Refrigerator Question?

[Herbie]

Holy Thread Necromancy, Batman. 6+ years has contributed a lot of knowledge to this subject. There are a metric ton of threads on this subject, most with more up-to-date information.

 

[diwit]

I doubt two batteries would power the frig for a day or maybe two without being recharged.

Here's an explanation of how much an Engel 12V frig draws:


If my vehicle’s engine is turned off, how long can I safely leave the Engel 12-Volt Refrigerator Freezer plugged into my cigarette lighter socket before compromising the battery’s ability to start the vehicle?
The safe answer here is approximately 3 hours in most situations. Actual conditions will vary depending upon the number of electrical devices that have been switched on during the last part of your drive (wipers, lights, blower, defogger, radio, cell phone, aux heater, cooler and or other accessories) and what driving conditions have just been experienced (high speed highway or stop and go traffic). Further limitations and factors are the relative condition of the battery and it’s charging system as well as season, temperature, and weather conditions.
Under ideal conditions your Engel 12-Volt Refrigerator Freezer could be run for many hours on just battery power. Under the worst combination of conditions, accessories could potentially deplete the battery in 10 to 20 minutes. Some vans have 10 or 12 bulbs lighted when the interior lights are on the 12v refrigerator. Just these lights can drain a battery below starting power in about 15 minutes, without any other electrical device being present. Good judgment is required when making the decision about whether or not to leave any device plugged in while away from the vehicle. The best way to understand your situation is to test it before you count on it.

I was reading the Engel / Edgestar reviews and still scratch my head about the whole truck fridge thing. What is the real reason for getting a fridge over a decent cooler + ice unless you're overlanding (i.e. days and weeks away from civilization)? :scratch: My coleman cooler will maintain ice for 48 hours in 90+ degree GA summers, and 4-7 days in the cooler fall weather.

 

[billiebob]

not sure about the 12V refrigerator running off 2 deep cycle batteries for a week of remote camping and fishing.

So mine is solar powering only the fridge off an old 12V car battery... I cannot imagine why anyone would not run pure solar to an average battery and forget propane unless you need propane for heat or cooking.... and then why are batteries ewven a question.

I will check the numbers but the solar had no problem keeping the 12V cooler running. Even on a week of overcast rainy weather.

EDIT...

Found it

For 3 months last summer with 200W on the roof I ran my fridge continuously at 35F. The controller cut out at 14.6V, started charging at 11.6V. And it starts charging at first light, long before sunrise, cutting out at dusk, long after sunset. One night the sun was gone at 11.9V..... next morning the battery still had 11.4V.... running just the 35L cooler. The fridge seems to draw less than 0.5V overnite.

That is the main reason I'm experimenting with a pure electric trailer with no white gas or propane. I keep simplifying everything hence the microwave and hotplate are gone. An electric frying pan combines the hotplate and frying pan plus there are smaller options than with a hotplate. Boiling water, I have a 1.5L kettle and it works incredibly well off the old Jeep 12V starting battery which used to die if the lights were left on. I am sure I will want a bigger Lithium battery eventually. Lithium seems to hold 12V forever and die quickly at the end of its cycle. Car batteries seem to lose voltage at a constant rate, "dying" much faster.

My cooking needs are pretty minimal since I travel alone. I hate cooking so I mostly do yogurt, granola and coffee for breakfast or if cooking the english breakfast of eggs, sliced tomatoe and beans. Lunch is mostly cold, fruit or a pita bread sandwich unless I find a great chili or soup in a farmers market. Dinners I am mostly into salads.... maybe something pasta related when I find the fully prepped, heat and eat packaged meal. I might do Kraft Dinner once a week.

Food is just fuel for me... the quicker, easier the better.

Other than heating the sleeper I cannot imagine a need for propane.

 

[andytruck]

I was reading the Engel / Edgestar reviews and still scratch my head about the whole truck fridge thing. What is the real reason for getting a fridge over a decent cooler + ice unless you're overlanding (i.e. days and weeks away from civilization)? :scratch: My coleman cooler will maintain ice for 48 hours in 90+ degree GA summers, and 4-7 days in the cooler fall weather.

No soggy bread!!!
The fridges are really best used with an aux battery, not your starting battery. Though you can use starting battery, a fridge will ruin the starting battery if used multiple times when parked. If you going to spend big bucks on dc fridge then include price of an aux battery, and think about getting solar too - otherwise maybe the ice route is best for you. Ice melts eventually and this is when the dc fridge shines. If your camping is limited to a few days then you really do not need an electric fridge do you?
Buying ice is a big pain for a week or weeks long trip, and you will end up miscalculating how much the melting ice will last for, or get somewhere where you do not have anywhere to buy new ice, and your expensive steak and food will be ruined, or there will be so much water that it ruins everything in the cooler.
I agree, I do not get the people who use a dc fridge on starting battery only. seems risky.

 

[IdaSHO]

We have been running a Dometic/Waeco DC fridge for 10 years now.
Its a small one, 65L as I recall.... its been a LONG time
As mentioned earlier, need for ice and more space because of no ice.

Two big reasons we went with DC vs LP gas...
*no exterior vent needed. So one less potential leak
*Simple single fuel, that runs while in motion. LP tank valve must be closed when in motion.
And when combined with a proper solar array and battery bank, it will run indefinitely.

On long trips (multi-week or multi-month) we often supplement the fridge with a rotomold cooler.
On those trips we will freeze ice packs as needed with the fridge, and cycle them into the cooler.
Cooler included, still no ice. All on "free" energy that we never need to stop to refuel for.

All in all, its been an game changer when compared to the traditional RV fridge.

 

[diwit]

So mine is solar powering only the fridge off an old 12V car battery... I cannot imagine why anyone would not run pure solar to an average battery and forget propane unless you need propane for heat or cooking.... and then why are batteries ewven a question.

I will check the numbers but the solar had no problem keeping the 12V cooler running. Even on a week of overcast rainy weather.

EDIT...

Found it

For 3 months last summer with 200W on the roof I ran my fridge continuously at 35F. The controller cut out at 14.6V, started charging at 11.6V. And it starts charging at first light, long before sunrise, cutting out at dusk, long after sunset. One night the sun was gone at 11.9V..... next morning the battery still had 11.4V.... running just the 35L cooler. The fridge seems to draw less than 0.5V overnite.

That is the main reason I'm experimenting with a pure electric trailer with no white gas or propane. I keep simplifying everything hence the microwave and hotplate are gone. An electric frying pan combines the hotplate and frying pan plus there are smaller options than with a hotplate. Boiling water, I have a 1.5L kettle and it works incredibly well off the old Jeep 12V starting battery which used to die if the lights were left on. I am sure I will want a bigger Lithium battery eventually. Lithium seems to hold 12V forever and die quickly at the end of its cycle. Car batteries seem to lose voltage at a constant rate, "dying" much faster.

My cooking needs are pretty minimal since I travel alone. I hate cooking so I mostly do yogurt, granola and coffee for breakfast or if cooking the english breakfast of eggs, sliced tomatoe and beans. Lunch is mostly cold, fruit or a pita bread sandwich unless I find a great chili or soup in a farmers market. Dinners I am mostly into salads next.... maybe something pasta related when I find the fully prepped, heat and eat packaged meal. I might do Kraft Dinner once a week.

Food is just fuel for me... the quicker, easier the better.

Other than heating the sleeper I cannot imagine a need for propane.

View attachment 768168

thank you so much for your suggestion

 

[burleyman]

I've had no problems using a Deep Cycle marine lead-acid battery as a starting battery. With gear reduction starters today, starting current has decreased. The deep-cycle battery also has threaded studs for easier connections. It helps to measure starting current.

My Edgestar fridge has low voltage beeping and cutoff to prevent draining the battery. The deep cycle battery has always started the vehicle after the fridge automatically disconnected. Before installing an extra lifepo4 house battery, I used a small 10ah AGM battery to power the fridge if awakened at night.

One of these is handy if you need low voltage protection. A lithium jump start pack is also nice.

 

[86scotty]

Holy Thread Necromancy, Batman. 6+ years has contributed a lot of knowledge to this subject. There are a metric ton of threads on this subject, most with more up-to-date information.

And now we're up to 13.5 years!