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09-19-2017, 08:54 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Hopatcong,NJ
Posts: 27
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Refrigerator Mod
Hello, I have been doing some reading on traveling with the refrigerator running on propane. It seems to be a 50/50 debate. I understand the reasons against it but as my traveling is getting longer and longer I would like to keep my food cool. What my question to the group is... Has anyone added a 12v heater to the refrigerator making it a 3 way fridge.
Thanks in advance 
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
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Thank You.
Ed B
Northern NJ
2015 Cougar 21RBS
2004 Ford F-250 Crew Cab
http:n2qjn.com
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09-19-2017, 08:58 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Solomons
Posts: 3,875
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Years ago, and I am talking a long time ago, they used to make them 3 way. I don't know why they stopped.
2016 Passport GT 2810BHS, 2016 F350 CC DRW
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Tom
2019 Alpine 3651RL
2016 F350 CC DRW
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09-19-2017, 09:05 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Waco, Tx
Posts: 5,451
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I used to work on the 3 way refrigerators, I don't remember them working all that well on 12V...
Living and traveling where I do, I just run the fridge on propane while on the road.. but we don't have restricted bridges and tunnels..
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2015 Ford F350 DRW 6.7 Diesel XL
2020 Avalanche 313 RS
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09-19-2017, 09:11 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Near Saratoga Springs,
Posts: 1,131
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tbos
Years ago, and I am talking a long time ago, they used to make them 3 way. I don't know why they stopped.
2016 Passport GT 2810BHS, 2016 F350 CC DRW
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Yep, our long gone '74 Kountry Aire's Dometic fridge was 3 way as was the HW heater. I found that both were virtually useless as 12VDC just wasn't enough on the RV battery (sucked it dead in an hour) and the TV's alternator would need to be in the 100 amp up range vs common 65-85 amp on gas vehicles(diesels have bigger alternators).
OP - not sure how you could do a 12VDC heater mod on one of today's Dometic or NorCold fridges, especially one of their 12 cu ft units, but if you can find a '70s vintage Dometic IB and parts list, you may be able to make the mod.
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09-19-2017, 10:49 AM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 18,507
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Dometic still makes a 3 way refer. Only ones I see are very small for van conversions.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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09-19-2017, 12:39 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Texarkana, TX
Posts: 1,052
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No, regularly travel with propane on.
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09-19-2017, 02:43 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Lafayette
Posts: 1,068
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I've always run the LP while traveling also! I usually set frig to auto mode so when it gets power it switches to elec, otherwise it runs on LP.
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2015 Ram,3500,Dually,B&W,4.10s,Aisin,Limited,Silver
2018 Raptor,428SP w/full body paint
2012 Harley, Ultra Limited
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09-19-2017, 03:59 PM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 25,256
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The biggest disadvantage to the 12 VDC heater circuit in the older 3 way Dometic refrigerators was power use. We had one in a cabover camper that would kill the batteries in the truck during a "lunch break at McD's. If the truck is operating, it's possible to maintain enough power from the alternator, but if parked, even for an hour or so, make sure you've got a set of jumper cables or you'll be calling for a jumpstart.
Believe it or not, you can operate the Samsung 18cuft "residential refrigerator" on the inverter/single battery for a longer time than you can operate a Dometic 4.5 cuft 12 volt absorption system.
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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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09-20-2017, 01:59 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 6,003
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Ed, I'll be blunt. You're putting too much thought into this thing. Run with the propane on. Take ten minutes and do a search on this site for comments on who does and who does not run with propane on. 50/50 won't be close. I'm betting it is closer to 80/20. By the way, how many times in your life have you picked up the paper and seen headlines concerning "RV burns to ground because of refrigerator fire.....?"
And, yes, we also had a three-way Dometic in our Hi-Lo. It would have taken four 6 volt golf cart batteries to keep up with that thing.
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Jim in Memphis, Wife of 51 years is Brenda
2019 F450 6.7 Powerstroke
2018 Mobile Suites 40RSSA
2021 40' Jayco Eagle
2001 Road king w/matching Harley sidecar
2021 Yamaha X2 Wolverine 1000
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09-20-2017, 05:14 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Northville NY in the Adirondacks
Posts: 2,128
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Quote:
Originally Posted by notanlines
Ed, I'll be blunt. You're putting too much thought into this thing. Run with the propane on. Take ten minutes and do a search on this site for comments on who does and who does not run with propane on. 50/50 won't be close. I'm betting it is closer to 80/20. By the way, how many times in your life have you picked up the paper and seen headlines concerning "RV burns to ground because of refrigerator fire.....?"
And, yes, we also had a three-way Dometic in our Hi-Lo. It would have taken four 6 volt golf cart batteries to keep up with that thing.
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Precisely!
The cost to CORRECTLY add a 12vdc heater to an existing fridge would far outweigh any imagined benefit.
The electric consumption alone suggests it's a bad idea.
I had a 3-way in my '76 Prowler. The 12vdc side never worked that well anyway.
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'11 Cougar 326MKS loaded with mods
'12 Ford F250 SuperCab 6.7 PowerStroke Diesel
Amateur Radio: KD2IAT (146.520) GMRS: WQPG808 (462.675 TPL 141.3)
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09-20-2017, 10:29 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 834
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Anything over a couple of hours and I use LP.
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(SOLD) 2015 Keystone Passport 2810BH
2013 Ram 1500 Hemi 8-speed 3.92 Air Suspension
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09-22-2017, 10:07 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Bucks County, PA
Posts: 281
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Propane here too while rolling. Of the flame blows out the system will try to relight it a couple of times and if it can't the gas flow will be cut off.
I tried 12V once in my old pop-up. Killed the pop-up's battery within an hour. Didn't have a feed from the TV in those days.
Sent from my LG-H810 using Tapatalk
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-- Mark
I used a multi-billion dollar government satellite navigation system to look for a rubber chicken in a tree!
2017 Bullet 248RKS towed by a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 5.3L V8 W/ AFM
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