Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] 78 ROYALE FRIDGE WIRING?
| [GMCnet] 78 ROYALE FRIDGE WIRING? [message #225288] |
Fri, 11 October 2013 19:17  |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Has any one worked on a 78 Royale by Coachman equipped with a 3 way Dometic
Fridge? Specifically the 12 volt circuit. I ran into the famous blue wire
that appears to be dead, attached to the 12 volt + terminal on the fridge.
The coachman book that I have says that the fridge works on propane, 120 v.
AC, and 12 volts DC. It also says that the 12 v. DC comes direct from the
Auxiliary or house battery, and not from the converter. I found one fused
end in the 12 volt fuse block by the buzz box, fuse is GOOD and the
conductor is blue, but no 12 volts at the fridge. Anyone run into this
problem specifically?
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 Gmc Royale 403
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| Re: [GMCnet] 78 ROYALE FRIDGE WIRING? [message #225294 is a reply to message #225288] |
Fri, 11 October 2013 20:24  |
Otterwan
Messages: 946
Registered: July 2013
Location: Lynnwood (north of Seattl...
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Jim, I have a 1976 Royale with a two way fridge (propane or AC). Yet in the outside compartment I too have the infamous blue wire, capped with a wire nut. And it too is dead.
1977 Birchaven, Lynnwood WA - "We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us."
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| Re: [GMCnet] 78 ROYALE FRIDGE WIRING? [message #225345 is a reply to message #225288] |
Sat, 12 October 2013 12:26 |
gbarrow2
Messages: 765
Registered: February 2004
Location: Lake Almanor, Ca./ Red Bl...
Karma: 3
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Jim,
Miguel Mendez's personal coaches have all been Royales and many of his customers also have Royales. I know he has worked on and replaced many refers.
He doesn't monitor the net daily but you can reach him at 909-229-7508.
I'm sure he can answer your question.
Gene Barrow
Lake Almanor, Ca.
1976 Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] 78 ROYALE FRIDGE WIRING? [message #225349 is a reply to message #225346] |
Sat, 12 October 2013 12:48 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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Thanks Gene, I think that I have figured it out. It came to me about 3:35
this AM. Blinked wide awake, and said Ah Haa!! The 3 way dometic fridge
switches automatically from 120 V AC to 12 V DC. It has a relay in the
front of the coach that is tripped by the alternator positive. The
secondary winding of that relay energizes the mystery blue wire. There is a
second relay in the fridge that is powered on the primary side by the 120
volt signal. When the 120 volt is no longer present, and the engine is
running, the 12 v DC from the other relay powers the 12 volt heater in the
fridge. When the engine is NOT running, and the coach is plugged into shore
power, the 120 volt heater operates the fridge. When the engine is not
running, the blue wire carries no voltage. The fridge is switched manually
from electric to propane. So, when replacing the 3 way fridge with an
automatic switching 2 way one, the blue wire must be hot all the time to
power the display panel and control the automatic switching. Gotta get rid
of relay number one, and power the blue wire from the house battery with a
in-line fuse holder instead of the relay. Clear as MUD, right? The main
reason that Coachman wired it the way they did, is the 12 volt heater
circuit draws about 20 amps. Enough to drain a battery overnight when not
plugged in. When you dry camp, light the propane. The new 2 way switches
automatically between 120 volts and propane. The 12 volt powers a very
slight load, a couple of amps. Your Royale may be different. My transmode
was built in Feb 78, and Coachman finished it in May of 78, making it a
very late coach.
Jim Hupy
Salem. OR
78 GMC Royale 403
On Sat, Oct 12, 2013 at 10:29 AM, James Hupy <jamesh1296@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> On Sat, Oct 12, 2013 at 10:26 AM, gene barrow <barrowgene@gmail.com>wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Jim,
>> Miguel Mendez's personal coaches have all been Royales and many of his
>> customers also have Royales. I know he has worked on and replaced many
>> refers.
>>
>> He doesn't monitor the net daily but you can reach him at 909-229-7508.
>> I'm sure he can answer your question.
>> --
>> Gene Barrow
>> Lake Almanor, Ca.
>> 1976 Palm Beach
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>>
>
>
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| Re: [GMCnet] 78 ROYALE FRIDGE WIRING? [message #225353 is a reply to message #225349] |
Sat, 12 October 2013 14:49 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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As an added note to my last posting, Coachman connects the blue wire that
powers the fridge to the boost battery, via the hockey puck, then to an
inline fuse holder that has a glass fuse, 20 amps. Mine was failed. When I
looked at the old refrigerator, the 12 volt heating element shorted to
ground, and that is why the fuse blew. Once I replaced the 40 year old 3
way Dometic fridge with a new Dometic 2 way for 13+ GMC dollars, and
replaced the 20 amp fuse, the mystery blue wire is now hot again and fridge
works like it is supposed to. Ain't GMCs neat?
Jim Hupy
Salem, OR
78 GMC Royale 403
On Sat, Oct 12, 2013 at 10:48 AM, James Hupy <jamesh1296@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks Gene, I think that I have figured it out. It came to me about 3:35
> this AM. Blinked wide awake, and said Ah Haa!! The 3 way dometic fridge
> switches automatically from 120 V AC to 12 V DC. It has a relay in the
> front of the coach that is tripped by the alternator positive. The
> secondary winding of that relay energizes the mystery blue wire. There is a
> second relay in the fridge that is powered on the primary side by the 120
> volt signal. When the 120 volt is no longer present, and the engine is
> running, the 12 v DC from the other relay powers the 12 volt heater in the
> fridge. When the engine is NOT running, and the coach is plugged into shore
> power, the 120 volt heater operates the fridge. When the engine is not
> running, the blue wire carries no voltage. The fridge is switched manually
> from electric to propane. So, when replacing the 3 way fridge with an
> automatic switching 2 way one, the blue wire must be hot all the time to
> power the display panel and control the automatic switching. Gotta get rid
> of relay number one, and power the blue wire from the house battery with a
> in-line fuse holder instead of the relay. Clear as MUD, right? The main
> reason that Coachman wired it the way they did, is the 12 volt heater
> circuit draws about 20 amps. Enough to drain a battery overnight when not
> plugged in. When you dry camp, light the propane. The new 2 way switches
> automatically between 120 volts and propane. The 12 volt powers a very
> slight load, a couple of amps. Your Royale may be different. My transmode
> was built in Feb 78, and Coachman finished it in May of 78, making it a
> very late coach.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem. OR
> 78 GMC Royale 403
>
>
> On Sat, Oct 12, 2013 at 10:29 AM, James Hupy <jamesh1296@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Oct 12, 2013 at 10:26 AM, gene barrow <barrowgene@gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Jim,
>>> Miguel Mendez's personal coaches have all been Royales and many of his
>>> customers also have Royales. I know he has worked on and replaced many
>>> refers.
>>>
>>> He doesn't monitor the net daily but you can reach him at 909-229-7508.
>>> I'm sure he can answer your question.
>>> --
>>> Gene Barrow
>>> Lake Almanor, Ca.
>>> 1976 Palm Beach
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> GMCnet mailing list
>>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>>> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>>>
>>
>>
>
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