Tell me how she does it? Run the frig.

[She]

This&nbsp;<span style="color: #ff0000;"><a href=""><span style="color: #ff0000;"> lady</span></a></span>&nbsp;<span style="color: #000000;">has a regular frig running. Tell me how she is doing it? I am not hearing everything she is saying. Can it be done?</span>

 

[Ricekila]

She said there's a generator <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" alt="" align="absMiddle" border="0" />

 

[She]

Ah thank you Rice.

 

[wrcsixeight]

A lot of people with &nbsp;Factory built RV's whose propane/120/12 volt 3 way fridges fail, choose not to pay 1000+$ for a new RV fridge, but buy an inexpensive residential style 120v ac fridge and power it off an Inverter hooked to the battery(s).<br /><br />The lady in the video says she uses an inverter with 2 large batteries to power her residential &nbsp;style 120v ac fridge. &nbsp;I did not watch the whole video but I imagine she also has a generator to power a battery charger/ converter to recharge the batteries when they get too low as well as power the fridge while the Genny is running.<br /><br />This works, but is much less efficient than using a fridge that is designed to run on 12 volts DC to begin with.<br /><br />Inverters are only ~90% efficient, and to recharge a battery, a minimum 110% of the energy removed must be applied to the battery to recharge.<br /><br />Residential fridges work best in RV's or Vans that can plug into the grid regularly, or that have a LOT of solar and large battery banks, or are driven several hours each and every day.<br /><br />Residential fridges typically use less insulation making them less efficient.<br /><br />&nbsp;Most Residential fridges are not really designed for the vibrations that occur in an RV. &nbsp;The compressor tubing can crack and leak it's&nbsp;refrigerant.&nbsp;<br /><br />Some sort of door lock system must be used to keep the door from swinging open while driving. &nbsp;Also some system must be designed to keep the Fridge from tipping out of the cabinet, as well as insure airflow over the compressor and cooling fins.<br /><br />Some fridges do not like the MSW waveform of the AC electricity generated by the less expensive modified sine wave inverters and require pure sine wave inverters which are about 3 times more expensive for the same wattage.<br /><br />If the compressor of the fridge kicks on while you are powering other devices with the inverter, it can trip, and you need to shut every thing off and then reset the inverter, then turn the fridge back on.<br /><br />Many people use them successfully, many others shell out the extra for a 12 volt &nbsp;Marine or RV model after the second residential one fails.<br /><br />My inverter pulls 0.9 amps just turned on and powering nothing. &nbsp;Since the compressor only runs about 20 to 30 minutes every hour, I would waste a significant amount of energy just having the inverter on, waiting for the fridge compressor to turn back on. &nbsp;It would waste nearly as much energy as my 12 volt fridge uses in an hour.<br /><br />Some inverters have standby modes that draw very little when nothing is being asked of them, but this feature adds to the price of the inverter.<br /><br />If you already have a dorm sized residential fridge, and an inverter, then sure use it, but design the cabinet to be big enough to accept a 12 volt compressor fridge and save up for the 12 volt model you will eventually desire.<br /><br />My 12/120 volt fridge chooses 120 volts automatically when that power source is available.<br /><br />I despise my inverter. It is inefficient and the pitch of the continuously running fan is very annoying. I buy everything I can that comes in a 12 volt version. &nbsp;Mattress heating pad, fridge, TV, laptop DC to DC converter, fans, everything.<br /><br />Last time I used my inverter, was to power a soldering iron, weeks ago.<br /><br />A Dc to dc laptop converter vs an inverter powering the original power supply, is one of the best ways to conserve battery power. &nbsp;Universal ones are okay for laptops which cannot consume more than 60 watts( multiply the volts times the amps &nbsp;ie 19.5v x 4.7a needs a converter capable of providing 100 watts)<br /><br />PLug you &nbsp;laptop make and model number into Amazon and add "car converter"<br /><br />Mine cost 23 dollars (pwr + brand) and uses 20 to 50% less juice than if I were to use my inverter to power the original power brick.<br /><br /><br />

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Im looking at this item for my laptop<br />http://www.amazon.com/G60-120us-G60-125nr-G60-230us-G60-235dx-G70-250us/dp/B004WDKMWC<br />for my hp dv6.&nbsp;&nbsp; I think this is the right model but i wonder.&nbsp; My dv6 has a faster graphics card than other models of the same laptop.<br /><br />This adapter reads: <br />Output: 18.5V 3.5A 65w<br /><br />My brick reads:<br />18.5V 6.5A 120W<br /><br />Will this still be able to safely power my laptop?<br /><br /><br />PS:&nbsp; My original adapter weighs MORE than a brick i think <img src="/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[wrcsixeight]

No. &nbsp;It would be able to charge the battery with the laptop off.<br /><br />With it trying to power the laptop and charge the battery, either the laptop battery will stop charging, or the adapter will release the magic blue smoke.<br /><br />It is more efficient to keep the laptop battery fully charged, than discharge it and recharge it via the vehicles battery. &nbsp;Only discharge the laptop battery when you will have access to grid power to recharge, or know your solar will have watts to spare.<br /><br />I found a 120 watt adapter for my old Sony after smoking to universal models ( 65 and 80 watt models), but it was pricey at 65$. &nbsp;The 2 universal models I smoked were 35$ combined, and which I ultimately washed down the drain.<br /><br />One of them I melted the ciggy plug first. &nbsp;I replaced the plug and watched a DVD and charging the laptop battery, and then it started smoking.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

 

[wrcsixeight]

<a href="http://www.atbatt.com/product/21629/laptop/hp/pavilion-dv6/charger">http://www.atbatt.com/product/21629/laptop/hp/pavilion-dv6/charger<br /><br />h</a>ere you go. &nbsp;Not cheap, but it will work&nbsp;<br /><br />

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Thanks for the link!&nbsp; <img src="/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[wrcsixeight]

You're welcome<br /><br />The dashboard ciggy plug might not be able to pass 120 watts either. &nbsp;The receptacle could handle it, the wiring leading to it are likely too thin and too long, and perhaps too old to handle such a load.<br /><br />When you get your house batteries, &nbsp;have a dedicated circuit to a new ciggy plug receptacle wired with 12 awg wire and then you do not have to worry about voltage drop.<br /><br />The following product is overkill, but very well designed.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Marine-Grade-Cigarette-Lighter-Socket/dp/B0002KRC5Y">http://www.amazon.com/Marine-Grade-Cigarette-Lighter-Socket/dp/B0002KRC5Y<br /><br /></a>Just yesterday I added one of their USB power outlets capable of providing 2.1 amps.<br /><br />A generic ciggy plug with my former usb adapter is in the foreground<br /><br />

<br /><br />The new USB plug eliminated the charging Humm/ ground loop, that plagued my music with the old adapter.<br /><br />Highly recommended!<br /><br /><br />

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;I've been looking for one of those DC-DC units for quite the while. Had a cheapo crappy RadioShack one many many moons ago that, when it worked, worked really well.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

As for the original post and video, I always wondered how she wired all those sockets off the inverter?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The inverters ive seen in the price range she mentions all just have a couple plugs on them...did she open them up and just bypass them to run wiring to the sockets she put in or something?&nbsp; I guess you could do it with a surge protector and a bunch of cords <img src="/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">&nbsp; But ive seen people have the same sorta plugs all over the van that are in houses.

 

[wrcsixeight]

I use a variation of power strip method.<br /><br />I do have one regular household outlet by my bed. &nbsp;I wired this outlet using a 12 awg power tool replacement power cord, instead of household Romex<br /><br />My power strip's power cord is &nbsp;always plugged into the wire which accepts the regular extension cord coming from the grid. &nbsp;I never plug the power strip itself into the inverter. <br /><br />&nbsp;When I have grid power, this power tool replacement cord is plugged into the power strip. &nbsp;When I do not have grid power, and need the rear outlet, I plug this replacement power tool cord into the inverter which is right next to the power strip.<br />

<br /><br />Other things get plugged right into the inverter itself when needed, but are left in the powerstrip 99.9% of the time as I rarely use the inverter, because it is noisy and inefficient and I get everything I can as a 12 volt appliance. &nbsp;I have never needed more than 2 120v ac outlets at once to be powered by the inverter.<br /><br /> &nbsp;There is a small indent below the door to allow a &nbsp;fat cord to escape the cabinet and still be able to close the door. &nbsp;There are times when I have a 12 awg extension cord &nbsp;running to a power tool like a belt sander or angle grinder from my 800 watt inverter.<br /><br /><br />This is my rearward power distribution center, with 3 ciggy plugs receptacles, the single household 120v outlet, and 4 switched 12v circuits. &nbsp;The switch below the outlet turns the inverter on or off so I can do so from bed. &nbsp;2 switches power my roof exhaust fans, one powers my phone charger, one is unused so far.<br /><br />

<br /><br />This photo shows both the exterior face and inside the closet wiring rat's nest. &nbsp;On the other side of the layered &nbsp;inset photo of the interior, you can see a small knob which is the speed control for my ceiling exhaust fan.<br /><br />The 12 volts are fed with 6 feet of 10 awg cable and is fused on both ends. &nbsp;I regularly power my 12 volt mattress heating pad, and my laptop power brick through these ciggy plugs at the same time, which can be as much as 14 amps. <br /><br />I feel the power tool replacement cords powering individual household outlets housed in NEC boxes is the &nbsp;simplest method of choosing either inverter to power them or the grid when available.&nbsp;<br /><br />