If the RV is not connected to shore power then apparently the fridge is powered by the batteries via the inverter...right? Now, once shore power is connected it seems logical that the inverters, since they are no longer needed, would drop off line and the external power, or the onboard generator, would provide the ac needed for the fridge. Is that correct?
Yes, that is correct. Once the shore power or generator supplies power, the inverter automatically lets that power the fridge & no longer draws from the batteries.
They use batteries based on lots of variables. Worst case they consume a battery every 4-6 hours. You generally also consume power with other devices on the rv.
Recharging a near dead battery does not happen quickly. Days to 100%.
RV’s with these fridges are not designed to not be plugged in. Adding battery capacity, solar. And high efficiency devices all help. If you have enough money you can improve the situation. Expensive batteries, expensive solar panels, a high efficiency inverter, monitoring systems and a generator to use occasionally. Not just one of the items. All!
TV’s without modifications do not provide a lot of charging to the rv. Most rv folks just park their rv and leave it plugged in. If you wallydock overnight without a generator two normal. batteries will be doa in the morning and doa when you arrive at your destination. It’s the math. Get a recording voltmeter if you do not believe me.
The rv industry provides the residential fridges because they are cheaper, prettier, and bigger. That is what most folks want. Due to cost the rv is seldom set up to boondock.
We wanted a fiver that can unplug for three days easy. 4 six volt batteries, an expensive rv fridge, battery monitor, and the Honda 2200 just in case.
In cold weather you can do better. Another variable.
My 5er has a 12v only fridge, I haven't taken it out and camped yet so I don't know how fast it will drain the battery.
I'm planning on replacing the one battery with a bank of two 12v lithium batteries in the near future as soon as I have the $2,000 to buy both batteries saved up. Hopefully they'll go down in price between now and then.
But before that happens, I'm going to have a Lippert self leveling system installed, it just makes things easier and faster setup when you get to the campground.
I have used my Honda 2000 generator to power my TT for years. Got to be a little careful what you put on it. No AC and microwave at same time. Discovered putting the Dish Network box and TV directly on 110 volts with AC cycling was a problem. Compressor cycling caused tv and Dish box to reboot so I put them on an inverter connected to the 12 volt battery. Problem solved! Have run the generator all night many times in the summer with generator attached to an aux gas tank.
I have studied and learned an awful lot about electricity over the last couple of years (Thank you, Lazydays) because I bought a 39' 5er with a residential fridge and a 5500watt Cummins/Onan generator in it. It had 2 12 volt deep cycle batteries. First time boondocking, woke up and the fridge was off, battery dead.???? Long story short, the fridge drew 8amps (look inside yours), of my two batteries, 1 was to start the generator, the fridge only had 1 to run off a 2000watt inverter. At the time, I didn't even know what an inverter was!!! I am here to tell you I was just a little pissed off that someone would sell me that system and then send me down the road But I got online and read and learned. Well, 3 years later I had 4 6v AGM batteries wired in Parallel to run my Magnum MS-4024 inverter and I had that hooked to all the goodies that come with it. I just bought a new 5er and I am adding another battery bank, a better MPPT Charge Controller, and 4 newer Solar Panels. The first thing I did when looking at this 5er was to open the fridge to see the amperage on the tag inside. 2.7amps, I can live with that. I don't have a generator yet, I still have my 2 Hondas, and I was seriously considering having a 7000watt Onan installed in this 5th wheel, but while doing my research, I stumbled upon a relatively new portable generator that you soon will be able to use in parallel just like the Honda 2000s, but unlike the Honda 2000s these will pump out 50 amps and they are made by Cummins/Onan. And they only cost a scrunch over $1000 dollars each. I called a Cummins/Onan distributor in Miami Springs and he informed me that the Parallel kit for the P4500i (yes, it is an inverter) is due to be released in August. Now, I don't know if they are going to have a "Companion" like the Honda's do or what kind of 50amp plug they will accept, maybe a pigtail or something. Anyway, I thought a couple of grand for 2 of these beat the hell out of 8 - 12 thousand to get my 5er prepped and purchase and install a 7000watt generator. Or even a 5500watt. This little portable runs on gas or propane, has a remote start, blah blah....I attached a .pdf with all the stats if your interested. They have a 2500i that already has the parallel kit.
__________________
God created the fishing pole to keep the truly gifted from ruling the world!
We have a 2018 Flagstaff 831CLBSS and have the residential fridge powered by the inverter off of 2 12 volt batteries when camping at the National Forest campgrounds.
Our RV is 50 amp service capable, and has the WFCO converter model WF-8930/50. I am looking into the Progressive Dynamics PD4635V Inteli-Power 4600 Series Converter/Charger with Charge Wizard as a replacement unit.
But until then, we have 2 of the Honda eu2000i generators, one of them is the companion model.
Question is, can I use one generator to power the RV as normal, by the original power cord & the 30 to 50 amp dog bone. And one generator to power a separate more adequate 12 volt battery charger connected directly to the batteries? At least for the first 3-4 hours of charge time??
& can I run both chargers at the same time?
Appreciate your thoughts.
Gary.
c
Little surprised you are using a residential refrigerator in an RV and doing a lot of dry camping. My refrigerator works on ac, dc or propane. Tried dc one time when driving, thinking the car generator would keep the TT battery going okay but it ran the TT battery down. So anytime I am not on 110 ac I am now on propane.
As information, I have a small 17 ft Casita trailer. I tell people it has all the modern conveniences except one. Space! Further, I am an electrical engineer. Sounds to me like you have gone through a lot trying to solve power mainly for a refrigerator. The biggest 110 volt power draw in my TT are the AC in summer and the microwave. This refrigerator does not draw much power when running on 110 volts. When I run the microwave I turn the AC off for the time the microwave runs. Simple and inexpensive solution. In the winter I have a propane furnace so no problem then at all!
I have studied and learned an awful lot about electricity over the last couple of years (Thank you, Lazydays) because I bought a 39' 5er with a residential fridge and a 5500watt Cummins/Onan generator in it. It had 2 12 volt deep cycle batteries. First time boondocking, woke up and the fridge was off, battery dead.???? Long story short, the fridge drew 8amps (look inside yours), of my two batteries, 1 was to start the generator, the fridge only had 1 to run off a 2000watt inverter. At the time, I didn't even know what an inverter was!!! I am here to tell you I was just a little pissed off that someone would sell me that system and then send me down the road But I got online and read and learned. Well, 3 years later I had 4 6v AGM batteries wired in Parallel to run my Magnum MS-4024 inverter and I had that hooked to all the goodies that come with it. I just bought a new 5er and I am adding another battery bank, a better MPPT Charge Controller, and 4 newer Solar Panels. The first thing I did when looking at this 5er was to open the fridge to see the amperage on the tag inside. 2.7amps, I can live with that. I don't have a generator yet, I still have my 2 Hondas, and I was seriously considering having a 7000watt Onan installed in this 5th wheel, but while doing my research, I stumbled upon a relatively new portable generator that you soon will be able to use in parallel just like the Honda 2000s, but unlike the Honda 2000s these will pump out 50 amps and they are made by Cummins/Onan. And they only cost a scrunch over $1000 dollars each. I called a Cummins/Onan distributor in Miami Springs and he informed me that the Parallel kit for the P4500i (yes, it is an inverter) is due to be released in August. Now, I don't know if they are going to have a "Companion" like the Honda's do or what kind of 50amp plug they will accept, maybe a pigtail or something. Anyway, I thought a couple of grand for 2 of these beat the hell out of 8 - 12 thousand to get my 5er prepped and purchase and install a 7000watt generator. Or even a 5500watt. This little portable runs on gas or propane, has a remote start, blah blah....I attached a .pdf with all the stats if your interested. They have a 2500i that already has the parallel kit.
That new generator is a clone of a Chinese-made generator that has different brand names.
It's the same generator but the factory will label it with any brand name.
Here's the one they slap the fake Westinghouse name on:
Same generator. I've seen the same generator with other brand names on it.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
That new generator is a clone of a Chinese-made generator that has different brand names.
It's the same generator but the factory will label it with any brand name.
Here's the one they slap the fake Westinghouse name on:
Its difficult because it is under so many different brand names. Plus its only been on the market for a short time.
The Westinghouse version is probably more reviews and YouTube videos on it because people think it's made by Westinghouse.🤣
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
My experience says to buy Honda if you want the best. If $$$ is a big concern, buy Champion.
My Hondas are at least 13 years old (my wife thinks they are older). Several others in our RV group are almost that old. In that same period of time, the members of our camping group who always choose the cheaper generators (name the brand, I'm sure they have owned at least one) have gone through at least 4 generators, and some average a new one every 2 years.
I'm thinking, in the long run, Hondas are cheaper.
Now many will tell me I'm full of crap, but those are my experiences
__________________
Scott and Liz - Southern NM
2012 Wildcat Sterling 32RL - w/level up (best option ever)
2007 Chevy 2500HD Duramax
Reese Fifth Airborne Sidewinder
My experience says to buy Honda if you want the best. If $$$ is a big concern, buy Champion.
My Hondas are at least 13 years old (my wife thinks they are older). Several others in our RV group are almost that old. In that same period of time, the members of our camping group who always choose the cheaper generators (name the brand, I'm sure they have owned at least one) have gone through at least 4 generators, and some average a new one every 2 years.
I'm thinking, in the long run, Hondas are cheaper.
Now many will tell me I'm full of crap, but those are my experiences
I have 2 Hondas, I love em too, I swear by them as well, can't beat them, but I want some more amps is all. bikendan just burst my freakin bubble, I shoulda looked into those 4500i things a little closer, I'm not buying **** from China, I don't care whose name is on it. I thought they were a Cummins product. Oh well, glad he enlightened me...............
__________________
God created the fishing pole to keep the truly gifted from ruling the world!
OK, here is an update based on what I have checked on and found.
The WFCO model WF-8930/50 is not my converter after all, but is the model of my power center. My converter is actually a WFCO WF-9855. It is a 55 amp unit that is supposed to put out 13.6 VDC. All tests so far show the max DC voltage going to the batteries is 12.8. So my conclusion is the 15 month old converter/charger is toast.
So I called and talked to Randy at BestConverter.com. He recommended, and I ordered the 60 Amp 4-Stage Converter/Charger. The Boondocker 1260 CL from them. Here is the product description from their website.
Boondocker series units deliver exceptionally clean AC to DC power for Battery charging or as a DC Power Supply.
Dimensions: 10.5" X 7" X 3.5"
Ship Weight: 7 lbs
KEY FEATURES:
Also charges LiFePO4 Batteries (User adjustable setting)
14.7 Boost Mode Output
13.6 Normal Mode Output
13.2 Float (trickle) Mode Output
Includes Equalization up to 16.5 VDC
Over-temp, Over-current Protection
105-130 VAC Input Operation
Reversed Polarity Voltage Protection
>85% Efficiency
Safe, Cool, Quiet & Reliable Operation
<1% Load Regulation
Filtered DC Output (Works with or without a battery)Thermostatically Controlled, Variable Speed Quiet Cooling Fan
3 Year Hassle Free Warranty
It has been shipped via FedEx, & should be delivered here by this Thursday by end of day.
When I get it installed and charging, I will update again.
I have 2 Hondas, I love em too, I swear by them as well, can't beat them, but I want some more amps is all. bikendan just burst my freakin bubble, I shoulda looked into those 4500i things a little closer, I'm not buying **** from China, I don't care whose name is on it. I thought they were a Cummins product. Oh well, glad he enlightened me...............
Though Champions are made in China, they are made to Champion's specs and Champion is an American company and HQ'd in California and their tech support is super.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
Though Champions are made in China, they are made to Champion's specs and Champion is an American company and HQ'd in California and their tech support is super.
How is their decibel level?
__________________
God created the fishing pole to keep the truly gifted from ruling the world!