Inverter Use

[rfporzio]

Hi All, Has anyone tried running their RV fridge on a basic inverter.
In my case I have easy access to the plug on my fridge. I would disconnect the plug from the 110v outlet and plug it into an inverter. What size inverter would I need for a 3.7 size Norcold Fridge. I was thinking at least a 750W.

2012 Tacoma
2018 Prolite Plus S

[camperdave]

I did it on accident last week in fact! I normally have the fridge unplugged from the 120 outlet so it can't happen, but a series of events occurred that had me driving down the road for a few hours with the fridge accidentally running off the 300w inverter. No problems, but I prefer to run on propane. Seems to cool better on propane too.

[allen8106]

My RV fridge draws about 28 amps or about 336 watts per hour when on electric.

[Copperhead]

That size fridge, I would just replace it with a DC compressor version. Can run all the time on batteries with no inverter needed. A fridge that size only would use about 3-4 amps of DC power, and then only 30-50% of the time. They are far more efficient, cool faster, and keep a more uniform temp inside. A 3.7 absorption unit, a DC compressor version would give one about 5 CF of actual storage inside the same exterior dimensions.

A simple solar unit when boondocking would keep batts charged up even with a DC compressor fridge running. Even the fridge running overnight will not seriously degrade batts. Of course, the smart thing is to use a couple of 6v deep cycle batts in series, say, 235 amp capacity each.

Dometic, Norcold, Nova Kool, etc all make some very good DC compressor fridge units from 1.7 cf all the way to 10 cf. DC is all I ever use nowadays. Looking at some new TT's and one of the first things I would do if I get one is to yank out the stupid WW I absorption fridge and replace it with a DC compressor version.

[PNW_Steve]

I replaced my failed absorbsion refrigerator with a household 10.8 cute.ft. residential refrigerator, xantrex inverter and two GC2 batteries.

Residential refrigerator is much more energy efficient than the absorbsion refrigerators.

[Sandia_Man]

Sure you can run your RV fridge on AC mode using an inverter whether going down the road or parked, although the majority of RVers believe it unnecessary preferring to just use propane mode. We did it a couple of times primarily to test inverter functionality while underway, without a doubt our battery bank was a bit down upon arrival. Since our preferred method of RVing is boondocking or dry camping out in the open without hookups, we find it an unwarranted waste of our 12 volt DC reserves.

[RoyB]

What we do is place two milk cartons frozen with fresh water inside the fridge... Then when we get a hundred miles out from destination will operate the fridge on 12VDC...

All of freezer items are kept in the 5-day ICE CHEST starting out full of ice. Our meats are kept in a plastic container with a lid sitting on top of the ice... We try hard not to open the ice chest during the trip...

Once setup at the camp site truck bed is parked in the shade. Our truck also has the folding panels secured bed cover... Again keeping the ice chest closed all the times makes it work better... The two frozen milk cartons becomes source for cold fresh water to drink...


Roy's image

Our fridge does not have the freezer section so we depend on the ice chest to keep frozen food... ICE is the first thing we run out of on our trips... Can get a good three days then have to find some ice...

This routine works out pretty good for us over the years... Most of our camping is OFF-ROAD within 200 miles or so of home base Heading back to a camp store every three days works out ok for us anyway... Can restock the meats and keep mommabear happy with her needs haha... I like my ice cream bars daily...

My setup includes what I call my duty 600W Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter. This is always on and I have two heavy duty extension cords with multi-tap ends run to a couple of places inside the trailer along the back side of a cabinet top... Being pure sine wave we can plug into to with anything we have aboard and not worry about the infamous blue smoke associated with the Modified sine wave inverters...

Like said above this has been our setup routine for many years since 2009... It does take some PLAN B Planning haha...

Roy Ken

[stevemorris]

I don't understand why you wouldn't run it on propane
our fridge runs on propane for days at a time, perfectly I might add

running electrically while on the road so basically off the alternator is still going to cost something(vehicle fuel), the alternator is not a free energy source

with all the various losses, particularly at the invertor(heat), it will likely cost more to run it electrically not to mention more wear on the alternator and its drive system

[rfporzio]

Thanks guys...so My last camper had a 3way fridge. Originally my dealer disconnected the dc operation in fear that I would kill my battery by forgetting to change it over to gas when I might go into a restaurant or whatever. I did have him reconnect it and I absolutely loved running it on dc while running down the road. I had absolutely no trouble at all and never killed my battery. I was vigilant about changing over to gas or electric when it was available. So fast forward. I do have no trouble running on gas down the road and it does function fully. Unfortunately my new fridge only runs a/c - propane. I noticed my fridge plug was so accessible, I figured I would ask here if it could be done before I ordered an inverter.
Thanks again for all the responses.

2012 Tacoma
2018 Prolite Plus S

[FLY_4_FUN]

Any time we have full sun and im headed down the road on longer trips I use my fridge on AC off the inverter. I have 400W of solar plus the small trickle charge from the truck so I save a small amount of LP.

[Ski_Pro_3]

Why not run it on 12 volts if the fridge has a 12 volt setting? Inverting 12 volts DC to 120 AC takes power. Your batteries will last longer if you run the fridge on 12. If you only have gas or AC, I can understand why you want an inverter.

[beemerphile1]

Absorption refrigerators are energy hogs, running on an inverter will take a lot of power.

[CA_Traveler]

Do you want to use AC while driving for some reason? IF so then provided your Tacoma alternator is adequate for the job then install the inverter in the truck and run AC wiring to the RV. Adequate as per above it will be about an extra 30A draw.

[time2roll]

Yes I have used my 300w GoPower inverter to power the Dometic absorption fridge. Pulls almost 30 amps from the 12v battery when the cooling unit is cycled on. Most batteries will be dead in a couple hours. Probably 400 to 600 watts is actually plenty as I believe the heating elements are about 325 watts.

I used mine when leaving town and the propane burner would not light. No time so used the inverter until I was at location and was able to get the propane going again. Turned out to be a loose connection to the propane valve solenoid.

[Lwiddis]

Yes, what’s wrong with using propane?