After a long driving day, discovered our FCR20DCAFA frig/freezer stopped being a frig/freezer. Interior lights are there but no compressor for frig or freezer. Checked power (13.6v) and did a hard reset as per Lippert guidance. No joy. Any suggestions before I tear the back panel off and start metering the terminals?
Furrion Arctic 12VDC Lights No Cool
- Thread starter Top942002
- Start date
Any chance your battery level is below 12v? I think I remember reading where it would shut off frig/freezer if it detect low voltage.
Same fridge. A 100amp lead acid deep cycle was not enough to keep it running for our first 8 hour haul, even with 400w of solar on a bright day. Replaced the lead acid with LiFePO4 300amp. No problems since.
In between battery swap, had issues with the control board going tango uniform. Traced to poor crimp on connector at bus bar causing a high resistance connection and low voltage to the fridge (which the board tries to up voltage) even when on shore power. Alliance sent out a new control board and along with a new connector crimped on the lead to the fridge at the bus bar seems to have fixed the problem. Knock on wood.
In between battery swap, had issues with the control board going tango uniform. Traced to poor crimp on connector at bus bar causing a high resistance connection and low voltage to the fridge (which the board tries to up voltage) even when on shore power. Alliance sent out a new control board and along with a new connector crimped on the lead to the fridge at the bus bar seems to have fixed the problem. Knock on wood.
Flyer32RLS
Well-known member
We only have a 100AH Lithium battery and have had no problems keeping the fridge cold on trips. Just did a trip to south Texas and in the 6-7 hours, battery still at 100%.
Happy Glamping!
Happy Glamping!
Had to google that one.
1 - How are you measuring the 100% charge?We only have a 100AH Lithium battery and have had no problems keeping the fridge cold on trips. Just did a trip to south Texas and in the 6-7 hours, battery still at 100%.
Happy Glamping!
2 - How much solar do you have?
If you're using the LED's to gauge battery level, it will never be correct with lithium. You need a shunt.
I read the same thing and metered out the battery at the lugs, terminals, and bus bar. All read 13.6. Also checked solar output. I happened to find another wire lug with a lousy crimp job that I had to recrimp while I was at it.
I had just swapped out our dual wet cell 50amp (100amp total) for 2 100amp parallel LiFePO4 batteries. All seemed to be working fine. It could've been the bad crimp I found off the battery case that I had to fix. Been finding many lousy crimp jobs lately. Thanks for the comment. BTW: How'd you get the frig out?
There are two long screws accessible at the very front of the “floor” of the cabinet over the fridge which pass through a filler bracket and anchor in the top of the fridge. There will also be several screws through brackets in front of the wheels under the front of the fridge. These screws anchor in the floor of the slide. Alliance rednecks some scrap wood and black duct tape shims to keep the fridge from tipping.
Once removed, you can roll the fridge out of its pocket. It’s a tight fit and the 12v lead was short but allowed enough movement to access the control board compartment on the top of the fridge.
Glad you found the bad crimps before they caused a failure or, worse, a fire.
Got it. Spotted the two low blocks as you described. I knew about the upper screws, but the filler bracket extends above the front lip of the cabinet front. Unless the frig can be tilted forwarded to clear that lip, it'll be sawzall time. Won't know till Sunday when at a camp. Currently at Red House Ranch Camp harvest host Bath, NY.
Attachments
🤣Had to google that one.
Toes Up…TOES! 😉
Flyer32RLS
Well-known member
Nope, not using the battery level lights. I am well aware that they worthless with lithium. I'm reading the % of charge from two places, The Victron shunt and the battery BT itself. Found they both were indicating about 56% when stopped for potty break and upon arrival at campsite still had 46% so started checking and found that the breaker for the converter was tripped. Reset and an hour later, 100%. Fridge 34/0. We only have the 400W solar from the factory. Been very happy with the change over to lithium and seems to be charging well from solar and or vehicle alternator. Not real sure just what i HAVE to have. Solar runs fridge fine. have not tested how long tho. Just saw a YT video of this couple with 2900W of solar. Can;t remember the batteries but it was well over 1000AH. They can run both AC and don't have a problem. Just can't see investing that much money in something that I feel you only need if you boondock and want to use all appliances all the time. Thats what I have a generator for. But to each their own!
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Flyer32RLS
Well-known member
Then you will love goodliing FUBAR and SNAFU!! Favorite ones!!Had to google that one.
And I have to say, Tango Uniform does not mean TOES UP! At least not from my military experiece!
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Closeout to the Furrion Arctic no cool saga. Called Lippert Customer Support and found that the dash lines on the display indicated "Low Power" mode. This mode is used for boondocking/short storage after frig had been cooled down. Although the low power mode was mentioned in the manual, getting out of the existing combination of locks and modes wasn't. Lippert walked us through undocumented panel keystrokes and brought the frig back into service. Seems like there are "backdoors" into electronic controls and only "certain" technicians know about them.