|
|
Post Reply 
|
Page 12> |
| Author |
 Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search  Topic Options
|
BMJ 
Newbie 
Joined: 25 May 2020 Location: Virginia Online Status: Offline Posts: 24 |
 Topic: Inverter for Refrigerator when travelingPosted: 31 May 2021 at 7:54pm |
|
Have a Travel trailer (R-Pod 195) - Refrigerator only runs on shore power or propane... put a safety valve on the propane... understand not good to travel with the propane on, but only option- or lose all my food. Was told that I could wire an inverter for just the refrigerator when traveling... any advice wiring this?... thanks
|
|
 |
|
|
Pod People
Senior Member 
Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Location: Chapel Hill,NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 1067 |
Posted: 31 May 2021 at 9:35pm |
|
there is always a lot of discussion about this topic of traveling with the propane refrigerator on. I do it all the time-some don't. check the search box and you will see lots of do's/dont's. It's your decision, but I think the majority of people feel ok about traveling with the refrigerator running on propane. Vann
|
|
|
Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 
|
|
|
|
|
jato
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3221 |
Posted: 02 Jun 2021 at 10:26am |
|
+1 We always travel with propane on and since we usually boondock it runs on propane nearly all the time. Have done it that way for the past 10 years and 34,000+ miles and have never had a reason not to run on propane as it is legal to run in all 50 states.
|
|
|
God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
|
|
|
|
Pod_Geek
Senior Member
Joined: 04 Dec 2019 Location: Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 260 |
Posted: 02 Jun 2021 at 12:27pm |
|
We also run with the 195's fridge on propane, but do turn it off and close the propane tank valve when fueling.
|
|
|
2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River
2018 RAM 2500 6.4L |
|
|
|
|
offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 03 Jun 2021 at 6:12am |
|
Looking up the specs on the Dometic 6 ft^2 fridge I see 440 watts in ac operation. So you would need a 1kw sine wave inverter. Inverters generally run must efficiently around 50-75% output.
Now the bad news. You'll need about 440/0.80 = 550 watts dc / 12 = 46 amps to run it. 12v inverters are only around 80% efficiency or so. That current is going to have to get supplied by your tow vehicle alternator. You will need a dedicated circuit from your TV battery that can handle that much current, the existing one and the 7 way connector are only going for 20-30 amps. You might be better off installing the inverter in the TV and running a much smaller gauge ac circuit directly to the fridge. You would also want to be sure you never forgot and left the inverter/fridge run on either the TV or the trailer battery without the engine and alternator running or you would have a dead battery in short order. And if course you will need to confirm your alternator can handle the load at idle rpm. alt ratings assume the engine is at a normal driving speed. Finally you would need a transfer switch to change the fridge over to shore power when that was available. Bottom line, there is a good reason why Dometic doesn't have a 12v option on the big fridges in the 190 series. They use way to much power. Just run it on propane like everyone else, it's safe and legal (except when going through a few tunnels mostly in the East Coast). Enjoy! |
|
|
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
|
|
|
|
geewizard
Senior Member
Joined: 16 Apr 2017 Location: Spokane Online Status: Offline Posts: 347 |
Posted: 03 Jun 2021 at 7:29am |
|
I have always operated the fridge in my TT on propane while in motion. I upgraded the fridge in my truck camper to a compressor-type fridge and it runs on 12 volts. I recommend a 12V comprossor fridge replacement if you so desire and have the power. They are so much better than a propane fridge.
|
|
|
2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB
2017 R-Pod 177 (Blue) HRE SOLD 2004 Outfitter Apex 8 camper 2014 Toyota Tundra DC |
|
|
|
|
BMJ
Newbie
Joined: 25 May 2020 Location: Virginia Online Status: Offline Posts: 24 |
Posted: 03 Jun 2021 at 11:09am |
|
A big Thank You!!!
To all of you who responded... what an amazing community! Thanks again and safe travels to all! Bruce |
|
|
|
|
podwerkz
Senior Member
Joined: 11 Mar 2019 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 966 |
Posted: 03 Jun 2021 at 12:48pm |
|
Running an absorption fridge on AC or DC supplied either by solar or alternator is a huge waster of energy and doesn't work that well anyway.
Compressor fridges (12v) tend to be much more efficient, but kindve expensive, and wont run on propane at all. I will NOT have an open propane valve and an open flame (in the fridge cooling unit) when in motion...because if a minor accident occurs things can get out of hand in a hurry, and pulling into gas stations with a burning flame is dangerous and illegal. I simply will not do it. My solution when traveling large distances, all day, multiple days, or in hot weather has been to bring along a nice well insulated, high quality (think Yeti, Orca, Engle) ice chest and on the outbound trip, put the perishable food and plenty of ice in the cooler, and then put non-perishable items like canned drinks and such, in the LP fridge. This icechest can be on the floor of the camper or maybe in the backseat or cargo area of your tow vehicle. If you pre-cooled the LP fridge and put in cold canned drinks and cold bottles of beer, or whatever, then turn that fridge OFF when in transit, they will very slowly get a bit 'less cool' as you travel, and then that night on the road or at the campsite, they will be re-cooled when you hook up to shore power. Meanwhile the perishable items in the icechest are safe and cold. And, if you want to keep frozen food, frozen, most rotomolded coolers like the Yetis and similar are rated to handle dry-ice....a couple blocks of dry ice will guarantee your frozen food will stay frozen for a day or two at least, and then on arrival at camp with shorepower, just move these items into the LP freezer. |
|
|
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!
|
|
|
|
|
Tars Tarkas
Senior Member
Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1446 |
Posted: 03 Jun 2021 at 6:37pm |
That's not necessary at all. TT
|
|
|
2010 176
FJ Cruiser |
|
|
|
|
Tars Tarkas
Senior Member
Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1446 |
Posted: 03 Jun 2021 at 6:48pm |
That is not correct. You may think otherwise but I don't think you can find any official source saying so. There are plenty of people and websites that say it's illegal and/or a safety issue, but I've never seen a primary governmental source indicating that -- and I've looked pretty hard. The death and destruction would be rampant if running fridges on propane was a safety issue and more than half of RVers would be in jail if were illegal. Have you ever seen anyone arrested or fined or inspected or even asked if their fridge was running on propane at a gas station? Of course you can do what you want though. TT
|
|
|
2010 176
FJ Cruiser |
|
|
|
|
Post Reply
|
Page 12> |
| Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
Inverter for Refrigerator when traveling