Refrigerator on the road

[Bukrub66]

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. How do you guys run your fridge running down the road? I took a trip in April and then again in August running my fridge on propane. Both times we arrived the unit wasn't cool. I finally figured out the pilot wouldn't stay lit while driving. After some internet research I found many say it was dangerous to do this anyway, so this trip I ran it on DC. Well the battery only stays charged enough to run it for 5 or 6 hours. What's a guy do to?

[booster]

Originally Posted by Bukrub66

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. How do you guys run your fridge running down the road? I took a trip in April and then again in August running my fridge on propane. Both times we arrived the unit wasn't cool. I finally figured out the pilot wouldn't stay lit while driving. After some internet research I found many say it was dangerous to do this anyway, so this trip I ran it on DC. Well the battery only stays charged enough to run it for 5 or 6 hours. What's a guy do to?

When you are actually driving, the alternator should provide enough power to run the frig without killing the battery, if your isolator/separator is working correctly. You do have to remember to switch the frig back to propane when you stop for any length of time, though, as it will then kill the battery quickly.

[Bukrub66]

Well I must have a problem somewhere. As far as I know the coach battery doesn't charge off the alternator. I do have a switch under the hood. It appears to have been added. It's labled in hand writing Generator on and off. Best I can tell it allows me to start the gen set from the engine battery if the coach battery is dead. Is this the isolator you speak of? Which position should it be in to charge the coach battery and how can I tell if it's working?

[stanw909]

No. That is not technically an isolator but may function as one. Look up isolator images. Flipping that switch to generator after you've started the engine may send juice to your coach batteries but a proper isolator needs no switch and stops the coach batteries from parasitically draining your starting battery.

[Johnny R]

I'm afraid I do run the fridge on propane while enroute. It puzzles me that your flame won't stay lit. However, my coach battery would also carry the load while driving, no problem.

[mlts22]

Some propane fridges will have the pilot light go out when on the road due to the passing wind. This can be addressed by partially covering up vent holes on the bottom... but one has to remember to uncover when at a destination. Another alternative is to run the generator while on the road if the 12 volt setting isn't working.

Of course, there is always using hard-sided freezer packs and moving them from the freezer to the fridge part, which will help for a few hours, but space is precious, and there isn't likely room to do this.

[mkguitar]

Kinda think that the DIY has hit a wall.

Running propane down the road can be chancy- and all that should be off if you pull in for fuel.

a wireless thermometer ( $10 walmart) can give you an indication of how the food is doing while you drive, and if any adjustments need to be made to the controls on the fridge.
( on shore power mine can be set on "2" to maintain 37º...but on 12 volt I gotta switch to 4 or 5- ambient temps in the 70's)


for the electrical system there "should be"( in a professional installation) a car battery and a coach battery...the coach battery should be able to recharge when you are driving off of the alternator, or when parked from shore power or the generator.

as above there should be a magic box under the hood to supply power to the coach battery.

I'd suggest that you have someone who is savvy to RV's have a look and tell you what you have and how to operate the systems...which switch needs to set at which position under which circumstance for the desired result.*

Your model is not uncommon and I betcha you can find some help easy- or even find a similar model on your local classifieds and go look at it....see if the under hood stuff looks the same.


2.) a fan kit to move air across the fins of the fridge can really increase effectiveness when parked...if it starts off cold...it'll do a better job of staying cold.


Mike

* I am totally new to my used PW, and most of my time has been with manual and flashlight tracing down the systems and running components in the driveway.

[Lou]

When it is very hot, we have driven with the fridge on battery but then our battery isn't totally full when we arrive at a campsite. What works better for us is when we leave in the morning we put a freezer pack in the fridge near the little battery operated fan. It helps everything stay cool enough to be safe. We usually put the fridge on propane when we stop for lunch.