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Topic ClosedDometic Fridge on 8 AA batteries?
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Our pod View Drop Down
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Joined: 03 Oct 2016
Location: Olympia WA
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Posts: 62 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Dometic Fridge on 8 AA batteries?
    Posted: 16 Mar 2019 at 12:17pm
Pull some fuses or flip some circuit breakers, but if you're using LP the sniffer should be on.
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2019 at 12:37pm
Originally posted by Our pod

Pull some fuses or flip some circuit breakers, but if you're using LP the sniffer should be on.

Yeah that's a good point. 
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2019 at 12:46pm
Originally posted by offgrid

My parasitic load is around 150-200 milliamps which is about 3-5 amphours a day, or about 2% of battery capacity daily.

I have not tested the drain yet. 150-200 ma is pretty low, easily offset with my solar panels, with plenty of surplus. I'm getting a few things done to the trailer as we speak, so I'll be testing that with my meter shortly.

I see now why Dometic doesn't advertise or promote this 'feature' over here in the USA.
 
American RVers are just not 'on board' with the idea.

Disapprove
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
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Posts: 6297 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2019 at 1:53pm
Originally posted by podwerkz

Originally posted by StephenH

My thinking also is that by the time you pay for the parts, shipping, and installation, you will have paid at least as much, if not more, than the cost of upgrading to dual GC2 6V batteries which will definitely work better in a boondocking situation than a battery pack for the refrigerator and a stock 12V group 24 battery.

Thats a possibility of course, the cost for the part might be stupidly high or even made out of un-obtanium. But I think installation should be easy, the little battery drawer slides out from the 'eye-brow' of the fridge.

I bought (and briefly used) a Battle Born LiFePo4 100ah battery for one of my other trailers and that thing is just begging to be dropped into the r-pod. 

I know the factory WFCO converter charger is not rated for lithium 'per-se', but the Battle Borns are designed as a 'drop-in' replacement for lead-acid RV batteries.

Let the spending begin!

Wink
Please open a separate topic and tell about this Battle Born LiFePo4 battery experience.
StephenH
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2019 at 3:31pm
Measured standby current on battery, shore power disconnected, with everything off, about 325 ma. 

With fridge turned on, in gas mode, about 400 ma. 

Not as bad as I had suspected. I'm sure some of that is standby for the USB port, which is lit up, and probably a relay or something in the converter, plus the LP detector. The included TV is AC only, so that can be discounted. 

I do hear a relay or something inside click when I remove power....but have not investigated further. I assume that's coming from the converter.

I cant find a tool I need, so, Monday I will resume work after buying a couple of things I need to install the Battle Born. (bigger battery box and a 3/8 hex power drive socket for my drill. I know I have one somewhere, but have misplaced it!)

Once I get all that installed, and get the solar controller and cables all hooked up, and do a bunch of testing while the r-pod is docked at my house, I will venture out with a semi-off grid capable pod.

Stay tuned!
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