Fridge: Propane or Battery while Towing - R-pod Owners Forum

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moseyman

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Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: Middle Georgia
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Topic: Fridge: Propane or Battery while Towing
Posted: 15 Jul 2017 at 6:12am

Thank you all for weighing in.
Throw a question out there and learn!

Moseyman & Miss Izzy

'06 Toyota Tacoma Double cab v6
'17 RPOD 180 'Serenity'

lostagain

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Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
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Posts: 2595

Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 3:57pm

I just put in a new fridge and didn't bother connecting the DC circuit for the heating element. The Norcold wiring instructions tell you to run 8 or 10 awg from the fridge to the TV battery and then a third "D+" conductor from the fridge to the alternator (to give a signal that the engine is running). This was waaaay to much work and it's so much simpler to run on propane. Now I'm set up for propane and AC and I'm probably never going to hook up the DC heater element. The AC and propane keeps it really cold even with desert heat.

The only thing I may look into is to add a pancake fan or 2 to improve the air circulation across the heat exchanger. It gets hot and noticeably heats up the trailer interior; fine in the winter, but when it's 100+ outside and no AC is available, one can confuse the pod with an commercial oven.

Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

techntrek

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Location: MD
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Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 12:06pm

The heat sources are roughly the same in energy output, the problem is the voltage drop on DC, as mentioned, which reduces the DC heater's output. When we had our pod I never used the 12 volt mode. Our current camper doesn't even have 12 volt mode.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

TheBum

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Joined: 26 Feb 2016
Location: Texas
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Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 11:46am

At first, I ran the fridge on 12V while traveling, but I changed over to propane after one of these topics was beat to death. Propane is so much more efficient than AC or DC when it comes to a device that relies on heat to operate.

Irish Tom

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Joined: 27 Jul 2015
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Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 8:07am

I have never used the propane option in my 2015 178. Have always ran on battery and switched to electric at the campsite. Should I be checking my RV Battery? We do not boondoggle so have never had to run my RV off of the battery. My TV is a 2014 Ford Explorer Limited with tow package.

Thanks for you help.

Irish Tom

sunflashx

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Joined: 04 Jun 2015
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Posts: 5

Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 3:32am

I run mine on DC while I'm traveling. It's something of a nuisance as if we stop for any extended period of time I have to remember to jump in the trailer and switch to LP, but it's what I do...

I've got a Victron battery monitor with a shunt wired inline for actual power measurement in and out of the batteries. According to it, I have enough juice that the batteries still get a decent charge. My wiring harness is 10 gauge front to back in the TV. In hind sight, since I had to pull wire wire front to back for the bargman, I should have bumper it up a couple thicknesses.

Until I had the battery meter, I always ran on LP, mostly because there's a bunch of threads like this one suggesting it won't work. Tongue

Your mileage may vary based on wiring, and alternator as others have stated.

2013 R-Pod 177 Hood River
2006 Acura MDX Tow Vehicle

jato

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Joined: 23 Feb 2012
Location: Kewadin, MI
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Posts: 3257

Posted: 13 Jul 2017 at 8:38pm

In agreement with the above posters. I have only used the battery option once in 6+ years on my 177. It toasted my deep cycle 12v battery in less than 12 hours; took it right down to zero. Since we dry camp a lot we normally keep our fridge on propane. Once in a while if we do go to a campground that has electric we switch over, use their power instead of our propane.

God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Tars Tarkas View Drop Down

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Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Location: Near Nashville
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Posts: 1447

Posted: 13 Jul 2017 at 7:37pm

This is a hot topic and people have strong opinions. If you know your alternator is up to it and the wire to your Bargman is at least 10 gauge, you might be okay. You still have to remember to switch to 120v or propane if you stop for very long. Without a hot alternator keeping them charged the fridge will run down your battery or batteries pretty quickly.

Some people think running on propane while driving is a safety issue. Others, not so much, I don't think there is a lot of evidence for safety issues. I run the fridge on propane while on the road, and so do a lot of other folks.

I'm pretty sure propane will do a better job than 12v of keeping the fridge cold.

TT

2010 176
FJ Cruiser

voisj

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Posted: 13 Jul 2017 at 7:27pm

The 12 volt option should almost never be used, IMHO. Propane is very efficient and a tank of propane will last a month (maybe 2) just cooling the fridge. The fridge will kill the batteries in 24 hours on 12v.

My F150 will power the fridge while towing but not charge up the batteries at the same time.

John

SLOPODMODS
John&Sue,SLO,CA
2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost

CharlieM

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Joined: 23 Nov 2012
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Posted: 13 Jul 2017 at 7:25pm

It's not a question of efficiency. It's a problem with the limited charging capability of most tow vehicles. Most vehicles limit the voltage to less than 14 volts. The charging wire to the 7 pin Bargman is also only #10 or #12. The combination results in the TV being unable to charge the battery and run the fridge on DC simultaneously. The solution is to run the fridge on propane and let the TV maintain the battery charge. IMO running the fridge on DC is never a good idea. Note that larger RV refrigerators don't even have a DC option. It's propane or shore power. Running on propane on the road is perfectly safe and most RVers do it.

Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD

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moseyman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: Middle Georgia Online Status: Offline Posts: 22	Topic: Fridge: Propane or Battery while Towing Posted: 15 Jul 2017 at 6:12am
	Thank you all for weighing in. Throw a question out there and learn!
	Moseyman & Miss Izzy '06 Toyota Tacoma Double cab v6 '17 RPOD 180 'Serenity'

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595	Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 3:57pm
	I just put in a new fridge and didn't bother connecting the DC circuit for the heating element. The Norcold wiring instructions tell you to run 8 or 10 awg from the fridge to the TV battery and then a third "D+" conductor from the fridge to the alternator (to give a signal that the engine is running). This was waaaay to much work and it's so much simpler to run on propane. Now I'm set up for propane and AC and I'm probably never going to hook up the DC heater element. The AC and propane keeps it really cold even with desert heat. The only thing I may look into is to add a pancake fan or 2 to improve the air circulation across the heat exchanger. It gets hot and noticeably heats up the trailer interior; fine in the winter, but when it's 100+ outside and no AC is available, one can confuse the pod with an commercial oven.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062	Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 12:06pm
	The heat sources are roughly the same in energy output, the problem is the voltage drop on DC, as mentioned, which reduces the DC heater's output. When we had our pod I never used the 12 volt mode. Our current camper doesn't even have 12 volt mode.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

TheBum Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 Feb 2016 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 1407	Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 11:46am
	At first, I ran the fridge on 12V while traveling, but I changed over to propane after one of these topics was beat to death. Propane is so much more efficient than AC or DC when it comes to a device that relies on heat to operate.

Irish Tom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 27 Jul 2015 Online Status: Offline Posts: 24	Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 8:07am
	I have never used the propane option in my 2015 178. Have always ran on battery and switched to electric at the campsite. Should I be checking my RV Battery? We do not boondoggle so have never had to run my RV off of the battery. My TV is a 2014 Ford Explorer Limited with tow package. Thanks for you help. Irish Tom

sunflashx Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 04 Jun 2015 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5	Posted: 14 Jul 2017 at 3:32am
	I run mine on DC while I'm traveling. It's something of a nuisance as if we stop for any extended period of time I have to remember to jump in the trailer and switch to LP, but it's what I do... I've got a Victron battery monitor with a shunt wired inline for actual power measurement in and out of the batteries. According to it, I have enough juice that the batteries still get a decent charge. My wiring harness is 10 gauge front to back in the TV. In hind sight, since I had to pull wire wire front to back for the bargman, I should have bumper it up a couple thicknesses. Until I had the battery meter, I always ran on LP, mostly because there's a bunch of threads like this one suggesting it won't work. Your mileage may vary based on wiring, and alternator as others have stated.
	2013 R-Pod 177 Hood River 2006 Acura MDX Tow Vehicle

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3257	Posted: 13 Jul 2017 at 8:38pm
	In agreement with the above posters. I have only used the battery option once in 6+ years on my 177. It toasted my deep cycle 12v battery in less than 12 hours; took it right down to zero. Since we dry camp a lot we normally keep our fridge on propane. Once in a while if we do go to a campground that has electric we switch over, use their power instead of our propane.
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Tars Tarkas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1447	Posted: 13 Jul 2017 at 7:37pm
	This is a hot topic and people have strong opinions. If you know your alternator is up to it and the wire to your Bargman is at least 10 gauge, you might be okay. You still have to remember to switch to 120v or propane if you stop for very long. Without a hot alternator keeping them charged the fridge will run down your battery or batteries pretty quickly. Some people think running on propane while driving is a safety issue. Others, not so much, I don't think there is a lot of evidence for safety issues. I run the fridge on propane while on the road, and so do a lot of other folks. I'm pretty sure propane will do a better job than 12v of keeping the fridge cold. TT
	2010 176 FJ Cruiser

voisj Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 19 Jul 2016 Location: San Luis Obispo Online Status: Offline Posts: 471	Posted: 13 Jul 2017 at 7:27pm
	The 12 volt option should almost never be used, IMHO. Propane is very efficient and a tank of propane will last a month (maybe 2) just cooling the fridge. The fridge will kill the batteries in 24 hours on 12v. My F150 will power the fridge while towing but not charge up the batteries at the same time. John
	SLOPODMODS John&Sue,SLO,CA 2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost

CharlieM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797	Posted: 13 Jul 2017 at 7:25pm
	It's not a question of efficiency. It's a problem with the limited charging capability of most tow vehicles. Most vehicles limit the voltage to less than 14 volts. The charging wire to the 7 pin Bargman is also only #10 or #12. The combination results in the TV being unable to charge the battery and run the fridge on DC simultaneously. The solution is to run the fridge on propane and let the TV maintain the battery charge. IMO running the fridge on DC is never a good idea. Note that larger RV refrigerators don't even have a DC option. It's propane or shore power. Running on propane on the road is perfectly safe and most RVers do it.
	Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD