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okiejoe's avatar
okiejoe
Explorer
Aug 12, 2018

Residential fridge battery life

Ok, we just purchased a NEW to us 2015 Thor Chateau 31W, it has a residential fridge, I’m used to the old style gas or electric, so my question is if after a day of travel we choose to boondock at the Walmart Hilton will we wake up to dead batteries or not enough to pull slide in? Educate me on these residential fridges.
  • If it is a real "residential" 120VAC refrigerator, you are running off of an inverter and even the BEST inverters are only 90%-95% efficient.

    The number and type of batteries makes a BIG difference. Two 6V golf cart batteries will last a lot longer than one 12V battery.
  • The Nova Kool compressor models draw 2-3amps.

    Solar systems work well to restore batt life as well as driving the rv.
    It would be nice to have a battery bank over 200 amps worth of avl 12v power. Like 2 grp 31's or 2 6v batts . You might get by with 2 grp 27's as well as long as you go easy on the lights and use the water pump for showers and dishes while charging off the genny. Just be conscious about saving 12v power.
    Check your batteries condition, have them load tested . With good batts, you'll be fine.

    to save amp draws: up to 2 or 3 amps of the below listed items combined.
    You could put toggle switches on the, radio/entertainment system when not using it , turn off power antenna, your tv might also draw if 12v and plugged in plus the detectors ... use portable AAA battery detectors in its place.
    All these items plus the fridge is eating your power while boondocking.
    By installing the toggle switches you should be able to run the fridge thru the night if turning it off is a concern for you.
  • All residential fridges and batteries are not the same. What is the fridge’s AH use and your battery capacity?
  • GordonThree wrote:
    Turn off the fridge at night. If you keep the door closed, it won't lose much cool at all.

    Any decent residential fridge will gain only about 5-10F in a 8-12 hour period assuming the ambient temp is less than 85F.
  • What size battery? How many? Led lights? Furnace use also? How big is the fridge?
  • Turn off the fridge at night. If you keep the door closed, it won't lose much cool at all.

    Need more information about your Electric setup to make any guessing about battery life.