Running fridge on generator

Yes, according to The Dometic Guy, your fridge has a 325W AC heating element. That's what I remember mine is as well, which is a 15 year old model 3663.

:):)

NRALIFR I already own a honda 2000 I got for free but to hook it up and have some sort of locking system it might become a pain although I was looking at a torklift sidekick, my fridge is a 7.3 cu ft is the heating element only 325 watts for that if it is than a 500 watt inverter hooked to the truck batteries would do just fine then use a heavy duty extension to not loose to much power and go through the vent and plug into the fridge direct at the back just might be the ticket just have to find a way to isolate the batteries and inverter when you shut off the truck so as to not drain the batteries.

Dave

djg wrote:
NRALIFR Funny you say that about the roof vent because I had thought that exact same thing it was being blown out from the top, you say an inverter works but alot of work to beef up the truck charging system and money what about my generator on the back of the camper and run off ac into the camper, also get a better charge on the batteries

Dave

Yes, a generator will work, but I'd want it to be a small, very fuel efficient generator like my Yamaha 1000. I wouldn't do it with my built-in Generac 3.6kw LP generator. It would use up my propane too fast. The AC heat element in the fridge is only about 325 watts, and will run just fine off an inexpensive 500 watt modified sine wave inverter.

I guess another option would be to install the inverter on the truck, close to the truck batteries, and run an extension cord to the camper. In fact, I'd probably run the cord directly to the fridge, so nothing else would get power from it.

I've grown so used to having the heavy-duty charge circuit on the truck that I'm in the middle of installing one on my new truck. I don't even want to add up how many hours I've spent on this so far. This will be the third truck I've done this to. The first was a 1995 F350 CC dually similar to yours.

:):)

Hey Old-Biscuit I got the baffle kit last year from dometic installed it and it didn't fix the problem, went with the tape the whole bottom row of vent then 2 bottom rows, fixed the problem but now keeps blowing the thermal coupler I think I'm going to try the upper vent flashing and see if that works and if not try the generator on the back step.

Dave

Dometic has a lower vent & burner 'air foil baffle' kit'

This problem shows up on TCs (and Class C) due to 'disrupted' air flow downside of rig (rig sticks out past cab area)
Blocks off part of lower vent air slats and has a wind shield for burner area





KIT

Interesting about being blown out from the top. I added tape over part of my side vent, and it stopped my Dometic from blowing out. Recently, I made an aluminum guard to go on the side. I thought it was just a matter of time before the tape gave out. Still to be determined is if my new baffle works or not.

NRALIFR Funny you say that about the roof vent because I had thought that exact same thing it was being blown out from the top, you say an inverter works but alot of work to beef up the truck charging system and money what about my generator on the back of the camper and run off ac into the camper, also get a better charge on the batteries

Dave

Dave- I had the exact same kind of problems you are having with my fridge, and tried several ways to fix it. I finally got tired of messing with it and installed an inverter just to run the fridge while we are on the road. The 12v mode is worthless in hot weather, so I wasn't going to mess with that. Running the fridge in AC mode from an inverter WILL fix this problem, but you will also have to upgrade the 12v charge circuit from the truck so the camper battery won't be run down by the inverter.

Without going into all the details (and there are many) upgrading the charge circuit takes a lot of work, and a few hundred dollars. The cost of the inverter, heavy gauge wire, wire lugs, solenoid, CB's, new RV plug and receptacle that can handle the heavier wires and the higher amperage, a crimping tool big enough to crimp 4 gauge lugs, and all the time to install it. It's not a small undertaking.

A couple of years ago, I had an idea that maybe the wind that was blowing the propane flame out wasn't coming in through the lower door nearest to the flame, but down through the top vent. I made a little shield to go in front of the roof vent out of some aluminum flashing, and now the reefer stays lit about 95% of the time. Every so often, the wind will be hitting the camper from an odd direction, and it will still blow the flame out, but most of the time I can run it from propane while on the road now.





When I made the shield, I intended it to just be temporary, and that I would make a more attractive one later. I haven't yet. It also looks like it's helped protect the vent from a few limb strikes, so it's helping in that respect too.

The shield is a cheap, easy fix that will probably fix most of the problem. If you tweak it and adjust it, it might even fix all of the problem. The inverter will fix all of the problem, but like I said, it's a bigger project.

:):)

Well I have a few things to try now so I'll have to get at it and try them.

I had cooling problems with my brand new Dometic for the first several months; I finally took it to the service center. They bypassed the thermostat for testing and told me to record the inside temperature every 6 hours or so for several days and get back to them.
It never did get close to freezing and several times it was in the high fifties. They replaced the entire unit and the new one has worked perfectly for over four years now.

I run it on LP all of the time unless I’m at home cooling it down before a trip, then it’s on AC. It can always maintain a temperature below forty degrees, even in daytime temps in the nineties.