Running fridge Norcold N611 off inverter?

[DAS26miles]

My Norcold N611 runs normally off either propane and the house batteries for the circuit board with minimum amp draw, or off 120v. I have 2 group 24 batteries and was wondering in the event I run out of propane, can I run the fridge off the inverter? If so, how long with 2-85ahr? Could solar panels recharge the batteries to keep it going indefinitely?

[BFL13]

CA Traveler wrote:
Portable gens like the Honda often have a floating ground. Perhaps your refer detects this as inadequate voltage.

Hondas have a "floating neutral" not a floating ground. I hope nobody gets all confused where it might matter. There is no need to ground (Earth) the portable Honda gen when you have the Rv's shore power cable plugged into it.

Next thing we will be all tangled up in that whole bonding business again1 😞

[DAS26miles]

Once I get thru playing with my new solar kit in the next day or two, I will do a test with the inverter and fridge to see what amp usage is.

[pnichols]

MrWizard wrote:
That generator is so old
There is no EVR
With either a permanent magnet field, or with diode and capacitor in the circuit feels windings
If you but a scope on it, you would see a big spike
It's find for motors, or old heavy transformer battery chargers, but modern digital electronics refuse to operate on something like that

You're absolutely correct on the age of it! But it's still so pretty with it's bright red paint on it's nearly all-steel case and hardly any scratches, and it's so quiet (54dB all the time), and it's so stingy on gas, and it starts right up on ethanol gas even after long storage periods . It's kind of a legend in the Honda world for those who know about it and/or have ever owned one ... it was considered a very high end superb piece of equipment way back when in it's day. You probably know how it goes for those of us with that "let's see just how long we can keep the old girl running" fetish!

That being said ... doesn't my $$$$ built-in non-inverter Onan have almost the same (ancient) output regulation/clean-up technology as the 25 year old non-inverter Honda? The Norcold has no problem running off the Onan.

CA Traveler ... thank's much for your suggestion above on grounding the Honda to the motorhome. That just must might be the problem! I guess I just have to run a small wire from the Honda's stainless steel grounding screw over under a screw head on the E450's frame to complete this ground?? I'd like to be able to count on the little Honda for a backup - instead of the big Onan - if the propane system should ever fail while we're out and about drycamping.

I'm also wondering if a simple 120V-to-120V inline isolation transformer plugged in between the Honda and the motorhome's shore cable wouldn't fool the Norcold into running just fine off the Honda ... if CA Traveler's grounding suggestion doesn't do it?

[AH64ID]

My Norcold fridge draws ~26A DC running off the inverter. You would have 2-3 hours at that draw rate.

It can be done short term if you need the fridge to stay cold, but not long term.

[MrWizard]

That generator is so old
There is no EVR
With either a permanent magnet field, or with diode and capacitor in the circuit feels windings
If you but a scope on it, you would see a big spike
It's find for motors, or old heavy transformer battery chargers, but modern digital electronics refuse to operate on something like that

[CA_Traveler]

Portable gens like the Honda often have a floating ground. Perhaps your refer detects this as inadequate voltage.

[DAS26miles]

pnichols-my Minnie is only 22 feet and the batteries are in an outside compartment in front of the rear wheel well and under the fridge. This MH was designed as a weekender and nothing more. I'm on a Ford E-350 chassis which makes space and weight an issue. I looked into replacing the group 24s with Trojan 6 volt batteries, but the compartment was too small and can't handler the extra weight.

[pnichols]

DAS26miles wrote:
No room for extra batteries or big solar. It's a 22 foot Minnie.

Not answering your question, but ... where are your batteries?

We have a 24 foot Itasca and it's two batteries are stored under the step where you enter the coach. Although it came stock with two Group 24 batteries, the battery bracket under the step is long enough to hold up to two Group 31 batteries. I have had two Group 29 batteries in this area for years.

I'm curious as to why Winnebago's Minnie models don't have about the same battery compartment arrangement as is in our Itasca?

Another refrigerator issue - our Norcold N611 has always acted strange in this way: I have a small 650 watt Honda generator for quiet battery charging and emergency power. For emergency powering of the N611 if the propane system should ever let us down, I thought this little Honda would be just the ticket. However, apparently the N611's controller circuit does not like the 120V AC power coming from the little Honda. When in the "Auto" position and using the Honda, the N611's controller will not switch to AC power - it keeps the refrigerator on propane power. The N611 will of course switch to AC when we're on shore power or when we're on built-in Onan generator power - but will not switch with the 650 watt Honda generator powering the motorhome. Any ideas what's going on here? I can't believe that the waveform from the little non-inverter Honda generator is that bad!

[SteveAE]

DAS26miles wrote:
There have been 2 times while camping for days in the winter where my high propane consumption almost drained the tank...

I wonder how much propane you can bring along and if there might not be some other problem?
With two 30 pound tanks, I can camp in below zero weather for quite awhile before needing propane, and that is running my regular, propane hog, forced air furnace. And, since I added the Wave heater, my propane use is now so low that I have toyed with the idea of removing one bottle...or switching to two 30 pounders (concluded it isn't worth it, but still should give you some idea of my propane usage...in the winter)

Steve

[joelmyer]

Just to add a data point on propane consumption:

Dry camping on the Navy Base in Key West since Dec 5th, I've emptied a 7 gal propane bottle every 15-17 days. That's refrig, hot water, stove and occasionally knocking the chill off in the morning.

It was 59 this AM, brrr

Joel

[wa8yxm]

DAS26miles wrote:
My Norcold N611 runs normally off either propane and the house batteries for the circuit board with minimum amp draw, or off 120v. I have 2 group 24 batteries and was wondering in the event I run out of propane, can I run the fridge off the inverter? If so, how long with 2-85ahr? Could solar panels recharge the batteries to keep it going indefinitely?

Short answer is yes,, HOWEVER

Two Group 24's is about 150 amp hours, 50-60 usable amp hours (assumes MARINE/deep cycle) or 800 watt hours at the C/20 rate.. With conversion loss make that 600 watt hours at the C/20 rate

The fridge draws around 350,, So you have 1 hour of battery run time if you are lucky

Upgrade those G-24 to GC-2 and you get 230 total Amp hour 115 usable, (These are DEEP CYCLE no mention of marine). so that's what, around 1,000 watt hours, with the fast discharge perhaps 2 to 2.5 hours of battery life..

Of course your alternator (while moving) will add a bit to that but frankly not enough.

I would call this a bad idea.

(NOTE: Tried it, with GC-2s, Was not happy with result).

[CA_Traveler]

DAS26miles wrote:
I guess I can do a test myself and run an extension cord from the fridge to the inverter and check my battery monitor to see the actual draw. I know using propane mode my total 12v amp draw is .6amps on the battery monitor, that's the fridge, thermostat CO2 monitor and other hidden parasitic drains.
There have been 2 times while camping for days in the winter where my high propane consumption almost drained the tank. I was concerned that we might run out before breaking camp. I was wondering if powering the fridge thru the inverter would work.
But my house batteries would have to be charged also..

You'll gain some information but refer cycle time is a factor. :h

Connect the refer to a Kill A Watt for several typical days then do the math to determine the average daily battery draw.

In the end you'll decide to not run out of propane. :B But perhaps a backup plan for a limited amount of time. :@

[DAS26miles]

We set the thermostat at 50-55 at night. Seldom comes on except when below 40 at night. Furnace uses 8 amps and seems to cycle 20 minutes every hour. Seems to use about 20 amps per night. Propane hog is the furnace. No room for extra batteries or big solar. It's a 22 foot Minnie.

[DrewE]

DAS26miles wrote:
I guess I can do a test myself and run an extension cord from the fridge to the inverter and check my battery monitor to see the actual draw. I know using propane mode my total 12v amp draw is .6amps on the battery monitor, that's the fridge, thermostat CO2 monitor and other hidden parasitic drains.
There have been 2 times while camping for days in the winter where my high propane consumption almost drained the tank. I was concerned that we might run out before breaking camp. I was wondering if powering the fridge thru the inverter would work.
But my house batteries would have to be charged also..

Compared to the furnace, the fridge uses practically no propane. You'd likely conserve more propane by setting the thermostat (for the furnace) down a degree or two than by running the fridge on electric.