The Dometic CFX3 Mega Thread

For whatever reason I have a feeling a single group 34 battery might be a little bit too small to run a fridge and a freezer. What's the Ah rating of the battery?
Now I'm not speaking from my experience, it's just something that I've read older units (I believe ARB fridges had similar issue).
When compressor kicks in it draws more on start up vs when it just runs, and the battery voltage drops a little bit, and then battery protection would kick in and shut the fridge off. Maybe you're experiencing that issue?

 

That’s entirely possible. The battery has 68 amp hours.

 

OK. If you find some time try looking into AGM battery charging voltage requirements. From whatever looks like our third gen alternators they don't produce enough voltage to fully charge AGMs (I believe they need 14.1-14.7 V or so). Second gens have a device that tricks the alternator into producing higher voltage. Unfortunately it does not work on 3rd gens. What I'm getting at, in perfect conditions you would have about 30 usable amp hours from your battery. But if your battery is under charged to begin with, you wouldn't even have that, plus the battery is not operating at 100%, so...
So if that's the case, you might actually have to look into dual battery setup with DC DC charger. Although it seems kind of silly to drop that kind of coin just to operate a fridge, but unfortunately it might be an answer.


I do apologize for thread jacking.

 

I recently received my CFX3 75dz. Ran it at home for a few days, figured out that the app needed GPS to actually work... All good.
Used the fridge once on a little trip, mostly for beverages, works great! (Temporarily connected to my starting battery, as I'm waiting for few more parts of dual battery set up to show up)
I'm still waiting on the cover for it, and CFX3 slide, whenever they become available.

 

Yeah I’m aware of the voltage requirements. I charge it monthly using an AC charger and in fact right before I left for this weekends trip I did top it off using the charger.

 

Where are people ordering the covers for the CFX3 fridges? Neither REI or Amazon have the cover available for the 55IM.

 

OK, that's good
I plug my 27f to a charger from time to time as well.
I guess that's all the info I have... Wish I could help ya more. Only other thing I can add is that, when I was using the app, it was showing ~5Ah consumption with 34°/7° settings

 

That's what mine was showing, never more but often times less, around ~3AH. I'm going to call Dometic and see their thoughts. I don't think it's a consumption problem, more of a problem with the unit shutting off prematurely. Thank you for the help I'll update when I hear from Dometic.

 

I ordered mine from mobtownoffroad.com. Not sure if he has any in stock, you'd have to check with them.

 

Mobtown mostly just drop ships from dometic aside from some popular sized fridges, so the stock it'd be on them if the have any in stock or not.

 

That explains it. Thanks

 

Called Dometic and spoke to a super helpful tech on the phone. He is having me run the fridge inside the truck off the stock 12v outlet, leaving the ignition on accessory to keep power to that outlet. Doing this to rule out the 12v socket I installed in the bed. I am keeping data of the voltage and temps and going to note where it cuts out. If it is still cutting out at or around 12v then it is likely an issue inside the unit. If it goes all the way to 11.2v then we know it is an issue with the power outlet I ran.

 

Quoting this so it doesn't get lost.

It doesn't look like @Dometic has a way to hardwire it into the truck? Only an outlet and wiring?

 

No luck. That didn't take long. I set the larger portion to 37* and the smaller to 0*. The unit cut out after 26 minutes and was reading low voltage at 12.2v. On hold with @Dometic now. See my data below:


Edit: Oh and I also turned the voltage protection to low, had the unit startup, waited a minute, then switched it back to medium and the unit shut off. I did this to rule out the startup voltage the unit pulls when first running.

 

I am not answering for them. That being said, Dometic and ARB have fridge/freezer wiring kit, which has a two prong outlet. On your fridge's DC power plug you unscrew this cigarette lighter adapter which exposes a two prong plug, which make about two inches shorter and makes it more secure.

 

@Dometic I actually have a question about using your wiring kit. In order to use a two prong outlet at the end of the power cord are we actually removing a fused portion of a cigarette lighter plug? If that's the case, now we relying only on a fuse that installed at the very beginning of the wiring by the battery, right? Or am I missing something...

 

I wonder if I can buy just the threaded outlet part; I already have a panel with several ports.

Looks like it, thought apparently the fridge also has a fuse in it?

 

Ideally, Dometic would sell me just the threaded plug from this: https://shop.dometic.com/store/dometic/en_US/pd/productID.5343954500

But it looks like I can buy the ARB one and rob it:

$15 ARB 10900028 Threaded Socket/Surface Mount Outlet

https://www.amazon.com/ARB-10900028-Threaded-Socket-Surface/dp/B00NIOBC0C/
https://www.morris4x4center.com/arb-threaded-socket-and-surface-mount-arb-10900028.html

For reference to @Dometic , it's going into a panel like this:

$18 Linkstyle 4 in 1 Charger Socket Panel, 12V Dual USB A Charger Port, Cigarette Lighter Socket, LED Voltmeter & ON Off Rocker Toggle Switch Car Marine Boat RV Truck

https://www.amazon.com/Linkstyle-Charger-Voltmeter-Cigarette-Lighter/dp/B07JHH5YP4?th=1
It's already fused at the battery.


edit:

Engel Socket Panel Insert

https://www.amazon.com/Front-Runner-Engel-Socket-Insert/dp/B07K6G3KH9/
For the price, I'll gamble and let y'all know.

 

So Dometic needs me to drop the unit off for service at a Camping World since they're the only place authorized to work on the CFX3s. The next available date for me to drop the unit off is 6/23, and the wife and I are leaving for a three week trip on 6/27 and whole point of the fridge was for this trip. That's cutting it a little close for my comforts. @Dometic , any ideas?

 

Can you return it and buy a new one?