Powering Fridge

Started by cayenneman, May 17, 2018, 04:24:06 PM

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cayenneman

The last time we went camping, I turned the gas on to make sure the fridge would be powered while dry camping.  I don't think it was using the gas.......I think it might have been using the marine battery....b/c the propane tanks were still full after 3 days of dry camping and the fridge on the entire time.

Does the fridge use the marine battery?

Thanks,
Chris

Mitch

If you have the 3 way fridge it will go for AC first, propane second and the on-board battery last so the quick answer to your question is yes.  You should know though that the fridge uses very very little gas and in a three day period I don't think you could use enough to measure the before and after difference.  A 20 lb tank can go for months if it's just supplying the fridge.

djsamuel

Quote from: Mitch on May 17, 2018, 04:54:32 PM
If you have the 3 way fridge it will go for AC first, propane second and the on-board battery last so the quick answer to your question is yes.  You should know though that the fridge uses very very little gas and in a three day period I don't think you could use enough to measure the before and after difference.  A 20 lb tank can go for months if it's just supplying the fridge.

Agree 100% Just put your ear up to the lower outside vent for the frig and you should be able to hear that the burner is on.
2013 Camplite 21BHS

DavidM

We only use our fridge for long term camping- three or more days at a time. Otherwise I just use an ice chest.

We keep our CL at a long term storage facility, so when we go on a 3+ day camping trip I bring the CL home the day before, park it in the drive way and plug in AC power to cool down the fridge. Then the next morning before we leave I switch to propane. It usually takes 2-3 tries to purge out the gas lines and get it lit even if I light the stove burners first. As djsamuel notes above, listen for the burner or if it is windy out (or your ears are dead like mine) open the cover on the back of the fridge and feel the burner housing. Unless it is dark outside you can't usually see the flame. But a warm burner housing is a sure indication it is working.

And if you really were running on DC power, your batteries would have been dead long before three days were up. It takes a lot of amperage to run the fridge on DC. Don't koow why they offer that option.

David

cayenneman

Thank you,
I had no idea they can power the fridge for so long!
Chris

cayenneman

New Question about Powering Fridge.

We were just dry camping and the fridge was being powered by the propane.  The gas tanks were full and all valves were opened.  During the second day of camping, for some reason, the fridge kept trying to light.....I am assuming gas was not reaching the fridge.

Has anyone had trouble like this?

Chris

DavidM

Well, the easy way to check for gas is to try lighting the stove. You can usually hear the gas at the burner when you turn it on if it is quiet outside.

I often have to try lighting the fridge 2-3 times the first time after the gas has been turned off at the bottle, but never does it fail to relight underway.

Assuming the stove lights but the fridge doesn't, then turn the controls on the fridge to off, wait a minute and then turn it to gas. At the outside lower louver you can hear the electric lighter pulse as it tries to light. If it lights then you can probably hear the burner after it stops pulsing after 30 seconds or so if it is quiet and you don't have 71 YO ears. You can also open the louver cover and feel the burner stack to be sure it is lit.

If it doesn't light or if it goes out with gas available then you probably need to have the burner cleaned and adjusted.

David

Drover

With so many things out (AC in particular) I doubt it'a tripped GFI but find it/them and reset. I would next exercise (on/off several times) every circuit breaker in your 110V panel. Next check every 12V fuse (you do have a meter?) If you have a builtin inverter reset the circuit breakers on it. Good luck as what you discribe does not add up.

PetrTecilla

#8
Hi...On the off chance that your current ice chest works OK right now, I'd be enticed to go through some cash on 2 or 3 additional batteries and a sun oriented board. Additional batteries will give you broadened perseverance for the ice chest, and a greater bank can retain charge all the more rapidly, amplifying charge proficiency. I'd likewise see whether it's conceivable to add more protection to the current ice chest.

https://www.7pcb.com/