Ideas on 240V fridge in caravan running while travelling

Submitted: Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 at 22:38
ThreadID: 68088 Views:2844 Replies:3 FollowUps:5
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Should a 240V fridge be run while travelling off an inverter between stops?

Or should I replace it with a 12V type.

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Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 00:19

Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 00:19
Exactly what fridge do you have? If it is a Dometic 3 way fridge then installing heavier cable than the miserly manufacturers will make the 12 V operation approach the 240 V efficiency - and at a far less cost.

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Reply By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 00:53

Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 00:53
Why would you want to run a fridge while travelling, unless of course your not staying overnights at C/Parks, I find that if running on mains overnight, that at end of a days travelling every thing in the fridge is still cold and frozen goods are still solid.

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Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 01:41

Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 01:41
Interested in your comments Doug. I haven't tried this but I would need assurance my tinnies were still icy cold as I like them. I have a 150L Dometic 3 way fridge.

Cheers

Jeff
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Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 02:05

Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 02:05
Jeff
Mine are Westinghouse Bar Fridge on one side of the van and a Westinghouse Freezer on the other, both the same size, When I came over to NT from NQ I spent just 5 nights in C/parks out of 12 , when I arrived at Adelaide River I had frozen goods in the freezer from NQ, all I did was run the gennie for an hour at midday and about 3 hours in the evening and probably 1 or 2 hours in the morning.

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Reply By: Tenpounder - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 12:32

Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 12:32
Hi there. I'm surprised no one has mentioned the risk of live 240v power in a van in the event of an accident: as long as a battery is still supplying the inverter, there will still be 240v power flowing in the van's circuit, and after an accident, it's anyone's guess which bits of the van will be live. Not nice!

Chris
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Follow Up By: RV Powerstream P/L - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 13:02

Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 13:02
The new standards will cover that AS2000 1997 and AS2001 2008 as all Inverter installations now have to be fitted with and isolating switch and fused so in the event of an accident if a short is created the fuse will blow cutting off the battery power.

If an accident is bad enough to create a short then it may do so with the DC cables also and if they are not fused the resulting fire will burn the lot and shut down the battery power to the inverter anyway.

Not nice.
Ian
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Follow Up By: RV Powerstream P/L - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 13:09

Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 13:09
I wish Id stop dreaming about younger days the Standards should read AS3000/2007 and AS3001/2008.
Ian
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Follow Up By: Brooka27 - Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 13:33

Wednesday, Apr 22, 2009 at 13:33
Thanks for the info, it is a standard house hold fridge freezer combo 240V, 180 Litre.

Im sure as long as the protection systems are in place for the 12V and the 240V supplys then it may be possible to do. I will consult the standards mentioned.

Thanks.
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