Dometic RM36 3-way fridge fuse

[Richard Vining]

Hi there, 

I was hoping someone could help me out, with the fridge I have in my 1977 dodge sportsman based c-class. 

It has a Dometic RM36 fridge in it, and the good news is it runs great on propane, and I've got it working pretty well off of the 110 as well, but there is a fuse missing from the 12volt circuit, and I cannot for the life of me figure out what kind of fuse it is, or even the amperage it is supposed to be. 

I feel like it might be some kind of weird old fuse that isn't common anymore, if so I might change the fuse holder out, but I still need to figure out the amperage it is supposed to be.

Cheers,

Richard

[Jimco_W001]

Richard,please check out the RV Manuals page.The RM fridge is listed there.If you need any more help please let me know.

[Pat Daly]

Ah, Jimco already had this handled. Missed his post here....Thanks Jimco!

[Richard Vining]

The manual just said to fuse with an appropriate fuse, but it said that the maximum draw for that model is 10amps. I think I will just try rewiring the fridge with a new fuse holder and a 10amp fuse and see if that works. 

Thanks for the quick reply, I appreciate it!

[Jimco_W001]

Richard,the normal DC fuse rule is use a fuse that is 2x's the amount of current that the circuit uses.

[Richard Vining]

Thanks Jimco, 

That will probably save me a few fuses!

[Leah Fletcher]

Where is this manual? I can't find it, thanks

[Pat Daly]

send message to member John T.  put his name in SEARCH box top right. Then also  click on the new Manuals source top of header then go down to Domestic. it might be there. its' a new area and folks are quickly adding their repair manuals to it. i think i saw Domestic listed.    you could also probably just call ppl motorhomes parts down in houston; they have REAL parts people who have been there and done that.   let us know what fuse it is and how it works out. Whatever it is i like the idea of a new fuse. Fridges are important to keep running.

[John Demarrais]

Fuse size is determined by two factors.  #1 it must be big enough to run the load.   #2 is must be small enough to blow before the wire melts so that is determined by the gauge of the wire used in the circuit.  Your refrigerator draws 9-10 amps @ 12 volts.  So the minimum size should be a 15 amp fuse.   If the wire size is 14 gauge or larger - that will be fine.

14 gauge copper wire needs a 15 amp fuse or smaller to protect it, 12 gauge needs a 20 amp or smaller fuse,  10 gauge needs a 30 amp or smaller, etc.  You do NOT need a fuse twice the amp rating for your refrigerator since it has no motor.  Your refrigerator uses an electric resistance heating element that draws a steady 9-10 amps.  NO surge when it first comes on.   If you had a compressor-driven appliance - it might draw twice its amp rating every time the motor first started.

[Terry H]

[Leah Fletcher]

Hmmm Nothing showed up in your reply. 

[Terry H]

My apology. Don't know what happened. I'll try again...........

[Leah Fletcher]

Thank you so much. Just got a Boler with one of these in it and it needs a little work. This will help a ton. Thanks again! I am assuming RM 36 F versus a RM 36 C really is just a different model of the same series. The pictures look very similar to ours.