Nor Cold 2 way??

Thanks for your feedback!

I will see how it goes in the different seasons… It was an issue when the temps were in the 90s and we haven’t been out much again since then this year so far - but we hope to be very soon! (Need to head south and scope out some options as e will have my elderly parents along with us and need to figure out where to hang out with them.)

Ps - We always do the precool option too! So hopefully it will work off the 12v well enough… even if we can save some propane it will be helpful! And between the solar and the dcdc charger, was hoping to use the “free power” as much as we can! ;)

mbloof wrote:
For me personally, I'll 'precool' the fridge by having the camper plugged into shore power and using the AC option 1-2 days before leaving on a trip.

Then I'll transfer precooled items from my house fridge/freezer to the campers fridge/freezer. I'll usually SHUT OFF the campers fridge/freezer before pulling out of my driveway.

While I live in Oregon and travel mostly in Oregon/Washington and the temperatures generally don't get higher than the 90's, I've found that the campers fridge/freezer will keep my items just fine (no matter what time of the year it is) during the 1-4 hours it takes to reach where I'm going.

When I reach my destination and start setting up, the campers fridge/freezer will get turned back on set to AC (if available) and propane if AC is not available. I see/find no need for the 'DC' mode/setting at all.

Obviously YMMV,


- Mark0.

My DC evaporate fridge would maintain cool but took too long to actually drop temperatures. I only used it where propane had to be shut off, like ferries and tunnels. This round of RV, I skipped that option but may look into a DC compressor the next time.

If all the inverter is going to power is the fridge in AC mode, then yes, a 3000 watt pure sine inverter is overkill.

You need to check your specific model fridge, but the AC heat element in mine is less than 350 watts. You don’t even need a pure sine inverter for it either. I ran mine for several years using a 500 watt modified sine inverter and it worked just fine. What I didn’t like about that inverter though was the cooling fan on it was a screamer. It didn’t matter that much though since it was only on when we weren’t in the camper to hear it. Once I had other uses for an inverter though, I bought a better, quieter, PSW model.

:):)

Well, yes that was part of the reason we wanted to run the fridge/freezer from 12 volt rather than propane was while driving, since we invested in a DCDC charger as well as the solar (and use the generator as the last resort as well as to run the microwave and other AC items.)

So apparently though the consensus is that 12 volt absorption fridges just aren't great for running long amounts of time and keeping up with the cooler temps.

Apparently I guess it won't pay then to order this fan kit if and instead will have to continue switching back and forth to propane I guess when the temps start showing they are getting warmer again in the fridge.

(At least until we invest in an inverter… so next question I guess would be, what size and type of inverter should we look into? Is A 3,000 pure sign wave inverter overkill for 12v setup?)

Thanks for the feedback!

For me personally, I'll 'precool' the fridge by having the camper plugged into shore power and using the AC option 1-2 days before leaving on a trip.

Then I'll transfer precooled items from my house fridge/freezer to the campers fridge/freezer. I'll usually SHUT OFF the campers fridge/freezer before pulling out of my driveway.

While I live in Oregon and travel mostly in Oregon/Washington and the temperatures generally don't get higher than the 90's, I've found that the campers fridge/freezer will keep my items just fine (no matter what time of the year it is) during the 1-4 hours it takes to reach where I'm going.

When I reach my destination and start setting up, the campers fridge/freezer will get turned back on set to AC (if available) and propane if AC is not available. I see/find no need for the 'DC' mode/setting at all.

Obviously YMMV,


- Mark0.

As NRALIFR has said.
The 12v in 3-ways was designed to be used only when driving, and to "maintain" temps. And, over the years, many were poorly installed, and killed many batteries.They should be hooked up so the element only works when the vehicle is running, and now, they use modules that shut it off if voltage gets too low, usually about 13 volts. I added 12v to mine, RM2501, because I like to experiment,and I used one of the relay modules that they use in the UK and Australia, set the voltage to turn off the element at 12v. It can keep the fridge at 35f, but I have only used it 2 times, I expect it will not when it is 90-100f out. I have a small inverter, in case I have to take a long driving trip,and will use it on 120, especially in hotter weather,while driving.

No, the fans won’t resolve the issue. Nobody’s absorption fridge runs great on 12v because the wattage, and therefore BTU’s, of the 12v heating element is so low. It’s typically just barely enough to hold a pre-cooled fridge in moderate ambient temperatures.

When are you wanting to use the 12v setting? While driving? Do you not want to use the LP setting while driving? I have always had problems running my fridge in LP mode while driving, the flame gets blown out repeatedly.

I finally installed an inverter, and run the fridge in AC mode while driving. The AC heating element is much higher BTU’s than the DC element, so the fridge works better. Like you, I also have a DC-DC charger installed, so it can easily keep up with the draw of the fridge in AC mode.

You might consider trying that.

:):)

Ok, great thread… but …. sort of curious as to a slight twist on the OPs issue.

What if the issue is with running the 3 way fridge on the 12 volt option?

We have no apparent issues with fridge or freezer temps keeping up if on propane or shore power… only issue seems to be when it was running on 12 volts the fridge doesn’t keep up. {We were hoping to use 12 volt option as we are in a 2004 Arctic Fox 990 and upgraded to a Renogy 40 aH dc dc charger as well as flooded lead acid batteries (2 x 100 aH) … we just invested in 2 new 260 aH (actually 280 aH but tuned to 260 aH) for a total of 520 aH LiFePO4 batteries which arrived today and being installed (obtained from sunfunkits dot com if anyone is looking for an affordable option but not feeling like building one yourself) - but I digressed,sorry! }

Do you also think that #4 fan kit would also resolve the issue we are experiencing with the warm temps in the fridge when it’s running on the 12volt setting?

Air pressure coming out of a can will not hurt your jet when cleaning it.

Need to measure LP SYSTEM using a manometer
On fridge gas valve is a test port...connect manometer there
Fire up stove top burners on High, fire off water heater and then fridge
Measure pressure after gas valve
Needs to be 11"WC with 50% of appliances in service

Main Reg has adjustment screw....under label typically on main body
Clockwise...increase


Have you disassembled burner and made sure it and orifice are clean
Doesn't take much to block an orifice or mess up the air/fuel mixture
**No poking anything thru orifice or blowing high pressure air thru it....can damage the laser cut metered hole
Soak in alcohol then just blow on it like a whistle