NEED dual batteries for fridge?

[cstamm81]

Is it completely necessary to run dual batts if I plan to run an Engel 45 or similar? Could I get away with 1 high quality deep cycle, such as an Oddysey? Just trying to sort through the truly needed mods vs. the useful but sort of over the top ones.

 

[Desertdude]

if I drive somewhere everyday I don't need the second battery - I can sit still for nearly three days without killing the battery.

should always travel with at least a small battery jumper

 

[AndrewP]

Absolutely not necessary. My fridge moves between 3 of my trucks, and only the 80 has dual bats. You need to be careful, and remember to run your truck every other day or so, and keep the truck and the fridge in as much shade as possible. It is comforting to have 2 batteries, but assuming you are not by yourself, the only downside of running the battery all the way down is a jump from your buddies, and the ribbing that would generate.

You could also carry one of those jump starter packs, as they work surprisingly well-we used one on a Chevy big block 454 Suburban and it turned it over slowly but the motor caught.

I take the fridge in my FJ40 all summer with one battery and it will sit about 3 days before the battery is completely gone. Make sure to use a deep cycle since a regular starting battery does not like to be run all the way flat, although in my FJ60, I've gone on trips with the fridge and just a standard (cheap) starting battery. Just use some common sense and you'll do fine.

 

[Off-Grid Engineering]

Depends on how bad you NEED to get home.... haha.



I like the extra insurance but I guess it's not necessary. Just keep a good eye on your battery an carry a jumper box. Maybe you can get some sort of a power meter too....

 

[cstamm81]

Good advice, I do have a jumper jack. I might do dual batts sometime down the line, but it's good to know I don't have to in order to run a fridge in the meantime.

 

[cstamm81]

any other trick ways to monitor the battery voltage? Some sort of in can monitoring with maybe a threshold where it cuts off supplying juice to accessories? I could always just use a multimeter to gauge it, but something in cab would be cool.

 

[TheRoadie]

Depends on how bad you NEED to get home...

A properly stocked fridge can significantly reduce that NEED. But when the battery dies, and the fridge starts to warm up, the NEED-O-METER pegs pretty quickly. Unless you're carrying a lot of British ale.

 

[ntsqd]

I have an older version of the ARB fridge. With no insulator blanket on it I get about one day out of a Group 78 battery. For me, dual batteries are a requirement if the fridge is going on the trip.

 

[xcmountain80]

I use the voltage reading on my radio (a Yeasu FT-8800). It's off by about 0.2V from the battery voltage and when it goes below 12.0V on the radio, time to start the truck. I've started my truck with battery as low as 11.4V on the radio, but that was in the summer and it did crank slow enough to make me wonder.

You know it's funny you mention that. On the Garmin 276 units there is also a volt meter. You can set it so an alarm sounds when you get to a preset voltage.

Aaron

 

[teotwaki]

a 25 watt solar panel could help you keep it topped off. There are battery disconnect devices available.

Example:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...0071875414&sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT&viewitem=

 

[mep1811]

Need dual batteries?

I run dual batteries but I also use a low battery cut off switch between the fridge and the cig plug. Cheap insurance. Hope this helps.

http://www.boatandrvaccessories.com/RPSC-810.htm

 

[adventurebuddies]

If you have an addiction to cool gadgets like most of us, Scangauge II will read voltage in real time so you could monitor that way. It's a really cool toy for a number of reasons.

 

[Corey]

Although I run a dual battery setup, I have never needed to use the second deep cycle (Optima Yellow Top) battery to start the rig from the fridge running.

I have ran my ARB fridge for five straight days on the stock Panasonic battery in my FJ, and it started right up.
I do not use the insulating blanket for it either.

I would say five days is the max.
On my trip to Mt. Rainier in August, I ran it in 80 degree heat for two days at 2 degree Celsius, and it started right up when I left the campground.

 

[xcmountain80]

Whew the battery run time are starting to sound like fish stories to me. Lets not forget where the setting dial is when we get more than a day out of the fridges. I ran 1 red top (new) and it would only hold the fridge up 1.5 days and just have enough juice left to crank, than being said the internal temp was btwn 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit. At 45-65 degrees it would probably last 2 days tops. I added a second red top and ran them in parallel, I have yet to come out to the truck and have it not start. That being said I'm going to monitor it with the volt meter in the gps to see what is taking place. I need to get some beer to chill any volunteers on the donations? In addition I use the Engel blanket in the spring/summer months in FL so April-September and leave the blanket off in the fall/ winter


Aaron

 

[Desertdude]

Ditto on the above two posts - we run at 1.5 mostly and down to 1 at night, rarely at 2 - transit bag on and the fridge inside the truck.