How to power a 2-way refer while driving?

[MartyG2]

The refer that came with our new travel trailer is a two-way, i.e. propane and 120VAC. No ability to run it on 12VDC. Do I dare run it on propane while traveling? Or does one just keep it shut for the day's drive and hope that things stay cool?

[wwest]

Simple way to overcome THAT problem is to use an inverter/charger in combination to keep the TT battery charged underway.

[tenbear]

wwest wrote:

tenbear wrote:

wwest wrote:
Buy a cheap Harbor Freight 400W MSW inverter.

When I had a TT I tried this. After about 4-5 hours the battery was drained to the point that the inverter shut off. After this happened a few times I gave up and have been running on propane ever since.

Well, maybe it wasn't a cheap Harbor Freight inverter.:h

OP's key words....while UNDERWAY....Alternator is supplying JUICE!

This is while I was underway. The alternator didn't supply enough juice to the TT. I didn't make any effort to improve the wiring.

[2oldman]

gas or electric 1

gas or electric 2

gas or electric 3

[wwest]

GMT830 wrote:

MartyG2 wrote:
I've always thought electric heating elements were inferior to a flame for boiling ammonia. Thanks!

A BTU is a BTU, regardless of source.

Well, yes, and NO....

Heat transfer characteristics must be considered.

Plus "flame" temperatures can never rise as high as electric.

[wwest]

tenbear wrote:

wwest wrote:
Buy a cheap Harbor Freight 400W MSW inverter.

When I had a TT I tried this. After about 4-5 hours the battery was drained to the point that the inverter shut off. After this happened a few times I gave up and have been running on propane ever since.

Well, maybe it wasn't a cheap Harbor Freight inverter.:h

OP's key words....while UNDERWAY....Alternator is supplying JUICE!

[Hybridhunter]

I've got an idea..... Run it on "auto" let the manufacturer who designed and built it decide what is correct!

[Dave_H_M]

richardcoxid wrote:
would you rather have Propane or Ptomaine ?

Now there is the answer. Cool

[JJnLilly]

Call me "Cheap" but I turn the refer and propane off when travelling. Why waste propane at nearly $5 a gallon when the modern refrigerator will keep things cold and frozen for hours. We've been on the road as much as 12 hours and not melted and ice cube. Then again it is a matter of preference - you can do it either way - on or off and it will not make much difference...except for the possibility of a propane leak and then......

[RGar974417]

We freeze water in milk bottles and put one in freezer and one in fridge.It keeps things cold for at least 8 hours when under way.We also have a cooler filled with ice for our sandwiches and cold drinks so we don't need to open the fridge door.I would never run propane while under way.If you do,you should always turn it off before refueling.

[tenbear]

When you first turn your refer on it is going to take several hours to cool down, whether you use electricity or propane. The little bit longer it may take for electric to start boiling the ammonia is a nit.

[richardcoxid]

would you rather have Propane or Ptomaine ?

[MartyG2]

GMT830 wrote:

MartyG2 wrote:
I've always thought electric heating elements were inferior to a flame for boiling ammonia. Thanks!

A BTU is a BTU, regardless of source.

Yes, of course. But it seems to me a direct flame to the boiling chamber will provide an immediate effect, rather than the electricity-to-heating coil-to-boiler contact that takes a while to warm up.

[GMT830]

MartyG2 wrote:
I've always thought electric heating elements were inferior to a flame for boiling ammonia. Thanks!

A BTU is a BTU, regardless of source.

[kennethwooster]

dealer taught me to run on propane about 11 years ago, and have been ever since. Current fridge runs auto when unhooked and when we plug in it auto switches to shore power. Can be taken off auto and run manually. We love the auto feature.

[wa8yxm]

Mine is a Prosine 2.0 (2,000 watts true sine wave) and the RV is a motor home so there is much better communication between alternator and house batteries.

Same result, about 3 hours to shut down.