Charging battery while driving and refrigerator running on DC

[kmcintyre]

I know I can check the amp draw and generator output but looking for more "real life" experiences doing this.

Can a typical truck alternator keep an aux. battery charged while the refrigerator is in DC mode? Seems like a very logical thing to do. Dometic 3-way refrigerator btw.

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[NorCalSteve]

In my truck and Hawk, there are "were" two 30 amp auto reset breakers on the 12 volt line on each end. I had problems with the one on the camper side continually tripping and resetting (it was faulty). If your camper battery with the refrigerator on (or off) pulls over 30 amps, it is possible for these breakers to keep breaking and resetting. This may be why mine went bad. I added #6 wire to the existing wire between the truck and camper and changed out my breakers to a different solution. They are manual reset breakers now so I need to pay attention to them. But more often than not, I drive to my destination with my 3 way fridge powered by the battery. One of these days, I will arrive at camp and forget to switch it back. I just hope there is plenty of sun to charge my camper, when it happens.

Since, weather permitting, I can probably go two weeks on a tank of propane, I am not saving much by powering the refrigerator with the battery while traveling. But I enjoy doing it. I have two 79 amp hour batteries. And a 130 amp solar panel.

If your camper is set up anything like mine, you might want to be concerned about having those 30 amp thermal breakers start tripping and resetting. And, of course, forgetting to switch back to propane at your destination. For example, if you stopped along your trip and did some shopping for 45 minutes. You truck may be able to deliver over 30 amps to the camper when you start off again. 30 amps was the charge limit in my camper before the breakers would start tripping.

I have a 100 amp alternator in the truck. I am not sure just how much current it could supply to the camper.

Steve

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Kevin,
I assume you have the battery separator on your rig. If so the primary job of the separator is to protect the truck battery from being discharged...NOT to allow the camper battery to be charged. see my recent post n this subject.
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/9042-reason-to-install-a-roof-solar-panel-when-you-order-your-fwc-or-atc-camper/

 

[idahoron]

I ran my 3 way one time right after I got it on DC. I didn't know how it all worked yet and I did a weekend at a local camp ground. I ran it all day on DC and that night. Then I drove for about 10 miles and turned the truck back off and left the fridge on dc. It ran out of battery that night. That is my only experience. I do have the DC on when I go to gas stations to fill the truck, but after filling I switch it back to propane.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Idaho, my opinion is it is dangerous to run the propane on the road because in an accident you could have a fire.

That is the reason your 3-way has the battery position.....NOT to lower the refer to 39* (or 40*) below ambient temp but to maintain the temp when driving down the road.

When I had a 3-way and entered fuel stations we would turn off the Refer, fill up the truck, start the motor, then switch refer to battery - then resume our trip..

 

[ntsqd]

I use DC on the road. I don't worry about the short time that the alternator isn't producing while re-fueling or even while stopped to re-fuel oursleves, I just leave it on DC until we get into camp. I put in 6ga. power and ground cables with 80 amp breakers at each end.