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Topic ClosedCan my truck power the fridge while towing?
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poohbill View Drop Down
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Joined: 22 Aug 2019
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Posts: 87 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Can my truck power the fridge while towing?
    Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 12:13pm
Hello. We are learning trip by trip how well our 2017 Ridgeline RTL tows the 2016 R-Pod. One thing we have discovered is that the fridge drains the trailer 2x12v battery bank faster than the truck can charge as we drive down the road. All other charging is nominal, whether shore or solar, but we switch the fridge over to propane once we've arrived. All other electrical connections between the truck and the trailer are working as designed.

Should the Ridgeline be able to keep up with the drain while towing at 65mph? If so, I can walk with confidence into my Dealer with a warrantee repair order and watch them struggle with something they likely have no experience fixing. Tongue

Have you any advice on diagnosing? 

Thank you.

Bill
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furpod View Drop Down
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 12:45pm
Does your "truck" send 12v to the camper? what size is the lead? how many amps is the fuse that protects the circuit?
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 1:30pm
That's kinda normal, or at least, common.

The charge line on the 7way plug is not capable of high amperage.

The easiest way to limit current drain is to set the fridge temp control slightly higher (warmer) when traveling...return it to your normal setting once you are back on propane. Of course this may mean your ice cream may get soft after several hours traveling in hot weather...but usually frozen meat etc will not thaw out.

There are other options such as running a heavy gauge charge line, buying dry ice, using a separate cooler, etc.

Some owners will recommend or report success with using propane setting for the fridge when traveling. I do not do this and wont recommend it.
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2627 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 2:31pm
The fridge load is close to 10 amps (when on 12V), which is substantial. I would be inclined to put a current monitor on the 12V line to see what happens with and without the fridge running.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 5:35pm
The easy, and safe, thing to do is run the fridge on propane when on the road.

TT
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 5:58pm
I run the fridge on 12V with 2 different tow vehicles. I do set the temp lower, it's a traveling temp, to me. No issues to date. I don't use propane when traveling, not sure why I need an ice cold fridge while driving down the road. In my TVs that circuit is protected by a 30A fuse.
Mike Carter
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poohbill View Drop Down
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Posts: 87 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 6:26pm
With everyone here and on the Ridgeline forum pitching ideas and advice, I was able to 1) determine the 12v lead to the trailer was dead, and 2) there was a 20A fuse that had blown some time in the past.

Thank you, All!

Bill
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poohbill View Drop Down
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Posts: 87 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 6:51pm
I like the idea of running down the road on propane, but my wife has a mental image of a flaming conflagration behind us. Now if I could just equip the hitch with exploding bolts.... 
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furpod View Drop Down
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 6:59pm
Originally posted by poohbill

I like the idea of running down the road on propane, but my wife has a mental image of a flaming conflagration behind us. Now if I could just equip the hitch with exploding bolts.... 


The "propane while traveling"... discussion ... will never end.

The facts are 95% of RV's don't have a 12v option.
You therefore have to either accept that nearly the whole RV community is going down the road with warm beer and spoiling bacon..

Or, that the roadside isn't littered with burned out hulks from propane fires.

If it was an actual issue of any type, you can rest assured the .gov would have required some kind of movement interlock so you couldn't drive with it on.
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3216 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 7:41pm
Oh no, not spoiling bacon!!!  That would be a travesty!!! That should be enough info for anyone to just put the refer on propane and "SAVE the BACON."  My folks used propane in the 50's thru the 70's.  We have continued that safe tradition since we purchased our 177 in January 2011.
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