12 volt system and propane refrigerators

[PA BAMBI II]

We were sitting around the campfire the other night and my Dad and friedn got into a conversation about why their new(er) RV refrigerators (one in an Airstream) need 12 volt juice to run. They complained that running the refrigerator while boondocking for a few days really puts a hurtin' on the 12 volt battery charge.So- is it possible to bypass the 12 volt system (I am assuming for firing,. etc.) and use an old thermocouple arrangement like the older Dometics used? Has anyone done this, tried this, ruled it out, etc.?Seems to them it should be able to be switched between 12 volt or no 12 volt as desired.Thanks! Ben

[PA BAMBI II]

I typed the original query as four paragraphs...it always shows up as one. What am I doing wrong?Ben

[jdalrymple]

Not sure if a modern refer can easily be converted back to a thermo-coupler. The 12 volt power runs the electronic brain, as well as the spark ignitor.

I did learn to switch off the humidity control while boondocking. That is where most of the power is used. It heats areas of the refer in an attempt to control sweating.

Depending on the model, look for a switch around the the door frame, or look in the manual for the location. It helps save a lot of 12 volt power.

JD