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Old 02-21-2011, 01:53 PM   #1
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Refrigerator on Propane

I have done some searching and haven't found any exact answer.

1. Does anyone know about how much propane the fridge uses per day on propane? (Assuming it is the basic 6.0CF fridge)

2. How long will the 12v "brain" for the fridge run on a single full charged battery?
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Old 02-21-2011, 04:16 PM   #2
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I have done some searching and haven't found any exact answer.

1. Does anyone know about how much propane the fridge uses per day on propane? (Assuming it is the basic 6.0CF fridge)

2. How long will the 12v "brain" for the fridge run on a single full charged battery?
1: Almost none. It's nothing but a glorified pilot light. I have run my fridge on propane for a month with no discernable drop in propane.

2: Again, it will run for a long time. Thye fridge takes very little battery power. Less than a light bulb.

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Old 02-21-2011, 06:56 PM   #3
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Also remember you have other things like propane detectors that are going to run that batter down if you are thinking about leaving it on for a while unattended



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Old 02-21-2011, 08:34 PM   #4
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I've heard of reports of better than a month... But I'd think the batteries will die before the propane does...

It also depends on your weather too... Mild/cool weather will go farther than hot/humid weather.
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Old 02-21-2011, 09:28 PM   #5
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Don't expect more than a few days as the sensors will deplete the battery. If youl are plugged in to power then you are good for a month or more.
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Old 02-21-2011, 09:48 PM   #6
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Ok...according to Norcold, their fridges consume 1,500 btu/h

#30 cylinder hold about 7.1 gallons or 653,200 BTU

So if my calculations are correct, it would last a minimum of 18 days (meaning it was running 24x7), but it should last considerably longer depending on how much it has to run.



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Old 02-21-2011, 09:55 PM   #7
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Thanks for the info everyone. The reason this question comes about is that my RV stays at a storage facility with no shore power so i want to go there 2 days before our trips and turn the fridge on so we can go with groceries and put them right in the fridge that will already be cold. So the fridge will be empty i wouldnt think it would take much to keep it cold. I also am going to be replacing the batteries with the 2x6v golf cart battery setup (i hear this will be a big improvement in the battery life).
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Old 02-21-2011, 10:00 PM   #8
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Your problem is not propane, but battery life. If you throw in a fully charged battery and dont leave anything else on, I think you should be ok even on a group 24. 2x6v would absolutely be no problem.

Dont forget to turn your TV antenna amp off! That is an easy power drain to forget.



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Old 02-21-2011, 10:05 PM   #9
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Dont forget to turn your TV antenna amp off! That is an easy power drain to forget.
This is why my set of Group 24's is on my work bench on the charger now. Lesson Learned...
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Old 02-22-2011, 09:14 AM   #10
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Ok...according to Norcold, their fridges consume 1,500 btu/h

#30 cylinder hold about 7.1 gallons or 653,200 BTU

So if my calculations are correct, it would last a minimum of 18 days (meaning it was running 24x7), but it should last considerably longer depending on how much it has to run.
That is it could never reach shutoff point. Even then its a rather long time.. All based on weather...

I imagine using your math and a normal 70-80*F days I bet you could get a month from a single #30 bottle.
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Old 02-22-2011, 09:44 PM   #11
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We traded a 17' Casita for our 23' Jay Flight G2. One thing we miss is the 12V/110/Propane frig.

Our TV alternator was more than sufficient to run the frig 12V while towing.

I don't like towing with the propane on for a number of reasons not the least of which it is illegal in some states to say nothing of the odd bridges, tunnels, and ferries, and gas stations.

Has anyone built a mod using a properly sized inverter, proper wiring, and switching components so that the Jayco frig can run on 110V while towing?

I'm thinking of wiring two additional 110v input sources, generator and inverter, in such a way that one one can be "plugged in" at a time.

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Old 02-22-2011, 09:53 PM   #12
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My old 76 Dodge Jamboree had a 1200w inverter I installed and it was big enough to power the refridgerator on 12V power as long as the engine was going other than that it would wipe out the house battery rather quickly...

So the idea is solid and does work just remember to cut the refrig back to propane or 110 VAC when you stop some where.
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Old 02-22-2011, 09:58 PM   #13
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I did a little research on the inverter running the fridge deal. From what i found the fridge pulls ~350 watts which would take a decent size inverter. The inverter would take about 35 amps DC to run. From what i found the TV will supply ~30 AMPS DC to the trailer so your house battery will have to make up the ~5 AMP difference the other option would be to have the inverter in the TV and run AC cord to the trailer. Seems too complicated for the little propane it takes to run the fridge going down the highway (assuming it is legal where you are).
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Old 02-22-2011, 10:02 PM   #14
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Ahhh... You caught me there... I didn't think about the charge amperage and the limit of charging from the trailer plug... (D'Oh!)
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Old 02-22-2011, 10:03 PM   #15
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The heating element in most of the Norcolds are rated at 300 watts, so you could theoretically do it with an inverter. It would pull 25 amps while operating.

My thoughts are you would be really pushing it unless you have a good set of batteries. I know my alternator never sends anywhere near that back to the TT -- I think I get 7 or 8 amps so eventually I would not be able to keep up.



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Old 02-22-2011, 10:11 PM   #16
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Anyone thought of putting the inverter in your TV and running an AC cord to the trailer? Would this be possible?
I know my truck has 2 alternators @ 130AMP each so i could run my 1200 watt inverter with no problem.
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Old 02-22-2011, 10:17 PM   #17
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There is more to the plan.

The inverter is mounted close to the battery with an old style Ford battery relay so that the inverter is off if the engine isn't running.

BTW, I am installing the same device on the trailer charge line so that I don't accidentally discharge the TV battery when leaving the trailer hooked up. Ford and Toyota, I believe, are the only manufacturers who switch the trailer charge line in there towing packages. I know Chrysler doesn't (anyone what to guess how I found out?)

Back to the frig, then I would run either #6 or #8 110V wiring in flex conduit back along the frame rails to a marine type connector set at the hitch.

But I must admit this is last on the list to things to do. First is where to mount the Honda generator. Front storage on driver side looks like a candidate. To heavy for the tongue, I think.

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Old 04-23-2011, 06:48 PM   #18
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The 3-way reefer I had in my previous Hi-Lo trailer had separate heating elements for 12v DC at 125 watts (10 amps at 12.5 volts) and for 120v AC at 250 watts (2+ amps at 120 volts). I believe the difference was to conserve DC power while operating on 12 volts, which was usually while driving, during which the reefer door was rarely, if ever, opened.

As soon as we stopped for more than a quick meal, we switched the reefer to either AC (with shore power) or propane if no power and we raised the roof. The Hi-Lo trailer was not designed to run the reefer on propane when the roof was lowered, so the 12 volt DC operation was mandatory for driving.

Looking at the service manual for my current 2-way Norcold reefer, it looks like the DC heating element could be added easily but I am not sure if the control board would be smart enough to detect it and then allow 3-way operation.

If an inverter was located on the TV to run the reefer on AC power, the maximum AC ampere draw would be less than 5 amps for sure. That would certainly not require 6 or 8 gauge wire from the TV to trailer, 14 gauge is good for up to 15 amps. Of course, heavy gauge wire would be needed to connect the inverter to the TV battery.
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Old 04-24-2011, 08:05 AM   #19
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I don't know if this makes any difference but I bought an old bronco ( 1st series) that had a 120v duplex outlet mounted on the trucks alternater, ie the guy( an elec engr) figured out how to get 120ac out of a 12v dc source .I guess 120v dc is probably doable but I have no idea how he converted to ac or the amperage that was available. (at least that's what it looked like). Any minds out there starting to go wild. Just think get 120v ac from your tv & back feed your 120v outlets, run the fridge whenever.
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Old 04-24-2011, 01:44 PM   #20
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I don't know if this makes any difference but I bought an old bronco ( 1st series) that had a 120v duplex outlet mounted on the trucks alternater, ie the guy( an elec engr) figured out how to get 120ac out of a 12v dc source .I guess 120v dc is probably doable but I have no idea how he converted to ac or the amperage that was available. (at least that's what it looked like). Any minds out there starting to go wild. Just think get 120v ac from your tv & back feed your 120v outlets, run the fridge whenever.
That was an old mod. One had to modify the alternator so the AC generated by the Alternator is tapped off before it goes through the diodes (mostly to avoid cooking them), then run the alternator with an unregulated field (some people did manage to come up with high voltage regulators). AC quality was lousy, though. Voltage regulation was a hit or miss (mostly miss) proposition achieved by regulating engine speed. The voltage would change every time the load did and the engine speed would have to be readjusted. I doubt the modern alternators would allow this. Running a 12v to 120v inverter off the 12v dc output of the alternator would be easier and safer.
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