Refrigerator while towing - Page 2

Marine359 · 02-19-2021, 09:30 AM

I’ve never had a 12v only fridge until now. In all prior rvs it was always a chore to “plan” refrigeration and decide whether we would run on elec or lp. Keeping everything cold wasn’t easy. We love our new 10cuft 12v fridge. After using it several times, now I’m so glad I didn’t replace it with absorption. If we pre-chill overnight, this fridge uses very little juice when traveling. And since we carry a 12v mini-fridge in the truck for drinks and snacks and sandwiches, we don’t have to open our big fridge until it’s time for dinner. I’ll probably install a rooftop 100w solar, which will produce more amperage while driving than the fridge consumes. And with a now big battery 170ah, we have all the power we need, so the fridge is an afterthought. This fridge delivers glamping. Just like being at home. I like not having to think about it.

DavidM · 02-19-2021, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marine359

I’ve never had a 12v only fridge until now. In all prior rvs it was always a chore to “plan” refrigeration and decide whether we would run on elec or lp. Keeping everything cold wasn’t easy. We love our new 10cuft 12v fridge. After using it several times, now I’m so glad I didn’t replace it with absorption. If we pre-chill overnight, this fridge uses very little juice when traveling. And since we carry a 12v mini-fridge in the truck for drinks and snacks and sandwiches, we don’t have to open our big fridge until it’s time for dinner. I’ll probably install a rooftop 100w solar, which will produce more amperage while driving than the fridge consumes. And with a now big battery 170ah, we have all the power we need, so the fridge is an afterthought. This fridge delivers glamping. Just like being at home. I like not having to think about it.

Your 10 cu ft DC fridge will draw about 6A DC while running and at 50% cycle time it will use 72 Ah daily. Your 170 Ah battery will be down to 50% in about 30 hours.

Your 100 watt panel will keep up while driving but it will produce maybe 30 Ahs on a sunny day while at the campsite (assuming it isn't shaded). That will extend your 50% battery life to two days. This of course assumes dry camping.

DC fridges may eliminate planning before you go, but create further planning for DC use once you get there. With an absorption fridge, you don't have to think about it once you get to your campsite.

David

Marine359 · 02-19-2021, 12:02 PM

I don’t know where you get the numbers. I do not have observed data yet, but when I get my MM back from the shop, I’ll have a neg shunt monitor, and plan to measure all loads. My gut feel is that cycle time is more like 30% and current under 5amp while running. Was able to boondock with less than 50ah most of which was consumed by furnace fan, not the fridge. I’ll post real observed numbers here when I have them

DavidM · 02-19-2021, 12:12 PM

Everyone who dry camps should have a shunt monitor. I bought one recently on Amazon which works very well for $45- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Do post your actual data. Mine comes from the manufacturer's data sheet as well as other camper's reports of Ah usage- in warmish summertime weather.

David

DGundy · 02-21-2021, 05:22 PM

Run on propane. It's cheap and convenient.

Liv4weekends · 02-21-2021, 05:46 PM

We never use propane while traveling. I plug in to house power day before a trip and load fridge the morning of. It has time to chill down and icemaker drop some ice cubes. As the food is cold, undisturbed, it is fine to destination, never more than 8 hours. If traveling in warm weather, we put a frozen solid roast, chicken, that we plan to cook within a day or so. I find the little shelf fans help circulate the cool air. Frozen bottles of water in the door shelves work too.

Peebsmom · 02-21-2021, 06:15 PM

We pack fridge before travel but after it's on & cooled down. Then we travel with generator on.

Radioflyer · 02-21-2021, 06:33 PM

My 1200 double door absorption frig pulls 600 watts on AC. That’s about 60 amps from the house battery (or alternator while driving) to provide that 600 watts/120v AC via alternator. Of course it’s cycling on/off depending outside temps and if everything in the frig was at temp before leaving. Very doable.

kcscriv · 02-21-2021, 07:24 PM

There's a danger with it on while sleeping in rv as well, how about all the propane cars and trucks on the road, im alot more fearfull of bad drivers or a blowout, if you have any leak of propane at all you will know it, thats why the put the bad smell in it.

HotMech · 02-21-2021, 08:03 PM

Just in case anyone is interested, here is what I do.
Bring the rv to the house, turn the fridge on ac (running on the inverter) load all my food, frozen food and drinks. Close the fridge load the rest of the stuff that will accompany me, and take off. 2 to 8 hours later, arrive at my destination. Put out the slides, set the Jack's, get a beer, turn on the propane, switch fridge to propane, turn on water heater. Grab a chair. Done. Kerry

**creativepart** · 02-21-2021, 08:07 PM

Let's all try to remember that the OP is asking about the Winnebago 2018 2108DS travel trailer.

It has a smaller single door dual fuel gas absorption refrigerator.

He's asking about driving with it on Propane. It will help him if you keep your responses to that situation. Talking about 12v fridges, residential fridges, 4-door fridges are not going to help the OP very much.

Obviously, you can post what you want, but a simple reminder of the original question might help keep things on-track.

Ret.LEO · 02-22-2021, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marine359

I would echo Rock’s post. Leaving propane on poses unnecessary dangerous risk.
I bought my first used MH in Texas about 40 years ago. It was kind of a beater that I planned to rehab when I got it back to California. Driving with my brother, we stopped to sleep in Arizona. The propane was left on and we found out later there was a leak in the fridge connection. Fortunately, I woke up in an hour with a splitting headache. The coach was full of propane. Could have killed us.

You really don’t have to worry about your fridge if it’s on 12v while traveling. If it’s an absorption or compressor fridge it will only consume 2-3amp per hour at worst, if you have pre-chilled it on shore power, filled the freezer with frozen stuff or ice, and put only cold things in the refrigerator. Even if you drive 10 hours, if your battery was full when you started, you likely will consume less than 25 amps. When you arrive, plug I. Shore power or fire up your Ginny, and things are quickly back to 100%.

Traveling with propane on is inherently dangerous. Plus in some states it’s illegal. Every state that I know of prohibits driving through tunnels or across bridges with propane on.
Be safe.

So Very Well Put! Best solution is get rid of the fire breathing dinosaur absorption fridge, put a solar panel on the roof and get a modern efficient 12V compressor fridge.

DavidM · 02-22-2021, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ret.LEO

So Very Well Put! Best solution is get rid of the fire breathing dinosaur absorption fridge, put a solar panel on the roof and get a modern efficient 12V compressor fridge.

What do you do if you camp in the shade?

David

Ret.LEO · 02-22-2021, 11:50 AM

Use a portable panel or run your gen for a couple of hrs to charge back up. A Li battery or two makes it a ideal arrangement. Much safer, efficient, rapid cool down, will work well in freezing conditions. Can be ran safely while traveling, no worries about tunnels, gas stations.
If you need to replace the Fire Breathing Dinosaur a Furrion made for RV 10.8 CF 12V compressor fridge will cost less. PLUS just the fact that it is so much safer is enough reason.