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Refrigerator wireing

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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14292
Printed Date: 12 Oct 2025 at 10:43pm
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Topic: Refrigerator wireing
Posted By: garyd
Subject: Refrigerator wireing
Date Posted: 15 Dec 2020 at 1:39pm
I am replacing my refrigerator in a 2017 rpod 179. I'm not sure how to hook up wires at the terminal block. I have two sets of 12 volt wires about .016 ga.(+ And-) and one set of what looks to be .010 ga which I assume are 110 volt. Anyone have a picture of wires at terminal block so I can see how to hook up?

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gary



Replies:
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 15 Dec 2020 at 2:08pm
The wiring schematic that should have come with the new refrigerator spells out the connections.  If you didn't get the schematic you should contact the place where you got it or look it up on the web site for the brand of refrigerator you bought. 

Don't assume anything about wires based on size.  You need to see where they go and whether they're connected to the 12vdc system or the 110vac.  Misconnecting them could lead to some rather inconvenient consequences.  You should see a 110vac wire/plug coming out of the refrigerator and an ac plug in the area behind the refrigerator where you can plug it in.  That operates the ac side of the refrigerator.  The 16 +/- gauge wire is for the dc for lights and to facilitate gas operation.  The 10 gauge wire is for running the refrigerator off your batteries, which you should only do for very short times or you rapidly drain your batteries if they are not being adequately charged simultaneously.  

I replaced the Dometic refrigerator in our 172 and it was an easy project.  I bought the refrigerator from the rPod factory and they were very helpful in helping with the needed wiring modifications to correct a factory deficiency in the original installation.  

One other thing you need to be very careful about is making sure the back of the refrigerator area is well sealed.  There is a gasket there that takes care of most of it, but you should caulk the places where the gasket doesn't seal well.  Also, while you have the refrigerator out, you can add some insulation on the walls and above the refrigerator that will help keep it a little cooler.

Good luck with the project.


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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost


Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 15 Dec 2020 at 3:14pm
+1 to lostagain, assume nothing. Forest River’s installations have been known to be wrong. If you don’t already have one, get a multimeter and confirm what you actually have in front of you before you make the connections. You will need to turn on shore power when you make the 120v checks, and then disconnect both shore power and the batteries before actually wiring things up.

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold


Posted By: garyd
Date Posted: 15 Dec 2020 at 6:44pm
Thanks for your information.

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gary



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