[ridesteeps]

I recently purchased a Whynter portable 65g fridge/freezer. It came with a DC plug to plug into a cigarette lighter. I am planning on cutting the cigarette lighter end off running an extra couple feet of wire to my rocker panel and then into my fuse box. I am mostly planning on using this as a fridge but I am spending next summer up in AK so the possibility of driving south with a bunch frozen fish is a possibility.

Despite wiring my whole van thus far I am definitely still an electrical rookie. I have been airing on the side of safety thus far and looking for someone's opinion with more experience just to make sure I am safe. I found this chart https://www.ajmadison.com/ajmadison/itemdocs/FM-65G Comsumption Chart-2.pdf online describing the electrical draw but with so many variables depending on ambient temp I was wondering if anyone could give me recommendations on what they would fuse this at and the recommended wire gauge for my couple foot extension.

Thank you so much

 

[tgblake]

I have the Whynter 62 dual zone model. I am planning on doing the same thing or possibly getting a different wire for the van hookup. I may want to keep the original 12V cigarette lighter plug intact, so that I can still use it in other vehicles with cig lighter sockets only. I contacted Whynter and they were of little help. They kept repeating that the only authorized DC hookup is the original 5 foot cord or optional 10 foot cord, both with cig lighter plugs. Any other method would void the warranty. I am finding that my cig lighter plug connections don't stay tight due to road vibrations, causing a voltage drop. This results in the freezer shutting down. Not Good. I know I can do it, but Whynter just didn't want to give any approval to my plans. The original DC cord has no wire specs, but I did get them to tell me that it is 14AWG wire. The fuse on the original DC cord is in the head of the cig lighter plug. I asked for procedure to replace the fuse and fuse specs. What they sent me was a detailed enough procedure to dismantle the plug and expose a fairly standard F15AL250V automotive glass fuse. I assume this to be 15 amp.

I hope this info is helpful to your project.

Since we are on the subject, let me detail what I would like to do and others may have some input on my plans. The other end of the DC plug is a C7P polarized connector which plugs into the refrigerator. This is a modified figure 8 with one side flattened out to insure correct polarity. I have found a few cords left over from laptop computer and or cable boxes which have this same C7P connector. However all these cords seem to be 18 AWG. The DC power consumption specs on the Whynter 62DZ model are 65 watts, 4.5 amps. According to some charts I have looked at, 18AWG are good for 8 amps up to 15 feet in length. My surplus computer cords are about 6 feet long. I'd like to have 10 to 15 feet in length and have the C7P on one end and connect the other end into my DC fuse panel. What I would like to do is get an AC extension cord of about 10 feet, cut off the male end, wire that into my DC fuse box and then plug in the AC end of the computer cord into the female end of the extension cord and C7P end into the refrigerator. I would of course make sure all polarity connections are correct.

Is this feasible? Would the computer cord to extension cord connection be secure enough? Would there be any significant voltage drop at that connection? If OK what AWG extension cord should I use and what size fuse on my DC Panel? If the Computer cord to Extension cord connection is not a good idea, would cutting off the AC Connections and splicing everything together be better? I was hoping to keep it all easy to plug in and remove.

Sorry if this is a hijack, but the answers to my questions may also benefit the OP

 

[baitbegger44##]

no expert here.....no I do not think y'all can do that ....car puts out direct current...reg plug runs on alternating current.....may be able to get adaptor.....not sure....interested in more responces

 

[keeponvaning]

No reason you couldn’t at all other than polarity and safety concerns. I would just forget the AC connection part and splice the cord so you use as little of the 16 g as possible and mostly all 14 g. It should work fine but it is Mickey Mouse. I bet if you really search on line you can find a 14 g cord with the correct end on it. A lot of older heating appliances used them also.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

I would wire a 12 gauge wire from my battery/fused source to within a few feet of the Whynter. Then I would either use the supplied cord or create a polarized plug and receptacle. Although they are over kill for this application I would look at something like a trolling motor plug plug and socket. You want no losses on the way to that refrigerator especially if you have 25 lbs. of ocean caught salmon in it!
[ame]https://www.amazon.com/MinnKota-MKR-18-12V-Plug-Receptacle/dp/B001PTHKRQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1511312742&sr=1-2&keywords=12+volt++plug+and+receptacle[/ame]

 

[GaryBIS]

Hi,

According to your pdf, the fridge draws 5 amps on 12 volts. This is true for all of the ambient temps they list -- that is, it does not draw more current when the ambient temperature is high, it stays on more of the time.

If you use the BlueSea CircuitWizard to size the wire and specify that you want 5 amps current, and no more than 2 % voltage drop and that the total length of the wire is 10 ft (5ft each way), it comes up with 16 gage wire.
It says that 18 gage would be OK for just the current of 5 amps, but 16 gage is needed to keep the voltage drop to less than 2%.

If the total length of the wire is increased to 20 ft (10 ft each way), then the gage goes up to 12 in order to limit voltage drop to less than 2%.

So, you need to be careful to use the larger gage if the wire run is long. You can plug your exact values into the Circuit Wizard here: http://circuitwizard.bluesea.com/


A 15 amp fuse would be fine for he fridge circuit for either the 16 or 12 gage wire.

Gary

 

[baitbegger44##]

could you use 12 gauge wire for overkill for a short distance say 3 feet each way??? Just for piece of mind not to save $$$$ in installment

 

[keeponvaning]

I would wire a 12 gauge wire from my battery/fused source to within a few feet of the Whynter. Then I would either use the supplied cord or create a polarized plug and receptacle. Although they are over kill for this application I would look at something like a trolling motor plug plug and socket. You want no losses on the way to that refrigerator especially if you have 25 lbs. of ocean caught salmon in it!
https://www.amazon.com/MinnKota-MKR...&sr=1-2&keywords=12+volt++plug+and+receptacle

Listen to RD this is the simplest and best method. Move on to bigger and better projects!

 

[proeddie]

On my Engel, there is some type of protection circuit in the 12V supplied cord that must be used to protect the unit from damage... I don't think it's just a fuse. I would use the supplied 12V cord and feed it with appropriate power.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

could you use 12 gauge wire for overkill for a short distance say 3 feet each way??? Just for piece of mind not to save $$$$ in installment

Actually the 12 gauge is a common wire in the better extension cords or off the spool in THHW at H-D that it cost is so close to 16 as to be insignificant.
For LED lights 18 is fine. Use GaryBIS suggestion and if in doubt go one size larger (smaller number)

 

[ridesteeps]

Thanks for the help. Sounds like running a plug from my fuse box close to the fridge with 12 awg and plugging in the factory cord is my best bet. I appreciate all the inout

 

[baitbegger44##]

Another black Friday deal....$16.97 ...300w power inverter dual outlet...car charger....12v to 110v a.c......sale ends in 11 minutes....original $40