"Residential fridge" and boondocking...

[K3WE]

To us, "boondocking" is 2 to 5 days with no generator or solar and maybe even wimpy old batteries.

I'm thinking the fancy "residential refrigerators" (with dedicated converter) are a bad idea for this type of use pattern.

(Yeah, often times the furnace is involved).

Thoughts? Experiences?

Thanks.

[time2roll]

K3WE wrote:
To us, "boondocking" is 2 to 5 days with no generator or solar and maybe even wimpy old batteries.

That will come to an end with a residential fridge.

[naturist]

DutchmenSport wrote:
If you boomdock you need a way to recharge your batteries. It's just that simple. If you cannot or do not want to recharge batteries, then don't get anything that depends upon AC power only!

What he said.

[DutchmenSport]

If you boomdock you need a way to recharge your batteries. It's just that simple. If you cannot or do not want to recharge batteries, then don't get anything that depends upon AC power only!

[Boon_Docker]

Boon docking and residential fridges don't go well together unless you have solar or a generator that you want to run on a daily basis to charge the battery(s).

[Gdetrailer]

toedtoes wrote:
I have a single group 31 optima AGM battery and a 42+ year old 3-way dometic fridge. I can go 9 days with the fridge and water heater on propane and the water pump "on" the entire time and still have a full charge on the battery. No solar, no generator, no hookups.

I don't use the furnace - the fan will eat up your battery power. I have good bedding that keeps me warm at night and a little buddy to take the chill off when needed.

I like the simplicity of my setup. It works well for dry camping and I don't have to deal with the expense of the generator, generator fuel, and/or solar setup.

For the price of a honda generator, you've paid for a propane fridge.

I don't "do" a "Honda" generator..

I won't pay that much for a gen that is way over priced.

Instead, I do have a 4Kw Chinese clone gen which takes care of high wattage items like microwave or A/C when traveling, cost me a rich $200 nearly 15 yrs ago.. And no, I have zero plans to use it in any organized campground..

I do "overnight" by Wallydocking or at rest stops while traveling to my destinations so yes, I do depend on my battery and inverter to run my fridge/heat/lights..

My destinations do have shore power but I am not afraid to use my setup longer if needed without shore power.. But why oh why does anyone wish to pretend to "rough it" in a hard sided RV with propane fridge, propane heat, battery, running water, cell phones, internet, PCs, TVs, DVDs, Tablets and call it "camping"..

If you truly wish to "camp", sell the RV, buy a tent and go camping the real way with a ice chest, sleeping bag and perhaps a couple of matches..

Otherwise you are nothing more than "glamping" and no better than folks like me that do have a residential fridge in my TT.

[camperguy99]

We have a 2015 Tuscany all electric coach. Fridge is great a side by side that works wonderful. The Kill A Watt reads a pretty constant 108 watts. I added 3 series pairs of GC-2 230 AH 6 volt batteries and can go 24 hours usually. The biggest culprit is the Induction stove top. At 80-85 amps draw to heat up two cups of water for tea 3 times a day just kills the batteries. Brings the voltage down to around 11.5 volts. Hello generator? Must keep the wife happy!

[toedtoes]

I have a single group 31 optima AGM battery and a 42+ year old 3-way dometic fridge. I can go 9 days with the fridge and water heater on propane and the water pump "on" the entire time and still have a full charge on the battery. No solar, no generator, no hookups.

I don't use the furnace - the fan will eat up your battery power. I have good bedding that keeps me warm at night and a little buddy to take the chill off when needed.

I like the simplicity of my setup. It works well for dry camping and I don't have to deal with the expense of the generator, generator fuel, and/or solar setup.

For the price of a honda generator, you've paid for a propane fridge.

[Boon_Docker]

Gdetrailer wrote:

K3WE wrote:
To us, "boondocking" is 2 to 5 days with no generator or solar and maybe even wimpy old batteries.

I'm thinking the fancy "residential refrigerators" (with dedicated converter) are a bad idea for this type of use pattern.

(Yeah, often times the furnace is involved).

Thoughts? Experiences?

Thanks.

But from the tone of your post, it looks like you have a chip on your shoulder against folks using home fridges..

Why such hate?

I don't have anything against you or others wasting your money on RV fridges that are many times more expensive and less reliable (IE fancy control boards and kludgy, flammable cooling units) and STILL require a 12V battery to power the electronics.. You are more than welcome to continue on with what you have.

Wow, I would like some of those drugs you are using. :B

[2oldman]

Resi- boondock 2018
pros-cons v. gas2016

resi Feb 2016


older stuff:
household refer and inverter2009
residential fridge- boondocking 09

[Gdetrailer]

K3WE wrote:
To us, "boondocking" is 2 to 5 days with no generator or solar and maybe even wimpy old batteries.

I'm thinking the fancy "residential refrigerators" (with dedicated converter) are a bad idea for this type of use pattern.

(Yeah, often times the furnace is involved).

Thoughts? Experiences?

Thanks.

I can easily operate my 10 cu ft home fridge from one pair of 6V GC batts, plus run the furnace, plus some lighting and some entertainment for 24 hrs before needing to recharge.

I would have no issue camping for two days without recharging with 2 pairs of GC batts, no gen or solar.. I could add 300W-400W worth of solar panels and be able to camp nearly a week with on two pairs of GC batts. If I used a gen it could be nearly indefinite depending on how much spare gas I wanted to take.

Home fridges ARE far more energy efficient now days, ones like mine use a whopping 90W while running and run 20 minutes per hr, inverter I use also has a sleep mode, shuts down the output section and goes into a sleep mode when no 120V load is attached.. So when the compressor shuts down so does the inverter. Really does not add all that much to the 12V load.

And my home fridge is not anywhere "fancy", it is a CHEAP $300 Haier brand.

If anything, a propane fired fridge is "fancy" based on price alone..

To replace my $300 home fridge with a RV fridge would cost $1800 plus shipping now days..

But from the tone of your post, it looks like you have a chip on your shoulder against folks using home fridges..

Why such hate?

I don't have anything against you or others wasting your money on RV fridges that are many times more expensive and less reliable (IE fancy control boards and kludgy, flammable cooling units) and STILL require a 12V battery to power the electronics.. You are more than welcome to continue on with what you have.

I could not justify spending nearly $2000 for a RV fridge for a trailer that was worth $700..

Need batteries any way and a inverter does add some convenience so really was a low cost solution to fix my TT instead of scrapping the TT.

Not to mention, I can easily replace my home fridge anywhere at any non RV store if it failed ( didn't build it in so it has an open space to allow for different fridge sizes).

RV fridges, not so much, have to run to a dealer, have them order one, then wait.. And HOPE you can get the same model which fits.. Nine times out of ten the model you have was discontinued and you WILL have to make modifications to your cabinets..

[Matt_Colie]

Ditto

We do have a residential reefer, it is even a dorm version selected for minimum power drain and a pair of good GC2s will barely make 2 days in moderate weather. Before the AC/DC Norcold died, it didn't do much better.

Matt

[K3WE]

Second Chance wrote:
A single wet cell house battery will often last only one cold night running the furnace fan alone.

Anyone have a rule of thumb/experience for the refrigerator?

[Sam_Spade]

K3WE wrote:
To us, "boondocking" is 2 to 5 days with no generator or solar and maybe even wimpy old batteries.

With those self-imposed (I assume) restrictions, there will be a LOT of things that you can't do; a "residential" fridge is just one.

[ScottG]

In your case I would have a propane fridge.

[ulvik]

It is!