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Powering the ARB Fridge Off of the Trailer Battery

jkjennjkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
For those who have the ARB fridge in their TV but power it off of the T@b battery while at camp, how do you connect it?

@Verna @Michigan_Mike and @SAM - can any of you shed any light on this? A friend suggested, tonight that he thought I would need to ground the negative wire or the receptacle but I am not sure I have heard anyone else mention it. 

Thanks 

2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,876
    Jenn, I wire directly to the second Zamp connector on my tub. The wiring bypasses the battery switch with the fused side going to the positive and the other going directly to the negative side of the batteries.  Yes, I have the two golf cart batteries. 

    I see absolutely no reason to go to a ground. The ARB is such a miser on 12V there really is no need to go to a common ground. I've had the ARB wired this way for 4 years now. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 10,058
    Jenn, since the ARB is installed as our sole frig in the clamshell galley, it is plugged into the 12 V and 120 receptacle added by the factory.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • jkjennjkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Verna said:
    Jenn, I wire directly to the second Zamp connector on my tub. The wiring bypasses the battery switch with the fused side going to the positive and the other going directly to the negative side of the batteries.  Yes, I have the two golf cart batteries. 

    I see absolutely no reason to go to a ground. The ARB is such a miser on 12V there really is no need to go to a common ground. I've had the ARB wired this way for 4 years now. 
    Thanks @Verna That is sort of what I thought, but my friend did not think it would work without the ground.

    Thanks @SAM - I forgot you have a CS.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • jkjennjkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Verna said:
    Jenn, I wire directly to the second Zamp connector on my tub. The wiring bypasses the battery switch with the fused side going to the positive and the other going directly to the negative side of the batteries.  Yes, I have the two golf cart batteries. 

    I see absolutely no reason to go to a ground. The ARB is such a miser on 12V there really is no need to go to a common ground. I've had the ARB wired this way for 4 years now. 
    @Verna I used a high grade wire extender to connect to the ARB wiring kit (cigarette style adapter) and then a cable from the ARB connector to the Zamp port. The fridge would light up and then turn off. Should I assume that is because the Zamp wire might not be heavy enough gauge? 

    It worked fine on 12v in my TV and fine on 110v.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,876
    @jkjenn, I’ve found the ARB only works on the ARB extension cable, or on the supplied 12V cable.  I tried a marine twenty ft. 10 gauge cable and the compressor would rattle, shut on and off. I quit using that marine cable, and repaired my ARB cable and the ARB worked fine. I would guess that you need to use an 8 gauge cable of 15’ long max, to be the equivalent to the ARB cable....but take this suggestion at your own risk as I have not tried it and marine cable is rather expensive.
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • jkjennjkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Thanks @Verna . I will try it without the extension cable. I did not feel like troubleshooting at 10:00 PM in the rain. :) The extension cable is 8#, so I thought it would work, but it might be just too much, altogether. I might not really need the extension cable, anyway, but I had hoped to have the extra length for ease.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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