Power fridge while driving
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7490
Printed Date: 29 May 2025 at 11:14pm
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Topic: Power fridge while driving
Posted By: mesamie
Subject: Power fridge while driving
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2016 at 2:17pm
| I have the 2016 R-pod 177 ( I think, still in storage). Only used 3 times end of last season. We are planning a long x-country trip this early summer. Can I keep food refrigerated in the fridge while we drive every day, and if so do I just need to turn on the propane to it and is that safe ? Or can my car battery charge the rpod battery, and therefore use it to cool fridge while driving ? |
Replies:
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2016 at 2:34pm
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You will get mixed responses, however, the overwhelming majority travel using the 12v option. Just remember during extended stops you will need to switch to propane. ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2016 at 2:55pm
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We have done it both ways. As Cliff wisely advised, if you use the 12v option, switch to propane if you are leaving your TV for 4 or more hours, amazing how that fridge will discharge a battery! Because I tend to forget I usually just leave mine on propane so I don't end up with a surprise.
------------- 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." |
Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2016 at 4:23pm
| Also, make sure that your hitch plug is actually delivering voltage to the pod. Use a multimeter or 12 volt tester. The Positive contact in the lug is the upper right hand contact and the negative is the lower left hand contact. |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2016 at 4:26pm
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We also use both depending on the situation. ------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: mesamie
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2016 at 4:48pm
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thanks for all of the reply's so far. But, does the car battery charge the rpod battery, or is this why I need to make sure the hitch is producing voltage ? |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2016 at 5:44pm
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In most cases the factory wiring (car manufacturer or places like U-haul) running to the +12 pin on the Bargeman isn't big enough to handle the load from the fridge. It needs to be at a minimum 10 gauge and preferably 8 gauge, but usually it is 12 gauge wiring. I've run the numbers here before. As a result you get a voltage drop which forces the heating element to draw from the pod's battery. Within a few hours it drops too low and the fridge begins to warm up. We had this problem with ours until I discovered the wiring on our Suburban was 12 gauge. I ran a parallel 10 gauge wire which gave me the equivalent of an 8-9 gauge wire. The problem is worse if the pod's battery is already low when you get on the road, like after a weekend boondocking. I always recommend running on LP unless you are sure you have 8 or 10 gauge wiring. Don't worry about turning it off when you are refueling, I've run through that here, too. Fume recapture systems, fumes heavier than air while the fridge is 2 feet off the ground, narrow flammability range, all mean you aren't going to blow up the gas station. As for your charging question, the Bargeman's +12 line charges the pod battery - but only if there isn't a voltage drop. Even with the fridge on LP, if your pod battery is very low and you only have 12 gauge wiring it will take a long time to get a charge into the pod battery.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2016 at 8:09pm
Properly speaking, the car battery does not charge the pod battery, the car's alternator does. If the car is not running and the car's battery is a higher voltage than the pod's battery, then the pod will steal charge from the tow vehicle as long as it is hooked up. There are devices on the market, battery combiners, that prevent this from happening. As long as the car's battery is below a certain voltage, nothing flows to the auxiliary battery. Once the car's battery exceeds that voltage, a charge is delivered to the auxiliary battery. This keeps the car's battery from becoming discharged even if there is a load on the auxiliary battery. |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2016 at 11:00pm
Actually, if properly wired, a relay is in the circuit that shuts the connection to the pod when the tow vehicle is not running. Ford includes the relay and fuse in a little bag when you buy a new one. ------------- |
Posted By: Q7-retired
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2016 at 7:49am
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Doug, did you run your parallel wire from the battery to the car female plug, or all the way to the pod? this sounds like a good idea for me to emulate. thanks, Jim ------------- Best regards, Jim 2015-RP178 TV 2015 Audi Q7 TDI and 2017 Ford F150 At home in "Our Pod" |
Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2016 at 8:51am
Yes, this is true for all vehicles as far as I know, but since my bargman is not factory installed it was wired for lights only and there was no hot lead run to it, I installed it myself. It was simpler to parallel off the battery and run straight to the plug. I also ran a negative wire since the trailer light harness is very light gauge. Need to risk blowing signal lights fuse |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2016 at 9:01pm
Almost. I ran it from the lug on the fuse block under the hood where the factory wire originates from, back to the existing wire just before it runs into the Bargeman. No reason you couldn't run it from the battery. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2016 at 9:02pm
GM doesn't, unfortunately. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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