Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: residential refrigerator question (Read 848 times) previous topic - next topic

residential refrigerator question

When travelling do you enabel the booster switch so engine is charging the coach batteries while the inverter is on so refrigerator stays cold.
Also if boondocking with 3 coach batteries do you leave the inverter on overnight so refer stays cold? Would the autostart on the generator kick on if batteries are in good shape?
Thanks, Windwalker

Re: residential refrigerator question

Reply #1 –
VERIFY, but your alternator should be charging both battery banks any time the engine is running.

If not, start troubleshooting at the battery isolator.

Yes, leave inverter on overnight when boondocking to run the refrigerator.

?Autostart on a 1992 with gasoline generator?

Re: residential refrigerator question

Reply #2 –
Your "3 coach batteries" are what size?

We have two AGM8D coach batteries, MS2812 inverter, and a Samsung residential fridge that runs 24/7.

When dry camping, if we go to bed at >90% SOC, we wake up with around 70-75% SOC.

Most AutoStart devices can be programed for the desired "cut-on" voltage.  Set it where you want it.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b/fleet---heavy-duty-5000/battery-accessories-16452/deep-cycle---marine-batteries-17354/220f7dcd7121/super-start-fleet-heavy-duty-group-size-8d-top-post-battery/agm8d/4742645

Re: residential refrigerator question

Reply #3 –
To understand your power requirements, subtract actual usage from Total Battery Amps available and what is left over will be what is available for other requirements.  You also have Phantom power requirements.

It is important for you to understand how much power you/your machine uses in a 24 hour period.

For a couple of years I tried to use estimated usage against total available amp hours but in the end I compiled pages of usage data  that allowed me to understand how WE use power and what we must do to control that usage.  There are a number of ways to determine your actual usage.  We used a TriMetric - - Bogart Engineering to determine our State of Charge and power usage.  Others have used a Kill a watt - Kill A Watt Meter - Electricity Usage Monitor | P3.

If you use the "Search" function on this web site you will find pages of threads discussing power consumption and batteries.

Enjoy.  ^.^d

We have 3 8A8D batteries and we have no problem going 8 to 10 hours until charge is required either from the M11 or the gen set.

Re: residential refrigerator question

Reply #4 –
How big is the fridge?  What does the energy use tag say?

Re: residential refrigerator question

Reply #5 –
Remember that many places don't allow generator use during certain "quiet hours".
Plus, if you have neighbors when boondocking please be considerate. Know where your exhaust is going and who might be bothered by the noise.

Re: residential refrigerator question

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Dakota Slim –
Know...who might be bothered by the noise.
I am bothered by the noise when we run our generator.  Something about it really gets on my nerves.  When dry camped, we don't run ours any more than absolutely necessary.  We added solar - to try to minimize the genny run time.  Helps a lot, but doesn't entirely eliminate using it.

Re: residential refrigerator question

Reply #7 –
If you choose to camp where generator use is allowed then it comes with the territory.  Many campgrounds, especially NPs have parts of the CG where generator use is allowed (usually with some time restrictions) and parts where generator use is not allowed.

We would rather not park next to barking dogs but that is rarely a choice. We have been next to a few Phaetons with screaming roof top AC units too.  Another choice that we don't always get to make.

Be as nice to your neighbors as you would hope they would be to you.  And if they aren't don't worry, be happy knowing you were nicer than they were.

The first time we went to the airshow at Oshkosh in our coach (dry camping along with 80,000 other on-site campers) we were concerned about using our generator.  Three days in the week we were there were over 100° so no choice the generator was on as well as AC.  Then we realized we probably had the quietest generator in the place.

Re: residential refrigerator question

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 –
If you choose to camp where generator use is allowed then it comes with the territory....

Right, but there are people who will pull up a few feet (literally) away from you and blow their generator's exhaust on you.
Is that rude in your book, or is it coming with the territory?

-- sorry to get off the subject of residential refrigerators

Re: residential refrigerator question

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Dakota Slim –
Right, but there are people who will pull up a few feet (literally) away from you and blow their generator's exhaust on you.
Is that rude in your book, or is it coming with the territory?

We have the Gen-Turi systems for both our generator and our Aqua-Hot. We use them when it's appropriate. With the exhaust headed toward the sky we believe we are being good neighbors.
 

Re: residential refrigerator question

Reply #10 –
Back to the original question ... Almost any residential refrigerator or electric refrigerator conversion will use 65-80 watts per hour on average. Ice makers and in the door ice and water dispensers will use more. 75 watts per day is 1800 watts per day. At 12.5 volts that is about 145 amp hrs per day.  That can be a significant portion of available power.

Make sure you do a realistic energy use audit when you are considering changes to your coach.  The more you know helps you make better choices.

If you are driving the alternator charges both the house and engine batteries.  The house batteries through the inverter power your residential refrigerator. When you are boondocking the residential refrigerator gets power from the house batteries through the inverter.  If you are connected to a land line the circuits powered by the inverter switch over to the land line which powers your refrigerator.