Refrigerator/battery life - What would you do?

by JBShultz on Sat Mar 19, 2011 8:41 am

Here's our dilemma - our unit is kept at a storage lot. We cannot bring it home before/after a trip. Starting with a full battery, we have learned that running the refrigerator on propane for 24 hours before leaving drains the battery too much (below 2/3 on the panel)...so we would love to modify the situation so we can cool and pack the refrigerator before we leave and not drain the battery.

Our question is - How would you alter the set up to achieve that goal?

Would you simply add another battery in parallel? Would you add a solar panel to trickle charge the battery? Would you not change anything and just throw your food in a cooler with ice for the trip there and cool the fridge on the way?

We would love your thoughts. Thank you in advance.

*NOTE: While in storage during the camping season, there is a cut off switch for the battery so there are no phantom draws against it. We start with a full battery before each prep. However, because we know we have drained the battery too far running the fridge before a trip or two the current battery needs to be replaced regardless of what we do.

by Mopar_Earl on Sat Mar 19, 2011 9:06 am

Is your refer condensation heater off? It'll eat a lot of battery power. The switch is at the top of the refer inside the freeze door opening. If you have everything else off, you should be able to run longer than 24 hrs on a good battery. I'd pull the LP detector and radio fuses to lower your power draw. You should add a second battery to double your reserve power. To get the most out of your batteries, never pull them below 12.5 volts and recharge them fully as soon as possible.

I can go a weekend on a pair of golf cart batteries with refer, lights, water pump, powering the inverter to watch tv and etc. That includes using battery power for the hydro landing gear and slide.

Earl

by JBShultz on Sat Mar 19, 2011 9:16 am

Earl,

I had no idea there was such a switch. What will happen (to the function of the fridge) if that heater is off?

If you can do all of those things off of 2 golf cart batteries - then I think you're right - adding a pair of golf cart batteries is the way to go. Here's another question....is it as simple as wiring the two batteries in parallel or does something else need to be modified to accept the increase in the battery bank?

Thanks!

by Specktout on Sat Mar 19, 2011 10:03 am

You must have a 12v drain somewhere else, I can run my refer, lights, h2o pump and sometimes the furnace fan for about 2-3 days before I need to switch batteries.

by Mopar_Earl on Sat Mar 19, 2011 10:30 am

JBShultz wrote:Earl,

I had no idea there was such a switch. What will happen (to the function of the fridge) if that heater is off?

If you can do all of those things off of 2 golf cart batteries - then I think you're right - adding a pair of golf cart batteries is the way to go. Here's another question....is it as simple as wiring the two batteries in parallel or does something else need to be modified to accept the increase in the battery bank?

Thanks!

If you go with 6v batteries you wire them in series to make 12v. If you use 12v batteries you wire them in parallel. Here's a link to my 6v battery install. http://www.wildcatcamperforum.com/t2780-inverter-golf-cart-batteries-battery-switch-mod?highlight=inverter

The refer heater is for exterior condensation on the area between the refer and freezer sections. If it's humid it'll sweat. Same as your house refer. The heater draws a lot of power. I only use mine if I'm on shore power. If it's humid and it condensates I stuff paper towels between the freezer door and refer door to soak up the condensate when not on shore power. All the heater does is heat the section between the freezer and refer to cause the water that forms to evaporate. The only harm from not using the heater is it may cause mold to grow if not kept clean. If in doubt, read the refer owners manual to learn more about the heater.

Earl

by Portagie1968 on Sat Mar 19, 2011 12:57 pm

Mopar_Earl wrote:Is your refer condensation heater off? It'll eat a lot of battery power. The switch is at the top of the refer inside the freeze door opening. If you have everything else off, you should be able to run longer than 24 hrs on a good battery. I'd pull the LP detector and radio fuses to lower your power draw. You should add a second battery to double your reserve power. To get the most out of your batteries, never pull them below 12.5 volts and recharge them fully as soon as possible.

I can go a weekend on a pair of golf cart batteries (same RC as one good 12v battery) with refer, lights, water pump, powering the inverter to watch tv and etc. That includes using battery power for the hydro landing gear and slide.

Earl

By turning that switch on when using shore power would that stop the mold by drying everything up? If not how do U clean it? Need to look for that switch.

by Portagie1968 on Sat Mar 19, 2011 1:08 pm

Also your refer needs to be off Auto and on Gas only for dry camping.

by Mopar_Earl on Sat Mar 19, 2011 1:35 pm

Portagie,
Mold is caused by water and dirt. If you don't have both, you don't get mold. Normal cleaning will keep mold from happening. You'd have to let it go for some time before mold would grow. I doubt mold would have a chance to grow unless you're full-timing and even than, you're going to be using power sites. The refer will only sweat when it's humid and the heater is off. I've been doing this for many years and never had mold grow. Your refer manual will give you more information about the heater.

I run my heater all the time, unless I'm camping without shore power.

Earl

by Portagie1968 on Sat Mar 19, 2011 1:39 pm

Earl - I guess the Portagie is confused and that is easy to do in my old age. I need it very simple sorry. lol!

The mold grows were? And if I can find the manual I will read it next Monday or Tuesday after I set up at my lovely RV spot. Need some important reading while on the porcelain god. Thank you again for helping to educate me again. Never heard of that switch and it explains things. Also we pull the light in the refer when we are dry camping.

by Mopar_Earl on Sat Mar 19, 2011 1:43 pm

Portagie1968 wrote:Earl - I guess the Portagie is confuse and that is easy to do in my old age. I need it very simple sorry. The mold grows were?

The refer will sweat between the freezer and refer compartments where the top of the refer door seals and the bottom of the freezer door seals. The heater is built into that steel panel. The switch is a black rocker thats only seen with freezer door open. The switch is located towards the right top corner. When on, it heats the steal panel warm enough you can feel it by touch.

Earl

by Tracker16 on Sat Mar 19, 2011 2:22 pm

Here is where the switch is Portagie.Notice the switch on the under side.
I have a wire hanging out I need to fix. AwwMan

And with the door closed.

by Mopar_Earl on Sat Mar 19, 2011 2:25 pm

Sweet, you saved me from going out to take the pics Tracker!

Earl

by Tracker16 on Sat Mar 19, 2011 2:41 pm

Had it pulled out packing stuff,So I figured I'd help out a little. Very Happy

by Portagie1968 on Sun Mar 20, 2011 7:29 am

Thank you. I have never seen that switch. Just a blind getting old tired and retired Portagie I guess.

by JBShultz on Sun Mar 20, 2011 11:52 am

Thank you for the suggestion about the switch...but I looked today....my fridge doesn't have one.

And I also checked today on the type of converter our unit has from the factory....and according to the model # (WFCO WF-8965) it appears that it is a 3 stage charger....even though the guy at Forest River told me last week when I called it's only a trickle charger. (I was trying to figure out what the unit was equipped with when condering a solar panel as a solution to our dilemma.) I am confused.

by kwf904 on Mon Mar 21, 2011 2:12 am

To simplify all this, why not just buy another battery and bring it with you. Swap it out when the first one dies and be done with it. That's what I do.
Jim

by Supplyusn on Mon Jul 04, 2011 7:40 am

Do dome of the refrigerators not have the refer heater switch? My unit takes forever to cool down and has only been around 42 degreesF. If you open the door to get something it jumps to 48 or so pretty quick and takes forever to cool down. I bought an internal fan that clips to the vanes in the back but it does not seem to help. If I have the refer heater, would turning it off help?

by bsmall2800 on Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Mine doesn't have a switch like what was shown...

by bpdlk33 on Mon Jul 04, 2011 3:47 pm

I looked at mine and it also does not have that switch.

by scottz on Mon Jul 04, 2011 3:53 pm

A solar system would help solve your problem.

by Portagie1968 on Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:43 pm

Try going to this web address. It shows you how to adjust your temperature in your refer.

http://www.wildcatcamperforum.com/t4176-refrigerator-problem-freezer-cools-but-refrigerator-doesn-t?highlight=refrigerator

by GustheUsher on Tue Jul 05, 2011 6:50 am

Hi JB, I think your battery must be dying or low, I have the same unit and went for 16 hours with the fridge on propane, using my water pump lights and still had power to retract my 3 slides and power the landing gear.

by retired2 on Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:58 am

We have 2 batteries, but frequently dry camp for 4-5 days without any problem. I would check the voltage output on your battery after a day of running the fridge. It may be that your panel guage is not that accurate, and you may have more battery power than you think. If the battery was fully charged when you started the fridge and it is truly depleted in 24 hours, t would think there is a battery drain occuring, or the battery is not up to par.

I have a WFCO 9855 converter and 5-6 hours of driving will pretty well recharge my trailer batteries.

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Refrigerator/battery life - What would you do?

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