading, generally there seems to be 0.5v difference
between fridge and battery when running and 0.02v (not 0.2 as stated
yesterday)when stopped.  But I don`t understand the readings at the switch.
I also shifted the fridge connection on the switchboard to an un-used
position and got the same sort of readings.
I`ve tried wriggling connections.  The switch board connections look clean,
as do the connections into the Adler Barbour unit.
*************************
Regards
Colin Evans
Watermark #774
Lake Macquarie, Australia
 



 

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Stephen Cox
Sent: Wednesday, 14 December 2011 12:17 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Fridge Usage


> 
> OK. Lets assume Catalina used 8 gauge wire and the path is to 
> the breaker panel then out to the compressor near the stern 
> or 20' one-way from the battery.
> Using this tool to solve for a load that would result in a 
> 0.2 vDC drop
> (http://genuinedealz.com/voltage-drop.html)
> I get 7.7 amps!!!!
> 
> I assume you are measuring at the compressor and not at the 
> breaker (although I'd like to have the breaker reading also).
> 
> So, no, a 0.2 VDC drop does not seem correct when the fridge 
> is not cycling.
> 

I would try wriggling the connectors at each end of all the wires involved
before panicking.  The push on connectors do build up corrosion over time in
a salt water environment and could be causing the difference.

Stephen Cox
Tegwen #1141