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11-28-2020, 08:00 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 4
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12 volt only refrigerator
New member. Just took delivery of a Keystone Cougar, that has a 12 volt only refrigerator. Not familiar with the 12 volt only, have had many dual gas and electric. Any thoughts?
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11-28-2020, 09:21 AM
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#2
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Senior Member/RVM #90
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,794
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Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined us! 
Congrats on the new rig! Many folks are converting their old AC/propane fridges to either AC only or 12VDC only. I think it will depend on how much boondocking you will be doing and whether you have solar panels. Have fun and keep her between the ditches!
Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!  
__________________
Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
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11-28-2020, 09:33 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Foretravel Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Home is Where WE PARK IT...
Posts: 6,059
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The good is that your ice creme will be frozen, Your beer stays cold, and the milk won't go "blinkie" before it's time..
The could be "not so good" is that with a trlr You will need either a small gen set or solar to keep the batteries charged if puckerbrush boon docking..
[disclaimer.. We full time in a DP, swapped out the propane "wanna-be" and went to a Samsung 18 residential fridge/freezer, and have an onboard gen set] BEST upgrade in many moons.
Note.. We boondock 80% of the time..And My attitude is....so what if I have to run the gennie a couple of extra hours a day...
__________________
Retired truckdriver,
'02 Foretravel... "This Shack will do"
being pushed by an '06 Scion xB
SKP's of Box Elder, South Dakota
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11-28-2020, 09:35 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Workhorse Chassis Owner Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Leesburg, FL
Posts: 196
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I changed my propane/electric to 12v only. Love it. uses approx. 10amp (DC) so lasts plenty long, even when boondocking. Don't have any solar, just 4 6v batteries for the house. No problems lasting 'til the next gen start.
__________________
2004 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 36WDD (Workhorse Chassis)
2004 Honda Goldwing w/trike kit
1995 27' Fleetwood Flair (Sold)
US Navy - Vietnam Swiftboat Vet - PCF 102, PCF-62
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11-28-2020, 05:37 PM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 4
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12 volt refrigerator
Thanks for the thoughts. We will carry a generator with us as we usually camp in National Forest Parks, BLM, or State parks.
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01-26-2021, 06:39 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 68
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Sir, did you beef up the wire guage and fuse to run the 12v unit. I worry that the standard wiring for a gas/elec would not be that robust.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve43
I changed my propane/electric to 12v only. Love it. uses approx. 10amp (DC) so lasts plenty long, even when boondocking. Don't have any solar, just 4 6v batteries for the house. No problems lasting 'til the next gen start.
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__________________
Mark, Becky, and Samson
2023 Entegra Vision 29S
Semper Fi!
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01-26-2021, 06:48 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Powell River, B.C.
Posts: 31,500
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc John B
New member. Just took delivery of a Keystone Cougar, that has a 12 volt only refrigerator. Not familiar with the 12 volt only, have had many dual gas and electric. Any thoughts?
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Welcome to iRV2. 
Is this a brand new RV or, a new to you unit that someone added the 12 volt fridge .
If new could you post the model and brand of the fridge . 
__________________
99DSDP 3884, Freightliner, XC, CAT 3126B, 300 HP /ALLISON 3060
2000 Caravan toad, Remco & Blue Ox.
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01-26-2021, 06:50 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Powell River, B.C.
Posts: 31,500
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve43
I changed my propane/electric to 12v only. Love it. uses approx. 10amp (DC) so lasts plenty long, even when boondocking. Don't have any solar, just 4 6v batteries for the house. No problems lasting 'til the next gen start.
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Steve ; was this a DC compressor conversion of an RV fridge , or a complete replacement ? 
__________________
99DSDP 3884, Freightliner, XC, CAT 3126B, 300 HP /ALLISON 3060
2000 Caravan toad, Remco & Blue Ox.
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01-27-2021, 07:34 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Workhorse Chassis Owner Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Leesburg, FL
Posts: 196
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skip426
Steve ; was this a DC compressor conversion of an RV fridge , or a complete replacement ? |
Yes it was, original 12?? fridge still in use.
__________________
2004 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 36WDD (Workhorse Chassis)
2004 Honda Goldwing w/trike kit
1995 27' Fleetwood Flair (Sold)
US Navy - Vietnam Swiftboat Vet - PCF 102, PCF-62
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01-27-2021, 07:41 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Workhorse Chassis Owner Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Leesburg, FL
Posts: 196
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Quote:
Originally Posted by samsonsdriver
Sir, did you beef up the wire guage and fuse to run the 12v unit. I worry that the standard wiring for a gas/elec would not be that robust.
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Yes I did. Ran a #12 (could have been #10, can't remember at the moment) directly from the battery with it's own cutoff switch in the battery compartment and a circuit breaker in the fridge compartment. Just wired the compressor to that circuit breaker.
We use a separate ice maker so I just closed the valve to the water hose but it would work on electric (120v) if I wanted to do that.
__________________
2004 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 36WDD (Workhorse Chassis)
2004 Honda Goldwing w/trike kit
1995 27' Fleetwood Flair (Sold)
US Navy - Vietnam Swiftboat Vet - PCF 102, PCF-62
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01-27-2021, 09:32 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,446
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve43
Yes I did. Ran a #12 (could have been #10, can't remember at the moment) directly from the battery with it's own cutoff switch in the battery compartment and a circuit breaker in the fridge compartment. Just wired the compressor to that circuit breaker.
We use a separate ice maker so I just closed the valve to the water hose but it would work on electric (120v) if I wanted to do that.
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The circuit breaker belongs near the battery.
Circuit breakers protect wiring, not appliances. They have there own protection.
If that wire you ran, shorts to ground before the fuse, it will melt the insulation off and start burning things.
Remember, the battery stores 1000s of amps in it. A 10 guage wire will glow like a toaster coil.
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01-27-2021, 09:56 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 4
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I did not change any wiring yet. This is a 2021 Keystone Cougar 5ver, and they have a “smart converter” produces a flood load then a maint load and then a trickle charge @13.2-4. I need to learn more about the converter before I change out the batteries. The converters come in a variety of amperage, including 35 amp 45 amp, 65 amp etc.. I have wired a 50 amp service on the barn to keep the RV connected so charging has not been a problem and likewise 4 camping trips have gone very smooth regarding the 12 volt refrigerator, and the rest of the unit
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01-27-2021, 09:58 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 4
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This is a brand new 2021 keystone Cougar 27SGS 5ver
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01-28-2021, 06:09 AM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 68
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Thank you for that answer. So you converted an existing gas fridge?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve43
Yes I did. Ran a #12 (could have been #10, can't remember at the moment) directly from the battery with it's own cutoff switch in the battery compartment and a circuit breaker in the fridge compartment. Just wired the compressor to that circuit breaker.
We use a separate ice maker so I just closed the valve to the water hose but it would work on electric (120v) if I wanted to do that.
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__________________
Mark, Becky, and Samson
2023 Entegra Vision 29S
Semper Fi!
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