Run fridge on 110v (inverter) while driving?

[david1622]

I have 4 solar panels and a 2800watt inverter. On an average sunny day my solar keeps the batteries at a 100% charge even though the inverter is running the fridge and other items. I guess I did a proper installation. Running down the road with gas on is dangerous.

[boblind]

I use a 300 watt invertor supplying enough power to the 120vac circuit to the refrigerator. The refrigerator keeps ice cream hard enough to stop for a cone traveling through Nevada.
I use separate dedicated 12vdc 10 gage wires from the TV to the invertor not the regular7 prong 12 vdc supplying power to the AS for brakes, lights, and trailer batteries.having propane on while traveling is just asking for problems.

[LINDAMART]

speaking of refrigerators, can anyone tell me why our '07 safari's fridge freezes eggs when on shore power?

[Skater]

What are people using as a connector between the tow vehicle and the trailer to carry the larger amount of power?

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Skater

What are people using as a connector between the tow vehicle and the trailer to carry the larger amount of power?

I don't have mine set up as a separate circuit. But if I was I would use the Anderson Powerpole connectors. I have built a couple of extension cables for my portable solar panels using them.

Aaron

[boblind]

Originally Posted by Skater

What are people using as a connector between the tow vehicle and the trailer to carry the larger amount of power?

I am using a 4 pronged receptacle and matching outlet using 2 of the connections for supplying 12 vdc to a relay controlled by a 110 vac circuit (not the refrigerator circuit.)

[DHart]

Man, I'm glad I asked for thoughts on this... there is a lot to dig into here! Thank you.

[dames7]

Thanks all, Still getting use to Land travel and need all the good advice I can get.

Old sailor need all the help I can get.

[Plasma800]

pop two generators in your truck bed, and run EVERYTHING while you drive Unless of course you have an SUV, thennnn, that might not work.

[Plasma800]

Originally Posted by boblind

I installed a 10 gage wire from the TV batteries thru a fuse to an outlet on the back bumper, then I have a separate wire from a matching plug thru a 120 volt controlled relay to a 300 watt invertor powering my Dometic model 2452 120 volt refrigerator. This refrigerator uses less then 2 amps to keep it cold. 2 Amps x 120 volts is 240 watts, divide that by 12 equals 20 amps from the TV batteries.
If you have a 100 amp alternator on your TV, you should not have any issues keeping everything cold.
I have a homemade lashup that has been working just fine. Total cost including the wire about $300.00

That's smart, I would have never thought of that on my own.

[Plasma800]

Originally Posted by boblind

I installed a 10 gage wire from the TV batteries thru a fuse to an outlet on the back bumper, then I have a separate wire from a matching plug thru a 120 volt controlled relay to a 300 watt invertor powering my Dometic model 2452 120 volt refrigerator. This refrigerator uses less then 2 amps to keep it cold. 2 Amps x 120 volts is 240 watts, divide that by 12 equals 20 amps from the TV batteries.
If you have a 100 amp alternator on your TV, you should not have any issues keeping everything cold.
I have a homemade lashup that has been working just fine. Total cost including the wire about $300.00

I have a question about this. Where did you mount the extra inverter? Does the relay cut power to the fridge when you turn your truck off (to not drain the truck battery)?

[boblind]

I installed the invertor under the seat near the 110vac and 12 vdc panels. It must be connected to only the refer circuit only when it is being used and isolated when plugged into shore power, back feeding 110 vac into it will burn it out. I use an ice cube relay controlled my 12 vdc to do the switching.
I will try take a picture of the lash up tomorrow and post it.
The TV is a 2002 Dodge 2500 with camper package it has adequate power to run the refer since it draws less than 2 amps 110 vac.

Originally I had it connected to the refer circuit output then it would turn off the breaker so it did not feed power back into the 110 vac panel, that would over load the inverter. It was a complicated procedure and if I fouled it up I burned out the invertor.

[Plasma800]

Originally Posted by boblind

I installed the invertor under the seat near the 110vac and 12 vdc panels. It must be connected to only the refer circuit only when it is being used and isolated when plugged into shore power, back feeding 110 vac into it will burn it out. I use an ice cube relay controlled my 12 vdc to do the switching.
I will try take a picture of the lash up tomorrow and post it.
The TV is a 2002 Dodge 2500 with camper package it has adequate power to run the refer since it draws less than 2 amps 110 vac.

Originally I had it connected to the refer circuit output then it would turn off the breaker so it did not feed power back into the 110 vac panel, that would over load the inverter. It was a complicated procedure and if I fouled it up I burned out the invertor.

K so to be clear, the inverter is in the trailer, not in the truck.

[Skater]

Originally Posted by boblind

I use a 300 watt invertor supplying enough power to the 120vac circuit to the refrigerator. The refrigerator keeps ice cream hard enough to stop for a cone traveling through Nevada.
I use separate dedicated 12vdc 10 gage wires from the TV to the invertor not the regular7 prong 12 vdc supplying power to the AS for brakes, lights, and trailer batteries.having propane on while traveling is just asking for problems.

Now that I understand your setup, I don't agree with the logic that a 120 volt circuit running between the truck and trailer that's live while underway is safer than using propane. In an accident you have the potential for live wires hanging around. It's at least as dangerous as you claim propane is.

[wrhjr3]

I don't think you do understand his setup. I think he has 10 gauge wires at 12 volts as a separate 12v feed for his 300 watt inverter., not 110vac running from his TV to the trailer - unless I missed it.

Roland Hyatt
A bunch of RVs

[lewster]

Seems like an awful lot of work to operate an LP absorption fridge (they are not efficient, but they ARE unreliable!) on electric rather than LP! If I was THAT worried about LP and fires, I would simply remove the beast and replace it with a marine Danfoss-based 12VDC compressor fridge. No inverter required!

And just a point of information: if any of you are THAT worried about a fridge fire, especially when under way, you stand the same odds of a coolant leak that becomes a torch from leaking super heated plasma ammonia whether on LP or electric. In this case....heat is heat. The source is unimportant!

I have been involved in several Norcold fridge fires and they were ALL caused by leaking super heated ammonia with an even number from LP ignition and electric ignition!

[Skater]

Originally Posted by wrhjr3

I don't think you do understand his setup. I think he has 10 gauge wires at 12 volts as a separate 12v feed for his 300 watt inverter., not 110vac running from his TV to the trailer - unless I missed it.

Yeah, you might be right - I think I misread the last few posts. Sorry.

It's a lot of work and money to avoid using propane. Even the cheapest setups mentioned buy a LOT of propane, and the propane system has safeties in it, just like electricity. For example, if a line breaks, the regulator is designed to shut down the flow.

I think perhaps people aren't familiar with the safeties installed in the system, and TV doesn't really do a great job demonstrating how safe it is (I'm thinking of a CSI episode where Gibbs shoots a propane tank and it explodes). If you've ever watched a Mythbusters episode where they are intentionally trying to get a propane explosion, you've seen how difficult it actually is. They have to bypass several safety devices to get it to happen.

But I also want to go back to an earlier point I made: I think we've run the fridge in our trailer perhaps three times while on the road since we bought it in 2011, and we take our trailer on a dozen or more trips each year, and plenty are in the heat of summer. And we usually stop for lunch and eat food out of the fridge. After all that, our fridge still stays plenty cold while it's off. In short, most of the time, you probably don't need to run it at all.