How do folks deal with MH fride on the road?

[Scampers]

Hi all,

 

Since we have graduated to a MH from our TT I am wondering about the standard 110 VAC fridge.

When moving along the road, run the inverter or generator?

The sales guy indicated if it is really warm in the couch he always ran his generator and the internal AC units when traveling.

Seems like a not so great idea.

 

But it is not propane and should not cause an issue pulling into fuel stops.

 

In our TT we always used used 12 v DC setting for travel days and then when plugged in that topped up the batteries again.

On a new learning curve with the MH

 

[Scampers]

OK fridge...;-)

[SWharton]

As long as generator is not propane with a flame and refrig is running on 12v so there is no flame you don't have a problem with fuel stops. There are various ways to keep the MH "cooler" when driving, run the generator and air conditioning or run the exhaust fans(all this depends on outside temperature). Our refrig is a residential model so we need to run the inverter.In my mind why not run the inverter all the time, then you don't need to remember to turn it of fand on.

Happy travels with your MH.

[Pat & Pete]

We don't have our fridge on while traveling . Just keep the doors closed . It'll stay cold enough for hours on end .

If it is a hot day , we might run the propane while we take breaks , but , that's very seldom . 

[Kirk W]

36 minutes ago, Scampers said:

The sales guy indicated if it is really warm in the couch he always ran his generator and the internal AC units when traveling.

Seems like a not so great idea.

I don't understand why you feel that way? While the refrigerator probably would be just fine for several hours of traveling without power as long as you keep the door closed, there is no reason to not use the generator while traveling as it is designed for the purpose. We used ours more traveling than sitting still as the automotive air conditioner will net come even close to keeping that large motorhome cool if you travel weather that is more than about 80°. Since we seldom stayed where we didn't have electricity with either of our motorhomes, we would hardly have used the generator at all if we never operated it while traveling! Before I retired, we typically would leave our house with our dinner cooking in a crock pot and sitting in the sink, powered by the generator and with the a/c operating, on a Friday after work and thus dinner was ready by the time we arrived at the lake for the weekend. When temperatures outside get much above 90° you will be very uncomfortable traveling for longer than a couple of hours if you only use the dash air conditioner. 

[Scampers]

Tnx,

Guess I will get used to having all the power I need on the road.

[jcussen]

If set up properly, your alternator should charge your house batteries which will power your inverter and fridge will driving,  When stopped and plugged in or on generator, inverter should be bypassed and fridge will run on normal ac. If not driving or plugged in or running gen, inverter will deplete your batteries, how fast depends on your battery bank size and fridge consumption

[Bill Joyce]

5 hours ago, Pat & Pete said:

We don't have our fridge on while traveling . Just keep the doors closed . It'll stay cold enough for hours on end .

If it is a hot day , we might run the propane while we take breaks , but , that's very seldom . 

Our residential fridge freezer gets into the mid-20 in 4 to 5 hours of being shut off, so it would get above freezing on a long travel day or overnight.  I know this because I put in a remote thermometer.  Don't assume everyone else's fridge can handle a travel day turned off just because yours is safe.

[sandsys]

Generators need to be exercised under a load at least once a month. We usually did that by running the generator and A/C while driving so as to not irritate neighbors by running the generator when parked.

We had solar panels on all our rigs so keeping the fridge running while traveling was never an issue but we would have been comfortable running the generator on hot days.

Linda

[Pat & Pete]

2 hours ago, Bill Joyce said:

Our residential fridge freezer gets into the mid-20 in 4 to 5 hours of being shut off, so it would get above freezing on a long travel day or overnight.  I know this because I put in a remote thermometer.  Don't assume everyone else's fridge can handle a travel day turned off just because yours is safe.

I'm sorry for your lack of fridge , Bill .

If any fridge will not keep things cold enough for hours on end , with it's doors kept shut , it definitely has big problems . 

If you don't provide power of one sort or another for the fridge to do it's thing past that amount of time , then it's you that has a big problem .

Like everything else , it boils down to getting to know just what you have .

Edited August 22, 2020 by Pat & Pete

[kb0zke]

If it is warm enough to need a/c we run the generator and one or both roof-top units. That, of course, also provides power for the residential refrigerator. If it is cool enough to not need a/c then I turn the inverter on and power the refrigerator that way.

[Dapperdan]

We ALWAYS run our fridge going down the road with our fifth wheel.  Our coach has an inverter and 2 6volt batteries and we have NEVER ran out of battery power to run the fridge!  Our fridge is set for 38° in the fridge and 0° in the freezer, everything stays nice and cold.  We generally spend 6 to 8 hours on the road and no generator.  Our longest day was 10 or 11 hours, WON'T be doing that anytime soon and the fridge stayed running the entire time, no problem.

Your coach should be equipped with an inverter if you have a residential fridge, there's really no need to run your generator if all you're trying to do is keep your fridge running. 

 

Dan

[Dutch_12078]

We run the generator while underway in hot weather to power the AC's and residential fridge, but otherwise we just run the inverter for the fridge. 

[noteven]

I shut my Norcold fridge off when travelling. Turn on LP when stopped for naps or whatever.  Trying to keep 20 -36 cans of malt derived heat sink fluid in there seems to help. 

[Scampers]

Bummer noteven,  no ice maker so can not have "single malt" on board... well could drink it neat.

Heat sink idea  of fermented barely grainy however does sound good.

 

 

 

[RWeigant]

Turn on the inverter and head on down the road.

[Bill Joyce]

21 hours ago, Pat & Pete said:

I'm sorry for your lack of fridge , Bill .

If any fridge will not keep things cold enough for hours on end , with it's doors kept shut , it definitely has big problems . 

If you don't provide power of one sort or another for the fridge to do it's thing past that amount of time , then it's you that has a big problem .

Like everything else , it boils down to getting to know just what you have .

I tested it without the inverter on while boondocking since others were convinced it would stay cold.  They were wrong.  Now I know to power it overnight and on the road, which I do and have plenty of battery and inverter to handle the load.  I used a remote thermometer because I am an engineer and like to know details.  I also knew it might be a problem since this model Whirlpool was commonly used in some Tiffen's that were retrofited in the Red Bay Alabama area and was told it depended more in running its compressor than how well it was insulated.  It is really nice to have a 24cuft side-by-side with a 10cuft freezer, but like anything else in life, there are trade offs.