Fridge DC switch question

[ThePair]

Originally Posted by PopBeavers

You may discover that when you flip your switch that the radio no longer remembers the one touch channel settings and your preferences for treble and base.

I assumed this, and don't really care. I won't likely be fiddling with those settings, anyway, since the stations will change, and I'm not audiophile enough to really worry about sound settings too much.

Thanks for all your help, especially this last post, because this is the route I will likely take -- seems most straightforward.

I didn't know about the two hot leads--good info!

Originally Posted by ThePair

I assumed this, and don't really care. I won't likely be fiddling with those settings, anyway, since the stations will change, and I'm not audiophile enough to really worry about sound settings too much.

Thanks for all your help, especially this last post, because this is the route I will likely take -- seems most straightforward.

I didn't know about the two hot leads--good info!

Note: I do not know if all radios have two hot leads. I know that mine does.

Originally Posted by ThePair

Ok, I finally installed the new double pole-single throw switch into the box, and it works exactly as I planned!

I wired the hot lead from the fridge 12V to one of the hot terminals, and ran a little bridge wire to the other hot terminal. The load terminal on one side got the wire that goes to the fridge to carry the 12V when live, and the other load terminal has a wire that I spliced onto the hot wire for the fan.

Now, when the switch is on, both the fan and the fridge get power. If the fan switch inside is on, then the fan is on regardless of the switch setting.

Thanks for idea. I copied you and went the DPST approach as well. It was a pretty easy install for me since there was already an outdoor single-gang j-box mounted to the bottom of the TM about 1 cable foot from the reefer connections. The box had enough room for me to run the extra wires and switch into it.

While I was at it, I moved the FM antenna to the radio's power antenna lead so it is only on when the radio is on.

[ThePair]

Originally Posted by M&M Hokie

Thanks for idea. I copied you and went the DPST approach as well. It was a pretty easy install for me since there was already an outdoor single-gang j-box mounted to the bottom of the TM about 1 cable foot from the reefer connections. The box had enough room for me to run the extra wires and switch into it.

While I was at it, I moved the FM antenna to the radio's power antenna lead so it is only on when the radio is on.

That box was already there? And had some wires going through it?

Yes, I planned on using that box too...and was highly recommended not to do so. Apparently, the members of this board are thinking that that box has 120V lines going through it, and the thinking was mixing 12V and 120V into the same box was not advisable. I ended up attaching another box, was simple using some self-tapping metal screws, and the whole thing was simple, fast, easy, and now I don't need to worry about mixed voltages.

Just passing on what was passed on to me...

Interesting. Thanks for the "heads up".

The box has the yellow romex in it so 120V is in the same box. I welcome more information concerning the "issue" this presents from those that cautioned you against it.

If there is some sort of general rule about avoiding proximal terminations of 12V and 120V power, how can such be reconciled against the single terminal block on the back of the three-way refrigerator. If the separation and isolation rules were sacrosant, wouldn't the professionals at Norcold put DC and AC connections on opposite corners of the back of the frig?

[Bill]

That box contains the AC wiring to the roof-mounted air conditioner. And yes, it is forbidden by code to run low-voltage and high-voltage wiring in the same box. Use a second box for the DC wiring, or look in the electrical section of Home Depot to find a dual-voltage box, which has an interior separator (but I'm not sure they are available in weatherproof styles). The issue is not so much the proximity of the low- and-high voltage wires and devices, but the presence or absence of "a solid fixed barrier" between the two.

Bill

[ThePair]

I think it has more to do with the potential confusion of someone else working on/opening up that box in the future, moreso than proximal power terminations.

Nevertheless, I seemed to be the only one at the time who thought it was a good idea, so I (a newb) decided I was wrong and installed the additional box. Truth be told, the hardest part was figuring out a good location for the new box, so I didn't mind all that much.

Here's the thread, my post starts at #29: http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=7880

As Bill mentioned code prohibits mixing 120 and low voltage in the same box. Should a wire become lose, it could energize the low voltage ( 12V or other low voltage wiring) with 120V and damage equipment and cause injury or death.

I understand the idea behind the code. It just seems to me that the wiring inside that box is more secure and isolated from each other than the slide on tabs are on the back of the reefer. Oh well, add another item to the list....

[ThePair]

Not to resurrect a dead horse, but I've rewired the radio so the antenna gets power only when the radio is on. I hooked up external speakers to the rears, mounted to the passenger/door side frame front and rear near the jacks, and wired in a radio kill switch next to the radio (didn't need to remove the unit as I initially thought, all this was done from the rear.

End result: no parasitic draw from an unused radio or antenna, and much more enjoyable music outside using the fader to control volume. No additional setup or breakdown. All wins in my book