Community Forums

ascdds · 07-13-2019, 02:32 PM

A friend bought a 2019 Grand Design Solitude 375 RES. He got it with the residential all electric fridge. He thought he could keep his fridge on all the time while he is driving on a long trip because he has batteries. But...he only has 2 batteries. He has a 6500 Onan Generator. He does not have autogen start to automatically keep the batteries charged if they get too low. He doesn't know where his inverter is. (Where is it?) I told him that without autogen start, his batteries will run down and be ruined (and his food will go bad) unless he runs his generator most of the time. How long will 2 batteries run a residential fridge before they go bad if he's not plugged in or running his generator? Can he add 2 or 4 more batteries in the series and can he add an autogen start? Or should he trade in the residential fridge for a propane/electric? I believe that without 4 to 6 batteries and an autogen start, the residential fridge was a mistake. Thoughts?

hayward3411 · 07-13-2019, 03:18 PM

He should be fine, the truck pulling the Grand Design will keep the batteries charged. Don't leave the inverter on and plugged into truck and go into Walmart for a few hours. The truck Batteries may be dead.

twinboat · 07-13-2019, 04:30 PM

Setup properly, the truck will maintain the batteries while driving and disconnect the " charge line " when the engine is shut off.

If the charge line is directly connected to the battery, a simple 40 amp relay, controlled by the key fixs that.

The fridge is only going to draw 10 to 20 amps, while its running, and the only run about 1/3 of the time. Well under what the charge line can supply.

ascdds · 07-13-2019, 04:36 PM

What about when boondocking? Without an autogen start, how will he know when he needs to start his generator to recharge his 2 batteries? Don't want him to let them run down but don't want to run the generator all the time.

bertschb · 07-13-2019, 04:43 PM

I have a Grand Design Solitude 373FB-R with the residential fridge. I can easily drive 10 hours with the fridge on and the batteries (I have 2) are fine when I arrive at my destination.

If your friend wants to boondocks with a residential fridge, I would recommend that he get a battery monitor like the Victron BMV-712 so he can accurately monitor his batteries and know when to start his generator.

smlranger · 07-13-2019, 05:57 PM

Plenty of reasonable options for boondocking with a residential fridge. As already recommended, a battery monitor that will let him know when he needs to run the generator. Also, replace the OEM batteries (my dealer installed two Interstate deep cycle 12V batteries) with two (or even 4) good 6V golf car batteries wired in series (each pair). Another option is to add one or two 100 watt solar panels and a solar controller to keep the batteries maintained.

The inverter is behind a removable panel in the basement pass thru storage in my Solitude. It is a 1000 watt true sine wave unit. There is a small panel with an on/off button in the galley area.

You could not give me another LP/electric RV fridge after having a residential fridge in our last three RV's.

mrgrayaz · 07-13-2019, 07:22 PM

You sound like you desperately want us to back you up on this (confirmation bias) when actually it's really no big deal....

ascdds · 07-13-2019, 08:32 PM

He says he doesn’t even know if he has an inverter and may need to have one installed. Does it not come standard with the Solitude? I can’t imagine a dealer giving him a residential fridge and two batteries and no inverter.

DJ55 · 07-13-2019, 10:50 PM

He already has an inverter. The residential fridge needs 120V AC current to run and that's supplied by the inverter. He couldn't run the fridge directly off his batteries.

vsheetz · 07-13-2019, 11:03 PM

How dues one know when the generatir needs to be run? Monitor battery voltage.

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oldbird1965 · 07-14-2019, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

Setup properly, the truck will maintain the batteries while driving and disconnect the " charge line " when the engine is shut off.

If the charge line is directly connected to the battery, a simple 40 amp relay, controlled by the key fixs that.

The fridge is only going to draw 10 to 20 amps, while its running, and the only run about 1/3 of the time. Well under what the charge line can supply.

My Samsung double door residential refrigerator only draws 2 amps. I can hardly believe it myself but according to a Spartan SP-PM 120 power meter left on for 12 hours that's the average.

JDT · 07-14-2019, 06:34 AM

I am not familiar with the Solitude but does it automatically switch between the shore and inverter power? Mine has a transfer switch that changes to inverter when I unplug from shore power and vice versa. I assume he has checked to be sure it is working when not on shore power.

We have traveled all day long without any issues with our Samsung fridge. We have 2 6 volt batteries that do the work. It draws very little power, especially it you don't open it up much. We don't boondock so no comments there. I have been down the Norcold road and never again.

2Yung2 Quit · 07-14-2019, 07:46 AM

I don't think the tow vehicle will typically keep the RV batteries charged unless you specifically wire that way.

TXiceman · 07-14-2019, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2Yung2 Quit

I don't think the tow vehicle will typically keep the RV batteries charged unless you specifically wire that way.

Most trucks have a hot charge line in the seven pin plug. The trailer should be wired so that the charge line from the truck ill keep the battery in the trailer charged.

If he is seriously intending to boondock, he will need about 6 or more 6 volt batteries and 6 or more solar panels. He will also at times need to run a generator to keep the battery charge up.

I would suggest this person get a person familiar with solar systems to evaluate the the RV and instruct him on the proper use of the battery system.

Ken