Inverter for Haier 10.1 CF residential

[jpcoll01]

Hello All, new member, so thanks in advance for any help. Just bought a 2005 Gulfstream BTouring and the previous owners put in a residential fridge. They were apparently always plugged in as I am kinda perplexed about how they would do much travelling without losing their food. Historically when I travel via RV I boondock a lot and cover a significant amount of ground when I'm not parked somewhere on BLM/National Forest land. That being said I'd like to have an inverter and run it off of the batteries as I travel and eventually while boondocking. I have used the search feature to do some research but every thread pretty much goes back to a discussion about why not to use low end inverters (It is a fun topic :-)

I plan to eventually install some better batteries and solar, but currently I just have two Walmart type trolling motor batteries (you know the ones, ha). I also don't have a Kill-a-watt yet (will be ordering one shortly) so wondering if anyone has experience with this specific fridge and knows the power consumption. I'm wondering if the on-board charger/alternator would run it while moving/plugged in and I could just leave on the inverter all the time. Another question, there is a vented opening behind the back of the unit, made sense for the old propane fridge but I wonder if I should insulate it to avoid it freezing up in winter?

Thanks all!

 

[jc2]

jpcoll01, on 05 Oct 2016 - 09:42 AM, said:

Hello All, new member, so thanks in advance for any help. Just bought a 2005 Gulfstream BTouring and the previous owners put in a residential fridge. They were apparently always plugged in as I am kinda perplexed about how they would do much travelling without losing their food. Historically when I travel via RV I boondock a lot and cover a significant amount of ground when I'm not parked somewhere on BLM/National Forest land. That being said I'd like to have an inverter and run it off of the batteries as I travel and eventually while boondocking. I have used the search feature to do some research but every thread pretty much goes back to a discussion about why not to use low end inverters (It is a fun topic :-)

I plan to eventually install some better batteries and solar, but currently I just have two Walmart type trolling motor batteries (you know the ones, ha). I also don't have a Kill-a-watt yet (will be ordering one shortly) so wondering if anyone has experience with this specific fridge and knows the power consumption. I'm wondering if the on-board charger/alternator would run it while moving/plugged in and I could just leave on the inverter all the time. Another question, there is a vented opening behind the back of the unit, made sense for the old propane fridge but I wonder if I should insulate it to avoid it freezing up in winter?

Thanks all!

 

In March 2015, we installed the same Haier fridge in our class A mh to replace the less than stellar Dometic rv fridge when I lost all confidence in its ability to ffreeze/cool in a satisfactory manner. Our 2004 Newmar DS has a 2000w Xantrex modified sine wave inverter/charger which we have used on a few occasions when moving for power to the Haier. The biggest majority of the time, we instead run our 7.5kw onan diesel to power the fridge, roof ac's etc as it uses very little fuel and ensures that it gets on a regular basis. Non-use of a generator is not a good thing. Some residential fridges may function acceptable on modified sine wave and some may not. From what I've seen on new/new rvs that have residential fridges, the majority will have pure sine wave invertors. What I did was purchase a 1000w Xantrex pure sine wave invertor and switch, etc from this company for the fridge to use exclusively for the fridge. http://www.donrowe.com/ Give them a call and they will glad help you with any items beside the invertor.

[oldjohnt]

I'm running a small Haier fridge which I use full time during extended dry camps with no problem using my 2 KW PSW Inverter, 460 Battery Amp Hours, and 470 solar watts. I just cant say much more about yours until such time you run it under typical conditions for 24 hours using a Killawatt meter. That being said, just to be on the safe side, Id suggest a Pure Sine Wave PSW Inverter even if a MSW "works". Its your money your risk and your choice, an MSW is indeed cheaper to purchase

 

Le'ts say your fridge consumed 100 Amp Hours of stored battery energy per day (A pure guess) .......If you had 200 total fully charged battery amp hours and weren't recharging with a genset or solar, that would discharge your batteries to 1/2 WHICH IS WAY MORE THEN I WOULD PREFER (I don't like to discharge much over 30%) .

 

JUST A GUESS not knowing your fridge power requirements, Id "guesstimate" if you had a minimum of four true deep cycle 6 volt golf cart batteries totaling around 450 Amp Hours, a 2000 Watt PSW Inverter, maybe at least 200 up to 500 watts of rooftop solar, a backup gas powered Generator, you might run a fridge (SUBECT TO ITS POWER USE AND SUN AND SOLAR CAPACITY ETC) an indefinite period.

 

John T

[jpcoll01]

Thanks for the replies, I have a generator and can run it while moving and some throughout the day, I just hate the idea of it buzzing at night or while we are outside so don't really NEED 24x7, but was just wondering if it were possible. I am going to get solar sooner than later. Given current storage capacity it looks like I have room for 2 batteries on the current battery platform, however I think I have room to fabricate something to hold more potentially. Am I correct in thinking that when Gen is running or the rig is running it will be providing charge to the batteries via either the charge controller or the alternator, so running from the inverter while moving should work? Could it potentially stress the Alternator too much?

[oldjohnt]

"Am I correct in thinking that when Gen is running or the rig is running it will be providing charge to the batteries via either the charge controller or the alternator, so running from the inverter while moving should work?"

 

BASICALLY YES

 

If the Generator is running and powering up a Converter/Charger or Inverter/Charger, the batteries will receive whatever amps the Charger produces and the batteries (subject to charge state) can accept. If its say a 30 amp charger and you ran it one hour, you would theoretically (less energy losses) pump 30 amp hours of energy into your batteries. If you used up 100 amp hours running the Fridge and had say a 25 amp charger, it would take at least 4 hours (but actually more due to inefficiency heat losses) to make that up.

 

If you tap off your engine alternator and engine starting battery to charge the house batteries while driving, its my experience that the amount of amps you actually pump into your house batteries depends to some extent on the length and gauge of the wiring from the engine battery back to house batteries and any voltage drops in between. It also depends on the voltage regulation and sensing method/circuitry of your alternator. Just because you had say a 100 amp alternator, that does NOT mean you might pump say 30 amps to the engine battery and 70 to the house batteries NOTTTTTTTTTT. However, subject to your batteries and their state of charge and your alternator, its regulation circuitry, wiring and other unknown factors, ID GUESS WHEN DRIVING YOUR ALTERNATOR CAN SUPPLY SUFFICIENT ENERGY TO YOUR HOUSE BATTERIES TO REPLENSIH WHAT THE FRIDGE (subject to its draw which I have NO IDEA) REQUIRES. That's ONLY a theoretical guess remember absent any specs. NOTE I'm talking about the cheap easy simple method of running your house batteries in parallel with your engine battery so the alternator supplies charge, I'm sure there are better more sophisticated methods which might work much better.

 

Best I have to offer, hope others have more insight.

 

PS I realize I was a bit loose and sloppy above talking about energy and inefficiency. If a battery is full charged and you drew 4 amps for 10 hours from it, you used up 40 amp hours of its stored energy. So, if you charged it at 4 amps for 10 hours WOULD IT BE FULL CHARGED ????????? NOOOOOOOOO because some of the energy you're pouring in back in gets converter/wasted as heat energy.

 

John T

[Dutch_12078]

On 10/5/2016 at 10:42 AM, jpcoll01 said:

Hello All, new member, so thanks in advance for any help. Just bought a 2005 Gulfstream BTouring and the previous owners put in a residential fridge. They were apparently always plugged in as I am kinda perplexed about how they would do much travelling without losing their food. Historically when I travel via RV I boondock a lot and cover a significant amount of ground when I'm not parked somewhere on BLM/National Forest land. That being said I'd like to have an inverter and run it off of the batteries as I travel and eventually while boondocking. I have used the search feature to do some research but every thread pretty much goes back to a discussion about why not to use low end inverters (It is a fun topic :-)

I plan to eventually install some better batteries and solar, but currently I just have two Walmart type trolling motor batteries (you know the ones, ha). I also don't have a Kill-a-watt yet (will be ordering one shortly) so wondering if anyone has experience with this specific fridge and knows the power consumption. I'm wondering if the on-board charger/alternator would run it while moving/plugged in and I could just leave on the inverter all the time. Another question, there is a vented opening behind the back of the unit, made sense for the old propane fridge but I wonder if I should insulate it to avoid it freezing up in winter?

Thanks all!

 

 

Welcome!

 

Your Haier 10.1 CF fridge draws up to 2 running amps, with a momentary starting draw of up to 6 amps.

 

[gjhunter01]

We installed a Vissani 10.1 which was Home Depots replacement for the Haier they were out of. We have run 8 hours down the road and the freezer is still froze solid and the refrig temp reached a high of 41 once. I was planning to install a inverter but now am reconsidering as we don't usually travel that long.

Greg

[Yarome]

It's certainly doable. Before focusing in on your reefer/batteries/inverter or solar I would highly recommend you start by doing a whole "house" energy audit to determine what your actual daily energy requirements are (both your 120v and 12v requirements). From there you're better equipped to determine what size of battery bank you require and/or how best to supplement or replace the energy used.

[jpcoll01]

Ok...so I may have hit a long shot exacta at Keeneland yesterday and am preparing to get either a Yamaha 2000 gen to run as we drive (will put on a hitch mounted platform) or look into an inverter and some AGM batteries. What would you do (understand everyone's opinions are different and that's ok, looking for opinions here)

[oldjohnt]

You asked for opinions and there's no shortage of them around here lol and take them for what they are worth (same as what you paid NOTHING, mine at least)

 

Sure the Yamaha is good and quiet and sounds like it can run that fridge and would be nice to own regardless. HOWEVER it depends on how much you plan to dry camp or will you mostly be hooked up in RV parks???? Running the Yamaha all the time driving may or may not be necessary?????? (I'm NOT a fan of that arrangement) If your trucks alternator can stand the load (is it maybe at least a 100 amp???) and you had say a 2 KW Inverter (or much smaller if fridge only draws 2 amps), DEPENDING ON FRIDGE LOAD OVER TIME AND YOUR ALTERNATORS CAPACITY you may get by no Yamaha required. You could run decent sized cables and high current connectors from truck back to an Inverter into which the fridges 120 volts is plugged OR better yet (to avoid voltage drop) have the Inverter near your truck battery and you only have to run three conductor 12 gauge extension cord type of wiring back to the fridge.

 

If the fridge draws two amps, that's like 20 amps DC off your alternator and truck battery, AND THATS CERTAINLY REASONABLE AND DOABLE

 

I would have to know like the total load over time the fridge draws (Killawatt meter) and your alternator rating, and there's a good chance your trucks alternator can supply enough current (say 20 amps) to power the fridge via an Inverter no Yamaha required BUT I DONT WANT TO RISK DAMAGE TO YOUR ALTERNATOR. But that Yamaha is a fine thing to have regardless if its needed to run the fridge while driving.

 

If you want to run it dry camping, that's another thread, and you would need solar panels and enough batteries unless you ran the Yamaha long periods WHICH I DONT LIKE. My smaller Haier fridge runs 24/7 when we dry camp, but I have plenty of solar and batteries.

 

SUBJECT TO FRIDGE LOAD AND ALTERNATOR CAPACITY, I like the plan of an Inverter up front and run a cord back to fridge while driving

 

Nuff said

 

John T

[jcussen]

SUBJECT TO FRIDGE LOAD AND ALTERNATOR CAPACITY, I like the plan of an Inverter up front and run a cord back to fridge while driving

Nuff said

Great idea. Did the same on a truck camper I had. Ran extension cord from my inverter mounted next to truck batteries to inside camper.

Ran fridge and trickle charger for camper batteries off it. Had another small inverter running off camper batteries that I would plug fridge into

when dry camping. A lot easier than running heavy gauge wiring for 12 volts. Did that for a while till I got solar.

Truck had 120 amp alternator and had no trouble keeping up.

[dewilso]

I've just installed the Haier 10.11' unit, so far, so good. Don't have any real experience yet, but mine draws 4-6 amps, depending on where in the compressor cycle I catch it I guess. I'd PM Dutch, he has experience with ithem, to get a true picture.

[Dutch_12078]

I have a Xantrex PROwatt SW600 PSW inverter that I'll be installing to power the Haier when we sit still long enough to get it done. So far the fridge/freezer temps have held well for our typical 4-5 hour max trips between hookups. I figured I could always start the generator while under way if needed though. I'll also be installing a Xantrex PROwatt 15 amp transfer switch to handle switching between the inverter and shore power.

[chuckbear]

Careful with the Xantrex products. Do a thorough review search to save yourself a lot of headaches. They have not made a good product in a lot of years now and customer service is horrible. As a marine service tech for 40 years I have first hand experience with Xantrex and I personally avoid them like the plague. I know, you will hear from people that have 20 year old Xantrex that work fine today. But the product they made 20 years ago is not the product they make today. Many who only use the Xantrex products occasionally have some success but those that use them extensively find frequent failures, constant problems and no factory assistance. Just my opinion. Chuck

[oldjohnt]

Yo Chuck, FWIW I had a Xantrex Truecharge2 charger a few years back that crapped out after only a year. Since then, I've had two different Progresive Dynamics 9200 series with the Intelli Charge Wizard and both are working great. However, as the Financial Advisors always warn, past performance is no guarantee of future lol so other Xantrex or PD products may perform completely different.

 

John T

[jcussen]

Yes be careful with Xantrex. Saying that, in my coach I have a Samsung fridge with a prowatt 800 running it. The problem with the xantrex is that they have gfi outlets.

The samsung uses a defrost heater that somehow places a very small current between one leg and ground and this is enough to trip the gfi. Fixed it by replacing the gfi

socket with a normal one on the inverter

. Do not know if Haier has same problem, but something to look out for.

Jim

[chuckbear]

John, Your experience with the Xantrex is pretty much the same as many, many other unhappy customers. Chuck

[Dutch_12078]

Careful with the Xantrex products. Do a thorough review search to save yourself a lot of headaches. That have not made a good product in a lot of years now and customer service is horrible. As a marine service tech for 40 years I have first hand experience with Xantrex and I personally avoid them like the plague. I know, you will hear from people that have 20 year old Xantrex that work fine today. But the product they made 20 years ago is not the product they make today. Many who only use the Xantrex products occasionally have some success but those that use them extensively find frequent failures, constant problems and no factory assistance. Just my opinion. Chuck

 

Thanks for the heads up! The Xantrax I have was salvaged from a wrecked motorhome, so I'm not sure how old it is. I did test it for several days though before buying it. Hopefully it's one of the better ones. If not, I'm only out $50.