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04-12-2015, 05:18 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,569
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Jbrv, let me try to help. The fridge is only designed to work on LP or 110v. The 12volts powers the control board in which YOU have a choice of LP or 110v. The board must have 12v to tell the fridge what you have chosen.
On the same principle you also have a propane water heater........but it also MUST have 12v to tell it when to fire the burner or not even though you have chosen propane.
Propane is probably safer than your gas tank in your vehicles! I KNOW the propane tank is built much stronger than a gas tank!
Hope this helps
__________________
American Tradition 42R-Cadillac SRX Blue Ox Koni 5050XL MCD Scangauge D Samsung rf197
Fulltime since 2012
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04-12-2015, 05:26 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: where ever the rv is parked today.
Posts: 629
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 336muffin
Jbrv, let me try to help. The fridge is only designed to work on LP or 110v. The 12volts powers the control board in which YOU have a choice of LP or 110v. The board must have 12v to tell the fridge what you have chosen.
On the same principle you also have a propane water heater........but it also MUST have 12v to tell it when to fire the burner or not even though you have chosen propane.
Propane is probably safer than your gas tank in your vehicles! I KNOW the propane tank is built much stronger than a gas tank!
Hope this helps
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Thanks. I am still at a loss as to why the inverter which has two functions..........convert ac to dc to charge the battery and convert 12 to 110 to power things..........will not run the thing assuming i am putting power into the battery (via alternator) I am pretty convinced it is just not up to the task. Nice pretty big fridge but you donot get to power it unless you run the noisy gennie (even a quite gennie is still noise) LPG gas, or shore power. All good. I know I am not the typical rv user/purchaser and 95% of them are built the same or out of my price range.
Thanks
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04-12-2015, 05:29 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
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You can do it but if you don't switch it back it's a big draw on the batteries when the engine is off
My refrigerator draws 350 watts on AC. I hooked it to my 1000 watt inverter. At 12 volts, it is drawing approximately 35 amps, something my alternator can handle.
Not having a large battery bank, when I overnight in rest areas, I switch it to gas. I do this with a 120 volt relay controlled by a 13.2 volt, voltage sensing relay. If the alternator is not charging it disconnects the 120 volt and automatically switches over to gas.
Of course, I leave my gas valve open. Don't want to forget and have melted ice cream.
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04-12-2015, 05:32 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: where ever the rv is parked today.
Posts: 629
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat
You can do it but if you don't switch it back it's a big draw on the batteries when the engine is off
My refrigerator draws 350 watts on AC. I hooked it to my 1000 watt inverter. At 12 volts, it is drawing approximately 35 amps, something my alternator can handle.
Not having a large battery bank, when I overnight in rest areas, I switch it to gas. I do this with a 120 volt relay controlled by a 13.2 volt, voltage sensing relay. If the alternator is not charging it disconnects the 120 volt and automatically switches over to gas.
Of course, I leave my gas valve open. Don't want to forget and have melted ice cream.
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AHA!!!!!!!!!!! I knew it was not just me.
Sounds like just what i need to do.
thanks
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04-12-2015, 05:34 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Pacific Coast, Washington State
Posts: 469
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How long do you plan to drive each day? The contents of the fridge will probably be fine without power for 6-8 hours if you're concerned about the propane, which you obviously are. Put a jug of ice in there and you're good.
If you're driving in hot weather, you will probably have the generator running to power the coach air conditioners as you drive anyway, so the fridge problem is ... not such a problem.
Or rewire the coach. That's your other option.
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04-12-2015, 06:07 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Fulltime, USA
Posts: 16,706
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My fridge is on gas while traveling, and I switch to gas if paying extra for electric.
Been doing that for about 25 years. Works great!
BTW, we are fulltimers and go about 6 months between propane fills cuz the only gas users are the refer and the stove. Relax!
Also, absorption refers are known to only have fires while on electric, not gas.
Why fight it?
Happy trails!
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04-12-2015, 06:21 PM
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#21
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 16
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Seems to me the OP was only looking for confirmation as to if that issue was by design when in his/her opinion, there is another viable source of useable power.
Removed the rest of my post. My apologies - did not mean to offend. Will better phrase my opinions next time.
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04-12-2015, 06:27 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: where ever the rv is parked today.
Posts: 629
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HoneyBadger
How long do you plan to drive each day? The contents of the fridge will probably be fine without power for 6-8 hours if you're concerned about the propane, which you obviously are. Put a jug of ice in there and you're good.
If you're driving in hot weather, you will probably have the generator running to power the coach air conditioners as you drive anyway, so the fridge problem is ... not such a problem.
Or rewire the coach. That's your other option.
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I saw it go from 38 to 53 in two hours today. It was about 90 outside and i like to travel with windows open. 90 with wind moving is fine with me. I know for others it is not, not so good for the fridge either.
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04-12-2015, 06:27 PM
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#23
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Community Administrator
Pond Piggies Club LA Gulf Coast Campers Outdoors RV Owners Club Entegra Owners Club Skyline Owners Group
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 40,591
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Community Rules reminder...
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Let's discuss the issue, not admonish others.
Thanks.
Lori-
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2016 Phoenix Cruiser 2350S, 2018 Phaeton 40IH,2006 Bounder 36Z, 2004 Cougar 285EFS, 2000 Aerolite 25FBR
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04-12-2015, 06:35 PM
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#24
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 8,777
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jbrv
Not really Like i said I am sure it is safe if nothing out of the ordinary happens. If something does not having the gas on is one less thing that can go boom or feed a fire.
My like or dislike of lpg power is not really the issue.
The issue is why the hell am i forced to use it if I have fully charged batteries getting charged by the alternator while driving?
I am assuming it is the way they built it to be. Came here to be sure not convinced driving with LPG running is safe or not.
I am almost sure it is due to putting in an inverter that is not up to the task of powering that fridge and not wanting to enlarge the battery box to be able to install enough amp hours to provide that power or move past using lead acid or agm batteries into lithium ion.
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jbrv
IF your refrigerator outlet is inverter powered... and IF the watt output of your inverter is enough... you should be able to run the fridge on 120VAC inverter power while driving.
I believe RV absorption refrigerators draw between 600 and 960 watts, (5 to 8 amps), of 120VAC power when running on electric...(depending on the make model).
If your inverter is a 1000 amp, (or greater), unit you should be okay.
I know my 2000 watt has no problem running my Norcold 682 on electric while I'm driving...(but not long when parked with no shore or generator power).
Mel
'96 Safari, Heart Freedom 20 inverter charger
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04-12-2015, 06:36 PM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: where ever the rv is parked today.
Posts: 629
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CampDaven
My fridge is on gas while traveling, and I switch to gas if paying extra for electric.
Been doing that for about 25 years. Works great!
BTW, we are fulltimers and go about 6 months between propane fills cuz the only gas users are the refer and the stove. Relax!
Also, absorption refers are known to only have fires while on electric, not gas.
Why fight it?
Happy trails!
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Thanks. Not so worried about fire while just doing rv things. Just if something goes wrong. Not something I loose sleep over, just something i think about now and again and try to minimize the risk if feasible.
Idea was one is it broke? if not why it was built that way? why not use the power already being created? and yes time between lpg fill ups is in the back of my mind.
6 months between fill ups? If that involves multiple 5-10 day off grid times I could forget about the whole thing then and be happy.
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04-12-2015, 06:43 PM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,569
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Hi Lori! See you in Decater!
jbrv, your gen can run your roof ac, water heater, fridge and coffee pot for about 1/2gallon per hour..............that is pretty efficient since gas is around $2.50 a gallon. We use our gen a lot when traveling.
I ran my fridge off my inverter when we went coast to coast once trying to save on propane, boy was I stupid! Smoked a $400.oo alternator!
__________________
American Tradition 42R-Cadillac SRX Blue Ox Koni 5050XL MCD Scangauge D Samsung rf197
Fulltime since 2012
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04-12-2015, 06:45 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Fulltime, USA
Posts: 16,706
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Fridge working while driving?
Quote:
Originally Posted by jbrv
6 months between fill ups? If that involves multiple 5-10 day off grid times I could forget about the whole thing then and be happy.
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They designed them to work so we don't have stuff to worry about.
Yep. Just turn on the gas, trust the safety devices and features that have been designed to protect you.
Yes, be happy! You have what you need.
If still worried, take option 2: residential refer, more batteries, inverter, etc. Your rig, your nickle!
Happy trails
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04-12-2015, 09:36 PM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: North Texas
Posts: 1,061
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Fridge working while driving?
Jbrv,
Something I might of missed in all the replies, but I didn't see a reply where anyone asked if you had an inverter powered outlet behind your fridge. ... Or let's back up one more step...
Do you have an ice maker. If you do, it will be driven off the inverter. You can unplug the heating coils from your non-inverted outlet (gen and shore power only) and plug it into the same outlet your ice maker is plugged into ... Again, assuming you've got an ice maker.
Shoot... Just open the access panel behind the fridge and see if you have two separate 120volt outlets. If you do, odds are one is inverted, the other is not.
If this has already been offered up as a suggestion, just consider me late to the game and ignore my post.
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