Can my truck power the fridge while towing?
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Topic: Can my truck power the fridge while towing?
Posted By: poohbill
Subject: Can my truck power the fridge while towing?
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 12:13pm
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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.  Have you any advice on diagnosing? Thank you. Bill
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Replies:
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 12:45pm
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Does your "truck" send 12v to the camper? what size is the lead? how many amps is the fuse that protects the circuit? ------------- |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 1:30pm
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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. ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 2:31pm
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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 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 5:35pm
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The easy, and safe, thing to do is run the fridge on propane when on the road. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 5:58pm
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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 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: poohbill
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 6:26pm
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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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Posted By: poohbill
Date 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.... |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 6:59pm
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. ------------- |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 7:41pm
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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.
------------- 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." |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2019 at 7:47pm
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Which is worse, a fire in the fridge set by propane that engulfs the propane tank and explodes it or a fire that is set by over heated 12 v. wires to the fridge that engulfs the propane tank and explodes it? If you want to run your fridge on 12 while you drive, you need to have an alternator that will supply adequate power and, from the engine compartment to the fridge, wires of sufficient size to conduct the current without heating up too much and blowing a fuse or starting a fire. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: poohbill
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2019 at 10:30pm
| Yup, which is the heart of my question. |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 04 Sep 2019 at 1:23am
Since you said earlier that you found the problem and it was a blown fuse, I don't think you have an alternator problem. Did you replace the 20A fuse that had blown? That fuse is there to protect the wire to the trailer connector. The fuse will blow before the wire will melt, you don't need to worry about that. If you haven't replaced the fuse, do so. See if it blows again. While most of us have a 30A fuse and 10 gauge wire to the trailer, you apparently have 20A and probably 12 gauge wire. That is marginal capacity but the fridge itself takes "only" about 10-11 amps so 20A might handle it ok as long as you don't have a bunch of other stuff turned on in the trailer while towing. The most likely time for the fuse to blow is after a couple of days camping and you've drawn down the trailer battery, then you plug in the connector with the TV running and its battery fully charged. The current running through the charging circuit will be high until the two batteries start to equalize in voltage. Under those conditions let the TV charge the trailer battery for a little before turning the fridge to 12V. If you continue to have problems blowing the 20A fuse then you can bypass that 20A feed and run a new 10 gauge circuit directly from the TV battery through a 30A circuit breaker and then back to the trailer connector. Kits for that are available through etrailer and other suppliers. Or, forget the 12V on the fridge and just run it on propane, and see if that keeps you from blowing the fuse. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 04 Sep 2019 at 7:26am
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Plus 1 to furpods response. I started out using the battery feature when traveling and realized how much/many times I was dis-connecting as we stopped and explored along the way. We'll spend 8-12hrs traveling to a 3-4hr destination with all the stops. I loved the fact we have this option, yet for me, it just wasn't working out as I hoped. I'm a propane 'all' the time guy now. I find myself on the rare serviced site (overnight) and I leave it on propane. LOL, My bacon or beer never gets warm! ------------- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways 2017 Tacoma http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build 2004 F150 My Overlander |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 04 Sep 2019 at 9:04am
------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: DWSQRD
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2019 at 3:03pm
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Yes, absolutely. Your 7 pin socket can be wired to supply 12v @ 30 amps to your trailer. I know because my 2015 Ford Escape came with a 4 pin connector. My R-pod came with a 7 pin cord. I read the instructions that came with the 7 pin socket. (Let me repeat that, I Read the Instructions) Got the additional fuses* and wire. Took me a little over an hour to dress all wiring. * special size and shape, Not tube or push-in style.
At the same time I installed an electric brake controller. When hitching up my R-pod I leave shore power connected till the last minute. After I put the power cord away I then connect the 7 pin and start my car. Then I switch the refrigerator from 120 v to 12 volt operation. Only drawback I can see is if I were to leave the trailer connected and the engine off for more than a few minutes (the time it takes to pump gas or get takeout) I would run the risk of draining my cars battery. But I’ve taken 6 trips and so far no problems or issues. |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2019 at 6:40pm
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I use the TV 12vs to power reefer when traveling. I have also traveled with propane on. Mine works fine. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: seafans
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2019 at 9:25pm
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Check the fuse box on the
Ridgeline,there should be a 20 amp fuse in the TRL CHARGE, Position 11 in the fuse box, 20 amps should run the refer. |
Posted By: Shane
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2019 at 11:32am
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In some states it is illegal to run with your propane in the open position. I use the electric on my 180 when running down the road and never had an issue. ------------- ENGINE 55,TRUCK 44,BATALLION 12 |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2019 at 1:27pm
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I traveled I90 thru New York. About every 25 feet is a sign saying it is illegal to travel with the propane running. I have a 195 and the 12v option is not offered on this model. I hated thinking that I was some type of criminal, for just trying to get to my camp destination, but what option do we have. I don't fill my fridge usually, I carry about 2 days of food, and buy near by where I camp. But that small amount still needs refrigeration. To bad we can't get a larger version of the little generator I used to have on my bicycle tire to power my light. We could land a man on the moon 50 years ago, and power a bicycle light, but supplying a few amps to a fridge can't be done. Go figure. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2019 at 2:52pm
I was up that way 4 years ago and don't recall those signs. Honestly, at this point I'm not sure I took I95, although it certainly connect the dots. Anyway, that seems very unusual. Were you approaching a tunnel or bridge? You do have a little generator; an alternator actually. Maybe it's not big enough or maybe the wiring is too small. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2019 at 5:00pm
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I can see it if one were in the city limits or approaching one of the tunnels. BTW, I90 does not run through NYC. It does run through New York and south of Albany, continues east to Boston. This is the only information I can find about LP restrictions in New York State: LP gas is prohibited between Manhattan and Jersey City in the Holland
Tunnel. Between Manhattan and Fort Lee, New Jersey lower level of the
George Washington Bridge (I-95 South) and the George Washington Bridge
Expressway between Manhattan and Weehawken, New Jersey: Lincoln Tunnel.
LP gas is prohibited between Manhattan and Brooklyn on the Brooklyn
Battery Tunnel and between Manhattan and Queens on the Queens Midtown
Tunnel. All of these involve bridges or tunnels. Likewise, LP restrictions exist for Baltimore because of tunnels. We ended up having to re-route on a trip to avoid the tunnels. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2019 at 5:38pm
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Thanks for the info Stephen. Guess that is one reason we never travel east, or in those areas. If we ever do, we will find alternate routes, as you did. Fortunately on our recent 30 day excursion out west, mainly to Colorado and Utah, and yes we went through some quite lengthy tunnels and NO signs that said no lp usage, we never had to deal with that, only with a plethora of spectacular, amazing sights of nature, animals, shooting stars, people, a very worthwhile trip that I pray we never forget. Glad my wife journals all the daily events we encountered.
------------- 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." |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2019 at 6:23pm
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The difference is in the type of tunnel. When it goes through a mountain, there is generally a rise all the way through (or fall if going the other direction) or a higher place in the middle. Since LP is heavier than air, then it would tend to flow out of the tunnel. Under a river (or in the case of the bay bridge/tunnel, the middle of the tunnel is generally the lowest point. LP would then tend to flow toward that point where it could accumulate to a level where ignition is possible. That is why LP tanks need to be shut off when going through those type tunnels. Open road? There is no reason to require that LP gas tanks be turned off. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2019 at 4:57am
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The Norfolk tunnels all restrict propane use as well, for the same reasons. I think there is another one in Houston. I go through the Norfolk tunnels a lot and they make you stop to prove that your cylinders are shut off. I usually just switch over to 12V battery use at that point so I don't need to stop a second time. Its not a big deal, certainly not a reason to avoid travelling east. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |