Quote:
Originally Posted by k_allison510
So I just went to the trailer and did some checking. I actually found a negative cable tucked in behind one of the batteries. I chased it to the negative terminal of the other battery. So I connected it and boom.....parallel batteries. BUT.....now my battery disconnect is totally in-op. It does absolutely nothing. Another problem is that the batteries are both at different charge levels. I think I am going to have to disconnect them and charge them to full separately before I use them in parallel. Or just request new batteries from the dealer since they didnt install them correctly to begin with.
On a side note. I got all the paper work related to my fridge. No where in the owners manual or install guide is the electrical info for it. They are generic manuals related to a number of whirlpool fridge's. I will do some more research.
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Please don't put the batteries in parallel when they are not both fully charged, or at least at exactly the same voltage. A 1V difference in voltage creates fire starting currents between them - I found out the hard way.
I re-paralleled 2 batteries that were at significantly different charge states - one was full, the other was unknown. I forgot to measure the voltage of the unknown to check. The insulation on my parallel cables (6 ga) melted, and the wires glowed cherry red. The lesser battery was venting pretty violently, and the glowing wire lit the hydrogen off. Pretty blue flames from the battery vents. The rapid discharge caused the good battery to bulge the top and also vent. I was able to stop the flames and melting wires by cutting the parallel cables with lineman's pliers. Because both batteries were in the same box (with the top off), all the damage was contained within the box.
I used the remains of the batteries for core charges on 2 6V golf cart batteries at Costco. No more parallel for me. I also installed a cut-off switch on the outside of the battery box (see pic). I installed GC-2s and a cut-off switch on the outside of the box from the get-go on my new A-frame.
Your fridge battery has already been abused (run down to below 10.5V). It will never match up well with the other one.
Personally, I like the idea of banks of GC-2 batteries from Costco or Sam's Club. They cost under $100 ea, they weigh about 65lbs each so I can actually lift them in and out, a pair provides 205-232 AH (specs vary from year to year), and their intended use in golf carts does not vary much from the use in RVs. They typically are spec'd for 800 cycles to 50% (marine/RV 12V batteries are spec'd at 200-400 cycles). Battery boxes are readily available for them.
Perhaps you can find a model number on the front or inside of the fridge, and use that on-line to find the power spec. I've often found a fridge model plate hidden behind the bottom trim piece. Another alternative is to figure out the cu ft capacity of your fridge, then look at the power draws of similar size fridges.
hope this helps
Fred W
2018 FR3 28DS | Boondock 99% of the time
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