120v frig switch fried

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Tom in NM
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Joined: 06/07/2020 - 18:17
120v frig switch fried

I am camping with my 13' with power. As always, I turned the frig on to AC. Within a few hours I was able to transfer food from a cooler I used for the drive. Everything was as normal for a day. Then the next afternoon, I discovered that things weren't that cold. They had been in the morning. I checked breakers etc after which I pulled the outside panel. The AC switch still seemed to be in the on position but when I tried to cycle it off and on, it wouldn't actually switch. You could tell it was bad. I turned it to propane. Within a few hours, it was cold enough to move food back in. I'd never used the propane before and it works even better than I imagined. I had to turn it down; it was too cold. 

i pulled the switch this morning and it looks to be fried inside. There's black on the connectors but not on the ones on the wires. So it didn't fry at the terminal point, it seems. I've had Scamp for less than two years and have done maybe 8 trips. Including turning the frig a few times at home to pre-chill, that switch has probably operated less than 25 times. Seems a bit early to fail. If the unit went bad and pulled that much amperage I would have expected the breaker to trip. It didn't. 

im assuming an RV shop will have a replacement switch but I'd sure like to know what happened. 

In what seems unrelated but awfully coincidental, I had an issue with the inverter not charging the battery. It turned out that the inverted plug had come out of the outlet; I think the external power cable got under it and popped it out when I extended it. Never happened before, but ... Plugging the inverter back solved the problem. I assume a surge, if any, would have been on the 12v circuits so I assume it is unrelated to the fridge. Still, it is coincidental. 

Thoughts?

Tom

salukispeed
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Joined: 08/20/2018 - 13:45
Odd???

Seems a bit odd to me that the AC switch fried because it is passes low amps thru it. But it is easy to damage if washing the camper with pressure even from a garden hose can blast thru the side cover crate and get in the switches and fail.  The water heater/ Furnace and fridges are best avoided with a spray from the hose and for sure not with a pressure washer.  The switches are not designed as water proof or even resistant.  But the switches are nothing terribly special and can be replaced. The current draw from the 110v AC heating element is only about 1.3 amps and the current thru the 12v DC switch is more than 11 amps and more likely to fail from load and less from contamination.   

2019 Scamp 13 standard

ac0gv
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Joined: 09/22/2016 - 13:57
Failed switch

The failed switch resulted in an under current condition and the breaker will only trip in an over current condition.   (Also that thing that came unplugged is the converter not inverter.)

 

Tom in NM
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Joined: 06/07/2020 - 18:17
Thanks

Thanks for these responses. And yes, converter not inverter. 

No power washing or water spraying. The compartment in fact is quite dusty. 

I was imagining that when the switch fried it would momentarily draw high amps (and then nothing). 

I always wonder when something happens whether it is a weak point or something that has happened to others. It sounds like this is a fluke. Hopefully a new switch will solve the issue. 

thanks again. 

Tom

 

Mustangcats
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Joined: 03/01/2021 - 19:12
Scamp power cord storage

The storage compartment for the power cord is very poorly designed and a disaster waiting to happen.  The first time I tried to pull out the cord it got stuck, so I went inside to discover that the cord was wrapped around the water lines and shut off valves near the water heater.  If I had pulled hard on the cord, I probably would have broken the water lines.  I suggest everyone get rid of this terrible way to store the cord and install a Marinco type power inlet.  Very easy to do and eliminates the problem of mice and insects getting in the Scamp through the infamous "mouse" hole.

Tom in NM
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Last seen: 1 month 1 week ago
Joined: 06/07/2020 - 18:17
Power cord replacement

Thanks for the note. I've read this before and have it on my list to eventually change out. I believe the new Scamp comes with a plug in power cord. 
 

Tom

theremin
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Last seen: 1 month 2 weeks ago
Joined: 05/23/2022 - 18:10
My new Scamp that I picked up

My new Scamp that I picked up a month ago still had the pull out power cord.

Dave

Tom in NM
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Last seen: 1 month 1 week ago
Joined: 06/07/2020 - 18:17
My mistake

Hey Dave, thanks for that correction. I was browsing parts a while back and ran across a Furrion socket and a plug in cable. I just assumed they had switched. I'm surprised they would stock parts they aren't putting in trailers. I don't see even an option to upgrade to that but I may have missed it. Tom

Going Light
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Joined: 05/30/2016 - 20:11
Tom in NM, see my post about a similar issue

https://scampowners.com/forums/refrigerator-electric-quit-working

I have to think that the problem is Scamp using parts that are of questionable robustness.

It's not an expensive fix, but given the prices we pay I think it should be something we don't even have to worry about. But it is.

Tom in NM
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Last seen: 1 month 1 week ago
Joined: 06/07/2020 - 18:17
Not a Scamp part

The switch is part of the fridge, not a Scamp part. Dometic is a well known brand. 

While I'm here I'll ask the group, what's a good source for the switch? I haven't been able to find it through Amazon though I could have missed it. Maybe just a local RV repair place? Thanks.