refrigerator power - Page 2

**Joesjunk** · 02-17-2009, 01:14 PM

I had problems keeping the TM battery charged while running the frig on 12Volts. I now run the frig on 110 Volts 24 hours before travelling to cool it. Then I put a few blue ice packs in the freezer and leave the frig on 110 volts. I have driven 6 hours with the TM closed and the ice packs in the frig and the frig is cold and the packs are still frozen. I'm using the frig as a ice chest.

Try it it works.

02-17-2009, 02:10 PM

Joe

Check your aux 12V power on your trailer connector on the TV. Many times they are not connected at the factory and if they are some times the fuse or wire gauge is too small to run the fridge. Several things you can check. Hook the TV to the TM and plug in the connector, check the voltage at the 12V connectors in the fridge compartment. Then disconnect the TV Plug the voltage should go down. If it doesn't odds are you are not getting any 12V power from the TV or the voltage drop is such that it is drawing power from the Battery. If you have an amp meter, remove the fuse from the aux 12V line and measure the current through the fuse connector with the fridge on and TM plugged into TV.

**Joesjunk** · 02-18-2009, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rumbleweed

Joe

Check your aux 12V power on your trailer connector on the TV. Many times they are not connected at the factory and if they are some times the fuse or wire gauge is too small to run the fridge. Several things you can check. Hook the TV to the TM and plug in the connector, check the voltage at the 12V connectors in the fridge compartment. Then disconnect the TV Plug the voltage should go down. If it doesn't odds are you are not getting any 12V power from the TV or the voltage drop is such that it is drawing power from the Battery. If you have an amp meter, remove the fuse from the aux 12V line and measure the current through the fuse connector with the fridge on and TM plugged into TV.

Rumbelweed,
Been through all that

. Decided that it was easier to use the blue ice packs from Wally World than to rewire my truck or change the electrical system on the truck. The ice packs work OK and the battery is fully charged when I arrive at my destination. Perhaps if the generator goes out on the truck, I'll reconsider.

Joe's Junk

**Bill** · 02-18-2009, 09:23 AM

Joe -

The Tundra should NOT be one of the vehicles that suffers from the undersized-wire problem. Rocky Mtn Ray, and I believe other owners after him, confirmed that they had no problem keeping the refrig powered up while on the road. If your Tundra isn't doing it, I would follow Rumbleweed's first suggestion - check the fuse in the Tundra's engine compartment, and make sure it is good.

The easy way to check it is to open up the lid of the Bargeman connector on the Tundra's hitch, and confirm that there is power on the 12-volt pin in the connector. Use a voltmeter or test light. Test it with the engine off, and with the engine running. I think the Tundra has an isolator, so it should show power only when the engine is running.

Here's the diagram. As you can see in the lower diagram, the 12-volt pin is at one o'clock in the connector; ground is at seven o'clock.

http://tmphotos.org/modules/xoopsgal...?g2_itemId=187

Bill

**Joesjunk** · 02-19-2009, 09:19 AM

Bill,
I'll check it again when I pull the trailer out. Last time I checked, I had 12 volt power on the charge (terminal 4). I haven't checked the Amperage.
Another to do this spring.

Thanks,

Joe

Wavery · 02-19-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joesjunk

Bill,
I'll check it again when I pull the trailer out. Last time I checked, I had 12 volt power on the charge (terminal 4). I haven't checked the Amperage.
Another to do this spring.

Thanks,

Joe

Actually checking the amperage won't tell you what you need to know and it's rather complicated unless you have a special tool for checking amperage without putting the amp meter in-line. Even then, you would need to know exactly what the fridge is supposed to draw.

It would be better to check the voltage in several spots with a simple multimeter, with the engine running.

Do this in order.

Check the voltage at:

1. The alternator
2. The trailer hitch connector
3. The trailer battery connector, (with the battery disconnected)
4. The fridge connector

You will find that the voltage drops from the alternator to the fridge. If the V drop is extreme, you will be able to isolate where the issue is and possibly correct it. If the drop is extreme between the battery connector and fridge, you may need to check the line from the battery connector to the converter and from the converter to the fridge separately.

You may have a simple connector corrosion issue or you could have an issue with undersized wires.

02-19-2009, 07:20 PM

I have always had problems running the fridge on 12 volts. When I changed the battery that helped things A LOT!

I have never been able to locate a 12 volt booster that is reasonably priced.

I am not sure just how safe it would be to run the fridge on propane while driving. The propare does have safeties, I am just not sure if I trust them or not.

02-19-2009, 08:22 PM

tough to vent the flame with the tm closed and generally not recommended anyway.

Wavery · 02-19-2009, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ng2951

I have always had problems running the fridge on 12 volts. When I changed the battery that helped things A LOT!

I have never been able to locate a 12 volt booster that is reasonably priced.

I am not sure just how safe it would be to run the fridge on propane while driving. The propare does have safeties, I am just not sure if I trust them or not.

What is a 12V booster??? I'm not sure that would help if you did buy one.

If your problem is a corroded connector or undersized wire, boosting the voltage will only cause the problem to create more heat and possibly melt something. It would be far better to identify the problem and correct it.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 02-19-2009, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harveyrv

What is a 12V booster???

It's basically a DC/DC converter. Input is anywhere from 10-13VDC, output is 13.8-14VDC. You'd install it in the trailer, close to the battery. By drawing more current from the TV, the converter increases the voltage. They are big in the marine industry.

This is the only way I know how to actually charge the battery and run the fridge simultaneously such that the battery gets a full charge. You can charge the battery if you put beefy wire in, but you will never get a full charge because the voltage still won't be high enough.

Most of these devices capable of 30A output are in the $700-$1000+ range. However, I did find a company in Australia called Redarc that makes a model with low output (7A I believe), and it is about $250. What is good news is that I've been keeping in touch with a tech there, and he says a higher capacity one is due out this summer.

Dave