Whirlpool fridge amps draw

[DrSmart]

We have the Whirlpool residential fridge in our 2020 North Point and a 1200 watt Xantrex inverter. Full load efficiency is 86%. Has anyone measured the current draw from the fridge. There may be a surge when the fridge compressor turns on but I'm assuming about 5 amps after start up. I'd like to determine the deep cycle battery size that will carry the load while traveling. The truck will provide some level of recharge while driving. I know the 6 volt deep cycles are recommended but would like to stay with a single 12 volt. No boon-docking or dry camping. Just 1 hour stops for lunch.


Thanks
Dave

[TxLoser]

I’m not sure the amps, but I replaced the two 12v grp 24 batts in my unit with two Duracell 6v batteries. Did a 12 hr drive and batteries were fully charged when got to our destination. Same fridge. Different FW. It was cooler. Temps were mostly in the 70’s and 80’s.

[DrSmart]

Originally Posted by TxLoser

I’m not sure the amps, but I replaced the two 12v grp 24 batts in my unit with two Duracell 6v batteries. Did a 12 hr drive and batteries were fully charged when got to our destination. Same fridge. Different FW. It was cooler. Temps were mostly in the 70’s and 80’s.

Thanks TxLoser

As much as I'm trying to stay with a 12 volt single, I like the AH ratings of the 2 x 6 volt. They would remove any concerns for what we're trying to do.

[TxLoser]

Only one battery in your NP?

[DrSmart]

Originally Posted by TxLoser

Only one battery in your NP?

Of course the dealer installed a group 24 single 12 volt battery. I'm looking at 2 - US2000 or 2200 XC2 batteries now. Can get them at a nearby distributor at a good price.

[DonaandDon]

Your manual will state the manufacture recommends 2 - 12 volts batteries. Our dealer only installed one? Jayco's package supplied enough cables to install four batteries. When asked the dealer, they stated their prep department only needs one to deliver. Now I'm glad after finding what they charged to install just one. $175.00 dollars. It just doesn't make sense to pay ($60k) and then pay extra for a battery, when the RV has to have it to operate.

That being said. Our single battery will provide to the res/fridge (only) for about six hours and then the remote panel for the inverter will beep a low battery alarm (11.4v). We purchased another same type battery at the local trailer shop for $85.00. WOW !! Not sure on how long it will take to get the low battery alarm but we travel six hours and no alarm.

Still have enough room in the storage area for two more batteries (with cables) but we don't boonedock so not yet.

[TxLoser]

One battery. Especially a group 24 won’t hack it on a long drive in warm temps. Maybe my two 12v the dealer installed were already toast but they struggled on a hot 3hr drive. I’d source a couple 6v. I think I paid maybe 205 for the pair with tax. Very much worth it. I’d have four if I could figure a way to get the shelf out of there.

[John Evans, GA]

Originally Posted by DrSmart

We have the Whirlpool residential fridge in our 2020 North Point and a 1200 watt Xantrex inverter. Full load efficiency is 86%. Has anyone measured the current draw from the fridge. There may be a surge when the fridge compressor turns on but I'm assuming about 5 amps after start up. I'd like to determine the deep cycle battery size that will carry the load while traveling. The truck will provide some level of recharge while driving. I know the 6 volt deep cycles are recommended but would like to stay with a single 12 volt. No boon-docking or dry camping. Just 1 hour stops for lunch.


Thanks
Dave

I have a 250 Ford Truck (gas engine) that I have pulled my Jayco Eagle 39 foot camper with for the last two years. Camper and truck have standard batteries. My Whirlpool double door refrigerator with in door ice and eater dispenser have worked great with as much as 24 hrs before battery got low. Maybe this helps. John, Evans, GA

[Pchansen]

Ok. Dumb question but it sounds like what you guys are saying is that when traveling down the road, my truck (with dual alternators no less) will not charge the house batteries? I assumed they would. We have the WP residential fridge/ Xantrex inverter and just assumed it would. Nonetheless, I too am looking at a 6v setup. Most likely 4 Trojan T145’s. If my calculations are correct, that should yield around 500amp hours of capacity. Plenty.

[TxLoser]

My truck charges the batteries(2 Duracell 6V) and keeps up with the fridge. 12 hour drive and batteries were fully charged on arrival at home. I doubt sitting stationary for 12hrs hooked to nothing I’d have a full charge.

[DrSmart]

Originally Posted by Pchansen

Ok. Dumb question but it sounds like what you guys are saying is that when traveling down the road, my truck (with dual alternators no less) will not charge the house batteries? I assumed they would. We have the WP residential fridge/ Xantrex inverter and just assumed it would. Nonetheless, I too am looking at a 6v setup. Most likely 4 Trojan T145’s. If my calculations are correct, that should yield around 500amp hours of capacity. Plenty.

Your truck should be charging the trailer battery while driving. Measure the trailer battery voltage before connecting to the truck, then measure after connecting. The voltage should be higher with the truck connected.

[Lake Huron]

So, here's how my 2017 Northpoint is set up,... from the factory. I HAD one Interstate 12v battery that powered the coach. Small. I switched it out to a group size 31 Duracell AGM battery. Double the amp hour power. Again, from the factory, they installed TWO Interstate 6v batteries wired in series to give me the 12vdc that powered the Xantrex 1000w inverter that powers the Fridgidare fridge. Rolling down the road, inverter turned on, the fridge was running off the pair of 6v's and those 6v's were NOT being charged by the truck. The coach battery system and the fridge battery system are completely seperate from each other. Connected to shore power, the fridge runs off the 120v shore power line that is connected to the inverter. The inverter automatically does the switching between the dc and ac power. This particular inverter DOES NOT have a charging system in it to charge the pair of 6v' when connected to shore power, so I had to do it manually 1 or 2 times a season. That didnt last long and I upgraded my inverter to the Xantrex 1000 XC inverter. It has an automatic battery charger built in to charge when connected to shore power AND is a true sinewave and not a modified sinewave. True is much more electronic friendly. Yes, I am still not charging the pair of 6v's going down the road or boondocking, which we don't do any boondocking anyway. I've only been about 6hrs running down the road and the inverter control panel said the battery status showed in the mid to upper 90's% of battery left. So I would bet I could run for a few days easily without having to charge them.

[Pchansen]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

So, here's how my 2017 Northpoint is set up,... from the factory. I HAD one Interstate 12v battery that powered the coach. Small. I switched it out to a group size 31 Duracell AGM battery. Double the amp hour power. Again, from the factory, they installed TWO Interstate 6v batteries wired in series to give me the 12vdc that powered the Xantrex 1000w inverter that powers the Fridgidare fridge. Rolling down the road, inverter turned on, the fridge was running off the pair of 6v's and those 6v's were NOT being charged by the truck. The coach battery system and the fridge battery system are completely seperate from each other. Connected to shore power, the fridge runs off the 120v shore power line that is connected to the inverter. The inverter automatically does the switching between the dc and ac power. This particular inverter DOES NOT have a charging system in it to charge the pair of 6v' when connected to shore power, so I had to do it manually 1 or 2 times a season. That didnt last long and I upgraded my inverter to the Xantrex 1000 XC inverter. It has an automatic battery charger built in to charge when connected to shore power AND is a true sinewave and not a modified sinewave. True is much more electronic friendly. Yes, I am still not charging the pair of 6v's going down the road or boondocking, which we don't do any boondocking anyway. I've only been about 6hrs running down the road and the inverter control panel said the battery status showed in the mid to upper 90's% of battery left. So I would bet I could run for a few days easily without having to charge them.

Lake Huron, you just blew my mind! Now I need to go out to my coach with a meter and do some investigating. I honestly have never heard of that type of setup.

[TxLoser]

That is an interesting one.

[Lake Huron]

Everyone says that. Lol!
I even called and spoke with the techs at Xantrex to figure out a way to charge the 6v's by connecting to the coach battery charging system yet keep the systems seperate. The tech highly advised to NOT do that and just upgrade the inverter to the XC model.

[Pchansen]

That is a unique setup for sure. I was able to make it out to my coach this afternoon. Again, I have a 2019 377RLBH with the WP residential fridge. It came with a Xantrex Freedom X 1200. I have two group 24 12v batteries. Nothing special for sure. My meter recorded 12.58 volts at the battery circuit breaker.with the battery switch OFF. I plug in my truck and I get 12.78v at the breaker with the switch ON. . Not all that impressive. Unplug the truck and fire up the genny and I get 13.4v at the breaker with the battery switch ON. . So yes, I can charge on the truck but not nearly as well on 110v via the converter.

[Lake Huron]

My Norrhpoint is a 2017 375BHFS. It has the gen prep package but no genny installed and that MAY be the difference as why my systems are seperate. With the coach plugged into the truck the truck will charge the coach battery, but it's like a trickle charge. Also, my truck has only 1 alternator so it's probably best that my fridge batteries aren't connected. That poor alternator would be working overtime all the time charging the 2 batteries on the truck, the one coach battery and the pair of 6v's.

[Pchansen]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

My Norrhpoint is a 2017 375BHFS. It has the gen prep package but no genny installed and that MAY be the difference as why my systems are seperate. With the coach plugged into the truck the truck will charge the coach battery, but it's like a trickle charge. Also, my truck has only 1 alternator so it's probably best that my fridge batteries aren't connected. That poor alternator would be working overtime all the time charging the 2 batteries on the truck, the one coach battery and the pair of 6v's.

That makes sense and also mine seems to just trickle charge too via the trucks’s alternators. I haven’t actually traveled yet with the fridge on so I’ll be curious as to what, if any difference that will make - in other words, will the system keep up with the fridge running. With a .2 volt difference between plugged in vs not plugged in, I’m not confident.

[DrSmart]

Originally Posted by Pchansen

That makes sense and also mine seems to just trickle charge too via the trucks’s alternators. I haven’t actually traveled yet with the fridge on so I’ll be curious as to what, if any difference that will make - in other words, will the system keep up with the fridge running. With a .2 volt difference between plugged in vs not plugged in, I’m not confident.

Was your truck running when you measured?

There will be some voltage loss from the truck batteries to the trailer through the small gauge wire and connections resistance running between. I believe the fuse in my truck for that line is 30 amps. The fridge will be running on/off cycles and will depend how warm room temperature is in the trailer. My thought is the current going from truck to trailer will depend on the voltage difference between the two. Quite a few forum members have said they drive several hours with the fridge running on inverter and the trailer batteries are fine at destination.

[Pchansen]

Truck was running. I’m sure I’m over thinking it. I most likely will not be towing it until the spring so I’ll make sure to start the fridge before we depart. Makes sense that the current (and voltage to some degree) may vary depending on the SOC of the batteries.