Quote:
Originally Posted by Chance
Bottom line is that running propane refrigerators from batteries is rarely a good idea unless it’s an all-out emergency. Running fridge from shore power or while driving so alternator can make up the +/- 25 Amps is different, but using batteries to create heat is not very efficient at all.
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I qualified why I wish to be able to run the Norcold propane fridge off batteries in Post #1.
Goal being to run the inside fridge when driving down the road versus Propane given the inverter is being recharged by engine alternator. Also a backup plan when boondocking; if propane is kind of low.
By
Chance, can we play out the information provided below...
Math Alert: Some may wish to stop reading NOW
You State: "Your 2.5 Amps is at 120 VAC, so roughly 25 Amps coming out of batteries at +/- 12 VDC to power inverter. If it ran for 2 hours, you may have pulled up to 50 Amp-hours, which is a lot from two small house batteries even if in great shape."
If I follow this right, you are saying that whenever I have amperage based on 120VAC, I should multiply by 10 if I wish to run the same load from a battery source? I assume you mean 120VAC/12VDC = 10?
So lets say the exact time the Norcold ran off the battery was 2 hrs. That would mean it pulled 50 DC AHs off the battery before the AGS started the genset to recharge. The same batteries new should have 130 DC AHs available capacity, but I have heard that you really on have half of that? So it means I may have drawn 50 AHs off 65 available AHs before the AGS thought it was too low? (or maybe it really is 130AH available?)
If the above is all true, what perplexes me is the 1.5 AH Insignia Fridge that is in the outside kitchen. It is plugged to the Inverter; so by math just learned; it is pulling 15 amps DC off battery? We have gone overnight (Quiet time 10pm - 7:00AM) with that outdoor fridge on batteries plus TV lights etc. That is 8 hrs and 90AHs. So if I only had 65ah available, it would not be possible, but if the 130ahs were available maybe if batteries were in good condition?
When this is all said and done, I simply wish to achieve the following goals.
1. I would like to switch the inside Norcold Fridge to run off existing inverter / battery for duration of a trip while driving as it recharges with engine.
- No Propane
- No Generator required to run
- No relying on the fridge to simply stay cold during the trip (which it does for the most part, but I want it ice cold) We put Ice in our freezer before each trip anyway.
2. Eventually, I would like to get a new AGM with 100ah or more per battery to almost double my available AHs if needed.
- While I cleaned my batteries and compartment, I made a mess of the concrete with the corrosion and acid. I will dump the flood acid at first legit excuse.
Note: I will still have the option of using propane gas if I wanted, or even unplugging the Norcold from the Inverter receptacle to the factory's shorepower receptacle; which is simple as it behind the vent on outside wall.
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