[rickst29]

They gave me an old manual. The 5.9A figure is for the previous generation (CR-80 and CR110), and it shows 5.7 Amps for the small ones. Perhaps the CR-110 and CR-80 previously contained the slightly bigger Danfoss BD-50; but they definitely all use the BD-35F in the current product line. My original SWAG of 65W needs a slight increase, 12.6V * 5.7A = 72 Watts.

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On the other subject: An Australian RV Board has a long thread about "performance problems", in which all issues seem related to an older version of the Thermostat. Dometic/Waeco has upgraded the thermostat section, but that was primarily for operating in lower temperatures. I don't know if the new one prevents the need to "fiddle the dial" between hot days and cold nights, or whether the mechanical dial adjustment is too "finicky" near the desired value. If it isn't a digital thermostat already, then Digital replacement still seems like a good idea.

Unfortunately, my existing PID Controller (the "Norcold fix" device) was built primarily as a PID, and stops (for about 2 seconds) once every 200 seconds, while it does the math. Rapid cycling is harmless for the Norcold AC and DC heater coils, but disasterous for the Compressor. At a cost of $40 shipped, I've bought a non-PID fridge/heat digital thermostat which doesn't have complicated settings for PID control - it simply turns ON when the thermocouple measurement reaches the maximum of the desired range (about 38F), and turns OFF upon reaching the bottom of the desired range (34F).

Per Danfoss controller documentation, the new "thermostat" must not "rapid cycle" the entire unit - it must be installed to provide either zero resistance, or infinite resistance, between the "C" terminal connection (after the speed control resistor, if Dometic installed one) and the "T" terminal. I have no idea of the amperage through the thermostat, but I'll need a separate relay in any case - because the non-PID thermostat "relay terminal" sends full "power" voltage down the connector, and assumes the other side to be 12V Ground. Both assumptions are almost certainly wrong for the "T" and "C" terminal connections. (With an external relay the 12V thermostat output closes the relay - and the "load terminals" simply deliver whatever voltage and current is supplied between the leads.)

I'll try without installing the "replacement" thermostat" components first, and see if the provided mechanical thermostat is accurate enough.