leaving Indel B 51L fridge plugged in vehicle

[captwoody]

If I am driving every day can I leave my fridge plugged in to my Chevy tracker overnight and expect tracker to start. Was wanting to leave fridge in back seat for day runs. I am new to having a fridge and do not have a separate battery and solar panel for it yet. I left it in my F250 without issues but that truck has 2 batteries , or due some people just run them off a single battery system. Tracker is to small to run a 2nd battery in it so saving for battery box and deep cycle battery to start. Just don't want to get stranded trying to find out

 

[Martyn]

To be safe I would put in a Low Voltage Disconnect between the main starter battery and the 12 volt socket that the fridge will be running off. We sell a LVD that has an adjustable cut off point, so you could set the cut off at 11.5 volts and still have plenty of power to start the vehicle.

Standard starting batteries don't like to be constantly pulled that low so if you want to run this system look for a replacement battery that is rated as a deep cycle starter battery.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Trackers have small batteries so I would wait until you install the larger battery with more amps.

 

[JGBB04]

They have a built in adjustable low voltage cut off

 

[justrom]

It is a different battery, but we leave ours plugged in overnight in the Tacoma all the time. We have a single starting battery and have never had an issue. I carry a jump start battery pack, but haven't used it. I'd like to install a larger battery at some point but it hasn't been a priority.

 

[GFA]

Just to echo others, mine is left on all the time. I have a single Diehard platinum group 31 and it allows for about 24hrs of operation without charging before the low voltage shut off cuts it off. That's in 80-85° weather.

 

[tarditi]

I have an ARB 50qt in my Jeep - leave it on overnight, but try to start and run it daily, just to be sure. I've only seen the low voltage feature kick in 1 time in the peak of summer and my 5-year old was going into the fridge about every 15 minutes looking for snacks, cold drinks, or just to drive daddy crazy.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Apparently some folks are missing the fact that his vehicle uses a very small battery, so even with the low voltage cutoff it makes no sense to leave it in there turned on because it will always be cutting off due to lack of amps/reserve capacity. Making sense yet fellas?

 

[captwoody]

Thanks for the replies, sounds like I should set fridge on eco with the cut out switch on fridge on low. Will do test run in driveway during daytime to simulate warm weather night. And if it is slow to start or fridge cuts out go with bigger or separate battery. I think I am running a group 27 battery now which is an upgrade but it is a regular battery not deep cycle. You guys running separate batteries what size deep cycle are you running group 27,29 or 31's

 

[4x4junkie]

I run two group 27s parallel in mine and can keep a fridge going for 3-7 days without any charging input, depending of course on the weather (temp)...

27 and 31 seem to me like the most practical sizes if you can fit them (there's not many deep cycle-able options in sizes other than 24, 27 or 31 anyway unless you go with a much-more-costly AGM version)

A 24 is typically between 65-75 amp-hours capacity (varies slightly among brands & types),
A 27 is between 85-100 Ah
A 31 is between 90-105 Ah.

 

[comptiger5000]

A deep cycle group 27 should be adequate to keep a fridge running for a while, especially if the vehicle is driven far enough every day. If it's practical to do so, I'd tend to throw some solar up on the roof just to get the battery a bit more topped off during the day (to account for days where it isn't driven and to extend the lifespan of the battery, as it likely will never quite hit full charge just from driving).