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MPI_Mallard's avatar
MPI_Mallard
Explorer
Dec 06, 2020

Fridge Swap-out

I have a 2012 Forest River Cedar Creek 36CKTS that has dumbetic four door rv fridge that I want to replace with a residential fridge with an ice-maker like my other CC Daydreamer has. My questions are,,,

-has anyone done this and how did it go,

-as the fridge in this fiver is elect/propane and only has one 12V battery and my Daydreamer with the residential has four 6V batteries can I assume the existing converter and battery won't support a residential fridge?

-whatever other things I might not expect,

Thanks in advance!

Red Green: Be generous with the duct tape, you
know; spare the duct tape, spoil the job.
  • Maybe the easiest most efficient least troublesome way, would be to duplicate the setup that is in the other dreamer tt
    Same or similar fridge Combo inverter-Charger batteries wiring
    Make a list, take pictures of everything, try to obtain all the same components, possible it might cost more than hand picking the items needed, the number and type of batteries is a major factor in correct operation of inverter and fridge, one battery is Not going to cut it! For a residential fridge Install, unless you always use campgrounds with shore power hookup, and the fridge power Via inverter is ONLY during transit, then one battery might work, since the TOW vehicle can supply some bit of power to the tt battery while in motion
  • From the added info in your second post you are needing 120VAC for the ferry to FL.

    There are two solutions. Do nothing. A fridge does not go hot the moment that it is unplugged. Assuming that you will be using CGs each night during the ferry the fridge will chill down each night. Keep the doors closed all day to lose as little chill as possible.

    Second option is installing an inverter to run the fridge on while travelling. The TV may or may not keep up with the draw of the inverter but starting with a charged battery overnight the inverter will give some hours use before the battery goes below minimum voltage that the inverter needs. Be sure that the inverter is feeding nothing but the fridge. No other draws.

    An engine turning 1800rpm plus at highway speeds should be producing maximum charge to the battery however the issue is long thin wires to the trailer battery which produces VD & a low charge rate.
  • If you are plugged into 120 V, the converter will not come into the equation, anywhere, relevant to the residential fridge. You will be getting 120V directly from shore power, no battery or converter involved.

    The only time the converter comes into play is when you are plugged in, or running a generator, and the converter is charging the battery and powering any 12V items.

    If not plugged into shore power, you will need a battery bank and inverter large enough to supply 120V to the refrigerator. So what you need is a battery system large enough to power the fridge during your drive time. Whether or not your battery will do that, depends completely on the capacity of your battery, and the power demand of the fridge. So you have to crunch some numbers to figure that out.

    In your shoes, I would get the fridge cold before you leave. Fill up some milk jugs 3/4 with water and freeze them at home, or some other form of block ice. Prechill the other contents of the fridge. Load it up and open it minimally. Maybe take a small cooler for drinks, etc. With this setup the fridge will not run very much and the demand on your battery while driving will be greatly reduced. When you plug in at night, stick the semi-melted ice containers back in the freezer, and move them to the fridge in daytime.
  • MPI_Mallard wrote:
    I have a 2012 Forest River Cedar Creek 36CKTS that has dumbetic four door rv fridge that I want to replace with a residential fridge with an ice-maker like my other CC Daydreamer has. My questions are,,,

    -has anyone done this and how did it go,

    -as the fridge in this fiver is elect/propane and only has one 12V battery and my Daydreamer with the residential has four 6V batteries can I assume the existing converter and battery won't support a residential fridge?

    -whatever other things I might not expect,

    Thanks in advance!

    Red Green: Be generous with the duct tape, you
    know; spare the duct tape, spoil the job.


    The converter is not an issue.
    If boondocking, one battery running an inverter will not work unless you want to run a generator every day to charge up that single battery.
  • The biggest question is how to get the new fridge in, and the old one out.
  • I wasn't clear, we bought this trailer to leave on our lot in Florida so it takes a three day trip down,,,,

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