TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post - Pros/Cons to running refrigerator all the time?

**Bill** · 04-12-2004, 06:00 PM

John and Rocky -

Texas_Camper has a good handle on this situation.

Running the refrig full time should have no adverse effects. Most Dometic models, in fact, are designed to be used full-time.

Pulling the battery fuse is also not a bad idea. With the fuse pulled, the battery will not charge, but it also will not discharge - nor will it overcharge, as T_C pointed out.

The old 6300-series converter will overcharge your battery quite readily, as evidenced by gassing and spitting. There is an adjustment inside the 6300 series that sets the cutoff level, so if you have a 6300 series that won't bring your battery to full, then the adjustment needs a tweak. But as described by T_C in his second post, the choice for an idle battery is undercharge or overcharge - there is no middle ground. If you don't use it, you'll likely lose it.

A good charger is described as a three-stage charger. The 3rd stage actually has a LOWER charge voltage than the first two stages. The ability to switch to this lower voltage - and to know when it is appropriate to make the switch - is lacking in the 6300 series converter.

The 7300 is a better converter than the 6300 in some ways. Reduced RFI (radio frequency interference) has been discussed quite a bit on this board. But as I read the manufacturer's literature, overcharge of an idle battery is still a problem. Like the 6300, this is not a three stage charger. So once again, I agree with T_C - pull the battery's fuse to avoid overcharging.

BTW, good three-stage chargers are not expensive. On the advice of HappyTrails, I bought a Guest 2610 10-amp charger on ebay for about $40. I leave it attached to my TM battery 24/7. Due to my wife's broken ankle, our TM has been in the garage for nearly four months now, with the Guest charger connected and powered. I opened the TM yesterday, checked the battery water level and specific gravity - it is in perfect condition. My wife has improved to the point where we plan our first trip next week. I am mighty glad to find the battery in good shape.

Hope this helps.

Bill

04-12-2004, 06:00 PM	#4
Bill Site Team Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine Posts: 10,113	Re:Pros/Cons to running refrigerator all the time? John and Rocky - Texas_Camper has a good handle on this situation. Running the refrig full time should have no adverse effects. Most Dometic models, in fact, are designed to be used full-time. Pulling the battery fuse is also not a bad idea. With the fuse pulled, the battery will not charge, but it also will not discharge - nor will it overcharge, as T_C pointed out. The old 6300-series converter will overcharge your battery quite readily, as evidenced by gassing and spitting. There is an adjustment inside the 6300 series that sets the cutoff level, so if you have a 6300 series that won't bring your battery to full, then the adjustment needs a tweak. But as described by T_C in his second post, the choice for an idle battery is undercharge or overcharge - there is no middle ground. If you don't use it, you'll likely lose it. A good charger is described as a three-stage charger. The 3rd stage actually has a LOWER charge voltage than the first two stages. The ability to switch to this lower voltage - and to know when it is appropriate to make the switch - is lacking in the 6300 series converter. The 7300 is a better converter than the 6300 in some ways. Reduced RFI (radio frequency interference) has been discussed quite a bit on this board. But as I read the manufacturer's literature, overcharge of an idle battery is still a problem. Like the 6300, this is not a three stage charger. So once again, I agree with T_C - pull the battery's fuse to avoid overcharging. BTW, good three-stage chargers are not expensive. On the advice of HappyTrails, I bought a Guest 2610 10-amp charger on ebay for about $40. I leave it attached to my TM battery 24/7. Due to my wife's broken ankle, our TM has been in the garage for nearly four months now, with the Guest charger connected and powered. I opened the TM yesterday, checked the battery water level and specific gravity - it is in perfect condition. My wife has improved to the point where we plan our first trip next week. I am mighty glad to find the battery in good shape. Hope this helps. Bill