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Old 11-19-2005, 07:11 PM   #1
AstroBruce
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Default New TM owner 3124KB

I joined this forum a couple of months ago, and have been lurking, trying to learn as much as I can about Trailmanors. This forum is a wealth of information. Thanks to all of you for the help you have given me. I took delivery of a new 2006 3124KB on Oct. 12th. with Air Conditioner, Awning, Antenna, 2 Hanging Cabinets, Microwave Box with Drawer, Rear Bike Receiver, 40 Gal. Tank, and Tinted Windows. We have used the TM twice, so far, and really like it. Now, I think it is time I started giving back to the forum.
I am the kind of person who can't leave anything alone. I am always trying to find a better way. The day I brought the TM home, I removed the toilet, and put in a Porta-Potty 565. I just didn't want to deal with the smell. The 565 has its own sealed holding tank which can be dumped into a sewer connection, dump station, clean out, or any toilet. I won't need a Blue Tote or a 3 in. hose to dump. We'll see how this works out. So far so good. If I run into some unforeseen problem, I can always put the recirculating toilet back in.
The shower was a problem (learning experience) for us. Very nice shower curtains, but water seems to run through them onto the floor. I hung cheap plastic shower curtains that I overlapped. These seem to work fine, but it makes folding the bathroom a bit more difficult. I'm still working on this.
Another learning experience was the Norcold 300.3 refrigerator. I turned the fridge on AC power a couple of days before our first camping trip and adjusted the temp. control to get the temp to 40 degrees. The day before our trip we packed the fridge, turned the fridge to DC power, and closed up the TM. The next day we unplugged and headed out. Upon arriving at the campground, we found everything in the fridge frozen solid. Milk, soda, creamer, eggs, lettuce. SOLID! After some poking around, I found there is no temperature control when running on DC. I verified this from the wiring schematic. The outside temps were about 50 degrees. I guess at 80 or 90 degrees I would have been OK. Just wanted to share this in case anyone else is scratching their head about this.
I am in the process of some modifications and upgrades. So far I installed a 1500-watt sine wave inverter, transfer switch, PD9160 with charge wizard, golf car batteries, Trimetric 2020, water heater switch, electric tongue jack, Flowjet Sensor VSD water pump. I will post some photos of the work I have done when I get a chance.
I love my TM. Looking forward to sharing with all of you on the TM Owners Forum.

Bruce
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Old 11-20-2005, 04:02 PM   #2
YWORRYDOG
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Default fridg on DC

Bruce says, "turned the fridge to DC power, and closed up the TM. The next day we unplugged and headed out. Upon arriving at the campground, we found everything in the fridge frozen solid. Milk, soda, creamer, eggs, lettuce. SOLID! After some poking around, I found there is no temperature control when running on DC. I verified this from the wiring schematic. "

Has anyone else found this to be true. We just came back from a trip and the last day was cold. traveled for about 6 hours with fridge on DC set at #3, nothing was frozen.
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Old 11-20-2005, 04:48 PM   #3
Bill
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by AstroBruce
Another learning experience was the Norcold 300.3 refrigerator... I turned the fridge to DC power, and closed up the TM... Upon arriving at the campground, we found everything in the fridge frozen solid. After some poking around, I found there is no temperature control when running on DC. I verified this from the wiring schematic.
Hmmm. Bruce appears to be right about this. What a chintzy thing for Norcold to do!

Yworrydog, do you have a Norcold refrig, or the Dometic unit that TM used to install? I don't recall that the Dometic in my previous ('02) TM had this problem. I haven't tried the Norcold in my '06 this way, but with no thermostat, I would expect to experience what Bruce experienced.

By the way, BEWARE! WARNING! On the Norcold, the freezer door's spring-loaded hinges are REALLY wimpy. They break VERY easily if you try to open the door below level (or put a heavy hunk of frozen food on it), and are kind of expensive to replace. I really liked the Dometic refrig much better in many ways.

Bill
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Old 11-20-2005, 05:45 PM   #4
AstroBruce
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Default Norcold on DC

Texas Camper,

I use a 3 in. to garden hose adapter to drain the gray water.

Yworrydog,

My fridge was running on DC for over 24 hrs., yours 6 hrs. Maybe, in that time, yours didn't have a chance to freeze.
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Old 11-21-2005, 09:33 AM   #5
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Default Norcold Refrigerator

Bruce,

I will be looking forward to your photos of your TM improvements. You've been busy!

If the Norcold does not have a thermostat when operating on DC and the converter is putting out 13.6 volts vs. 12.2 volts operating on battery alone then that would represent about 25% more power into the resistive element on the Norcold which could contribute to the freeing. It was my understanding that the DC element was intended to maintain the temperature and not for cooling down the refrigerator.


Since you have the newer converter I'm not sure what the nominal DC output is when operating on shore power. You might also check the refrigerator DC current with the Trimetric when operating on battery. It would be interesting if you could measure the current from the converter when operating on AC but that would require a shunt in a different location.

Ray
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