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Old 06-28-2022, 01:16 PM   #1
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Residential Fridge/batteries Traveling in Hot Temps

Just curious how your battery/batteries do traveling. I had mine running for about 9 hrs for travel and unloading. This included about 45 mins with the truck shutoff at the end, and raising the trailer off the hitch to unhook. I have 2 6V 225 amp/hr batts. 100-104 degrees with direct sun. I was at 12.3 volts at the end of that journey. This was taken from Jay Command. I didn’t touch a volt meter to them, so not sure how accurate that is. Fridge is set at the stock whirlpool setting. I never opened it except at the end to pull stuff out. Seems like I was around 60-65% at this point.
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Old 06-28-2022, 01:33 PM   #2
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Between the 380 watts of solar and the truck charging the batteries...my 4x6 volt batteries were at 100% after 10 hours of traveling. My Whirlpool only uses about 200 watts while running according to my inverter. This was in 98+ weather.

The voltage on my BmPro system seems accurate and matches up to other readings if no lights are on.
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Old 06-28-2022, 03:16 PM   #3
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Between the 380 watts of solar and the truck charging the batteries...my 4x6 volt batteries were at 100% after 10 hours of traveling. My Whirlpool only uses about 200 watts while running according to my inverter. This was in 98+ weather.

The voltage on my BmPro system seems accurate and matches up to other readings if no lights are on.
I have same solar as you I think, Jayco's system and 2 panels. Someone told me, it might have been you, I was not aware the truck was partially charging the batteries while driving, our longest drive so far just over 6 hours and with the BMPRO APP I will watch the energy page and the Voltage fluctuate between 12.6- 13.4V. So far, no issues. Not idea what the mix is between solar and truck charging, but mama is happy, her Whirlpool fridge keeps all cool and ice maker doing its thing.
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Old 06-28-2022, 06:32 PM   #4
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Sounds like I need some solar. Mine wasn’t so low I was worried as I only ever get electric sites with this trailer, but if I were to ever get stranded or something else odd it would take a lot of Gen time to get them back up.
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Old 06-28-2022, 08:37 PM   #5
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i have 820 Watts of solar power which will easily keep up with the 12 Amp draw from the ref running on AC. I can run off DC but running AC does a better cooling job. When i get parked and settled in, I'll switch the Ref to gas for best cooling.

with your two 6V batteries (225 Amps fully charged) you should get around 20-25 hours run time, assuming you aren't running anything else.
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Old 06-29-2022, 06:50 AM   #6
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Residential Fridge/batteries Traveling in Hot Temps

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Originally Posted by kirkelli View Post
i have 820 Watts of solar power which will easily keep up with the 12 Amp draw from the ref running on AC. I can run off DC but running AC does a better cooling job. When i get parked and settled in, I'll switch the Ref to gas for best cooling.

with your two 6V batteries (225 Amps fully charged) you should get around 20-25 hours run time, assuming you aren't running anything else.

I thought I’d get more too. It’s not only the fridge though. It’s the inverter running it. Also, I may bring up the temp. At the stock whirlpool settings, my ice cream is so frozen it’s hard to dig into. So, I can sacrifice a little there. Lastly, this fridge didn’t come with a lock. I use a Velcro RC car battery strap around the handles. I’m wondering if the door open just a hair on the really bad roads. One day, I need to park it fully charged and cooled off and see how long it lasts.
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Old 06-29-2022, 09:57 AM   #7
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I have same solar as you I think, Jayco's system and 2 panels. Someone told me, it might have been you, I was not aware the truck was partially charging the batteries while driving, our longest drive so far just over 6 hours and with the BMPRO APP I will watch the energy page and the Voltage fluctuate between 12.6- 13.4V. So far, no issues. Not idea what the mix is between solar and truck charging, but mama is happy, her Whirlpool fridge keeps all cool and ice maker doing its thing.
yep, that is what I saw also, batteries being charged via the solar page on the app and the BmPro system voltage. My trailer came with the new GoPower MPPT controler...so I get charging and voltage info from the solar controller through the BmPro app since its on the RV-C buss. I figured maybe 10 amps from the truck and I was showing ~8 amps average from the Solar. I also have disc brakes...which use some power especially in stop and go traffic.

Here is a screen shot of the info...

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Old 06-30-2022, 06:52 AM   #8
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yep, that is what I saw also, batteries being charged via the solar page on the app and the BmPro system voltage. My trailer came with the new GoPower MPPT controler...so I get charging and voltage info from the solar controller through the BmPro app since its on the RV-C buss. I figured maybe 10 amps from the truck and I was showing ~8 amps average from the Solar. I also have disc brakes...which use some power especially in stop and go traffic.

Here is a screen shot of the info...

Very nice, we have disc brakes as well, but had them added after the purchase.
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Old 06-30-2022, 07:27 AM   #9
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On my 2019 383FKWS, I don't have solar, but run four 6 volt 210 amph batteries. I do run long days when I travel usually 12 plus hours a day. My latest trip, Yakima WA to Dallas Texas two weeks ago, last three days we all over 100+ degrees and I have no issues with low batteries, arrive 100% full every time. I also have the Whirlpool residential. I have approximately 15K towing miles on this fifthwheel, never had issues with battery power.
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Old 06-30-2022, 07:52 AM   #10
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Makes me wonder if I have something going on. I’ll have to hook up a volt meter and make sure the truck is charging the trailer.
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Old 06-30-2022, 07:57 AM   #11
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Look at some child locks or something to secure the doors when moving. The magnets in the door will let you down one day and dump everything on the floor.
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Old 07-09-2022, 01:18 PM   #12
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Makes me wonder if I have something going on. I’ll have to hook up a volt meter and make sure the truck is charging the trailer.

If you haven't yet done so, it might be a good idea to purchase a clamp on amp meter and measure the current moving from battery to coach. Then turn things on/off and write down what each thing draws. That gives you a baseline of usage.

It will also give you an idea of how much current the truck is supplying to charge.

And....It will also let you know if you have a parasitic draw somewhere in your 12 volt system.

Those meters can be had for between $100 and $300 dollars, but they are worth their weight n gold!
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Old 07-09-2022, 01:34 PM   #13
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My 2018 Greyhawk 31fs runs off the house battery’s but I allways have the engine running when I use my levelers,,,just like the book says …
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Old 07-09-2022, 02:12 PM   #14
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We have a 500 watts of solar and 4-235amp hour 6volt batteries with the wirlpool residential fridge. We have gone over 12 hours no problem with the batteries still at 100% or near it. So few things to consider your residential fridge pulls around 8 amps per hour on average in defrost one of its normal cycles it pulls closer to 10+ amps but thay cycle only happens really every few days at worst and last about 30 mins to an hour. My personal experience our fridge and inverter draw about 65 amps in a 10 hour day. So using the standard rules of not pulling your batteries below 50% with 2-225 amp hour 6 volts you have about 115 amp hours available for use. So on a 10 hour travel day with no other outside influence like not tuck charging, no solar you would us about 40% of your usable battery capacity. Assuming your truck is putting about a 5 amp per hour charge into the batteries. I know it's probably more then that but not much more. I would wager a bet you could get 10 hours of driving in and use less then 25% of your usable capacity. With my setup the solar and my 2 alternators on my truck a long travel day I'm am almost always still at 100% when I get where I'm going.

There is common miss understanding about the residential fridge. Jayco requires dealers to install 2-12 volt batteries on their high-end coaches. Most dealers install 35 to 75 amp hour batteries because they are cheap. That being the case with the residential fridge you could potentially get about 10 hours of travel with no other influence on the batteries. That being the case they will likely be useless when you get where your going. Ever RV I have purchased I always have the dealers upgrade the batteries. My last two times they have given me a credit for the oem batteries normally around $100 each then charge me the difference for the 6 volt upgrade. In my opinion it's been worth it.
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Old 07-09-2022, 02:38 PM   #15
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Here is the power sticker for the new 4 door Whirlpool that Jayco is using. I can also confirm the inverter shows about 200-300 watts when running. It also list 255 watts for defrost.

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Old 07-09-2022, 03:29 PM   #16
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See mine is the 2018 wirlpool and it's sticker shows 7.2 max running amps. I see the new ones have gotten even more efficient. So if you fridge is one of the newer ones the 2-6volts are plenty adequate for long travel days. Especially if you figure your truck is likely putting in almost enough power to offset what the fridge is using and depending on how efficient your inverter is you are likely using little to no battery power really. Now with the small draws from like the co2 or propane detector the lights on the stereo, or stereos like mine has 2. I would bet you probably using next to nothing.
I always wondered why OEM solar system offered are so small but really you don't need a lot unless your staying in it dry camping.
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