12V Fridges on non-dual battery non-expedition vehicles

[aaronrules]

So I have my 01 LX470 that I am most likely going to install a dual battery set-up. I am going to buy a 12V fridge, just not too sure which one. This fridge will most likely spend some time in my wifes 2012 Honda Odyssey. My question is, how well will a 12V fridge run on a completly stock system like my wife's minivan? There is a 110 plug-in in the back of the van, which I think might be the best way to power it while in the van. Will it be okay to leave it running overnight? I am thinking that it will be in the van for some roads trips with hotel/camping overnight stays along the way.

Oh yeah...I'm not super technical when it comes to electricity, and how many amps/hour or watts/hour or whatever.

 

[ColoDisco]

Running a 12v fridge through 110 is the least efficient way to run a fridge, you have to power a inverter from 12v to 110, then force the fridge to convert it back to 12v. Best to keep to 12v and install a new 12v socket in the back of your van. Remember to add a fuse inline to protect your Van and fridge.

I am installing one of these in the back of my discovery for my future 12v fridge.

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-1011...TF8&qid=1346160798&sr=8-1&keywords=12v+outlet

Oh! And when the key is off generally the outlet will be off too, thus leaving your fridge without power. Make sure you run either on a always on circuit or direct to the battery.

 

[Cabrito]

I have a Engel/ARB MT35 it's over ten years old.

I used to run it in my Saab all the time on road trips. Never had an issue powering it up. I would run the power cable to the cig lighter in the front of the car.

In my FJ I occasionally leave it on all night and don't have any problems. I do this on road trips and camping.

Sometimes when camping I turn it off at night when temps are cooler. It's insulated so the temps don't drop much. Just mimimize openning and closing it to keep the inside cold.

If you are going to leave it on overnight make sure your battery is in good condition.

 

[Utah KJ]

I installed this system in a single batt JK that is used on many multi-day outtings with a fridge:

It makes for an excellent safety net.

 

[Corey]

If you search some of the threads here, you will see I tested mine on a long weekend for close to five days without starting the rig up at all on the FJ's factory battery.
It fired up when it was time to go to work.

 

[goodtimes]

I know a couple people that use their fridge without a dual battery set up.

Overnight use shouldn't be a problem - just don't open it much after you shut the vehicle off for the night (as mentioned above).

You may also consider one of the portable 'jump start packs' as a back up incase the fridge drains your starting battery (most modern fridges have a low voltage shut off to prevent this). They are pretty inexpensive & can come in handy - even if the fridge didn't drain your battery.

 

[General Automag]

So I have my 01 LX470 that I am most likely going to install a dual battery set-up. I am going to buy a 12V fridge, just not too sure which one. This fridge will most likely spend some time in my wifes 2012 Honda Odyssey. My question is, how well will a 12V fridge run on a completly stock system like my wife's minivan? There is a 110 plug-in in the back of the van, which I think might be the best way to power it while in the van. Will it be okay to leave it running overnight? I am thinking that it will be in the van for some roads trips with hotel/camping overnight stays along the way.

Oh yeah...I'm not super technical when it comes to electricity, and how many amps/hour or watts/hour or whatever.

We bought a 50L (53 quart) fridge/freezer from IronMan4x4 http://www.ironman4x4.com/html/fridge.html and like it very much. We run it in several vehicles and use it for camping, hunting, 4x4 events, family outings, and when we simply need to make long trips from the supermarkets. We only have a dual battery setups in one vehicle, but in our single battery vehicles, we have had no issues leaving the fridge/freezer plugged in for up to two days without starting the vehicle.

You should have no problems with only one battery. If you are only going to have one battery, get yourself a deep cycle battery such as the Odysseys or Optimas. The yellow top Optimas seem to be getting a little better in terms of their reliability, but I prefer the Odyssey if you can find them because I've had a couple of Optimas crap out just past their warranty dates.

Just test your rig out in your driveway and have a neighbor on standby to give you a jump if needed. By the way, we installed the 275amp dual battery kit from IronMan4x4 in one of our vehicles and like it more than all of the other dual battery setups out there.

 

[RockyMtnFamily]

Prior to getting by dual battery set up, I found that leaving mine plugged in for more than 10-12 hours would kill the battery. This is a cheap Coleman 12volt cooler so not as high tech as an ARB. I have not had a problem since doing my dual battery set up.

Kevin

 

[Cabrito]

You may also consider one of the portable 'jump start packs' as a back up incase the fridge drains your starting battery (most modern fridges have a low voltage shut off to prevent this). They are pretty inexpensive & can come in handy - even if the fridge didn't drain your battery.

I don't leave home with out my portable jump pack. I've even powered my fridge off one for short preriods.

 

[DUTCH]

I have an Engel fridge and have left it running in the desert for several days at a time on a single battery. No problem.

 

[Beowulf]

My fridge has a low battery cut off function. Even though I have Dual Batteries, I have it set to the lowest setting and my vehicle will still start even when it is drained to that level. If your fridge has a cut off setting you should have nothing to worry about.

 

[1911]

I use my 37-qt ARB in the back seat of the car when we take that on a road trip; works fine with no problems. as long as the car is running. I plug it into a "cigarette lighter" outlet with the little adapter that came with the fridge.

 

[Chris Boyd]

I also have the ARB 37qt fridge. It has a low voltage protection circuit, that is settable for various cutoff voltages. The long term problem is that the voltage will go low, it will do as designed and cutoff, but you will lose cooling in the fridge. the second problem is that your primary start battery is probably not a deep cycle, so if you kill it more than a few times (even below 11.4 volts) it won't live a very long life.

I wouldn't recommend doing it on a single battery system, unless that single battery was a deep-cycle type battery (like yellow top, or exide, etc). It's asking for trouble.

That said, I run a multiple battery system on my avalanche - 2 under the hood (start battery and aux, separated with a solenoid) and another group 31 deep cycle in the rear cargo area. The aux battery and the group 31 are parallel and get charged from a secondary alternator. The factory alternator, start battery and factory systems are separated unless I manually "boost" the solenoid, at which point the aux is temporarily paralleld to start the engine if the main start is killed. (which for this application is very rare - only factory systems run from it).

I admit It's overkill for just a fridge, but I run a high-output inverter (~3kW) for a work application and threw the fridge in so I'd always have a cold drink, and use for camping!

 

[aaronrules]

We bought a 50L (53 quart) fridge/freezer from IronMan4x4 http://www.ironman4x4.com/html/fridge.html and like it very much. We run it in several vehicles and use it for camping, hunting, 4x4 events, family outings, and when we simply need to make long trips from the supermarkets. We only have a dual battery setups in one vehicle, but in our single battery vehicles, we have had no issues leaving the fridge/freezer plugged in for up to two days without starting the vehicle.

You should have no problems with only one battery. If you are only going to have one battery, get yourself a deep cycle battery such as the Odysseys or Optimas. The yellow top Optimas seem to be getting a little better in terms of their reliability, but I prefer the Odyssey if you can find them because I've had a couple of Optimas crap out just past their warranty dates.

Just test your rig out in your driveway and have a neighbor on standby to give you a jump if needed. By the way, we installed the 275amp dual battery kit from IronMan4x4 in one of our vehicles and like it more than all of the other dual battery setups out there.

How do you order from Ironman? There aren't any prices or links to buy anything! Unless I'm dumb and I'm missing it.

 

[DaJudge]

I have run my fridge in my wifes Grand Prix. We took to Yellowstone for two weeks a few years ago and had zero issues. The car never sat more than 12 hours without running. Did the same on a trip to Yosemite and Sequoia this summer in a rental. If you have a good battery you should be fine, just don't leave it running for days without starting the car. As was already mentioned, don't use the 110v outlet, use 12v.