Windsport 33X refrigerator?

[Thor71]

After nearly a year of considering moving up to a class A motorhome again and reading everything I could about the Windsport 27B, I went to look at one this weekend, and ended up decided to perchance a 33X instead. I haven’t pulled the trigger on it yet but hope too this summer. One thing I forgot to look closely at was how the full-size refrigerator operates. I know it can run on the inverter while traveling, but does anyone know if it can run on propane when boondocking?

[Judge]

If it is a residential fridge, it does not run on propane.

You can add solar and then have the ability to run it off the Inverter for extended periods.

[Thor71]

Thank you. It comes set-up for solar, so adding a panel to keep the food cold is something I guess I’ll have to do.

[16ACE27]

Yep, no propane for that fridge.

[taylorbob1]

Originally Posted by Thor71

Thank you. It comes set-up for solar, so adding a panel to keep the food cold is something I guess I’ll have to do.

You'll need more than "a panel" for a residential fridge.
And/or more efficient, more batteries to your house battery bank.

That is, unless you plan on always plugging into 50 amp at RV parks, be aware that residential fridge via inverter will use up your battery output while boon-docking.
I assume that your generator will have auto-start feature when house battery bank falls below a certain level.

So it's either run the generator to charge the batteries or use solar as installed while boon-docking/parked without plug-in.

[TurnerFam]

your House battery(s) are well designed to support your fridge - no solar needed.
Making the comment that somehow 'solar' is needed to support your fridge is a little far-fetched - solar only recharges batteries, and only when there 'is' sun out, etc. It will help 'extend' your fridge's time available with battery power, thru the inverter, but is not necessary. Many of us have residential fridges, and inverters, and no solar. Our first 3 years we had no solar, and didn't need it. We got a solar panel for a trip to Alaska, but otherwise would not have one.
If you're mainly concerned about powering the fridge while driving, then not only your house batteries, but also your engine alternator will provide charging to those batteries - you have no concerns will traveling.
ONLY, if you are parked, with no shore power, for many, many hours and a long overnight 'might' your batteries need recharging, but even then, a fridge 'without power' for several hours is no big deal... after all, they are large 'coolers'!

[16ACE27]

I agree with Turner. If I was gonna boondock a lot with a residential fridge I would tend to put the RV in the shade anyway to keep it cool. So I would invest in a small 1K or 2K inverter generator to keep the batteries charged quietly before I invested in a solar setup.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Thor71

Thank you. It comes set-up for solar, so adding a panel to keep the food cold is something I guess I’ll have to do.

Before running out and buying a solar panel you might want to do some research and determine what your power needs are and then determine the about of solar energy that's required to meet those needs. A residential refrigerator for example can require 400 watts of solar over 5 hours of sunlight to produce enough charge in the batteries to run the residential fridge for 24 hours. This uses the 80 percent rule whereby you actually get 80 watts from a 100 watt panel in the real world.

I am not a solar expert but that is what my minimal research has found.

Also, I agree if others. If you are boondocking and your coach is in direct sun so you can use solar to charge the batteries you are going to be inside a sauna because that solar system is not going to let you run the AC.

[taylorbob1]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

I agree with Turner. If I was gonna boondock a lot with a residential fridge I would tend to put the RV in the shade anyway to keep it cool. So I would invest in a small 1K or 2K inverter generator to keep the batteries charged quietly before I invested in a solar setup.

Well said!
I boon-dock a lot along the California coast and it’s popular for many large RV’s (with large inverters I presume) to run a Honda 2000 outside their rigs.
They need to lock ‘em up so they don’t get stolen. But it’s a very popular concept.

[TurnerFam]

I'm sure a Windsport Class A already has it's own onboard generator, which is designed exactly for that purpose - use it, you already bought it!

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by TurnerFam

I'm sure a Windsport Class A already has it's own onboard generator, which is designed exactly for that purpose - use it, you already bought it!

No, the onboard generator is designed to run everything in the coach, uses much more fuel, and is much more obnoxious than a small inverter generator when all you really need to do is charge the batteries.

[petefoss]

Everytime I watch friends with 5th wheels haul out 2 2K generators, auxiliary fuel tanks, etc I say "Sure glad my Onan is built in and runs off the fuel tank in the RV"! Admitted they are setting up for AC not just residential fridge,but it still is more work and hassle for an external generator. Mostly where do you carry gas.

[TurnerFam]

agreed, the 'onboard' generator is not simply for 'charging the batteries', it's a fully built electrical sub-station for your coach - for everything from running the air conditioners to the microwave to the electric water heater to the engine block heater, or yes, if the only 'immediate' need is to charge the batteries.

'outboard' generators, on the other hand, are really the culprits of most of the 'loud noise' and 'smelly fumes' that most complain of, especially if the neighboring RVr decides that it's perfectly fine to have it within 10' of your own RV, and the exhaust pointed at you.
Many outboard generators also don't come with mufflering, as with 'contractor' generators, making them easily fall into the 'I wish I had known...' categories, for new owners.

No, the comment was simply to the op, who sounded as though they were 'new' to the RV, didn't know 'how' a residential fridge is powered, and thought then that without 'propane', they would somehow 'need' something additional to power it, whether while traveling, or while parked off-grid.
No, the answer is no. But, yes, many will put money into 'solar' thinking that it is the 'sole' source of off-grid power that is 'acceptable', as though an onboard generator is somehow 'not'.
And, no, every RV owner also doesn't have a obnoxiously expensive 'small' generator 'just' to charge the batteries, they use other sources that are just as capable, like their own ONBOARD generator they already have installed, and already 'bought and paid for'... why would they 'also' carry around another?


It's easy. When you purchase a new RV, it's already designed to handle your power needs. If you want to go beyond that, you certainly can, and many do, but it's not a 'requirement' for your first trip, or maybe even your 50th trip...it's all up to you and your needs and desires.

[Judge]

For those of you immediately down in solar as an option..... I installed two panels and it allowed me to run the 5000 BTU air conditioner in my garage in my Outlaw 29H and it didn’t have to be in full sun either.

A residential fridge already cooled down is not going to draw more power than a 5000 BTU A/C unit..... unless you are opening and closing the doors a dozen times an hour.

If you have the right batteries and inverter and the coach is pre-wired, solar offers a reasonable and inexpensive power source to keep the batteries charged and run some essential items.

[TurnerFam]

no one is 'putting down' solar, as I have some, and it's nice, we are just making a statement that some new owners don't understand that 'solar' is not a requirement to camp, to travel, or to enjoy your new RV.

It's also great for helping to charge the batteries, but that's what it does, it does not power anything directly. If you are able to run your air conditioner, a WINDOW 120v unit, not a ROOF air conditioner that most of us others have, it's because you have it wired thru the INVERTER - so the INVERTER, your batteries, is what is powering your air conditioner, NOT solar.
If I plugged a 120v WINDOW air conditioner into one of my outlets, I could run it to, even if I DIDN'T have any solar.

[Thor71]

Thanks everyone for the input. Just to be clear, I do understand that the only thing solar will do is charge the batter. I did not expect solar to run the refrigerator, only to help charge the batteries to keep the refrigerator working while boondocking.

[FrankMor]

Why does everyone say that the on board genset is SO loud. Mine is very quite, no louder than the 2000 inverters and mine is 4000.

Frank

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by FrankMor

Why does everyone say that the on board genset is SO loud. Mine is very quite, no louder than the 2000 inverters and mine is 4000.

Frank

Not even close. I have a Honda 2000 inverter generator and basically the same coach and generator as you. Although I wouldn't consider the onboard generator loud you can definitely hear it running from anywhere around the coach and especially in the coach. When I connect the 2000 on the backside of the coach you can't even hear it from the front side of the coach on ECO mode, and barely hear it inside the coach.

[knucklehead]

Originally Posted by Thor71

After nearly a year of considering moving up to a class A motorhome again and reading everything I could about the Windsport 27B, I went to look at one this weekend, and ended up decided to perchance a 33X instead. I haven’t pulled the trigger on it yet but hope too this summer. One thing I forgot to look closely at was how the full-size refrigerator operates. I know it can run on the inverter while traveling, but does anyone know if it can run on propane when boondocking?

NO!!! Those must have 120 volts and even on the inverter there is a time limit before your out of power and have to fire up the genny. That's what I have been told, I have a Norcold that is Gas/Electric. Bob

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by Thor71

After nearly a year of considering moving up to a class A motorhome again and reading everything I could about the Windsport 27B, I went to look at one this weekend, and ended up decided to perchance a 33X instead. I haven’t pulled the trigger on it yet but hope too this summer. One thing I forgot to look closely at was how the full-size refrigerator operates. I know it can run on the inverter while traveling, but does anyone know if it can run on propane when boondocking?

I had a friend who bought a class A diesel pusher. Had a whirlpool residential refrigerator. It quit working after a bout 8 months. Not Fleetwood’s problem. A whirlpool tech came out and told him the failure was due to the fridge not being made to have electricity constantly on and off (as in plugging into shore power). And then there was no way to get the bad one out and get a new one in. Have to “pop out” the windshield. After hearing his experience, I chose never to own a unit with a residential fridge. And I haven’t in 32 years.