RE: Overnight - Frig on Batteries

KEN9XL · 04-26-2019, 09:25 AM

This will be a first for my wife & I. We have never boon docked before and we have no generator. We will stop at a Walmart overnight.

My question, can my residential frig run for roughly 12 hours so as to keep the food inside cold without an electrical source and only the battery power?
I have an inverter and it will be on to supply AC to frig from DC battery power.

Is there anything else I should know or prepare for?
Any help will be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

SeaDog · 04-26-2019, 09:37 AM

If I were you I would run a test while still at home. charge the battery to 100% then unplug and see how long it takes to run the battery down, remember you still need 12 volt for the water pump (flushing the toilet). You might consider a small 2000 watt generator they are light and quiet.

nayther · 04-26-2019, 09:39 AM

For an overnight stop you should be fine, battery will recharge the next day while driving. I suggest you disconnect the tow vehicle when you stop so you don't drain the truck battery.

KEN9XL · 04-26-2019, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nayther

For an overnight stop you should be fine, battery will recharge the next day while driving. I suggest you disconnect the tow vehicle when you stop so you don't drain the truck battery.

OK! I appreciate the answer. I know enough to use lights very minimal if not at all and maybe battery operated lights. Will definitely unplug truck from TT.
Agree on truck once plugged in next day will recharge RV batteries.

SeaDog - I forgot about minimum toilet flushing on battery. Already left home Base so the real test will be tomorrow evening, test boondock with water tank filled.

Thank you both for advice. Guess there is a first time for everything.

OregonForester · 04-26-2019, 10:26 AM

Your fridge does not run on propane?

KEN9XL · 04-26-2019, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OregonForester

Your fridge does not run on propane?

No, unfortunately. Only AC or DC w/inverter

5picker · 04-26-2019, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OregonForester

Your fridge does not run on propane?

The definition of a residential refrigerator is one that is like what is in your residence. (house) It is 120v only.

Clamper · 04-26-2019, 11:04 AM

When I had a Lance camper (small frig) I would throw some of the frozen food in the frig to help keep thing cool while enroute to camping area. Sometimes the propane would blow out (due to wind swirling in vent).

**Flybob** · 04-26-2019, 11:10 AM

I would not count on the battery recharging the next day during driving unless you have upgraded the 12V aux wiring in the TV. With standard wiring, you basically keep a fully charged battery charged. It will not recharge a heavily depleted battery during a normal driving day.

JayArras · 04-26-2019, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KEN9XL

No, unfortunately. Only AC or DC w/inverter

That sucks! What is the purpose of having that kind of fridge in an RV?

5picker · 04-26-2019, 11:55 AM

More room.

Many folks who stay at one spot (snowbird or seasonal) like the larger residential refrigerators, especially those with water and ice in the door.
For these folks, it is their home so they want the same as at home.
If you never boondock, it really is the way to go.

gbaldwin · 04-26-2019, 12:13 PM

I have 1 12 V battery, my fridge will run off propane which I always set on auto... and propane is default, running minimal lights, water pump, and the heater fan kicking on occasionaly, drew my batteries down to about 50% overnight the past week when boondocking.... this according to my factory installed level indicators. Of course the concencus on this forum is to not let batteries go below 50% charge to prolong life.

That said, based on my experience you might be close. If I were doing it often I would invest in the 2000 generator. I do have one and can recharge to 100% during the day with 2-3 hours running.

Second batteery might be a good option for you as well if you only have one 12 V as I do.

For what its worth....

My experience with most issues on thesee TT's (3 years) is you wont know till you try it!

Reverse_snowbird · 04-26-2019, 12:23 PM

You might want to give that residential fridge a bit of help.... just to make certain the food doesn't spoil.

Freeze a couple of gallon jugs of water a few days before you leave home/campsite. Put one in the freezer and one or more in the refrigerator. Try not to open the refrigerator doors. If the refrigerator doesn't start to get warm, it's not going to turn on an use battery power.

Carry a cooler and put the items you think you'll use overnight in there.

It's how we prepare at home for power outages from hurricanes.

NMWildcat · 04-26-2019, 12:51 PM

My Dad tried the residential fridge. To make it overnight with no hookups, or even a long day of towing, he had to increase his battery bank, tried two, then went to four. He had to upgrade his pickup to increase the capacity of the charging loop so the batteries would at least maintain.
Then the refrigerator crapped out and had to be replaced. Only way to get it done was to remove a slide. Don't know how true it was, but the tech said the residential fridges don't like the jarring dirt roads we use to get to our boondocking sites.
After all that, he got fed up and traded the RV for another that had a propane/electric fridge.
So yes, if you have a residential fridge and only use full hookups and less than 8 hour tow days, it might be the cat's meow. But for us boondocking folks, it's just a silly option.......

KEN9XL · 04-26-2019, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

I would not count on the battery recharging the next day during driving unless you have upgraded the 12V aux wiring in the TV. With standard wiring, you basically keep a fully charged battery charged. It will not recharge a heavily depleted battery during a normal driving day.

I guess my next question would be, IF my batteries will not fully recharge while driving, then will they recover enough (fully charge) once I arrive and stay at a campsite with shore power for a few days? Last thing I want to do is kill my batteries altogether.

Thanks for idea of gallon jugs of frozen water or frozen food from freezer to frig. May even crank freezer & frig up to max on night before leaving then reset to normal in morning.

gbaldwin · 04-26-2019, 02:04 PM

Absolutely they will recharge.

Also, I think your fridge may run while on the road and plugged in to TV.... But I dont think you get significant battery charge

KEN9XL · 04-26-2019, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbaldwin

Absolutely they will recharge.

Also, I think your fridge may run while on the road and plugged in to TV.... But I dont think you get significant battery charge

Thank you! That puts me a little more at ease knowing it will recharge at campsite on shore power.
Trying to test new grounds on boon dock, but guess I must purchase a small generator. Would hate to have to run truck ever so often to charge battery, especially if staying more than one day.

**Flybob** · 04-26-2019, 02:36 PM

Yes once you connect to shore power they will recharge. You most likely will not make it two days without shore power as the TV will not help even while driving.

5picker · 04-26-2019, 02:44 PM

Sure they will recharge.
Remember, once you plug in at a full hook-up site, the refrigerator is running on shore power then and not via the inverter, which is/was sucking the 12v out of the battery to make 120v for the refrigerator.

KEN9XL · 04-26-2019, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5picker

Sure they will recharge.
Remember, once you plug in at a full hook-up site, the refrigerator is running on shore power then and not via the inverter, which is/was sucking the 12v out of the battery to make 120v for the refrigerator.

Got It! I always shut off inverter before plugging into shore power.
Thank you again all.

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