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Old 05-22-2022, 12:57 PM   #1
SandyBurg
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Residential fridge - long haul day

We've had this camper for a year now. Love it!! Previous two had propane fridges so when we pulled a long way no issues. But we're headed on a long trip with a short time frame. So we will be pulling twelve and a half hours plus fuel stops. This camper has a residential fridge in it.

Our plan is to add an additional battery to the inverter to help keep the fridge running. Plus have it fairly full to also help maintain temp.

Any other suggestions? I don't want to arrive with questionable food or have to go grocery shopping on the first day of vaca after we did a long haul to enjoy our time there.

Thanks in advance!!


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Old 05-22-2022, 01:03 PM   #2
chuckster57
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As long as your charge line from the TV is good, your fridge should be ok. Adding a battery wouldn’t hurt but if you do add 1, replace the other one so both batteries are the same age.
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Old 05-22-2022, 01:13 PM   #3
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Ok. I'm a girl. lol So I may be wrong.

I thought the TV charged only the battery for DC (lights and slides). That it didn't charge the battery that runs the inverter that converts DC to AC for the fridge.

If I'm mistaken - sorry and thanks for the quick reply.
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Old 05-22-2022, 01:28 PM   #4
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Same battery provides power for lighting and for the inverter, unless someone has done some customizing. The tow vehicle (TV) can contribute charging power to the camper's battery system (if rigged properly), but the amount of current may not be equal to what the inverter is consuming. One tip to reduce the refrigerator's use of the inverter, is to limit opening the fridge door unnecessarily. My guess is with the extra battery you'll be ok.
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Old 05-22-2022, 01:44 PM   #5
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If you are just traveling and not stopping for hours and using the fridge you will be OK. I go 7 - 7 1/2 hours at a time and it doesn't faze the batteries or the fridge but I do not get in the fridge when traveling. If you're set up correctly, and I assume you are since you bought it new, your truck should be charging the battery that powers the fridge along with the one(s) for the RV (or all if they aren't separated).
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Old 05-22-2022, 02:22 PM   #6
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Most I’ve seen have the batteries wired together. There was some info at one point that stated the rv and fridge battery were separate, but I’ve never seen them actually wired that way. I have seen wheee the TV didn’t charge them. That was a wiring issue on the trailer. A Montana rep once told me they did testing on the setup and a single battery ran the fridge for 18 hours. If your truck is charging the battery and your battery is in good shape, 12 hours shouldn’t be a problem.
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Old 05-22-2022, 03:27 PM   #7
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Soudough - We won't be opening the fridge until we are hooked up again to shore power. We have to open the slides to get to the fridge, lol. Not the greatest of designs. But it fit what we need elsewhere. So we'll take a small cooler or when we stop for fuel, grab something then. So thank you for your input. Was hoping we would be fine, just double checking.
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Old 05-22-2022, 03:28 PM   #8
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We've run down the lines and asked multiple tech's. They have it set that it only charges when on shore power. I guess to make sure we can deploy landing gear and slides if necessary without shore power.

Thanks!!
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Old 05-22-2022, 04:54 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by SandyBurg View Post
We've run down the lines and asked multiple tech's. They have it set that it only charges when on shore power. I guess to make sure we can deploy landing gear and slides if necessary without shore power.

Thanks!!
If you only have 1 battery, then it should charge from the truck while your driving. If it’s not, then they did you wrong.
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Old 05-22-2022, 05:03 PM   #10
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You probably have a switch inside the camper to turn the inverter on. Be sure it is on when traveling.
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Old 05-22-2022, 06:41 PM   #11
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As gearhead said, I can turn my inverter off by a couple of ways. When you travel you have to have (my) disconnect to the inverter turned on or it will not provide battery to convert to AC. The inverter has to be turned on. Of course the fridge has to be on. Figure out the process and where those things are and there shouldn't be a problem. If you only have one battery for the RV and the inverter the dealer needs to step up because they shortchanged you.
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Old 05-23-2022, 01:30 AM   #12
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Like other's have said your truck will keep the battery charged enough to run your Residential Refrigerator and keep it cold. Mine has a dedicated converter for the fridge (they may all have one) it is designed to stop though if battery power drops a certain % so you need to keep it attached to the truck. Ours has a knob thing that you screw in between the 3 doors before traveling to keep the doors from coming open, make sure that that knob is good and tight before traveling or you may have a warmer then optimal temperature when you get to where you are going (speaking from experience)
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Old 05-23-2022, 03:45 AM   #13
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If you happen to hear a beeping coming from the trailer during a fuel or lunch stop, it could be the inverter telling you the batteries are low voltage. Yours may, or may not, have this feature.
On our first trip I heard the beeping and discovered the wires on the battery terminals were loose.
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Old 05-23-2022, 04:10 AM   #14
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Would a solar panel on the roof help out on sunny days while driving?
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Old 05-23-2022, 04:39 AM   #15
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Would a solar panel on the roof help out on sunny days while driving?
Unfortunatly there's no "standard" to guarantee that. I would think it shouldn’t be necessary if the truck umbilical is plugged in.

For the OP. Here's some food for thought Check your truck's 7 way umbilical. Some trucks have the battery connection on constantly, some only when the engine is running, and IIRC some are energized only when the engine is running and the transmission is in drive. So if it's an "always on" setup you could awake to a dead truck battery if you boondock in a Wal-Mart parking lot if the camper battery was defective.
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Old 05-23-2022, 05:51 AM   #16
SandyBurg
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We keep the inverter on, even when we're not traveling. Only turned it off for the winter when we shut it all down.

Thanks!
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Old 05-23-2022, 05:56 AM   #17
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We've run down the lines and asked multiple tech's. They have it set that it only charges when on shore power. I guess to make sure we can deploy landing gear and slides if necessary without shore power.

Thanks!!
If you have two batteries and the truck is only charging one, a couple battery cables to wire them together in parallel is all you need.
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Old 05-23-2022, 06:00 AM   #18
SandyBurg
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RickyV - we have the knob on our fridge. We use it everytime we travel. They put it in crooked. It holds the right door and freezer well. but can allow the left door to open just a bit. Since we can't get to the fridge while traveling. We try to make sure and stuff a towel around it to make sure that left door doesn't open. We also make sure all our items are secure in the fridge and can't move. Thanks for the input!
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Old 05-23-2022, 06:19 AM   #19
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RickyV - we have the knob on our fridge. We use it everytime we travel. They put it in crooked. It holds the right door and freezer well. but can allow the left door to open just a bit. Since we can't get to the fridge while traveling. We try to make sure and stuff a towel around it to make sure that left door doesn't open. We also make sure all our items are secure in the fridge and can't move. Thanks for the input!
Put a large washer with foam on it that will catch all three doors. You can use weatherstripping foam with two sided tape on the washer/disc to keep it from scratching the doors.
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Old 05-23-2022, 06:27 AM   #20
SandyBurg
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Great idea, thanks. I'll look into that before we head out!!
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