Trojan Boat Forum

jimbo36 wrote:Geoff, Are you sure the fridge is AC only? The reason I ask is I have a 74 Trojan Tri cabin and I thought my fridge (original) was only AC as well. No switch present to go from AC to DC. 2 years ago, when I was docked ready for haul out, no shore power, low and behold my fridge was running on DC power. jimbo36

The AC/DC units usually don't have a switch for you to hit... if AC is available, they run off that. If no AC is available, they automatically try to switch over and run off DC if available. As soon as you pull your shore power plug (unless you have a genny cranked up), its running off of whatever 12V source it was wired to.

Actually, when I had to fart around with my old Norcold I discovered that the fridge actually operates on DC. The compressor is fed 20V DC. When being fed from a 12V DC power source, the power goes through a transformer to up the 12V source to 20V; when on AC it goes through a relay, diodes, and the transformer to step it back down to 20V DC...

Learned that after my transformer went zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzttttttttttttttttttt at the beginning of last season. $500 to repace the 'power supply', or $1000 to buy a new fridge. Bought a similar unit off kijiji/ebay for $100 (after confirming it was supplying 20V DC to the compressor), and then figured out a way to transplant its elecrical guts into mine (rewiring where necessary).

So far so good!

rbcool wrote:Where the Hell is Aaron?????????? He's the expert on the Tri !!

Ron

Haven't seen or heard from Aaron since before Christmas?

Geoff Rotheram wrote:Sure would make for a bright breezy cabin if it opened
My tricabin definitely does not have a hatch there
Not sure if I have the guts for sawzall surgery at that level

After the first cut its easy . its getting the nerve for the first cut thats the hard part.

Allen Sr wrote:

rbcool wrote:Where the Hell is Aaron?????????? He's the expert on the Tri !!

Ron

Haven't seen or heard from Aaron since before Christmas?

Calling Mr Tri Cabin !!!!!!

Thanks Captain, that clears it up for me. I knew it was automatic. Now I know how. jimbo36

I have the fridge pulled out and never saw DC But that does not mean it is not a 2 way that was never hooked up. I will take a walk out to the Shipsicle to see. I'll take some pics for u guys where the water never goes hard

Geoff

What is the brand name ? that may give you a clue

What about going out one of the side windows?

No Luck

The fridge is 115/60 one way. Has anyone ever replaced a compressor with a DC one or converted one way to two way? I like this better than the sawzall thing.
Attached some pics of todays walk to the Shipsicle If anyone is bored
Geoff

Hi Doug

The side window is an option but the trim and upper/lower track would have to be removed before I could get a definite dimension

The Shipsicle is open and the heater on so I am going back out to Play !

hey guys, i felt a disturbance in the force that i was needed here. actually it was paul that called and said i needed to assist in this post. okay, first things first. the tricabin that you have is equipped with the original marvel fridge no? those are only ac powered. when dads went on the fritz a few years ago, he had to cut it in half and haul it out the salon door, the he removed the door first to allow for a little more room. DO NOT try to take it out through the salon windows. once those frames are compirmised you will never get them weather proof again. i have a full size fridge in my 1982 tricabin and i shudder to think what would happen if it went. having said that, a fellow a few slips away from me has a 1987 tri cabin (the U shape, galley forward design) and he and his wife installed a small sanyo upright fridge freezer with no problem. all they did was remove the salon door, and also removed the fridge/freezer doors to allow clearance into the cabin. i would not even attempt to remove the huge engine replacement cabin hatch. my mechanic tells me he never uses that if it can be avoided.

The hatch isn't that big a deal. I found that the biggest issue was dealing with brittle headliner. Trying to get it off in one piece and then back on properly is the real challenge.

Hey Aaron
you come highly recommended as the tri cabin goo roo I have decided to not replace the fridge at this time and probably convert it later with a new compressor. Thanks for the warning on the side windows this was becoming an option until you warned me off. always better to learn from other peoples experience thanks again

Aaron... another '87 Tri ?? I was starting to think I had the only one. Can't find another one on the net.

Ron