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01-11-2025, 10:09 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2025
Posts: 1
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Inverter to run refrigerator while driving.
In 2024 I was camping at Twin Lakes in Colorado. I met a gentleman who had an inverter installed in the front storage area of an Outdoors RV 2021 DBS trailer. The inverter was connected to a single circuit breaker that powered his refrigerator while he drives down the road.
I lost the individuals contact info. I'm looking for the individual and the installer of these inverters.
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01-11-2025, 10:38 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2024
Location: WI Driftlesser
Posts: 2,586
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I'm not him, and if you don't find him, I'd suggest putting the inverter near the battery in the tow vehicle, or at least fed from a suitably sized wire from the battery. The problem with running an inverter in the trailer is voltage drop from the tow vehicle to the trailer battery, no easy way to overcome that. Putting the inverter in tow vehicle and running the distance with 120v will overcome that voltage drop, let the fridge run and possibly charge better at the same time. Some fridges will run on modified sine wave power, as little as 6-800W inverter, but pure sine wave is better and typically more efficient.
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"Bringing third world electrical work to first world luxury." RV makers of Murica!
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01-11-2025, 11:24 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2022
Posts: 513
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My first thought; what model refrigerator. Mine is 120VAC or LP. I have an inverter and can run it on battery power, but I use LP while driving so no inverter needed.
Does anyone have a residential (120VAC only) refrigerator installed without an inverter?
__________________
2019 Palomino Solaire 147X
2013 Ford F150
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01-11-2025, 05:32 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Bushnell, Fl.
Posts: 1,394
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I have a 10+ cu.ft Whirlpool Residential without an inverter.
I can drive around 6 hours with no power to the fridge, and the refrigerator section temp only climbs about 4 degrees (at 80 degrees ambient). The freezer section does not get above freezing.
If you don't drive long distances, you may want to try this out.
Tim
__________________
2015 Silverado 3500HD CC DRW Duramax
2006 Hitchhiker Champagne
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01-12-2025, 06:34 AM
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#5
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Community Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Full timing
Posts: 7,965
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vic Garcia
In 2024 I was camping at Twin Lakes in Colorado. I met a gentleman who had an inverter installed in the front storage area of an Outdoors RV 2021 DBS trailer. The inverter was connected to a single circuit breaker that powered his refrigerator while he drives down the road.
I lost the individuals contact info. I'm looking for the individual and the installer of these inverters.
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Easy to accomplish, you will need:
1) an inverter
2) a small, dedicated transfer switch for the fridge
3) extra wiring to complete the circuit.
When we purchased our big 5th wheel toy hauler, we had a setup like you want.
1) Magnum CSW 1012 Inverter:
https://www.invertersupply.com/index...0Listing%20Ads
2) Magnum CSW-TS15 transfer switch:
https://www.invertersupply.com/index...0Listing%20Ads
The power from the breaker panel goes to the inlet side of the transfer switch, the output from the transfer switch to the outlet for the fridge. The transfer switch plugs into the outlet on the inverter.
__________________
2018 Road Warrior 427
2013 Can Am Spyder RT Limited
2017 Ram 3500 w/Aisin w/4:10
2 Dachshunds DJ (RIP 9-12-19) & Joey (RIP 5-14-21)
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01-12-2025, 08:59 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 985
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unless you put a residential fridge in why would you want to run off a inverter when a rv fridge runs of the propane and takes next to nothing to run.
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01-12-2025, 09:11 AM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2024
Location: Maine
Posts: 12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zrock2010
unless you put a residential fridge in why would you want to run off a inverter when a rv fridge runs of the propane and takes next to nothing to run.
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I think it’s obvious we are talking about 120vac fridge here.
Absorption fridges are quickly becoming a thing of the past.
My opinion is the OP should buy a 12 volt compressor type fridge and be done with it. I’m a fan of minimalist engineering. Don’t add complexity to solve a problem. Remove complexity
Before the Amp Hour Police jump all over my opinion may I point out the OP never mentioned overnight stays or off grid camping. He was only concerned with drive time. He must have a power source at both ends one would assume
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01-12-2025, 09:37 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2024
Location: Bohemia NY
Posts: 2,020
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Power source becomes the concern. Ideally the trailer should be equipped with enough battery and inverter power to supply the fridge for traveling or anytime plug in power is not available. Now to provide that power from the to vehicle becomes another challenge. If the fridge needs 300 to 600 watts, an inverter from 12 volts will need 30 to 60 amps to cover that. What is available from the tow vehicle charging system? Will that also be expected to charge the trailer battery bank? Some engineering and controls are required.
__________________
Dennis
Bohemia NY
2008 Nimbus 342 SE Carlyle
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01-12-2025, 12:40 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2024
Location: WI Driftlesser
Posts: 2,586
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600w would be defrost. A simple manual defrost fridge will usually run under 150w, often 100w. That is not a big deal for a tow vehicle, but it won't charge a TT battery at the same time the fridge is running with a typical trailer light cord. But it might KEEP UP, if the fridge started off cold, and the fridge runs half the time.
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"Bringing third world electrical work to first world luxury." RV makers of Murica!
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01-12-2025, 02:36 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2024
Location: Maine
Posts: 12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SafariBen
600w would be defrost. A simple manual defrost fridge will usually run under 150w, often 100w. That is not a big deal for a tow vehicle, but it won't charge a TT battery at the same time the fridge is running with a typical trailer light cord. But it might KEEP UP, if the fridge started off cold, and the fridge runs half the time.
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I have checked the duty cycle on our 12 volt fridge. It’s at about 20%. So that’s 15 amps 20% of the time. Your tow vehicle is capable of 10 times that in most cases. If you have a decent battery in your trailer you have nothing to worry about. Put in the 12 volt fridge or stick with the 120 volt with a decent inverter and you have nothing to worry about.
Don’t over think this. If you are going boondocking it another conversation
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01-12-2025, 03:47 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 37,096
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Fridges run 1/3rd to 1/2 of the time. Even a 10 amp charger line will keep the battery up with the fridge running.
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01-13-2025, 10:24 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Kelowna, B.C. Canada
Posts: 3,773
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Without a DC to DC charger you are likely getting a max of 2-5 amps from your tow vehicle at best.....and possibly much less.
Anyhow, not really enough info to comment on other than running an absorption fridge on electric (If that's what the OP has) off an inverter is very inefficient; I'd run it on propane or swap in a 12V compressor fridge if traveling with the fridge on is important to you.
Dave
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2022 Outdoors RV 25RDS, 2022 F350 dually, 6.7PSD, 10 spd, 3.55's
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01-13-2025, 10:42 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 37,096
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Pelletier
Without a DC to DC charger you are likely getting a max of 2-5 amps from your tow vehicle at best.....and possibly much less.
Anyhow, not really enough info to comment on other than running an absorption fridge on electric (If that's what the OP has) off an inverter is very inefficient; I'd run it on propane or swap in a 12V compressor fridge if traveling with the fridge on is important to you.
Dave
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Charge lines are fused at 30 amps. Even if your claim that only 5 amps is coming thru, that's enough.
Where did that claim come from ?
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01-13-2025, 12:41 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Kelowna, B.C. Canada
Posts: 3,773
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat
Charge lines are fused at 30 amps. Even if your claim that only 5 amps is coming thru, that's enough.
Where did that claim come from ?
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From dozens of similar threads here and elsewhere over the years where people have measured the output. a 30 amp fuse does NOT mean you get anywhere near 30 amps to the the trailer plug.....the main reason being the small wire size and long distance limit the amperage available but there are also other reasons. Even with 9 or 10 amps, if the voltage isn't high enough, it won't charge the RV battery.
This does a good job of explaining some of the issues but you can spend weeks reading all the data out there. https://www.leisuresolar.com/post/my...railer-battery
Ultimately there is a reason DC to DC chargers exist.
Dave
__________________
2022 Outdoors RV 25RDS, 2022 F350 dually, 6.7PSD, 10 spd, 3.55's
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