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Old 11-23-2021, 09:15 AM   #8
Bill
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
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Originally Posted by Tymanthius View Post
I thought the TV was supposed to charge the battery while driving? Also, I have more efficient fridge than stock, so may not be as much of an issue *if* the TV is providing power.
Tymanthius -

You are right - the tow vehicle does send 12-volt power to the TM.

Having said that, the stock 3-way refrigerator is a power hog when operating on 12 VDC power. It has two possible sources of battery power - the TM battery, and the tow vehicle battery. Since the TM battery is MUCH closer to the refrig, most of the power will come from the TM battery. Eventually the TM battery will be so exhausted that the refrig will start to draw power from the tow vehicle, but by that point it is not much help. Please note that this is not a design flaw. It is the simple reality of the electrical laws of pulling a LARGE amount of current (enough to power the refrig) through a LONG wire (all the way to the front of the tow vehicle). If you have a compressor refrig, which needs much less current, this will not be as much of a problem for you. Can you tell us the make/model of your refrig, so we can compare it?

For those with the stock refrig, there are two ways to handle the issue. The first is easy - make sure the refrig is cold at the beginning of the day, and then turn it off as you travel. It is very well insulated, and will serve as a very good cooler while you are on the road. My wife and I do this every day, and after 8 hours of travel, everything inside is still cold / frozen.

The second is a little more complex. One of our members has designed an ingenious electrical device that boosts the voltage sent from the tow vehicle to the TM, and then reduces it back to the proper value at the point of use. This overcomes the voltage drop in the LONG wire. Although it is kind of elaborate, it works well, and keeps the refrig running for as long as you need it.

The solution you do NOT want is to let the refrig totally exhaust the TM battery. This will harm the TM battery.

Bill
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