Will fridge run off tow vehicle on batts on TT?

[arcsum68]

Simple question, but I cannot seem to find an answer. Every search results in "will my TV charge the batteries".

Normally wouldn't care, but here's the scenario. Just got a new to me TT but I plan to keep the 2x 6volt batteries from my old trailer. To make them fit I need to make some modifications but its going on a trip before I will do that.

So, will the fridge stay powered by the TV on until I get to the site where I can throw the 2 golf cart batteries on the tongue temporarily?

[midnightsadie]

get a chunk of dry ice .

[wopachop]

Curious what brand paint will you spray on the metal? Ive got some frame rust around my battery box that has needed attention.

[arcsum68]

Thanks guys! Sounds like I should have a battery for safety reasons. I am a safety 3rd kinda guy at camp, but on the road I take it seriously, so I will make sure I have a battery. I can make it work, just didn't want to have to.

On the plus side, got my angle iron and square tube earlier than expected so I should be able to put something together to store the 2 golf cart batteries before I leave anyway.

As per usual, this forum pretty much kicks ass.

[ScottG]

To answer your question directly, yes, the fridge will run directly off your 7 pin connection. It would be better to have the batterys on board but a propane fridge only takes about an amp to run so it's no problem for the vehicle to keep up.

[BFL13]

down home wrote:
Our fifth wheel towed by F350 dual alternators had a 20 amp cartridge type fuse. It was charging or keeping the batteries in the fifth wheel charged and the refrigerator freezer was getting electricity..through the batteries. I hadn't thought about it but it did have a converter charger in it. The factory sent me a second vented battery box an cables. It was a Holiday Rambler Alumiscape. It had two 12 volt deep cycle maintenance free batteries.
Most of the wiring harnesses offered for connection between Fifth wheel or Trailer and the tow vehicle are really inadequate. I bought a heavy 10 gauge wired plug and leads Trucks and Trailers and soldered the connections and heavy shrinked them too. No way the flimsy 14 gauge wires on most would carry the 20 amp rated fuse load, imo.
if you don't have the capacity in your towed RV simple enough to buy the converter charger and wire it and..be sure to use battery boxes and vent hoses to the outside.

How did you run the converter charger going down the road? Generator in the trailer running?

[opnspaces]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

arcsum68 wrote:
There will be no battery, it needs to go in the Nash that I am selling.

And Yes, TW = Tow Wehicle. LOL, sorry about that.

And it is a 2 way fridge and would be on propane.

Federal LAW requires a fully charged functional battery in trailer while towing to activate the Emergency Breakaway----required to maintain voltage/braking for 15 minutes should trailer become disconnected from tow vehicle.

Just saying....you will not be safely towing regardless of distance/time frame


As for fridge...
Tow vehicle '7 pin CHARGE' line is intended to charge/maintain trailer battery voltage while towing.
W/O trailer battery----fridge will not have DC for controls/gas valve because tow vehicle alternator/voltage regulator will not 'see' the fridge DC demand.

Buy a CHEAP 12V battery and toss it in the trailer........!~!

I find it hard to believe that the tow vehicle differentiates between the trailer battery and the truck battery. My guess is the two batteries wires are just tied together at some point and the computer sees the two as one big battery.

One easy way to find out. plug the 7 way umbilical into the truck and start the truck up. Then go into the trailer and see if the interior lights come on. If the lights come on then the refrigerator should work on gas.

[Itinerant1]

I turn my fridge off while traveling and done this for 6+ hour trips with no harm to contents of items in fridge.

[Lwiddis]

“where I can throw the 2 golf cart batteries on the tongue temporarily?“

You can throw them anywhere but if those batteries aren’t fully recharged daily you’ll shorten their life considerably.

[down_home]

Our fifth wheel towed by F350 dual alternators had a 20 amp cartridge type fuse. It was charging or keeping the batteries in the fifth wheel charged and the refrigerator freezer was getting electricity..through the batteries. I hadn't thought about it but it did have a converter charger in it. The factory sent me a second vented battery box an cables. It was a Holiday Rambler Alumiscape. It had two 12 volt deep cycle maintenance free batteries.
Most of the wiring harnesses offered for connection between Fifth wheel or Trailer and the tow vehicle are really inadequate. I bought a heavy 10 gauge wired plug and leads Trucks and Trailers and soldered the connections and heavy shrinked them too. No way the flimsy 14 gauge wires on most would carry the 20 amp rated fuse load, imo.
if you don't have the capacity in your towed RV simple enough to buy the converter charger and wire it and..be sure to use battery boxes and vent hoses to the outside.

[wnjj]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

arcsum68 wrote:
There will be no battery, it needs to go in the Nash that I am selling.

And Yes, TW = Tow Wehicle. LOL, sorry about that.

And it is a 2 way fridge and would be on propane.

Federal LAW requires a fully charged functional battery in trailer while towing to activate the Emergency Breakaway----required to maintain voltage/braking for 15 minutes should trailer become disconnected from tow vehicle.

Just saying....you will not be safely towing regardless of distance/time frame


As for fridge...
Tow vehicle '7 pin CHARGE' line is intended to charge/maintain trailer battery voltage while towing.
W/O trailer battery----fridge will not have DC for controls/gas valve because tow vehicle alternator/voltage regulator will not 'see' the fridge DC demand.

Buy a CHEAP 12V battery and toss it in the trailer........!~!

x2

Alternatively if you have a vehicle battery that is up there in years, buy a new one for the vehicle and use the old one for the breakaway while underway.

[Old-Biscuit]

arcsum68 wrote:
There will be no battery, it needs to go in the Nash that I am selling.

And Yes, TW = Tow Wehicle. LOL, sorry about that.

And it is a 2 way fridge and would be on propane.

Federal LAW requires a fully charged functional battery in trailer while towing to activate the Emergency Breakaway----required to maintain voltage/braking for 15 minutes should trailer become disconnected from tow vehicle.

Just saying....you will not be safely towing regardless of distance/time frame


As for fridge...
Tow vehicle '7 pin CHARGE' line is intended to charge/maintain trailer battery voltage while towing.
W/O trailer battery----fridge will not have DC for controls/gas valve because tow vehicle alternator/voltage regulator will not 'see' the fridge DC demand.

Buy a CHEAP 12V battery and toss it in the trailer........!~!

[2oldman]

arcsum68 wrote:
it's only a 2 hour trip, as long as I get it nice and cool before we go.

You're good with that. Just be darn sure those 2 batteries are healthy.

[wolfe10]

With no battery in the trailer and only a 2 hour drive, I would absolutely just pre-cool the refrigerator and turn it off.

Or, even better, freeze a couple of quart soda bottles and place them in the refrigerator for the trip.

I would be a little concerned about running the refrigerator directly off the TV with no battery in the trailer-- the refrigerator PC board may not appreciate the voltage spikes. Yes, minor risk, but why risk it at all.

[arcsum68]

Worst case scenario, I imagine it will stay cold enough as its only a 2 hour trip, as long as I get it nice and cool before we go.

[ppine]

No they won't.