Fridge Not Running Off Gas
Hi All, Have a 2005ish Terry TT with a refrigerator problem. Fridge works fine when running off of shore power, but does not run at all if switched to LP gas. My batteries are shot and need to be...
Forum Discussion
Hi,
The propane detector will consume about 0.3 amps all day and night. While that might not seem like a lot, with the refrigerator and CO meter, the total is 35 amp hours per day, this is enough to discharge a pair of batteries in about 4 days.
Check the water level in your batteries, and add distilled water if required. Plug into shore power if at all possible, and after a few days the battery might start to hold a charge.
If the refrigerator works on shore power (on gas) then you have no worries. My guess is that the stove and water heater are also not working because the propane detector does not have enough power to turn on the propane, thus everything stopped working.
A pair of 140 watt solar panels will lead to very long battery life. SunElec.com sells 140 watt for about $229 the last time I checked. You want a panel with a aluminum frame, and 12 volt nominal output. Then you can make simple brackets to hold it on the roof, and use a in-expensive PWM controller - about $35 for a 20 amp model.
I ran my wiring down the refrigerator vent to the controller, then to the battery. I can camp for days without hookups, and actually lived in the RV without hookups for several months!
Good luck,
Fred.
The propane detector will consume about 0.3 amps all day and night. While that might not seem like a lot, with the refrigerator and CO meter, the total is 35 amp hours per day, this is enough to discharge a pair of batteries in about 4 days.
Check the water level in your batteries, and add distilled water if required. Plug into shore power if at all possible, and after a few days the battery might start to hold a charge.
If the refrigerator works on shore power (on gas) then you have no worries. My guess is that the stove and water heater are also not working because the propane detector does not have enough power to turn on the propane, thus everything stopped working.
A pair of 140 watt solar panels will lead to very long battery life. SunElec.com sells 140 watt for about $229 the last time I checked. You want a panel with a aluminum frame, and 12 volt nominal output. Then you can make simple brackets to hold it on the roof, and use a in-expensive PWM controller - about $35 for a 20 amp model.
I ran my wiring down the refrigerator vent to the controller, then to the battery. I can camp for days without hookups, and actually lived in the RV without hookups for several months!
Good luck,
Fred.
