Fridge shuts off when not on shore power

[ingham01952]

I have a 2004 Vista 288. Up until recently, the fridge has been perfectly fine and worked both on and off shore power. I started to notice things melting or spoiling, which led me to pay more attention. I have since figured out that the fridge shuts off when shore power is unplugged. I have checked the breaker and the fuse, and both are fine. However, the second you unplug shore power, the fridge stops working.

Obviously, the easiest solution is to get a new fridge, but it bothers me not to understand the issue. I will include a sticker of the label and model number.

I will describe one evening when something strange happened that could have been the catalyst for this issue.

I was at a dock out of town that has a new electric system designed to shut off the entire grid if someone falls in the water. This resulted in the power failing regularly all week long as they got the hang of the new system. Late at night, I heard beeping when I went downstairs. I saw all the cabin lights were very dim, and the fridge was off. I looked at the panel, and the fridge was the only switch that had flipped. I flipped it back, and immediately all the lights came back on and the fridge turned on again. This was while it was on shore power. There has been no issue like that again over the past few weeks, other than the fridge consistently shutting off when you take it off shore power. I should also state that I am having no battery issues or accessory issues of any kind. Every single item on the boat works as it should other than the fridge.

 

[dingbat]

Can’t tell w/o digging in to the schematic, but I’m guessing the unit runs on AC. Using a switching power supply to convert DC to AC.

If that is the case, something took out the inverter side of the supply

 

[redneck joe]

See Iif you can Google the model number for an owners manual to see how it runs when off shore power. Assuming no generator so the inverter prob was brown burnt out. If you have another inverter or a friend does hook up fridge to that with an extension cord to batteries. That should tell you if fridge or inverter. I'm voting inverter.

 

[ESGWheel]

While historically this type of refer compressor run on A/C and thus DC to AC inverter, there has been a movement to the opposite in the RV world > the compressor runs on DC and you use a convertor when plugged into the pole (RV speak for shore power). Thinking that may be the case for marine refers, I looked up what is represented to be this make and model (RPD Series) (link) and sure enough it’s a DC compressor. See diagram below.

The good news as suspected and outlined by Dingbat and Redneck is that the unit doing the conversion appears to be a separate and replaceable component, an option even. And is also appears that this unit may be mounted outside the refer’s shell, perhaps in the cabinet next door or behind it.

If you are comfortable doing this, access the “power cord” coming into the refer. You may have to pull it out of the cabinet or perhaps there is an access on this side. See what that cable leads to what it looks like along with any name plate data you can get. From there, depending on your skills and comfort level you can continue to troubleshoot.

 

[mike_i]

"the second you unplug shore power, the fridge stops working"
is the frig on batteries? If so do you have an inverter if it runs on ac? Have you measured the voltage at whatever it plugs into?

 

[ingham01952]

Thank you for the info. My assumption was that whatever dictates the transfer from AC to DC or otherwise was parked out. Until further inspection I’m gonna go ahead and roll with that. I will try to locate the inverter.

 

[ESGWheel]

Good luck and take pictures of what you are seeing if need further help to troubleshoot. And when back up and running, please post how you did it