Normal Battery Drain or Problem?

Nomad

I would imagine the road disruption flow would still require a somewhat level road not the 6-9% grades often found in mountains and hill country - Thoughts?

jdargis

I would think traveling from Wi through the Black Hills, over the Bighorn Mtns, passed west to east over the Tetons, down to Salt Lake City, over to Capital Reef, up to Bryce Canyon, Zion, from outside of north entrance of Grand Canyon to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, to Canyonlands and Arches, we experienced sufficient grades with our T@B.

In the past we also took our motorhome over Trail Ridge hwy, Rocky Mountain National Park.

Bgkirk

My understanding is that absorption fridges work on the same principle on gas, 120 v and 12 v as described above. It is just a matter of what energy source is creating the heat necessary for the process. So if 12 v will work so will the gas from an angle of the trailer perspective. 

Michigan_Mike

Does anyone supplement the battery drain with solar panels?   I've seen the T@B units with the flexible panels and wonder what the energy consumption amounts to via flexible panels, minus the draw from the frig?   

Nomad

jdargis - Gas the whole trip?

jdargis

Yes, gas for the whole trip.  The refrigerator takes minimum gas to operate.  Generally, gas hogs on an RV, are your water heater and furnace.  Something, I want to point out is, we don't boondock at all.  So gas is used for the refrigerator when we're traveling and boosting the Alde system to speed up the heating. We are always plugged in at the campground w/full hook.  Hard to give up the conviences from when we traveled with our motorhome.  So we are used to cram and jam of private campgrounds.

jdargis

No problem on my trip, across the plains or in the mountains.  Once again, this has been an on going debate.  It's up to the owner to decide.

Nomad

Since I boondock a lot and my method is working, I think I'll save my propane for when I'm camped.

Wanderoo

On a recent 17-day trip, I fine-tuned my Norcold fridge and cooler issues the following way.  I purchased a YETI, which will keep ice frozen for 3 days.  I use the YETI for storing drinks and, additionally, during the initial "icing" period, it will keep meat/chicken/fish consumable for 3 days before having to restock with ice.  I use the Norcold for veggies, cheese, salad dressing, fruit.  The Norcold stayed acceptably cold during an 8-hour travel day and did not affect the food.  I do not turn on the propane during transit, nor do I turn the Norcold on 12-volt while traveling.  

I recently completed 10 straight days of boondocking with my Norcold on propane, and I did not experience one problem.   I could conceivably have contined boondocking with my set up (80 W Zamp, etc.) 

I love my 3-way Norcold.  It's probably still being a perfect child because I purchased an extended warranty, which I hope to never have to use.  :)    

Ramrod

Jenn, I am now having the same problem you had two years ago. I have to find out how to check if my TV is charging the battery but looks like my Norcold is depleting my battery in a few hours even while driving.

Nomad

Ramrod - From your other post in the other thread, it sounds like...
1) You need to find out if you have a charge wire from the battery to the seven pin -some don't
2) Find out if your alternator is adequate to keep up with the draw from the fridge while on battery. Some, like Jenns aren't while others like mine are.

Another option is to run the fridge while traveling on propane - There's a thread about that. I've been doing it now for a week so I arrive with a cold fridge and a full battery. 

jkjenn

PXLated said:

Some, like Jenns aren't while others like mine are.

Not the case, any more.

Nomad

No, you cheated and got something new :-)

ScottG

Funny, when this thread popped up yesterday, I read the OP but didn't immediately notice the two-year-old date. I thought jkjenn had suddenly regressed to a battery newbie!

Jenn, now I understand why you take your batteries so seriously. Thanks again for sharing your experiences for the benefit of the rest of us!