powering 12v fridge

[cr500taco]

I'm looking to get a 12v fridge. I'm thinking of running the fridge off of my '97 Tacoma, then switching it over to solar and power station once I get to the location and then running off of the truck again for the trip home. I know there's the dual battery setup. But, don't plan on running the fridge off of the truck battery for any length of time. Just wondering if this will work or will I need to upgrade to a higher output alternator?

Also, I want to build up my utility trailer for camping. I want to add a 12V battery to it. Will charging it off the stock alternator be OK?

 

[Dave in AZ]

The 97 stock Tacoma alternator is just 60A. I have a 98. There are numerous threads on Tacomaworld.com on this. In 2004 the 1st gen alternator became 80A. There are several replacement bolt ons, the Suzuki Gran Vitara has a denso 105A bolt on replacement all the same except the output lug is on wrong side. There is a Cadillac alternator that also bolts on hmm... 130A maybe? Can't recall, but threads are there.

Anyways...
1. You CAN run a dc fridge off your car while driving, just plug it into the car cigarette port. Most pull 35-75W, 3-6A on 12v system, which your alternator can support.
2. Yes, you can then run off power station while camped. I do exactly this. If you want to run it for 20 hrs, it will take roughly say 50W x 20 hrs = 1000 Watt-hrs. Maybe less, compressor doesn't run full time. But I'd buy at least a 1000 Watt-hrs power station, I have a 1536wh one.
3. Building a trailer, putting in 12v battery and charging off alternator... in NO CASE would I charge it at more than 20A, which is pretty low for dc dc alternator charging. But with a 60A alternator, you'll burn it up otherwise. It takes about 40A to run a Tacoma loaded at night, see my linked thread where I tested my 21 Tacoma amp draw for various items. You don't want to run your alternator at more than 70% load constantly, or it gets hot and will break. Engine, headlights, wipers, turn signal, air-conditioning, use about 45A I think it was. I really wouldn't pull more than the 10A cigarette lighter port can provide, myself.

Here are some threads:
105A 97 Tacoma bolt on alternator:

1st gen 105 amp bolt in alternator.

Hello, new guy 1st post. Full disclosure, I've worked in automotive for 20 years but this is my 1st Tacoma. I've been reading for a year and have done...

www.tacomaworld.com

2 other 1st gen alternator options:

2 other alternator options for our 1st gen tacoma's with 5VZ-FE's

It's the same exact 150 amp unit as the Denso 104210-3291 Ok thanks! Mike

www.tacomaworld.com

My 21 Tacoma alternator loads test:

Info only: 2021 Tacoma amp draw and alternator loads tested

This thread is just for reference for those looking to use excess alternator capacity to charge a battery. Other cars should have similar loads to...

www.tacomaworld.com

Getting power from Tacoma alternator to bed, wire sizing and dcdc alternator sizes, with a video I made:

Tune M1 Camper on Tacoma OffRoad 4x4 2021

[IMG] This is a thread to centralize my tweaks work on 2021 Tacoma OffRoad 6ft bed, with a Tune M1 popup Camper. Hard to find right spot for bed prep...

www.tacomaworld.com

 

[plh]

Depends on your refrigerator. I have a 22L Alpicool that just did 10 days traveling with it in New Mexico & Arizona. Powered via car cigi outlet (stock 2014 Outlander - 120 amp alternator) while driving, and a bit more, I wasn't religious about switching over power, and via a 100 amp hour home built Li-ion battery pack at night. Battery pack was not to the low limit cutoff when I got home.

I also have a 45L Edgestar and can get around 4 days time in similar usage.

 

[Flyelk1]

I just run mine on my power station while driving. Solar charges the power station while driving and then when parked. Had this system for over two years with zero issues.

 

[beef tits]

I went with;
Alpicool 35 fridge/freezer
Bluetti AC70
Bluetti 120w solar panel

Savy shopping can get you all the above for under $1k. Works great and is a versatile setup.

 

[JMacs]

My last truck, 2007 Tacoma, I put an ARB 55L in the back. Ran it off the truck battery. The only thing I did was get a bigger battery. I left it plugged in all summer long whether I was out camping or not. Only on the hottest days (95degrees plus), did the fridge stop cooling because of low voltage. In normal temps, it would sit in the driveway for 2 days and still be cold.

As long as you go for a drive once a day, you shouldn't have an issue. The calculations assume that the compressor will be running constantly. Keeping it in the shade and not opening, the compressor will only run 25-50% of the time.

 

[cr500taco]

The 97 stock Tacoma alternator is just 60A. I have a 98. There are numerous threads on Tacomaworld.com on this. In 2004 the 1st gen alternator became 80A. There are several replacement bolt ons, the Suzuki Gran Vitara has a denso 105A bolt on replacement all the same except the output lug is on wrong side. There is a Cadillac alternator that also bolts on hmm... 130A maybe? Can't recall, but threads are there.

Anyways...
1. You CAN run a dc fridge off your car while driving, just plug it into the car cigarette port. Most pull 35-75W, 3-6A on 12v system, which your alternator can support.
2. Yes, you can then run off power station while camped. I do exactly this. If you want to run it for 20 hrs, it will take roughly say 50W x 20 hrs = 1000 Watt-hrs. Maybe less, compressor doesn't run full time. But I'd buy at least a 1000 Watt-hrs power station, I have a 1536wh one.
3. Building a trailer, putting in 12v battery and charging off alternator... in NO CASE would I charge it at more than 20A, which is pretty low for dc dc alternator charging. But with a 60A alternator, you'll burn it up otherwise. It takes about 40A to run a Tacoma loaded at night, see my linked thread where I tested my 21 Tacoma amp draw for various items. You don't want to run your alternator at more than 70% load constantly, or it gets hot and will break. Engine, headlights, wipers, turn signal, air-conditioning, use about 45A I think it was. I really wouldn't pull more than the 10A cigarette lighter port can provide, myself.

Here are some threads:
105A 97 Tacoma bolt on alternator:

1st gen 105 amp bolt in alternator.

Hello, new guy 1st post. Full disclosure, I've worked in automotive for 20 years but this is my 1st Tacoma. I've been reading for a year and have done...

www.tacomaworld.com

2 other 1st gen alternator options:

2 other alternator options for our 1st gen tacoma's with 5VZ-FE's

It's the same exact 150 amp unit as the Denso 104210-3291 Ok thanks! Mike

www.tacomaworld.com

My 21 Tacoma alternator loads test:

Info only: 2021 Tacoma amp draw and alternator loads tested

This thread is just for reference for those looking to use excess alternator capacity to charge a battery. Other cars should have similar loads to...

www.tacomaworld.com

Getting power from Tacoma alternator to bed, wire sizing and dcdc alternator sizes, with a video I made:

Tune M1 Camper on Tacoma OffRoad 4x4 2021

[IMG] This is a thread to centralize my tweaks work on 2021 Tacoma OffRoad 6ft bed, with a Tune M1 popup Camper. Hard to find right spot for bed prep...

www.tacomaworld.com

Thanks for the informative reply.

 

[cr500taco]

I just run mine on my power station while driving. Solar charges the power station while driving and then when parked. Had this system for over two years with zero issues.

I don't have any place to mount a solar panel on my rig. I will be using a portable solar panel.

 

[gmtech]

i also ran my ARB 50 qt fridge on stock battery of 2016 tacoma for multiple trips over years. had Original battery when sold it last year. as long as truck was driven every day had no issues whatsoever. i did run a hot all the time fused 12volt outlet to the back seat. i had rear seat delete and it worked perfect behind drivers seat. this was a dcsb truck.

 

[Timroo]

I run a Dometic CFX35 inside my rig. Granted it doesn’t get too hot in Alaska in summer, so keep that in mind when you read this.

I use a Goal Zero Yeti 500x to power my fridge. I bought the 12v car adaptor for it to charge on the go, but I probably never plug it in for more than 2 hours a day. I also have a nomad 50 solar panel that I set out at “night” (it doesn’t get dark here in summer). My last trip was 5 days, and I generally stayed above 70% charge on my goal zero until the very end when we had no sun.

The Dometic doesn’t draw much power, and in normal (not hot) conditions that 500wh battery seems as if it would last about 48 hours without any charging assistance. Been really happy with it thus far!

 

[kwe1982]

Not exactly what you are asking, but I run a CFX35 too, I use a 12 volt 100 amp hour battery hooked to a 12 volt load transfer switch, when it senses power it switches to the 12 volt plug, when power is off it switches to the battery, it was like 15 bucks on Amazon

 

[jchasse]

I've got a Jackery Explorer 1500 (not the more expensive Pro version), which now goes on sale for well under $1,000 if you keep your eyes open, and it spent 7% of its charge to keep my CFX35 at 32 degrees for 12 hours overnight last weekend (7pm to 7 am) in ~70 degree ambient temps in the back seat of my truck.

We have 2 x 100W Jackery portable solar panels, so with any sunlight at all I'm not worried about keeping the fridge running and keeping the Jackery at 100% charge to power laptops, charge a dozen phones, headlamps, whatever and I can even plug the trailer into it to charge the house battery if needed.

 

[jchasse]

I went with;
Alpicool 35 fridge/freezer
Bluetti AC70
Bluetti 120w solar panel

Savy shopping can get you all the above for under $1k. Works great and is a versatile setup.

I looked into all sorts of setups wired into the vehicle, but unless you want to spend a lot of coin something like this is so much cleaner, easier, and so flexible.

 

[drabina]

I do pretty much the same in my Subaru Outback. When driving to a location, I use the cigarette plug to run the fridge. Then when stationary, I switch to a 100Ah battery that's charged during the day via a 100W solar panel. I can go for a whole weekend (Fri to Sun) with a setup like that and never run out of battery. My fridge pulls 45-48W when the compressor is running. I also cool all the stuff at home before I leave for a trip. Then just transfer the whole cold fridge into the car.

I am currently working on a setup that will allow me to switch the source (cigarette or battery) automatically. If the engine is running, the fridge will run from the alternator and with engine off, it will switch automatically to the battery. This way I do not have to keep swapping the fridge plug.

 

[Steve_P]

If you're going to haul a power station use it. My Engle and my Bluetti live under the tonneau over the truck bed. I added an Anderson panel mount to the truck bed powered through an ignition switched relay in the engine compartment. The power station gets charged when the truck is running and won't pull down the starter battery when it's not. The fridge is plugged into the power station, and will run for several days when the station is fully charged. I never have to move my fridge plug.