vtchris Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 My refrigerator has two modes, electric and gas. I am at a campground where I pay $0.14/kw for electric, I can't remember what the propane cost, but just use an average for the sake of argument. My question is: which is a cheaper way to run the frig? Opinions anyone? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 My refrigerator has two modes, electric and gas. I am at a campground where I pay $0.14/kw for electric, I can't remember what the propane cost, but just use an average for the sake of argument. My question is: which is a cheaper way to run the frig? Opinions anyone? Thanks! I'm thinking the heater is about 75 watts so you could probably run it 24 hours for some thing like 28 cents, on 120 volts the heater does cycle so it could be a little bit less. The gas flame is not much more the a candle flame and propane is what $4 some thing a gallon? I guess it would be hard to tell how much propane it would use but for 28 cents I think I would stick with the electric at least you don't have to go get more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booger & The Girl Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 I'm thinking the heater is about 75 watts so you could probably run it 24 hours for some thing like 28 cents, on 120 volts the heater does cycle so it could be a little bit less. The gas flame is not much more the a candle flame and propane is what $4 some thing a gallon? I guess it would be hard to tell how much propane it would use but for 28 cents I think I would stick with the electric at least you don't have to go get more. I have the same Propane/Elec fridge, I want to run it on 12v since i have two deep cycle batteries that charge on Solor Power. can the elec fridge run on a power invertor? would it do damage to the compressor? what size invertor should be used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 I have the same Propane/Elec fridge, I want to run it on 12v since i have two deep cycle batteries that charge on Solor Power. can the elec fridge run on a power invertor? would it do damage to the compressor? what size invertor should be used? No compressor so that's not an issue but they do suck up a lot of power running on 12 volts I would go for the propane. If you throw an inverter into the mix it will draw even more power in the conversion from 12 to 120 volts. Quite a few had 12 volt heaters mine does so when I'm on the road I run it on 12 volts just because I'm too numb to turn off the propane when I fuel up. I have however used the propane on the road and it works fine never has blown out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vtchris Posted March 23, 2010 Author Share Posted March 23, 2010 No compressor so that's not an issue but they do suck up a lot of power running on 12 volts I would go for the propane. If you throw an inverter into the mix it will draw even more power in the conversion from 12 to 120 volts. Quite a few had 12 volt heaters mine does so when I'm on the road I run it on 12 volts just because I'm too numb to turn off the propane when I fuel up. I have however used the propane on the road and it works fine never has blown out. You mean people actually turn their propane frig off when they re-fuel:Poster_oops:??? I have been traveling for 6 years and always with my frig on propane and never once turned it off. Not for tunnels either (by the time I enter one there is no place to to stop!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 You mean people actually turn their propane frig off when they re-fuel:Poster_oops:??? I have been traveling for 6 years and always with my frig on propane and never once turned it off. Not for tunnels either (by the time I enter one there is no place to to stop!). Really good ideal the water heater too gas fumes hang no higher then 4 feet and all that stuff it below that! I'm guilty too but I know better just dingy that's why I run the fridge on 12 volt on the road. Lots of tunnels won't let you in if you have propane tanks even BBQ tanks well at least they have signs that say you can't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booger & The Girl Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 ...If you throw an inverter into the mix it will draw even more power in the conversion from 12 to 120 volts. .. How do you set up your fridge to run on 12v? I thought it only ran on 110v or Propane. I don't want to use propane while i drive, so i thought I had to convert the power to 110v first so i could run my fridge on electric. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 How do you set up your fridge to run on 12v? I thought it only ran on 110v or Propane. I don't want to use propane while i drive, so i thought I had to convert the power to 110v first so i could run my fridge on electric. thanks If yours does not have a 12 volt setting on the control knob I guess you are out of luck. Most of the Dometic units did have all 3. Have a look on the back of your fridge and see if it has a battery hook up of some type it should have a regular 120 volt plug and a little terminal block for 12 volts. If you are out on the road a converter would work for you you could mount it in behind the fridge and just plug it in and switch to propane when you park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booger & The Girl Posted April 7, 2010 Share Posted April 7, 2010 If yours does not have a 12 volt setting on the control knob I guess you are out of luck. Most of the Dometic units did have all 3. Have a look on the back of your fridge and see if it has a battery hook up of some type it should have a regular 120 volt plug and a little terminal block for 12 volts. If you are out on the road a converter would work for you you could mount it in behind the fridge and just plug it in and switch to propane when you park. That worked! i put a 750 watt inverter next to the house batteries and ran an extension cord to the refrigerator, now i just unplug the refrigerator from the extension cord and then back into the 110v plug when i hook-up. Now i have a funny issue that the house batteries get drained. apparently there is no battery isolator that charges the house batteries with the alternator while the engine is running. One would assume an isolator would come standard on all motorhomes, so, Am I just missing something? I don't see an isolator, is it common that people would have to install them on a 1993 Itasca Spirit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted April 7, 2010 Share Posted April 7, 2010 That worked! i put a 750 watt inverter next to the house batteries and ran an extension cord to the refrigerator, now i just unplug the refrigerator from the extension cord and then back into the 110v plug when i hook-up. Now i have a funny issue that the house batteries get drained. apparently there is no battery isolator that charges the house batteries with the alternator while the engine is running. One would assume an isolator would come standard on all motorhomes, so, Am I just missing something? I don't see an isolator, is it common that people would have to install them on a 1993 Itasca Spirit? OK, first the inverter draws power even when it is not powering any thing so over time it will drain a battery so if you are leaving it parked for awhile and it's going dead you may try disconnecting it. I can't imagine your's not having an isolator of some sort. There are two types one looks like a Ford starter relay (round thing with two large terminals and one or two small ones) and the other looks like a box about as big as your hand with cooling fins on it. The relay type will make a "clunk" when you turn your key on the other one makes no noise. If you have a volt meter you can check your coach battery while it is running it should be 13 to 14 volts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booger & The Girl Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 (edited) Clunk sound working fine, but volt meter was not carrying 13 volts past the first little silver cylinder shape capacitor looking thing. 13.8 going in, and only 12.1 going out, which was coincidently the same volt reading as my house battery. So, I figured something was wrong with that thingy and i just went out and bought an 140 amp isolator instead, installed it (using 4 gage wire), disconnected the old clunk sound making switch and everything works great now. Are there any issues with the isolator that you know of that I should be prepared for? Edited April 9, 2010 by Booger & The Girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Clunk sound working fine, but volt meter was not carrying 13 volts past the first little silver cylinder shape capacitor looking thing. 13.8 going in, and only 12.1 going out, which was coincidently the same volt reading as my house battery. So, I figured something was wrong with that thingy and i just went out and bought an 140 amp isolator instead, installed it (using 4 gage wire), disconnected the old clunk sound making switch and everything works great now. Are there any issues with the isolator that you know of that I should be prepared for? Nope both types are pretty reliable if it's working fine should continue to for the next 20 years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minicruiser1984 Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I have just bought a 1984 toyota minicruiser. It has a Propane/Elec fridge 120v ac and 12v dc. The previous owner sad it dose not work. But he also sad he never used the propane. From my research i have fond out that they work off of a heat element wtih no compressor. So what i am asking is what are common problems? and may it work on gas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gulfstream Greg Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 Here is a little eye opener. Just looked at my Dometic 2401 manual and parts list. The 120 Volt AC heater element is 160 watts, the 12 volt DC element is 135 watts. So that's 1.3 amps for the 120 vac side and ruffly 10.7 amps on the 12vdc side. If your refer has 12vdc it will have a selection on the power knob on the bottom front of the refer. You can run the refer for weeks on propane. Your big gas users are the hot water heater and furnace if you have one, then the stove and oven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanAatTheCape Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 Clunk sound working fine, but volt meter was not carrying 13 volts past the first little silver cylinder shape capacitor looking thing. 13.8 going in, and only 12.1 going out, which was coincidently the same volt reading as my house battery. So, I figured something was wrong with that thingy and i just went out and bought an 140 amp isolator instead, installed it (using 4 gage wire), disconnected the old clunk sound making switch and everything works great now. Are there any issues with the isolator that you know of that I should be prepared for? mine grounded thru the frame --- clean that up good. They are not too expensive -- if you are getting the coach batteyr voltage as you describe AND you have a good ground I'd say you need a new solenoid (or isolator if you want to call it that), Note that even though it looks a lot like a ford starter solenoid it is really a continuous load solenoid, btw, the inverter setup is going to be hard on your batteries -- the house battery will be cycled a lot & the engine battery may get overcharged as the alternator will be shoving out the amps. I have part numbers of you need them. I put one in a winnie warrior recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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