residential refrig.

[3ares]

I have a question with several variables. I'm thinking of putting a residential refrigerator in my fifth wheel. We only travel 8 hours max per day. About how warm would it get in the refrigerator without A/C power for max of 8 hours? Than plug into campground power at night?

Happy Camping

[toddb]

Have you considered a DC compressor fridge or conversion?

I did the conversion, draws a bit more power than stated but it holds temp on the road.

[ScottG]

I used to run a normal absorbtion fridge off an inverter. It drew over 30 amps almost continuously and the standard charge line from the truck kept up just fine - even at idle. Granted, I would not plan on charging low battery's very much during this time.
Don't over think this like the folks on this forum love to do. Get yourself a 1K pure sign inverter wired to a couple of batteries and you'll be just fine. Thousands of new TT's and Fifth wheels work this way and have no problem at all.

[theoldwizard1]

deltabravo wrote:
Here's one method of upgrading the charging: to my truck can camper

Please prove me wrong ! I keep saying that modern vehicles regulate the charging voltage so low (<13.2V) that you can not hope to RECHARGE a depleted house battery even after hours driving.

My request is
• Deplete the house battery down to say 80% SOC. Measure the voltage at the house battery.
• Measure the voltage at the starting battery.
• Start your truck and immediately measure the voltage at the starting battery AND at the house battery.
• Let idle for about 10 minutes and measure the voltage at the starting battery AND at the house battery AGAIN !
• Hold the engine speed at about 2000 RPM and measure the voltage at the starting battery AND at the house battery AGAIN.

[sgfrye]

time2roll wrote:
Many many posts about running a R/R using inverter and none to my knowledge have had trouble with excessively depleted trailer batteries. This is not off-grid camping where you are looking to get depleted batteries full while in transit. If the battery is a bit low it gets charged at the next destination.

x2
our first TT had a residential fridge which i miss greatly compared to the propane fridge because we don't boondock or off grid camp but thats a whole other issue

we made several 9 to 10 hour trips with an inverter and 2 cheap wally world hybrid deep cycle batteries. never had a depleted battery.

i ran the fridge off those batteries parked at home in the middle of summer heat 24 hours and still had approx 75 percent battery left though i never wanted to drop the batteries below 50 percent charge.

[deltabravo]

Here's one method of upgrading the charging: to my truck can camper

[time2roll]

Many many posts about running a R/R using inverter and none to my knowledge have had trouble with excessively depleted trailer batteries. This is not off-grid camping where you are looking to get depleted batteries full while in transit. If the battery is a bit low it gets charged at the next destination.

[theoldwizard1]

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
In Texas heat, I wouldn't unless you want to install an inverter to power it from your batteries while travelling.

AllegroD wrote:
Do you have a good charge line from TV to 5vr? I would use an inverter.

This has been discussed many time before. With any tow vehicle built after about 2000, there is inadequate voltage delivered to the trailer to charge those batteries as the charging voltage at the tow vehicle battery is only about 13.2V after the engine warms up. Adding a heavy gauge charge line will not help.

Whether this is sufficient to keep and inverter running is a toss up ! If you want to keep the trailer batteries charged (so that they have plenty of juice when you make "pit stops" on the road) you really need to invest in a DC-DC charger. Redarc, Renogy and CTEK all make one.

[Cummins12V98]

I can travel literally for unlimited hours with a 1,000 Watt Inverter powering my Full Size KitchenAid. Get to my destination, Freezer "0" Frig "38" just as when departing even in 100 degree weather.

[Ivylog]

3ares wrote:
Thank you for all the quick replies to my question on running a R/R.
Happy Camping

“replies to my question”??? In 8 hours I’d say 8 degrees if you do not open the doors. Some will put a gallon of frozen water from the freezer into the refrigerator.

A 500-600W inverter will run a residential and a 1000W will let you add TVs and Sat receiver.

[3ares]

Thank you for all the quick replies to my question on running a R/R.
Happy Camping

[PNW_Steve]

I installed two GC-2 batteries in series, 300 watts of solar and a 1000 watt pure sine wave inverter to support my refrigerator.

I have a 10.8cu.ft. residential refrigerator. Larger refrigerators are available that don't use much more power are readily available. The 10.8 fit the space that previously contained the absorption refrigerator with minimal cabinet mods.

[Lwiddis]

Won’t such a change eliminate all dry camping/boondocking unless you add big batteries and solar?

[RedRollingRoadb]

What do you have for batteries before you get to worrying about inverters?

Generator on board?

Out side temps is going to be the big factor. I have unplugged mine several times at night (Batteries going bad) but was looking at overnight temps into the low 50° to mid 40°. Temp rise was within the safe limits. Remember that without opening the door during the day the compressor won't be running much even if you have power.

If it were me I would try it a few times. Maybe a couple gallon jugs of ice to help it cool.

[time2roll]

You might be OK as others claim it is doable. I would get a 1000 watt sine wave inverter and have no worries.