Why consider 12v fridge for boondocking?
So I want to offer up this question out about 12v compressor refrigerators. I'm going to post this on other forums too, so your "forum tramps"(like me)may see this spread around some other pages. Not...
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Reisender wrote:Huntindog wrote:bironacad wrote:I just looked up the Furrion 12V, 8CF fridge.
Just purchased a Grand Design TT with a DC fridge. The fridge is 8 cubic feet and It cools down very fast compared to an absorption fridge and you can run it while on the road. The antenna booster draws 1amp while on, the fridge 3. The trailer does come with a 165 watt solar panel. I like the fridge capacity size increase. Thinking of adding another panel and upgrading battery to lithium to run an inverter for AC when required while off grid. I think both have advantages. I started with a pop up, then went with a 28’ fifth wheel, then a 40’ Red Wood, drop down to a hybrid and now have the 200 mk trandscend. Lol heading to Yukon this August and will know much more after that trip. Lol enjoy what you have! And don’t stand with the door open. Play safe.
High efficiency DC compressor
Input voltage: DC 12V (min. DC 10.5V to max. DC 17V)
Input power rating: = 15A (11A @ 12V DC)
Energy Consumption: 1.08kWh per day.
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You will need a LOT more solar as well to feed the batteries.
Basically you will have a math problem. one 100AH Lithium battery will be drained everyday by the fridge alone.
Solar averages about 60% of rated output.
You can do the math however you like. I see you comming up way short.
Yah. It’s an easy and reasonably problem to solve with solar but of course you need the real estate to put it on. Smaller trailers and tear drops will have a bigger challenge than medium sized trailers. Glad we have a propane fridge but if it quits we’ll need to figure it out.
We noticed that the new 2023 version of our trailer has 2 kw of LFP batteries as standard with a 6 kw option. All installed under the bed. (That’s where our AGM’s are). I think that was in response to customer complaints about the compressor fridge power usage.
With enough money it can be solved if you are a fair weather camper. I am not. If I only camped in good weather, I would not need an RV. I have the RV for shelter in comfort no matter what mother nature does.I have a healthy solar/ battery system.But as my last trip proved, 6" of snow on the roof renders solar useless. In a 4 week outing it snowed 6-8" three times. Generator use was required. A 12V fridge would have just added to the fuel bill
