Dometic/waco Internal Fridge Amp Draw

[OllieGBR]

From what I can find the 12v Dometic fridge draws 3.33Amps @ 12v, so around 40Watts.

This will be the largest 12v draw on my leisure battery system, so 11Amp wire all round will suffice? (For everything, lights etc)

I'm just about to purchase all the cabling, any suggestions?
I was going to use the thin wall wire from Vehicle wiring products;
Single Core PVC Thin Wall Cable

 

[Pete C]

The current spike at start-up could be higher than that. I ran one pair of wires (fused) just to the fridge (as it was mounted close to the leisure battery), and one pair to the distribution fuse box for everything else.
I can’t recall what gauge I used, but it was over specified just in case I changed things in the future.

Pete

 

[Eclipse Custom Vans]

Hi, it should be a minimum 2.5mm but preferably 4mm cable. It is not just current carrying capacity of cable but also the volt drop. the longer the distance, then thicker cable needed. There is a diagram I believe in the instructions. Cheers

 

[OllieGBR]

Hi, it should be a minimum 2.5mm but preferably 4mm cable. It is not just current carrying capacity of cable but also the volt drop. the longer the distance, then thicker cable needed. There is a diagram I believe in the instructions. Cheers

I have some cable here that is Strand 32/0.20mm. Conductor 1mm, rating 16.5Amp.
I have measured the width of the cable and it's 2mm.

Is that sufficient?

 

[Eclipse Custom Vans]

That will be sufficient for the current but not for volt drop. It will work but you may find the fridge cuts out sooner due to the lower voltage that arrives at the fridge. The outer size is irrelevant, it’s the conductor size which is important. So 2.5mm conductor minimum, preferable 4mm. You could in theory use 4 x of these cables and terminate in the same terminal/crimp so the overall size is 4mm, but it’s not good practice and I did not mention this…….


Rgds,

Ian

 

[OllieGBR]

Thanks Ian, I will get some thicker cable!