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01-12-2022, 12:01 PM
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#21
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TrailManor Master
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Utah
Posts: 316
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill
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.
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We do a similar process but we have two 20 oz soda bottles filled with water and about 1/2 tblsp of salt in each with about 1/2 of head space. When frozen they are VERY cold and take a long time to thaw. We keep them in the freezer, then when we shut off the fridge for travel, we move them into the lower fridge. Keep everything nice and chilly! Then when we relight the fridge we place them back into the freezer for the next days travel. We adjust when freezer space is needed, but this system has worked for us for many years.
__________________
Moved to the "Dark Side" (Pop up's for 15 years)
Bought what DW calls "The Golden Unicorn"
TM 2006 2720sl
DH/DW 2018 Ford F-150
North Utah
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01-17-2022, 09:23 AM
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#22
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TrailManor Master
Join Date: Jan 2022
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 2,933
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill
Tymanthius -
You are right - the tow vehicle does send 12-volt power to the TM.
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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One other solution is to increase the size of the wire running from the TV battery to the TM connector (suggest 8G). Then you need to increase the size of the wire from the TM connector to the TM batteries. Be sure to fuse the charge wires at both ends. Be sure to increase the ground wire as well but you only need to go from the TV frame (through the connector) and to the TM frame.
The problem with using the vehicle's factory wiring is that the factory wiring is too small to send a full 14V from the TV to the TM batteries. There is a lot of voltage drop over long distances and if your TV alternator is putting out 14.8V, the voltage drop over that distance may result in 13V (or less) reaching the TM batteries. That's not enough to keep up the charge on the batteries.
I did this years ago on my 2009 Silverado and 2005 TM. It worked well and my TM batteries stayed charged on long hauls.
The other option is to install about 200W worth of solar panels on your TM. However, that limits you if you are in a cloudy or shaded area.
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01-17-2022, 11:03 AM
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#23
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,186
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Good point. In one of our earlier TMs, I ran new, uninterrupted lengths of #10 wire from the alternator to the truck's 7-pin Bargman connector, and then from the TM half of the Bargman directly to the TM battery post. As I recall, #8 wire would not fit into the truck's Bargman connector, but #10 could be squeezed in. It helped quite a bit, though it was not a perfect solution.
I'm not sure when the truck's alternator would be putting out 14.8 VDC for any length of time. The alternator output voltage will be determined by the voltage of the truck battery. When you start the engine, the alternator may go to some high voltage for a few seconds to replace the charge used by engine starting, but then will settle back to the truck's proper float voltage, which will be around 13.8 VDC
This lower voltage makes your big-wire solution even more important, or course.
Bill
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01-17-2022, 01:24 PM
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#24
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TrailManor Master
Join Date: Jan 2022
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 2,933
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill
Good point. In one of our earlier TMs, I ran new, uninterrupted lengths of #10 wire from the alternator to the truck's 7-pin Bargman connector, and then from the TM half of the Bargman directly to the TM battery post. As I recall, #8 wire would not fit into the truck's Bargman connector, but #10 could be squeezed in. It helped quite a bit, though it was not a perfect solution.
I'm not sure when the truck's alternator would be putting out 14.8 VDC for any length of time. The alternator output voltage will be determined by the voltage of the truck battery. When you start the engine, the alternator may go to some high voltage for a few seconds to replace the charge used by engine starting, but then will settle back to the truck's proper float voltage, which will be around 13.8 VDC
This lower voltage makes your big-wire solution even more important, or course.
Bill
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Correct on all points and more to the point...... yes, when the alternator is putting out 13.8V the voltage drop is 1.2V (I measured it before and after my mod). After I installed the larger wire the voltage drop was less than 0.2V
If one was to use the larger wire size, the alternator/regulator would pick up the 'Line voltage". It doesn't know where that voltage is coming from. If the TM batteries are in a constant discharge mode from the 12V fridge circuit, that would reduce the line voltage and increase the charge rate from the alternator enough to keep both batteries fully charged.
I know this because I've done it (before I added solar) and it was quite successful on a 10-hour drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco area. I arrived with a cold fridge and fully charged TM batteries.
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01-27-2022, 01:04 PM
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#25
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Site Sponsor
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sunny Beaches of Los Angeles
Posts: 3,276
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Yet another option, which is what I did in addition to running the larger gauge wire between the battery and fridge, is install a DC-DC battery charger in the TM near the battery. This device draws more current from the TV, and then bumps up the voltage to be delivered to the TM battery. They come with various capacities, and since you don't want to draw too much current over than long run and max out that circuit, you need to select one of appropriate size. What I did was look at what the fuse rating of that circuit is under the hood of the TM, and then select the charger such that the input current would not exceed that rating. If I recall, that current rating was 20A.
I bought one by the Australian manufacturer Redarc, because that was the only one I could find at the time. I think it was this one:
https://redarcelectronics.com/produc...attery-charger
But Renogy has since gotten into the market, and they sell what appears to do the same thing (though I have not explored it in detail) for a fraction of the price, probably a benefit of being made in China. See:
https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Batter.../dp/B07Q5VYPCF
At least in my case, this delivers adequate current to the TM batteries while running the fridge on DC, and also delivers a small charge on top of that. If the fridge were off, it would deliver a significant charge.
Dave
__________________
2000 2720SL & 2007 3124KB
2005 Toyota Sequoia
Twin Battle Born 12v 100Ah LiFePO4 (BBGC2) batteries, 300W solar on rear shell, Link 10, Lift kit, Maxxis 8008 225 75/R15 E tires
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02-08-2022, 02:44 PM
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#26
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,186
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Re Post #12 above:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kidkraz
My thought was using a cutting board to cover the stove top as you see in the picture. When not cutting stuff on a cutting board, it does make a good stop top cover.
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A word of hard-learned advice. When you close the TM, put a small sofa pillow on top of that cutting board, so the roof of the rear shell will hold it down and in place. If the cutting board comes out of place and bounces around as you drive, it will do a lot of damage.
For that matter, even if you stash the cutting board somewhere else, put the pillow on top of the stove. The stovetop parts tend to move around, and the movement can cause the entire oven unit to pull loose from the walls and top of the counter tops.around it. Been there, done that, painful.
Bill
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02-08-2022, 03:54 PM
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#27
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Site Sponsor
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,082
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Good info, I have found that grill out of its place when I opened the camper. My solution was to use an eyebolt, then attach the grill to said eyebolt with a tight spring. Unfortunately I don't have a picture to post of that mod. It works for me, maybe your idea is better for others.
I put a small pillow between the bathroom door and the armoire when closing the rig. I was getting some minor damage to the armoire. I also place a spring curtain rod against the first cabinet door against the bathroom wall to prevent the door opening and stuff falling out.
__________________
2013 2619
80 watt solar panel/swing hitch/low profile A/C.
Enduro 4445 caravan mover
2016 Dodge Ram 1500 V8 Hemi
Installed powered folding tow mirrors
Stopped playing with airplanes, now I just enjoy watching them fly by.
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02-08-2022, 05:04 PM
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#28
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,186
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kidkraz
I also place a spring curtain rod against the first cabinet door against the bathroom wall to prevent the door opening and stuff falling out.
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Now that is a really good idea. I know that in both my 2006 and 2020 TMs, that door would pop open every time. Stuff in the aisle was a minor PITA. The major thing was that in both TMs, the factory used crummy hinges and short screws into that softwood cabinet frame. The door is long (left-right) but not very tall, and the leverage on the upper hinge would routinely rip the hinge screws out of the frame rail. Now that is more than a PITA!
Bill
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02-08-2022, 07:34 PM
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#29
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Site Sponsor
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,082
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Oh yeah. Thought about a simple screen door hook, but didn't want to bugger up the frame any. This was the simplest solution I could come up with.
__________________
2013 2619
80 watt solar panel/swing hitch/low profile A/C.
Enduro 4445 caravan mover
2016 Dodge Ram 1500 V8 Hemi
Installed powered folding tow mirrors
Stopped playing with airplanes, now I just enjoy watching them fly by.
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02-09-2022, 05:16 PM
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#30
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TrailManor Master
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Utah
Posts: 316
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Great Idea!
__________________
Moved to the "Dark Side" (Pop up's for 15 years)
Bought what DW calls "The Golden Unicorn"
TM 2006 2720sl
DH/DW 2018 Ford F-150
North Utah
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