Dometic only runs off solar not Battle borns?

[free2b]

I'm not totally up to speed about solar, but I've learned a lot since hitting the road 3 years ago. Still, I find some things confusing.

I have 320w of solar in the roof, a 2000w Victron inverter charger, a 50 amp mppt Victron charge controller (planning to add solar) and 2 100ah Battle born batteries. I did not do the installation. I don't know if this is to be expected given my system but, my Dometic only runs off solar so, when it's cloudy outside or overnight, or my charge drops below 13.2, I have to run the engine and plug the fridge into the van 12v instead of the solar 12v. At 13.2, when the fridge runs, it drops to 12.1 and charging stops.

Is this a function of too little solar?

Thanks for any insight.

Mimi

HDR

 

[tx2sturgis]

Dometic, what? I mean, you know what you are talking about, a dometic fridge, but we really don't.

Is this an RV 2-way or 3-way fridge, or a thermolelectric fridge, or is it (hopefully) a 12v compressor fridge, probably a chest style? Dometic makes and markets all three types.

Cuz the answer depends on which type of fridge you are using.

320 watts should be enough to keep the batteries charged and a compressor fridge running IF the panels have many hours of direct sunlight every day and temps are mild, and assuming there are no other heavy loads on the system such as a gaming computer or charging an e-bike.

But, 320 watts is no where near enough to keep a thermo-electric fridge/cooler on 12v or LP fridge on 'batt' operation working continuously.

 

[LoupGarou]

Try powering it via an inverter.

 

[frater secessus]

for folks attempting to help, this isn't the first time devices have acted strangely in the RV. Might or might not be related.

my Dometic only runs off solar so, when it's cloudy outside or overnight, or my charge drops below 13.2, I have to run the engine and plug the fridge into the van 12v instead of the solar 12v.

I suspect it's a function of a Low Voltage Disconnect somewhere. Maybe on the fridge, maybe between the fridge and aux battery. What is the fridge directly plugged into (DC or inverter?) What is the model number of the fridge?

I have an opportunity circuit that cuts power below 13.2v but my fridge isn't plugged into it.

At 13.2, when the fridge runs, it drops to 12.1 and charging stops.

I don't understand what this means.

 

[free2b]

Dometic, what? I mean, you know what you are talking about, a dometic fridge, but we really don't.

Is this an RV 2-way or 3-way fridge, or a thermolelectric fridge, or is it (hopefully) a 12v compressor fridge, probably a chest style? Dometic makes and markets all three types.

Cuz the answer depends on which type of fridge you are using.

320 watts should be enough to keep the batteries charged and a compressor fridge running IF the panels have many hours of direct sunlight every day and temps are mild, and assuming there are no other heavy loads on the system such as a gaming computer or charging an e-bike.

But, 320 watts is no where near enough to keep a thermo-electric fridge/cooler on 12v or LP fridge on 'batt' operation working continuously.

I'm sorry. It's a compressor fridge I bought for my Ford Transit medium roof van. It's large, like 56 qt. That's the only load on my system except for occasional use of my Instant Pot. If the volt readout is less than 13.4, when the fridge goes on, when the volts drop to 12.2, the fridge goes off I'm in Quartzsite and it's been partly cloudy. Volts shows 12.7, so fridge goes on, volts drop to 11.9 and fridge goes off My batteries are at 100%.

 

[free2b]

for folks attempting to help, this isn't the first time devices have acted strangely in the RV. Might or might not be related.



I suspect it's a function of a Low Voltage Disconnect somewhere. Maybe on the fridge, maybe between the fridge and aux battery. What is the fridge directly plugged into (DC or inverter?) What is the model number of the fridge?

I have an opportunity circuit that cuts power below 13.2v but my fridge isn't plugged into it.




I don't understand what this means.

for folks attempting to help, this isn't the first time devices have acted strangely in the RV. Might or might not be related.



I suspect it's a function of a Low Voltage Disconnect somewhere. Maybe on the fridge, maybe between the fridge and aux battery. What is the fridge directly plugged into (DC or inverter?) What is the model number of the fridge?

I have an opportunity circuit that cuts power below 13.2v but my fridge isn't plugged into it.




I don't understand what this means.

The fridge is plugged into a 12v outlet they put on the wall. They mounted the inverter vertically near the floor, so I can't get access to the 12v sockets.

The volts on my display shows how much charge I'm getting from my panels. Out here in Quartzsite, 13.4 is the most I've gotten. If I don't use anything, it will read13.2-13.4 over night. When the compressor turns on, that 13.4 or 13.2 will drop to 12.4/12.2. As the night goes on, it might drop to 13 0 so now when the compressor kicks on, it drops to 12.0 and shuts off.

 

[free2b]

Itxs a

for folks attempting to help, this isn't the first time devices have acted strangely in the RV. Might or might not be related.



I suspect it's a function of a Low Voltage Disconnect somewhere. Maybe on the fridge, maybe between the fridge and aux battery. What is the fridge directly plugged into (DC or inverter?) What is the model number of the fridge?

I have an opportunity circuit that cuts power below 13.2v but my fridge isn't plugged into it.




I don't understand what this means.

It's a Dometic CFX-65DZ. If I could, I'd undo what the installer did, but arthritis makes that really tough.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Does your Victron solar charge controller have a lithium setting? If so, set it for lithium. If not, set the controller for FLA or flooded. (this will differ from what is stated by BattleBorn)

From your voltage readings I do not believe the BatttleBorns are being fully charged. They should get up to around 14.2-14.4 volts by 3 or 4 in the afternoon.

 

[free2b]

I

Try powering it via an inverter.

I wish I could, but I can't access the 12v sockets on my 2000w inverter charger because if how they mounted it.

 

[o3dave]

Most domestic fridges have a red slide button on the back side. They are designed to not leave your vehicle stranded by running the battery down. I understand it is not plugged into to your vehicles 12v. If you slide that red or gray button to the emergency override side then your fridge csn draw the system down and won’t auto shut off.

I own 2 of them and that has been an issue before.

 

[free2b]

Does your Victron solar charge controller have a lithium setting? If so, set it for lithium. If not, set the controller for FLA or flooded. (this will differ from what is stated by BattleBorn)

From your voltage readings I do not believe the BatttleBorns are being fully charged. They should get up to around 14.2-14.4 volts by 3 or 4 in the afternoon.

It doesn't have a setting for lithium. I'll check how they set it tomorrow. I also think only one battery is being charged. Battle born sent me to Southwest RV in Phx to have a second battery installed. They did something wrong too because I used one battery down to 10% and then the whole system died. I'm going back to them at the end of Jan for them to fix whatever they dud wrong.

Why is this so hard? I spent a small fortune and people don't know what they're doing. Battle born told me to drive to Reno and one of their local guys would take care of it. If not for arthritis, I'd do it myself.

 

[ahh_me2]

So, to recap:
1- fridge runs off solar
2-fridge runs off vehicle alternator
3-fridge won't run off the batteries

When you say that there is a voltage drop of around a volt or so when powering off the batteries, this is an indicator that your batteries are not capable of putting out enough current.
This means either the batteries are not fully charged, or they are weak(worn out from the battle)lol
200 ah is not very much, and that is a relative number, if everything is top notch.
I would look into whether you are fully charging your batteries as a first step

 

[ahh_me2]

can you see the connections to the batteries?
can you take a pic and post it here?
you think maybe only one battery is being charged?
a good pic of the batteries and how they are connected would help to determine what might be going on

 

[free2b]

The manual says that turning on the emergency override will turn the whole fridge into a freezer. Is that true?

 

[jonyjoe303]

How are you determining the lifepo4 is at 100 percent, do you have a coulomb meter? Thats the only accurate method. Every day the lifepo4 has to get back up to 14.4 or 14.6 volts (at the battery terminals), if your not reaching that everyday, the batteries will slowly deplete. What is the max amps your solar panel is putting out at noon? with 320 watts you should be getting at least 11 amps (I get about 13 amps from 365 watts).
I have 220ah of lifepo4 and the voltage doesnt drop that low when the 6 amp compressor kicks over, it might go to 12.8 volts.
If the lifepo4 is at 100 percent verified with a coulombmeter, then you might need a boost buck converter to stabilize the voltage going to the fridge. I had to do that for my 12 volt joytutu 26L fridge, even the the .5 voltage drop was too much for the compresser. With a boost buck converter you can run the fridge as low as 10 volt. Also running the fridge from an inverter will work, the inverter provides stabilize voltage to the fridge.
The voltage drop you see points to a lifepo4 that is barely getting charged back up to about 20 percent everyday. I encountered that in winter with my 240 watt panel, I went several months with the battery barely getting up to 10 percent every day.

 

[free2b]

I'll let Southwest RV look into that. They just added the second battery 6 months ago and I'm pretty sure it's not getting charged.

 

[free2b]

How are you determining the lifepo4 is at 100 percent, do you have a coulomb meter? Thats the only accurate method. Every day the lifepo4 has to get back up to 14.4 or 14.6 volts (at the battery terminals), if your not reaching that everyday, the batteries will slowly deplete. What is the max amps your solar panel is putting out at noon? with 320 watts you should be getting at least 11 amps (I get about 13 amps from 365 watts).
I have 220ah of lifepo4 and the voltage doesnt drop that low when the 6 amp compressor kicks over, it might go to 12.8 volts.
If the lifepo4 is at 100 percent verified with a coulombmeter, then you might need a boost buck converter to stabilize the voltage going to the fridge. I had to do that for my 12 volt joytutu 26L fridge, even the the .5 voltage drop was too much for the compresser. With a boost buck converter you can run the fridge as low as 10 volt. Also running the fridge from an inverter will work, the inverter provides stabilize voltage to the fridge.
The voltage drop you see points to a lifepo4 that is barely getting charged back up to about 20 percent everyday. I encountered that in winter with my 240 watt panel, I went several months with the battery barely getting up to 10 percent every day.

Ok, Greek language aside I know one battery isn't getting charged. The original battery is also not getting charged all the way. Plugged in, I get 14.6. In solar, 13.4 at high noon. It seems like I should figure out a way to plug the fridge directly into the inverter, yes?

 

[free2b]

Ok, Greek language aside I know one battery isn't getting charged. The original battery is also not getting charged all the way. Plugged in, I get 14.6. In solar, 13.4 at high noon. It seems like I should figure out a way to plug the fridge directly into the inverter, yes?

I have a victron readout.

 

[ahh_me2]

if the batteries are properly connected, they will both charge unless one of them is real bad, however that would mean you would not get the voltage you are reading. so the only way one battery only is getting charged would be they are not connected properly.
can you get pics of the batteries and their connections to each other?

 

[free2b]

can you see the connections to the batteries?
can you take a pic and post it here?
you think maybe only one battery is being charged?
a good pic of the batteries and how they are connected would help to determine what might be going on.

I can see the connections on one, but the box is snapped shut on the other. I'll see if I can get in there tomorrow take pictures.

Thank you.

Mimi