Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > RV SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES FORUMS > RV Systems & Appliances
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 07-26-2017, 06:30 AM   #1
Senior Member




 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 2,960
Run my refrig on my current inverter

My coach has a Dometic NDA 1402 refrig powered from shore power/generator or propane. The internal refrig temp rises to unacceptable levels when driving so I'm considering powering it from my currently installed Magnum 2000 watt inverter/charger. I'm not real comfortable running it on propane when driving. Currently I'm running the generator when driving but that seems wasteful.

I have a 400 amp house battery bank, but it probably has a bit less capacity, I don't know how old the 4 AGM batteries are. 2 variables I don't know that I probably need to get is the refrig power consumption (it is on a 15 amp circuit breaker) and the output of the engine alternator - Cummins ISL 400 HP engine.

Anybody have any insight into this? I know in reading some threads here that some folks have installed a dedicated inverter, but I think my current inverter is sufficient.
__________________
Tim
Leesburg, FL '07 American Tradition 40Z Cummins 400 ISL
Towing a '14 Honda CRV
Both sold
2021 Vanleigh Beacon 41LKB 5th wheel
timjet is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 07-26-2017, 07:08 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
vsheetz's Avatar


 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: SoCal
Posts: 15,749
I would just run the refrigerator on propane. However, if you want to run it on Inverter your current Magnum should handle it.
__________________
Vince and Susan
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 40QTH (Cummins ISC/Freightliner)
Flat towing a modified 2005 Jeep (Rubicon Wrangler)
Previously a 2002 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 37A and a 1995 Safari Trek 2830.
vsheetz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2017, 08:22 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 191
I agree your inverter should handle that just fine. Mine has a residential fridge and had a 2000 watt Magnum with 400 amp of batteries and would go all day just fine on that. Currently I have the 3000 watt Magnum hybrid and still have the factory crap batteries with 400 amps, and 24 hours of fridge, internet, and some other drawl takes my batteries to about 50% SOC.
drivintin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2017, 08:32 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Cooperhawk's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: 5 miles south of Lakeville, Mn
Posts: 3,046
Ours will run on any of the three but we use propane on the road. Why not?
__________________
Jim and Carol Cooper with Oreo the Kitty
FAA ATC ret, VFW, AL, VVA, NRA
US Army Aviation, MACV Vietnam 65-66
2012 Journey 36M, Cummings 360hp
Cooperhawk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2017, 08:49 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Allen_C's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 160
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cooperhawk View Post
Ours will run on any of the three but we use propane on the road. Why not?
There are concerns about using propane while driving and getting into an accident. There are reported cases of this happening and a fire starting.
__________________
2016 Jayco Alante 31v
Allen_C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2017, 08:53 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
69Stang's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,881
Can Your RV Propane System Explode and Kill You on the Road? - RV Life
__________________
2010 Phaeton 40QTH on a PG Chassis.
2017 Lincoln MKX.
Air Force One brake system and Blue OX Towbar.
69Stang is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2017, 10:39 AM   #7
Senior Member/RVM #90
 
MSHappyCampers's Avatar


 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,578
We have a 2000 watt inverter and have always run the fridge on it when traveling!
__________________
Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
MSHappyCampers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2017, 12:42 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,317
Your RV style fridge will draw between 350 and 500 watts. That's 3 to 5 amps, 120 volts AC. Watts ÷ Volts = Amps

Its about 3 times as much as a residental unit, but no problem with a 2000 watt inverter.

The 12 volt input to the inverter will be 10 times as much, so 30 to 50 amps from the batteries. If at idle, your alternator may not cover all of that, and the chassis loads, but while driving, it should.

If running on propane was so dangerous, our overstepping government would have all sorts of warning labels and devices, we would need to override, prohibiting us from using propane on the road.

It's safe.
twinboat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-14-2017, 03:43 PM   #9
Member
 
Mudflat's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 55
No! Just NO! I retired from ExxonMobil as a process operator at their Beaumont, Texas refinery so I made propane, gasoline and other flammable, explosive & carsenigenic agents for a living and, please trust me on this because I know what Im talking about here, the propane systems should be turned off and the valves on the bottles should be completely SHUT when traveling. Of all the ways there are to die, I certainly don't want to take a chance of being burned alive. Just because you've committed an unsafe act 1,000 times doesn't mean that you can get away with it 1,001 times.
How about fueling up with that big old pilot light burning away where folks are filling their vehicles? How dangerous is that?! I won't even pull into a gas station if there is another RV in there because of the many people who travel with their refrigerator running on propane.
Thanks for letting me vent here. 'Getting off of my soapbox now.
__________________
Texas State Park volunteer, school volunteer, Boy Scout leader & free range husband, Lifestyle 5th wheel & Ford F-350 dually pick-up
Mudflat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-14-2017, 04:05 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Steve Kiemele's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Hartwell, GA
Posts: 240
Make sure that the outlet your fridge is plugged into is powered by the inverter. Sometimes, they are not.
__________________
2005 Monaco Diplomat 40PDQ
Hartwell, GA
Steve Kiemele is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-14-2017, 04:18 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
BillJinOR's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Forest River Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,323
It doesn't hurt anything to turn the valve off .. But it is inconvenient. While I don't share your concern over a propane explosion ( I haven't read about one explosion on the road or gas station explosion in a good long time) if it's a concern by all means turn it off. Peace of mind is good! . Here's my perspective .. I drove truck .. Sleeper team for 4 years between portland or and Denver co I saw 15-20 RV/ motorhome wrecks and helped at 4 we were there first at. No propane problems .. Ever!, that I know of but plenty of other things.50% of the ones we stopped at had fatalities RV.s are not safe in a crash. I still drive one .. Just sayin
__________________
2023 Coachmen Encore 325SS
2002 Ford Escape toad
2020 GMC terrain
BillJinOR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-14-2017, 06:09 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
vsheetz's Avatar


 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: SoCal
Posts: 15,749
On a previous coach with gas/electric RV refrigerator I routinely traveled with the refrigerator operating electric on inverter. Was a 2400w inverter and Norcold 1200 refrigerator. Worked fine. Safer and saved on propane.
__________________
Vince and Susan
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 40QTH (Cummins ISC/Freightliner)
Flat towing a modified 2005 Jeep (Rubicon Wrangler)
Previously a 2002 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 37A and a 1995 Safari Trek 2830.
vsheetz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-14-2017, 06:16 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,807
Sorry, running your RV fridge will not cause a "propane explosion". To have that explosion happen, the tank has to be ruptured, and there are more spark sources to worry about in that type of accident.
aether_one is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-14-2017, 06:28 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 277
I worked for 31 years at a refinery in Port Arthur, Tx. I always travel with my fridge on propane. Turn it off while fueling.
texkayaker is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
inverter



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Dynasty High Current rear run box Jeff753 Monaco Owner's Forum 10 04-19-2015 05:50 PM
Shore power: current but no current Soonest RV Systems & Appliances 18 04-16-2015 09:17 PM
Charging current vs draining current DawnAndChris RV Systems & Appliances 3 08-04-2013 02:20 PM
Size generator to run furnace and refrig Musherdeb Travel Trailer Discussion 15 10-27-2011 04:03 PM
to run refrig while not in use or not while parked fxdave MH-General Discussions & Problems 29 11-02-2010 08:09 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:49 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.