Powering a fridge/freezer

[DCPHOENIX]

Alright overlanding people. Needing some input on powering a fridge!

I am buying this fridge/freezer
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08SMGMPKW?th=1&psc=1

My question is this. Am I better off plugging into the cigarette lighter or the 400w plug in the back? Fridge will sit on the back seat so the rear plug would be best.
Looks like it only pulls 55w so I’m also assuming that I can safely leave it plugged in while parked without draining the battery? It does have a low voltage shut off.
Got a jackery on the way so leaving it plugged in would only be an overnight thing

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[Glad Jeeper]

Great question: As I am out driving during the day I plug the Jackery into the rear plug 110 and my Iceco fridge/freezer into the jackery. Jackery continues to charge while driving, at night I unplug the jackery and just run the fridge off it. I go from 100% Jackery to 90%+ overnight, works great. If I am just doing a quick day trip then I plug the fridge into the rear 110 plug. I have had NO issue at all running this way. BTW, Jackery works awesome running the 1 cup Keurig coffee maker, a must for camping....

 

[Jeepasaurus_Rex]

You'd be better off and more efficient running it on DC power.
I ran a line from my battery to the bed, and have it installed on a slide.
I bought a Cascadia 4x4 solar panel for the hood and it charges the battery. I can leave my fridge on and running for days without any issue so far.

When I had it in the backseat, I used my jackery to power it.

 

[Fpolanco]

I agree w/ @Glad Jeeper. I actually have my fridge in the bed and run an extension cord to plug the fridge off my Goal Zero in the cab. This way, once I turn the truck off, the fridge still runs off of the Goal Zero.

Depending on the model of the fridge and if you decide to use the 12v, the 12v MAY pop out if you're doing any off-roading. Ask me how I know.

The 110 plug is best all the way around.

 

[DCPHOENIX]

Thanks for the replies!!
I’m heading out this weekend for two nights and the Jackery isn’t arriving until after I’m home. However fridge will be here and going with me.

Think the car battery will be ok with the fridge being plugged into the rear plug all night? I’ll be wheeling during the day so it will get some charge. But maybe 12-15 hours sat? I’m a complete novice when it comes to electronics. AC/DC made great music. That’s my electrical knowledge

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I agree w/ @Glad Jeeper. I actually have my fridge in the bed and run an extension cord to plug the fridge off my Goal Zero in the cab. This way, once I turn the truck off, the fridge still runs off of the Goal Zero.

Depending on the model of the fridge and if you decide to use the 12v, the 12v MAY pop out if you're doing any off-roading. Ask me how I know.

The 110 plug is best all the way around.

110 plug is double conversion and a lot of power loss, though. Truck converts 12 to 110, then the cooler converts 110 to 12 and you lose on both ends. Very inefficient. Use a different connection system.

Think the car battery will be ok with the fridge being plugged into the rear plug all night? I’ll be wheeling during the day so it will get some charge. But maybe 12-15 hours sat? I’m a complete novice when it comes to electronics. AC/DC made great music. That’s my electrical knowledge

The 12v outlet is acc/ign only and dies when you shut the truck off.
I'd be prepared for a low battery.

 

[legacy_etu]

Great question: As I am out driving during the day I plug the Jackery into the rear plug 110 and my Iceco fridge/freezer into the jackery. Jackery continues to charge while driving, at night I unplug the jackery and just run the fridge off it. I go from 100% Jackery to 90%+ overnight, works great. If I am just doing a quick day trip then I plug the fridge into the rear 110 plug. I have had NO issue at all running this way. BTW, Jackery works awesome running the 1 cup Keurig coffee maker, a must for camping....

Regarding the Keurig, which one are you talking about? I looked at them and they said they used something along the lines of 1500 watts. Not enough for my Jackery to handle. I’m wondering if you bought the Jackery 1500 or if there s Smaller Keurig I missed. Coffee when camping is essential…..of course I could always keep using my percolator

 

[ShadowsPapa]

of course I could always keep using my percolator

Man coffee!
We used to call the coffee a co-worker made at work in the morning 'cowboy coffee' and asked if he served forks with it.

 

[Fpolanco]

110 plug is double conversion and a lot of power loss, though. Truck converts 12 to 110, then the cooler converts 110 to 12 and you lose on both ends. Very inefficient. Use a different connection system.



The 12v outlet is acc/ign only and dies when you shut the truck off.
I'd be prepared for a low battery.

I'm sure driving through Kansas while it was 103 degrees didn't matters either! :D

Had no idea about the conversion. Thank you!!

 

[chorky]

Thanks for the replies!!
I’m heading out this weekend for two nights and the Jackery isn’t arriving until after I’m home. However fridge will be here and going with me.

Think the car battery will be ok with the fridge being plugged into the rear plug all night? I’ll be wheeling during the day so it will get some charge. But maybe 12-15 hours sat? I’m a complete novice when it comes to electronics. AC/DC made great music. That’s my electrical knowledge

It might make it through the night but thats a pretty big risk IMO. Your much safer off having a aux or dedicated battery. I would not want to risk draining the main vehicle battery all night from a fridge. You may find yourself stranded next morning.

its fairly easy to do the math. Take the average running amps multiplied by, say 12 hours. That gives 2 hours after shutting off the engine, 8 hours of sleep, and 2 hours in the morning before starting the engine. So for example maybe a fridge pulls 1.2ah. 1.2x12=14.4. so 14.4 amps to power the fridge for 12 hours.

Now a AGM battery, to avoid long term damage, should only be discharged to 80% of its total rated ah capacity. I know some will argue this but its what I have gone off of for years. So the batteries that many use with the genesis dual battery system are 64 ah. 20% of 64 is 12.8. So by using that battery spec with the 1.2ah average for a imaginary fridge means you drained the battery to 77.5%. So in that case it will work with some battery life expectancy reduction.

now that is making a lot of assumptions with specifications. Point being - make sure your not draining your starting battery so low it wont start.

also that assumes a constant 12v. As voltage drops due to usage, amps needed to run an item increases. so realistically your total draw would be greater than 12.8. It also might mean the battery is so drained the fridge hits its 11.v voltage protection, or whatever spec it is set to, and shut off automatically to save the battery

so you really should do some math. Not all fridges pull the same amps

 

[John in the Woods]

I spent most of this year running with a fridge in the backseat, and I'd be nervous about the main battery with a fridge tapped into it overnight. I have an IceCo, and when it gets hot or if you leave the lid open, that sucker can draw some juice. It's taken my EcoFlow battery down significantly overnight. My suggestion is close it tight and unplug it at night. Better you have warm beer than a dead starter battery in the morning.

Also, I'll add a second to the folks recommending you draw from DC. Inverting and converting again is inefficient, and that energy lost to heat is less juice for the starter. I ran an Amazon DC plug extension to my rear seats for DC power back there. I'll be adding house power in the back before hitting the road this season.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I would not want to risk draining the main vehicle battery all night from a fridge. You may find yourself stranded next morning.

Yeah, but dang, he'd have cold beer while he waited for help!

 

[hjdca]

I run a fridge 24/7, but, I am not an overlander. I use a LiFePO4 battery and an Engel Fridge. I hook the rear 400 watt outlet to the battery and the AC Fridge hookup. I hook the Fridge DC to the Battery DC outlet. While the truck is running the AC Truck outlet will charge the battery and run the fridge. When the truck is off, the fridge switches to DC and pulls DC from the battery. You do not want the battery charging and discharging at the same time, This is not good. so, I recommend a similar setup. I also have an alternate plug available, so, I can hook the battery up to charge in the driveway. Here are some pics.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You do not want the battery charging and discharging at the same time,

That's the first time I ever heard of that!
It happens all the time when you have a heavier electric load than the charging system in a car or truck can manage.
It won't charge and discharge at the same time anyway. Whatever is trying to charge the battery will handle the load until the load is gone then it will be able to charge the battery.
If the truck's inverter can run a fridge and a battery charger at the same time on AC, then it would be more efficient to run the fridge from DC and skip the conversion process of AC to DC.

 

[legacy_etu]

Man coffee!
We used to call the coffee a co-worker made at work in the morning 'cowboy coffee' and asked if he served forks with it.

Haha. Thick stuff, eh? Funny my son so far hasn’t developed a taste for it. Don’t know what’s wrong with that kid.

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