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  1. #1
    Long Hauler howson's Avatar
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    Run Refrigerator While Traveling With Inverter?

    I've re-read the Battle Born battery threads and read my owner's manual. The latter says I could run a refrigerator and furnace off a battery for ~ 5 hours.

    I do not intend to rehash the whole gas-on-while-traveling topic and ask my fellow forum members to refrain from that subject here in this thread. Post here if you want to discuss that topic: https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...249#post178249

    Assuming I am running just the 12cu Dometic refrigerator off of an inverter hooked to two Battle Born batteries (in parallel), how many hours will the refrigerator run? If I can get 10-12 hours out of it then it just might be worth the $$ so Fran doesn't have to worry about packing food in a cooler when we travel.

    Howard
    Last edited by howson; 12-24-2018 at 06:03 AM. Reason: Deleted unrelated content
    2017 Ford F-350 DRW 6.7L Platinum
    2019 315RLTS (purchased 16 Jul 18 from Campers Inn RV in Byron, GA)

  2. #2
    Long Hauler Paul & Deb's Avatar
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    Howard, I did this once (by accident) on a full day of driving and by the time I got to my next spot my 2 6 volt Trojans were dangerously low. The truck couldn't keep up with the draw from the 12 cu ft fridge. This was before I installed solar so I've often wondered if things would be different now.
    Paul "Poppy" and Deb Cervone
    2022 Imagine XLS 22MLE
    2021 Imagine XLS 17MKE - SOLD ; 2015 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS - SOLD
    2016 GMC Denali 3500HD SRW Duramax/Allison CC 4x4; Tire Minder TPMS

  3. #3
    Rolling Along carnolddsm's Avatar
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    Assuming the inverter is in the 90 to 95% efficiency range, when the refrigerator is cooling you would use around 40amps per hour. Depending upon the temperature the refrigerator will likely be cooling 25 to 100% of the time.

    As Paul mentioned absorption refrigerators eat electricity.
    Colan and Marilyn Arnold
    Des Moines, IA - kind of, on the road full time.
    Currently in Durango, Colorado
    Momentum 350M originally, now a 397TH

  4. #4
    Long Hauler howson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by carnolddsm View Post
    Assuming the inverter is in the 90 to 95% efficiency range, when the refrigerator is cooling you would use around 40amps per hour. Depending upon the temperature the refrigerator will likely be cooling 25 to 100% of the time.

    As Paul mentioned absorption refrigerators eat electricity.
    So given the batteries are 100aH, is the math as simple as 200/40, worst-case? (200aH with two batteries in parallel divided by a 40A load = 5 hours of run time?)
    2017 Ford F-350 DRW 6.7L Platinum
    2019 315RLTS (purchased 16 Jul 18 from Campers Inn RV in Byron, GA)

  5. #5
    Rolling Along carnolddsm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by howson View Post
    So given the batteries are 100aH, is the math as simple as 200/40, worst-case? (200aH with two batteries in parallel divided by a 40A load = 5 hours of run time?)
    Depends upon the battery type. For the best battery life lead acid batteries shouldn’t be drawn down more than 50%. Example 200 amp hours of battery is good for 100 amp hours.
    Colan and Marilyn Arnold
    Des Moines, IA - kind of, on the road full time.
    Currently in Durango, Colorado
    Momentum 350M originally, now a 397TH

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by howson View Post
    So given the batteries are 100aH, is the math as simple as 200/40, worst-case? (200aH with two batteries in parallel divided by a 40A load = 5 hours of run time?)
    That should be right provided you don't have other items drawing power. You should also have some power coming from the tow vehicle
    2021 Solitude 375 RES-R
    2024 GMC Denali ultimate DRW

  7. #7
    Long Hauler howson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by carnolddsm View Post
    Depends upon the battery type. For the best battery life lead acid batteries shouldn’t be drawn down more than 50%. Example 200 amp hours of battery is good for 100 amp hours.
    I get that. Been reading and reading all the old posts. A lot of information but it is difficult to put together. Some advocate for two 6V deep cells in series due to low cost/high aH (~250aH rating?) and some the lithium--up to 400aH (four batteries--$$$$$)! Then there's the inverter/charger. That seems to be an entire subject in and of itself. ("Boost mode" and a litany of other buzz words.)

    I think the bottom line for me is I don't know enough yet to pull the trigger on this very expensive upgrade. I need to do more homework and once I figure out what will (or won't) work, and the price point, I'll hold fire until the next sale comes around.

    I'm going to start by turning on my refrigerator to it's coldest setting and see what the EMS reports for amperage. It's a start...
    2017 Ford F-350 DRW 6.7L Platinum
    2019 315RLTS (purchased 16 Jul 18 from Campers Inn RV in Byron, GA)

  8. #8
    Long Hauler Paul & Deb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by howson View Post
    I think the bottom line for me is I don't know enough yet to pull the trigger on this very expensive upgrade. I need to do more homework and once I figure out what will (or won't) work, and the price point, I'll hold fire until the next sale comes around.
    Let's talk about this for a moment.

    I think I've been reading a lot of posts by a few people who have some of the most extensive and expensive solar power systems I have ever seen in this group. It's become a bit overwhelming if you ask me and really only for a select few owners. They even joke about the escalation among each other.

    These types of systems are extraordinary and 95% of owners would likely never see a return on that kind of investment. Now I'm not knocking the work and investment they have made but, quite honestly, I believe many folks here become intimidated by the discussion and especially the money that is being spent.

    My (and many others like me so I'm not promoting mine as anything special at all) simple system does more than I need and I'm all in for around $1,500 to $2,000 (not counting any kind of labor as it's so damn simple I did it all myself) and that includes batteries, solar panels/wiring, solar controller, inverter and even a battery monitor. You can see those items described in my signature.

    I can camp off grid for as long as anyone (given a decent amount of sunlight) with my holding tanks really being the only limiting factor. I do have to run a generator for high consumption appliances like my A/C or microwave, fireplace heater (I can and do still run the fireplace for ambiance) and hair dryer. In the last 2 years I haven't run my generator once for the purpose of charging my batteries and we watch TV and movies every night (just ask my camping neighbors at Quartzsite when my sound system is blasting to loud )

    Now i don't want to be perceived as knocking any of these fantastic systems out there but I don't like people thinking they have to break the bank to set their rig up for dry camping where they don't have to run the generator for 4 to 6 hours a day to recharge their batteries so they can watch their TV at night or do many other things using a base 12 volt system.
    Paul "Poppy" and Deb Cervone
    2022 Imagine XLS 22MLE
    2021 Imagine XLS 17MKE - SOLD ; 2015 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS - SOLD
    2016 GMC Denali 3500HD SRW Duramax/Allison CC 4x4; Tire Minder TPMS

  9. #9
    Long Hauler howson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poppy's 5th Wheel View Post
    Let's talk about this for a moment.
    As a toy and gadget guy, I'd be "all in" with a super-duper setup if I'd use it. I won't. What some have done with their rigs is incredible and I admire their work. Nothing in this thread should be construed as criticizing their choices! They did what was best for them. I am striving to do what Fran and I have chosen at the least cost.

    What I want to do is power the refrigerator while the trailer is being towed. (Again, please everyone, refrain from bringing up propane. Thanks.) I normally tow about 8 hours a day, 10 max. Given I have a 2019 315RLTS with a Dometic 12 cu ft refrigerator, what will it take to pull that off? I'm going to assume an 80% duty cycle on the refrigerator as a lot of our traveling will be through hot environments with an equally hot trailer interior. The WFCO and one battery in the trailer are original as is the wiring. The only addition is the EMS. There will be slight parasitic draws on the battery from the smoke detectors, etc., but I don't think there will be enough to effect the planning.

    Maybe I'm thinking about this all wrong. The truck has a lot of potential as a power source. I'll always be connected to the truck when towing (duh!) so maybe I should be looking at it instead of the trailer as the source of power for the refrigerator. Homework, homework, homework...
    2017 Ford F-350 DRW 6.7L Platinum
    2019 315RLTS (purchased 16 Jul 18 from Campers Inn RV in Byron, GA)

  10. #10
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Hi Howard,

    I went through a similar “dilemma” several years ago, when trying to figure out how to power the 120 VAC (only) fridge on our boat. How many batteries? How big an inverter? What was the actual duty cycle? How far was I drawing the batteries down? How much battery charging was I getting from different sources?

    The key to all this is investing in a quality amp-hour meter. I went with Victron, many years ago. A previous version of the current BMV700 https://www.victronenergy.com/battery-monitors/bmv-700. Not “inexpensive” . . . but money that I have never regretted spending. This meter will let you see exactly what is going on and you can adjust accordingly.

    Paul (Poppy’s 5th Wheel) installed one of these . . . I wonder where he got that idea . . . and I think he will agree that this was money well spent.

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

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