Do we need the battery for the fridge on propane?

Octopus Prime · 03-08-2018, 05:14 PM

We plan to turn our refrigerator on using propane the day before we leave.
Normally, we turn our battery off while the trailer is stored (using disconnect knob). Do we need to leave the battery connected to the trailer while the propane powers the fridge?

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WeRJuliian · 03-08-2018, 05:20 PM

Depends on your fridge, but many of them have electronic control systems...

Octopus Prime · 03-08-2018, 05:24 PM

Will I run my battery down if I have it on about 24 hours?

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o2silverado · 03-08-2018, 05:25 PM

Yes, it requires 12v .

RogerR · 03-08-2018, 05:35 PM

You want to make sure your battery is fully charged before leaving so make sure it is plugged in and the system is charging it.

That makes it a moot point on any battery use. My little fridge does not require any outside electrical power but there are many different models.

Look at your instruction books that came with the camper for more about the fridge operation.

Jagiven · 03-08-2018, 05:47 PM

To my knowledge all the new rv refrigerators require 12V power, for the control circuits. If you have to manually light the frig, then you should not need electric.

One day, with the frig and any parisite drains, will not affect the ability of the emergency brakes. If it did, we should never leave after we camp, until we can fully charge our batteries. I'm up for for that.

Octopus Prime · 03-08-2018, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RogerR

You want to make sure your battery is fully charged before leaving so make sure it is plugged in and the system is charging it.

That makes it a moot point on any battery use. My little fridge does not require any outside electrical power but there are many different models.

Look at your instruction books that came with the camper for more about the fridge operation.

How do I determine if my battery is fully charged?

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CampNow · 03-08-2018, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octopus Prime

We plan to turn our refrigerator on using propane the day before we leave.
Normally, we turn our battery off while the trailer is stored (using disconnect knob). Do we need to leave the battery connected to the trailer while the propane powers the fridge?

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

I've never seen an RV frig in a mass-produced RV that could run without 12 vdc. It needs the power to operate the frig's electronic control circuits, and to ignite the propane after the frig cycles off, then on again. With no 12 vdc it has no power to do either.

Important to note a RV frig does not have a pilot light like a residential hot water heater. Instead of a pilot light there is an igniter that needs 12 vdc to operate.

Assuming your battery is fully charged, no, the RV frig should not run the battery down in 24 hours . . . that's assuming . . you do not have any other 12 vdc appliance or lights turned on, drawing current, at the same time. It's very easy to forget you left something on somewhere.

stateboy · 03-08-2018, 06:08 PM

My pop-up 3-way fridge didn't require electricity to work on propane. I didn't have a battery on board either. It worked on AC or DC once I hooked up the shore power if I manually switched it over. I now have a fridge in a TT that apparently will flip by itself when I hook to shore power. It's a new camper and I have not used it yet so I can't speak for its need for electricity.

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CampNow · 03-08-2018, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octopus Prime

How do I determine if my battery is fully charged?

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You should read ~12.70 volts at your battery terminals if your battery is fully charged. To get an accurate voltage reading, you'll need to make sure your converter has been turned off for at least a couple of hours (some wait overnight) before checking state of charge (SOC) voltage. If you don't, your voltage readings will be high, giving you the false impression your battery is more charged than it really is.

If your trailer has a battery condition monitor installed by the factory, I wouldn't trust it. They're notoriously inaccurate.

For those who know how to verify which charge mode their converter is currently in (i.e., LED indicator on some Progressive Dynamic converters), it's easy to tell if their wet-cell battery is fully charged without turning the converter off. If the battery is fully charged in fast/bulk mode you'll read ~14.4v; ~13.6v in normal/absorption mode; and ~13.2v in trickle/float mode. Voltage readings should be made at the battery terminals for the most accurate readings.

Bassdogs · 03-09-2018, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octopus Prime

We plan to turn our refrigerator on using propane the day before we leave.
Normally, we turn our battery off while the trailer is stored (using disconnect knob). Do we need to leave the battery connected to the trailer while the propane powers the fridge?

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Short answer is YES!! You need a battery for a lot of things most importantly to power the emergency brakes. The battery is a necessary component on a TT.

John from Central Florida · 03-09-2018, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octopus Prime

Normally, we turn our battery off while the trailer is stored (using disconnect knob).

Octo, getting back to part of your original question: How long, generally, do you leave your battery disconnected? Even with the disconnect switch off your battery will still slowly drain...

morleyz · 03-09-2018, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RogerR

You want to make sure your battery is fully charged before leaving so make sure it is plugged in and the system is charging it.

That makes it a moot point on any battery use. My little fridge does not require any outside electrical power but there are many different models.

Look at your instruction books that came with the camper for more about the fridge operation.

I suppose if your destination doesn't have electricity, having a fully charged battery is important, but this trailer is in storage so I'm guessing they don't have power to plug it in prior to leaving. I try more to make sure I have a fully charged battery when I put it in storage so when I come to pick it up again, the tongue jack works. For the most part, the battery will get charged up during the drive from the TV.

Just didn't think we should scare a new owner about charging their battery every time before leaving.

Octopus Prime · 03-09-2018, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John from Central Florida

Octo, getting back to part of your original question: How long, generally, do you leave your battery disconnected? Even with the disconnect switch off your battery will still slowly drain...

Really? I thought that was the whole point of the battery disconnect switch--to keep battery from slowly draining to power the little things.

This scares me a bit. I will leave my trailer stored up for a good four months each year during football season.

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Octopus Prime · 03-09-2018, 09:03 AM

I guess I'm not wanting to drain my battery down so bad that I won't have emergency brakes.
We will have shore power everywhere we camp in the foreseeable future. We simply do not have access to power 24/7 at the storage building.
There is a 110 outlet, and I can plug it in while packing. That's about it.

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CampNow · 03-09-2018, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octopus Prime

Really? I thought that was the whole point of the battery disconnect switch--to keep battery from slowly draining to power the little things.

This scares me a bit. I will leave my trailer stored up for a good four months each year during football season.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Octopus Prime

I guess I'm not wanting to drain my battery down so bad that I won't have emergency brakes.
We will have shore power everywhere we camp in the foreseeable future. We simply do not have access to power 24/7 at the storage building.
There is a 110 outlet, and I can plug it in while packing. That's about it.

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The effectiveness of the battery disconnect switch varies from trailer to trailer. Some totally disconnect the battery, some only do a partial disconnect. Suggest disconnecting the terminals from the battery to be rule out the possibility of anything draining the batteries while in storage. If the battery is fully charged, it should hold a charge for quite some time if disconnected. You also have the option of purchasing a very small solar panel to trickle charge the battery while it's in storage. I've seen folks simply lay/tape the solar panel on the a-frame, tongue assembly.

I believe the most efficient thing for you to do is simply take the battery(s) home with you. Place them on a small trickle charger and not worry about them. When you're ready to vacation they'll be fully charged, ready to go.

Wireman · 03-09-2018, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampNow

The effectiveness of the battery disconnect switch varies from trailer to trailer. Some totally disconnect the battery, some only do a partial disconnect. Suggest disconnecting the terminals from the battery to be rule out the possibility of anything draining the batteries while in storage. If the battery is fully charged, it should hold a charge for quite some time if disconnected. You also have the option of purchasing a very small solar panel to trickle charge the battery while it's in storage. I've seen folks simply lay/tape the solar panel on the a-frame, tongue assembly.

I believe the most efficient thing for you to do is simply take the battery(s) home with you. Place them on a small trickle charger and not worry about them. When you're ready to vacation they'll be fully charged, ready to go.

X2 Take the battery home and charge it before you plan on running the fridge..

There will be other parasitic drains on the battery besides the fridge.

Smoke detector, CO2 detector, etc but shouldn't be an issue for 24 hours while getting the fridge cool.

Siamese · 03-09-2018, 09:52 AM

Determining the state of charge of a battery can be done quickly using a meter. You can just use the meter that's built in the the panel by your entry door. There are many variables in getting an accurate reading with a meter, but a meter will get you in the ballpark.

The best way to learn the true state of charge is with a hydrometer. You can google that if you're interested.

I'm not aware of a battery disconnect switch on a 26bh, unless you installed one yourself. It's a little more trouble, but you can be assured of a total disconnect if you remove the negative cable from your battery.

A fully charged battery should be okay, disconnected, for four months. If you want to be extra careful with it, bring it home with you and either put it on a trickle charger or give it a full charge on a battery charger every couple months.

Did you watch this video about your 26bh? In the first few minutes, he gives an excellent explanation of the battery's role in your trailer's electrical system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA05uYcU3zI

bdreinv · 03-09-2018, 10:08 AM

By a tester about maybe 10 bucks!

RogerR · 03-09-2018, 02:12 PM

Trojan battery company says theirs will lose 15% per month, depending on weather.

They also recommend a recharge every 4 to 6 weeks depending on weather. Very hot (over 80 or under 30 ) will speed failure.

Letting a battery go dead in storage will significantly reduce it's ability to take a full charge and shorten the overall lifetime.

Take a look at Battery Tender website to get some statistics.

I would ask the storage lot if they can run a like to your RV. If not. look into a solar booster if it is outside

Best yet, take it home and put it on a battery tender!

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