Running fridge on propane and battery

Country · 07-25-2014, 12:18 PM

Folks,
Just looking for some info. Part of trip we are thinking of running our fridge on propane and the 12v battery. If anyone has done this, I am wondering how long a tank of propane lasts and the battery too.
Since we cant shoreline from the apartment complex, thinking of the night before turning on the fridge, then in the morning, fill it and travel three hours to the campsite.
Thank you.

jtwcummins · 07-25-2014, 12:26 PM

I always run the fridge while towing. When connected to TV the battery stays charged and the propane usage is fairly low. I plug in to 120v at home a couple of days before a trip since it takes awhile for the temps to come down. These fridges run a lot better, efficiently, on gas

Country · 07-25-2014, 12:29 PM

Thanks. Since we can not plug in at the apartment, that is why I was thinking of using propane and battery to get it starting to get cold. Then in the morning we can fill it up. Instead of packing the cooler and plugging in onsite waiting the four hours to get cold.

aubbenslv · 07-25-2014, 02:00 PM

It will be more efficient to run the propane the night before you leave. I always run mine off the battery while I'm driving because the batteries trickle charge while your truck is running when it's all hooked up. Then when you get to your site, if you don't have hook ups, switch back to the propane.

Offspring22 · 07-25-2014, 02:14 PM

The fridge takes very little propane and battery. Mine doesn't work off power (from what I found online likely need to replace a control board), so we've been using strictly propane the last 2 seasons. A 20lbs tank (with very little furnace usage but making morning coffee on the inside stove) will last the good part of a season (30 or so nights for us) - maybe used 1.5 tanks last year total? We went for 8 days in Montana last month with no power and didn't go through a full tank and had 1/3 of a battery left when we got home (the radio was probably the biggest user of power).

I wouldn't be too concerned especially if you have a dual tank setup.

AirZone · 07-25-2014, 07:00 PM

The fridge will run for days upon days upon days on propane. Battery is really only used for the spark ignition and the interior lights in the fridge when you open the door. ( or is the light always on, no one will ever know)
Start the fridge a day or two before then pack it up and go and have a good time.

hotqld · 07-31-2014, 03:11 AM

Our Dometic 2652 was a two way Propane / 110V. with 12V just on the control circuits.
We converted it to Propane / fully 12v to get around the legalities of running a 110V appliance in a 240V country...Australia.

On propane we use approx 18lbs every 8 days running the fridge, stove and hot water when Bush Camping....3-4 people ....6-8 very quick showers over a week. Water is the problem here.

On the 12V conversion the lower circuit board has two control wires just like the propane soliniod wires. I used these extra pair of wires to control a 120amp 12V relay to feed a 280watt 12V element in the furnace. This replaced the 110V element....there is two holders for the element on the furnace if you wanted to keep the 110V system.
The downside is it draws about 25 amps so to run off a battery is not really a option, this also means really heavy cables running from your starter motor battery if you want the tugs alternator to feed the fridge when driving.....in this case I would look at a 150watt element just to help hold the temp where it is.

I also replaced the top eyebrow board to a 3 way....so when you press DC the fridge says to itself....I only see 12V DC that's all I will activate.

guybmoto · 08-04-2014, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AirZone

The fridge will run for days upon days upon days on propane. Battery is really only used for the spark ignition and the interior lights in the fridge when you open the door. ( or is the light always on, no one will ever know)
Start the fridge a day or two before then pack it up and go and have a good time.

Yep. Using the stove and leaving the water heater on (by accident) will eat up way more propane than the fridge will. That said, I don't use the stove/BBQ often, and only use the water heater occasionally. I'll get a month or better out of almost constant use...but I also drive a lot.