12 volt fridge

[bodineahrens]

Noob question. We just bought a new Coleman LT-17B. What or how  does the battery get recharged. My P-20 step van has a Yuasa maintainer that i run off my Cobra 2575 invertor. That's in use when traveling to keep my motorbike in the trailer battery up. About how long with the fridge on will the deep cycle group 24 keep things cold!! Really learning alot in this new world for me & the wife!!!

 

[Weight]

That is a question for someone that has a manual or can talk to the dealer that sold the unit. Every RV off the lot can be different.

 

[highdesertranger]

we need more info.
what type of refrigerator?
how many batteries?
one group 24 won't run much for very long.
it sure won't run a RV heater overnight.

I found like a sales brochure and all it says is the refrigerator is electric. no voltages or amp draws.

it also says that the payload is 864 pounds. subtract a full water tank and that leaves you with a payload of around 640 pounds. add food and clothing and that's going to be about it. solar and more batteries will probably put you over.

is that going to work for you?

a link to the specs I found,

https://www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2021-dutchmen-coleman-lantern-lt-travel-trailer-floorplan-17b-tr47674

highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

Sounds like it is time to cover the roof of the P20 with solar and load the back with batteries as well as a small generator for cloudy weeks. Jimindenver can probably give you some examples of what it is like to boondock with a small camper trailer, I would take a look at his site. My trailer is 25 foot. My refrigerator is a three way that I usually run on propane but while the generator supplies 110 volt it switches to that. I have two 100 amp hour AGM batteries and a Renology 100watt portable solar panel/charger. If I leave my heater on 50 degrees overnight the batteries are down to about 75%by morning in winter in the Arizona desert. If I set it on 65 degrees they are down to 50%. I run a 3500 watt generator 2 to 4 hours in first thing in the morning to bulk charge them back up and then the solar tops them off during the day. I will usually run the generator a couple hours in the evening to heat the trailer up to 72 degrees and top off the batteries if it has been cloudy. When I go to bed set the thermostat at 50 degrees and repeat the next day. This is probably more charging than I need to do but the batteries have been happy for over 2 years now. I usually service the generator once a month.

 

[bullfrog]

You will probably find RV appliances and heaters are generally a little more power hungry than the smaller ones used for conversions. One reason people do cargo trailer conversions is generally they can run more efficient appliances and heaters and have more cargo capacity for things like solar. Most manufactured RVs are made for weekend trips or full hookup campgrounds. Putting solar panels and batteries in the tow vehicle is one way to keep from overloading the trailer. A small generator works but nobody wants to hear one run continuously. When boondocking with an RV you just have to have a larger solar system, use a generator or plug in to hookups at a park.

 

[jonyjoe303]

group 24 is between 70 and 85ah. Unless its a heavy duty deep cycle (very heavy battery) you don't want to use more then 50 percent (don't let battery get below 12.1 volts) . Always charge back to full every day so they will last.

I use to run a 12 volt fridge set to 40 f for weeks at a time using a 75ah agm and a 120 watt solar panel. A 12 volt fridge uses more power the colder you run it, at 40 f a fridge might use anywhere from 18 to 26ah, some real good fridges use even less.

The cobra inverter will probably not charge the battery fully every day, unless you run it all day. When the battery gets to 80 percent the amps it will accept starts to drop, making the last 20 percent to take hours to complete.

 

[bodineahrens]

Thanks all!! very good info. i do have a good 2-10 -50 start amp 110v charger. I will do some tests at 2 & 10 amp charging times and monitor voltrons.
My step van/tow vehicle does have a bigger 110v fridge also. Won't be boondocking for a while in RV 101 learning mode. The P-20 we have had for 11 years and is set up as our hillbilly camper and have boondocked with it for years. The TT is like wow amenities!!!

 

[bullfrog]

If like many of us you spend the winter in the Southwest there are some fairly cheap monthly stay full hook up RV parks which are only a little more money than the costs involved running (depending on how remote you stay) to dump and fill tanks, getting propane and fuel and such that you can use as a base camp. It is pretty nice to come home to a hot shower and electric heat with out having to set up or deal with a bunch of stuff until you get your boondocking routine figured out.

 

[bodineahrens]

If like many of us you spend the winter in the Southwest there are some fairly cheap monthly stay full hook up RV parks which are only a little more money than the costs involved running (depending on how remote you stay) to dump and fill tanks, getting propane and fuel and such that you can use as a base camp. It is pretty nice to come home to a hot shower and electric heat with out having to set up or deal with a bunch of stuff until you get your boondocking routine figured out.

We have a res. @ Breezy-Acres Dec.3rd in Chiefland Fl. for 6 mos. Might hit the GA., Tenn., NC., mountains for the summer then head back to Fl.
for winter

 

[bullfrog]

Sounds like a good plan. Most trailers come from the factory with some problems so watch close for them while you are near the dealership and get them fixed before they become big problems.