House Refrigerator VS RV Refrigerator
Been looking at new 5th wheel trailers about half coming with house refrigerator (110 volt only) and the other half coming with large RV refrigerator (propane, 110 volt). Not sure if going with a h...
Forum Discussion
Propane fired refrigerators are both heavier and use more 'electricity' while camped with hookups. The 300 watt electric heating element might run 20 hours a day in 80F weather, and consume upwards of 2,500 watts per day, while a standard home refrigerator will only need about 300 - 400 watts per day, perhaps less.
Yes you can make plenty of power with a solar system, 4 golf cart batteries, and 1,000 watt pure sign wave inverter. This will start and run the electric refrigerator, and provide plenty of power for a TV set, or other accessories while running the refrigerator. However the 300 - 400 watt heating element in the ice maker harvest cycle will quickly deplete the batteries IF you have the ice maker running while camped on battery power.
I would not want a ice maker in the RV. First is the problem of draining all the lines in winter to make sure the lines will not freeze and break if the RV gets below 25F sometime.
Second is that the 300 - 400 watt heating element will use a LOT of battery power.
Third and probably more important is that the ice would be made with fresh water tank water. If you are using that tank on a weekly basis, the no problem, but less frequent use and you might not like the taste anymore.
I would rather just make ice cubes from bottled (1 gallon 99 cent stuff) water.
Good luck,
Fred.
Yes you can make plenty of power with a solar system, 4 golf cart batteries, and 1,000 watt pure sign wave inverter. This will start and run the electric refrigerator, and provide plenty of power for a TV set, or other accessories while running the refrigerator. However the 300 - 400 watt heating element in the ice maker harvest cycle will quickly deplete the batteries IF you have the ice maker running while camped on battery power.
I would not want a ice maker in the RV. First is the problem of draining all the lines in winter to make sure the lines will not freeze and break if the RV gets below 25F sometime.
Second is that the 300 - 400 watt heating element will use a LOT of battery power.
Third and probably more important is that the ice would be made with fresh water tank water. If you are using that tank on a weekly basis, the no problem, but less frequent use and you might not like the taste anymore.
I would rather just make ice cubes from bottled (1 gallon 99 cent stuff) water.
Good luck,
Fred.
