Refrigerator modifications

naturist wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
lets see, using 12 volts is free, burning propane is not.
bumpy

Mmmmm, I don't think so, @bumpy. That 12 volts comes from the battery, but before that it comes from either the vehicle alternator or your generator, which you pay for the fuel. An RV 'fridge is going to use 600 watts more or less, and that is way too much to expect the charge you put on the house battery to cover for a whole day traveling. So don't count on "free" electricity from the campground to cover this one.

So it's gonna cost you to keep the 'fridge cold, whether you use propane or 12 volts. However, it isn't going to cost you much either way.

is my alternator spinning harder if I am using extra juice?
bumpy

The issues with running on propane is an open flame and fueling vehicle.
Also some areas tunnels you are not supposed to have propane on.

If you use it as a cool box if it is hot when you arrive it is no longer cold in the fridge. Freezer food is beginning to thaw.

Yes, I did it on an older TT we had. It worked fine even using a cheap inverter but that fridge only drew about 10 amps.
As far as the fridge staying cold without it being on... One time my DW accidentally turned the fridge off just before taking off on a 2 hour trip. The temps were in the low 70's and when we got there, the beer was warm enough that it alerted me that there was a problem.

Bumpyroad wrote:
lets see, using 12 volts is free, burning propane is not.
bumpy

Mmmmm, I don't think so, @bumpy. That 12 volts comes from the battery, but before that it comes from either the vehicle alternator or your generator, which you pay for the fuel. An RV 'fridge is going to use 600 watts more or less, and that is way too much to expect the charge you put on the house battery to cover for a whole day traveling. So don't count on "free" electricity from the campground to cover this one.

So it's gonna cost you to keep the 'fridge cold, whether you use propane or 12 volts. However, it isn't going to cost you much either way.

We run the propane while traveling. Doesn't seem to use much. If we leave if off the fridge portion gets too warm rather quickly when we travel during the summer and its 110F outside.

I run my refrigerator on propane while driving. It is only a tiny burner - 2,200 Btu's. The electric element is around 300 watts - or about 900 Btu's and is not as effective as the gas heater. On a hot day, gas will provide about 75% more cooling than electric.

The 'energy' will come from somewhere. If you have a solar system, then it can come from that source, however it likely will come from the alternator, in increased fuel usage, and that will power the refrigerator. No your fuel mileage will not drop by 2 mpg, but it will increase fuel usage a amount that can hardly be measured. It is only 300 watts per hour, and the alternator would put out about 30 more amp hours per hour to power the inverter (about 450 watts) to power the 300 watt refrigerator. So the engine will use about 1 HP to produce that extra 450 watt load.

Fred.

lets see, using 12 volts is free, burning propane is not.
bumpy

Will work, thou I don't really see a need as the fridge uses so little propane = to a pilot light and only when fridge cycles on which will not be often if the doors are not opened. :)

No problem doing that.

Toolguy5 wrote:
Just curious to see if anyone has attempted this.

Taken a 12 volt dc inverter to 120 volts ac to operate the fridge while traveling. That way you do not have to operate on propane.

Not wanting to run the frig on propane when traveling IMO makes no sense. Any danger from that is miniscule compared to potential vehicle fires from shorts/gas or from just the fact you have 40 to 60lbs of propane taigaiting you only 3' from your back bumper with no way to avoid hitting you should something happen.

Also, no manufacturer of propane refers have any sort of cautionary warning about operating their equipment when on the road traveling so if there was any logical reason not to the legal types would have that warning in REAL BIG BOLD LETTERS EVERYWHERE.

Just put the refer in the Auto mode and let it do it's thing which is one less thing to worry about or mess with.

To be honest those citing some concern from a safety standpoint should probably never get in a motorized vehicle since doing so subjects one to a higher probablility of injury than does running a refer on propane.

Larry