refridgerator fan

We will be dry camping (8 days) for the first time with our 3124k and are wondering how much of a drain will the refridgerator fan be? We have read all the links on dry camping but no one ever mentioned any issues with running it.

Thanks
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tv 1999 Sub 1500

Others can answer your main question. I don't feel there is much if any advantage to leaving the fan on except when the TM is closed, then it is mandatory. If the outside temps are very high, it may help some. Even then it can be turned off when the temps go down at night. But in my experience the refer works just fine without it. Also, I assume you have a generator to recharge...doubt if you will make 8 days on your coach batteries.

Thanks Scott, that helps. I will be working with two 12 interstate deep cycle batteries that are only about 6 months old. Also we will be using propane for the fridge and limiting out usage for the lights.

Thanks again.
Roy & Robin

[Bill]

I have to agree with Scott. Eight days of dry camping with a single battery is wildly optimisitic unless you have some sort of recharge capability, such as generator or solar. With two batteries, I think the situation improves to optimistic. As it turns out, plugging your camper into your tow vehicle and letting it idle for a couple hours doesn't really do very much for you. However, if you use the TM batteries one at a time, and when one is getting low you remove the battery from your tow vehicle and substitute the discharged TM battery, and then drive a ways, it will do better. Bring jumper cables if you intend to try this.

Two Interstate batteries, Group 24 or Group 27, will give you about 150 amp-hours of capacity, about half of which is usable. So if you have 75 amp-hours total for 7.5 days, that is 10 amp-hours per day. One ceiling light (1.4 amps), running for 6-7 hours, will consume this. Since you have other loads running, conservation will be REALLY important. For instance, you cannot plan to run the furnace unless you can recharge.

Returning to the original question. As noted in another thread, the refrigerator fan draws about half an amp. If you have a daily recharge capability, this is not really a big deal. If you don't have recharge, it becomes quite a big deal after a day or so. If the TM is open, turn the fan off.

Bill

Originally Posted by mrminidox

Thanks Scott, that helps. I will be working with two 12 interstate deep cycle batteries that are only about 6 months old. Also we will be using propane for the fridge and limiting out usage for the lights.

Thanks again.
Roy & Robin

I always almost always dry camp. I can last 3 days with a pair of Interstate group 24 RV/Marine batteries.

If I were to conserve a bit more I could make it to 4 days.

If I use the furnace then I can only last 2 days.

I would be very surprised if you can make it more than 4 days on a pair of Interstate batteries.

[ShrimpBurrito]

I disagree with the above estimations, but of course, it all depends on how conservative you are in using battery power. We are conservative in our usage. I also have a Link 10 battery monitor which measures instant and cumulative current draws.

You don't say what capacity your batteries are, but they are probably not larger than mine, which have a total rated capacity of ~225 Ah. Since they are a true deep cycle and not a deep cycle/starting RV/Marine hybrid, I am comfortable draining them down to 30-40%, which gives me about 145 Ah of usable power, assuming the batteries are in perfect condition.

We use roughly 30 Ah/day during winter camping -- that means it's 25-35 degrees outside, and we have the thermostat set on 60 degrees from 5pm to 10pm, 50 from 10-6am, and then 60 again from 6am to 8am or so. We use the lights in moderation -- we usually have no more than 3 incandescent lights on in the evening at any given time. There is less battery capacity when the temperature is so cold, so we take that into account. So we can get by with 3 nights camping in this scenario, easily, and have done it many times. I'm confident we could even stay a 4th night under these conditions.

Most of our power consumption in the winter is the furnace. If we don't run the furnace at all, as we do in the summer, the only major power draw is lights, so our power consumption drops to 15 Ah/day. The reduction in power is also due to the fact that we hang out by the campfire until just before we go to bed, so we're not in the TM very long with the lights on (maybe 60-90 minutes, tops). And since it's warmer out, we don't get decreased battery performance from the cold. In this scenario, we can go 10 days without recharging. We camped for 6 days in early August, and departed with plenty of battery left.

Dave

[Wavery]

I'm of a slightly different frame of mind.

When we go camping, I don't like to have to be all concerned about power consumption. We are out to have fun and relax. I don't want to have "Electricity discussions" with my wife or grandkids. To me, it should be a non-issue.

We have 2-29 series deep-cycle batteries. We also have a Honda EU2000ie Generator and we have a 2500W inverter.

We use power at will and don't keep track. In the morning, I check the battery voltage and 9 times out of 10, I will run the generator for an hour or 2 to top off the batteries (we also have a 45A charger/converter). If we have abused the microwave or coffee pot on the inverter, I may run the generator for up to 6-10 hours on any particular (3-day) camp-out. We've never had a battery issue nor do I want it to be an issue. I check the battery water regularly and keep the tops and posts clean. The batteries are now 3-years old and keep a charge well. In fact, I checked them this morning (as we are leaving on a 10-day trip Friday) and they were both 12.64V (after sitting for 2 weeks without a charge). Next year, I will change the batteries.....just because.

I run the generator in the truck's camper shell and it can barely be heard, standing next to the truck.

I lived on my sailboat for 14-years and lived in much the same way that I do in the TM. Of course, I had a much larger battery bank but my philosophy has not changed. I have learned that if batteries are cared for and charged regularly, they will serve you well. I have also learned that (in my life) there is a place for a generator when living off of 12V.