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06-17-2017, 09:18 AM #1
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Running the fridge on propane while plugged in
I'm currently overseas, but designing a solar system for my 2650RK for when I return. I know that when plugging your shore power cable into the inverter of a stand-alone solar battery bank, you'll need to switch off the breaker for the factory converter to prevent it from trying to charge the factory battery. What I can't remember however, is if you can switch the fridge to propane while plugged in. That would lighten the load on my solar batteries, allowing more juice for the TV and AC outlets throughout the coach. Does anyone know this off the top of their head?
I'd also be curious to know what kind of draw the fridge and factory converter would put on my solar system if I chose to run it on the default shore power mode, but I'm not expecting anyone to have data that technical committed to memory...
Thanks!Last edited by colbyscameron; 06-17-2017 at 09:22 AM. Reason: added another question
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06-17-2017, 11:08 AM #2
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OK, lets see if I can explain this and make it sound right. The converter does charge your battery, true. But it also gives power to all the 12 volt fuse in the breaker panel. They runs your light, water pump, fridge, water heater and such. So, if you turn the inverter off, not only will the battery not charge but you will drain it while running those options. So, as a person who has an inverter fed off a battery bank, I say leave the inverter breaker on and turn your battery switch off. You get 12 volt power w/o charging the battery. Then turn the battery switch back on about 24 hours before you hit the road and charge the battery back up.
Now, your fridge. Just look on the control panel and switch it to gas. Norcold and Dometic are right on the front and very simple. Atwood, you push and hold the MODE button and change it to GAS.
Hope that helps.2016 GD 29RS
2014 Ram 3500 Laramie Big Horn dually
60 gallon fuel auxiliary fuel tank
B&W Companion hitch with TruXedo Tonneau Cover
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06-17-2017, 11:12 AM #3
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OK, lets see if I can explain this and make it sound right. The converter does charge your battery, true. But it also gives power to all the 12 volt fuse in the breaker panel. They runs your light, water pump, fridge, water heater and such. So, if you turn the converter off, not only will the battery not charge but you will drain it while running those options. So, as a person who has an inverter fed off a battery bank, I say leave the converter breaker on and turn your battery switch off. You will get 12 volt power w/o charging the battery. Then turn the battery switch back on about 24 hours before you hit the road and charge the battery back up.
Now, your fridge. Just look on the control panel and switch it to gas. Norcold and Dometic are right on the front and very simple. Atwood, you use the MODE button and change it to GAS.
Hope that helps.
Changes to the posting above. I mixed up inverter and converter. They have been corrected.2016 GD 29RS
2014 Ram 3500 Laramie Big Horn dually
60 gallon fuel auxiliary fuel tank
B&W Companion hitch with TruXedo Tonneau Cover
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06-17-2017, 11:21 AM #4
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Thanks for that. Sounds like a much better way of doing things than what I had in mind.
My fridge is one of the new automatic ones so there's only 1 button on it. No control panel or anything. That's why I was curious about overriding it's automatic changeover to electric mode when plugged into shore power.
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06-17-2017, 11:55 AM #5
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How about turning off the 120 breaker then it will think it is not plugged in and change to gas?
2016 GD 29RS
2014 Ram 3500 Laramie Big Horn dually
60 gallon fuel auxiliary fuel tank
B&W Companion hitch with TruXedo Tonneau Cover
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06-17-2017, 12:03 PM #6
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I'll give that a shot when I get home. It may be as easy as pressing that button, but its hard to find out if that's the case when you're on the other side of the planet for a month... lol
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06-17-2017, 02:52 PM #7
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My fridge has only one button also. If I want to be on gas while plugged into power, I unplug the fridge. The plug in on mine is outside behind the removable fridge panel.
2019 GMC 3500 HD:)
2016 Reflection 313RLTS:cool:
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06-26-2017, 05:08 PM #8
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06-26-2017, 05:37 PM #9
Rodney - You will get 12V from the converter while plugged into shore power. But Colby is talking about running a solar charging system with an inverter and battery bank. If you leave the converter's AC breaker on while you plug the rig into the inverter's 120VAC outlet, you will start a cascade of charge/discharge cycles between the inverter and converter which will quickly run down the battery bank.
If you are dry camping and don't have power available, you should be charging your batteries with your solar charging system. And if you don't want to install an automatic transfer switch you can plug a power cord into the AC outlet of the inverter which will power all of your AC outlets. But, you MUST turn off the converter breaker or risk running down your batteries. In fact, I have my solar charging system running all the time during daylight hours and I always leave my converter's breaker off, even while plugged in.
Jim
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