Hi, does the fridge run off the hab battery once the engine is turned off.
Thanks
Thanks
3 way fridge
- Thread starter Mart 63
- Start date
It shouldn’t do. If it’s got auto select it should pick 240v if you are on hook up or gas if not. Without auto select you select yourself. I think if you don’t change from 12 v, in those circumstances, it will continue on the leisure battery and flatten it!
MisterB
LIFE MEMBER
- Feb 25, 2018
- 7,501
- 17,975
- Funster No
- 52,564
- MH
- Adria 670 SLT
- Exp
- enough to know i shouldnt touch things i know nothing about ....
not usually, but some can run off 12v via the battery and solar - with an auto selection ....
hopefully someone will be around to confirm
are you having an issue or just asking?
hopefully someone will be around to confirm
are you having an issue or just asking?
OP
OP
Not having any problems, but we are going on a longish trip and want to just use gas for cooking, while off grid.
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
On most systems only the fridge controls are powered from the leisure/ hab battery .( some systems are set up to be able to also use the hab battery for cooling , but only for a short time)
Unless you have ample Lithium and plenty of solar it’s not going to happen,
3 way fridges take upwards of 15 amp per hour so will easily kill a leisure battery overnight,
3 way fridges take upwards of 15 amp per hour so will easily kill a leisure battery overnight,
MichaelT
LIFE MEMBER
What van have you got?
I can run mine off inverter so long as there's enough sun to replace what I'm taking out (15a) and can run direct off the batteries if I change the CBE unit but again you need to watch what it uses as 15a is a lot to replace.
I can run mine off inverter so long as there's enough sun to replace what I'm taking out (15a) and can run direct off the batteries if I change the CBE unit but again you need to watch what it uses as 15a is a lot to replace.
OP
OP
I have a 3000w lithium battery, not sure of its Ah. With 400w solar panel.
OP
OP
We have a Rapido 8086df,
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
MichaelT
LIFE MEMBER
Are you sure , batteries normally rated in AH
Ok well our 300 amp lithium would deplete by a third overnight and the 500 W solar would put most of it back if there was plenty of sun, but we used a 50 amp B to B charger to top the battery off properly,
We tended to travel every other day so wasn’t a problem,
- Sep 22, 2023
- 737
- 688
- Funster No
- 98,988
- MH
- 4 berth coachbuilt
The fact you are asking suggests that you have a 3 way fridge. In that case, No. it will run off gas, or EHU, when the engine is turned off.
To work out how long it would run the fridge, you will need to find the AmpereHour (Ah) capacity of the battery. The Watts figure is meaningless in a motorhome environment.
If the battery is the 300 watt Lithium-ion battery from Power Republic then that is the wrong sort of battery for motorhomes. I would seriously recommend that you change for a LiFePO4 battery.
3-way fridges burn 15 amps continually whilst they are on so leaving it overnight on will take 150 AmpereHour out of the battery.
15 amps x 10 hours.
OP
OP
It's a mastervolt advanced lithium system. It's quite good apparently, but above my head
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
If it's 3000wh battery it will run the fridge for around 15hrs with no solar your solar is capable of around 25 ah but even in southern Europe you won't see anything like that 10ah for a couple of hours a day maybe ..guess work but with luck your solar may power the fridge 4 hrs a day so unless you drive every day for a long distance you will soon end up with warm beer ! 
OP
OP
I've just had a look at some paperwork and it's a 200 ah. If that helps.
Thanks for the replies
Thanks for the replies
That would be depleted in one day using the fridge, a Victron 50 amp battery to battery charger would be way more efficient as long as you do some driving every other day or electric hookup if you don’t,
As said fridge will want 15 ah so not practical to run on 12v unless driving or good solar...
They are really designed to run on 12 v only when driving,if you want to run a fridge on 12.v,you need a compressor (electric only ) one
They are really designed to run on 12 v only when driving,if you want to run a fridge on 12.v,you need a compressor (electric only ) one
I can’t understand your reluctance to use gas? If you have refillable bottles then it works out reasonably cheaply, there is no problem getting a refill in Spain, only other option is portable solar if parked up and moved to maximise solar collection, but that is a bit of hassle,
Or a small generator but that won’t make you popular with other campers,
Or a small generator but that won’t make you popular with other campers,
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
OP
OP
We don't have refillable gas bottles, we will have 2 full bottles to go. We are going for 3/4 months and will be spending 50% off grid, maybe a bit less.
Not sure if we will be able to pick up Spanish bottles around the Adriatic cast.
Maybe I should look into getting refillable bottles.
Not sure if we will be able to pick up Spanish bottles around the Adriatic cast.
Maybe I should look into getting refillable bottles.
Refillable are a big outlay but if you're keeping the van they will pay for themselves in a couple of years and save the GB/EU bottle problem and you don't do your back in moving them around..a bit dearer underslung tank if you want extra locker space
Most cost effective would be refillable bottles, or double your lithium,
Or sell the fridge you have get 1.a 240v fridge and dedicated inverter circa £200/£250 or2. a 12v fridge £450 up..but either gives a far better performance than a 3 way in high ambient temps and can be left on during long ferry crossings
MichaelT
LIFE MEMBER
I doubt it cos Spain is on the Mediterranean and atlantic
Refillable is best, just get 1 if costs and issue and keep a calor as a spare. Loads of places here to fill up.
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
I spent the month of May in (mainly) southern Spain a few years ago. Only 4 nights on EHU, so predominantly gas for cooking (we rarely eat out), fridge, hot water and a little bit of heating (snow on two days). My single 10litre refillable bottle wasn't empty by the end. I only have a single 100Ah lead-acid battery and no fancy stuff like BtoB nor solar (and also no TV 
)
)
My 2024 Thetford trivalent fridge works on 240 when plugged in, gas when not, and vehicle battery (alternator) while driving (but while driving will only maintain the temperature, so if you fill it with warm beer it does not cool it) all the time it is on auto. There is a delay of 15 minutes after switching of the engine before the gas will fire up, to avoid it starting while in a petrol station. You can manually select the power source you prefer any time, but I just leave it on auto and it works perfectly.
OP
OP
Thanks Barrie
CAB96
LIFE MEMBER
3-4 month trip away from your own country, definitely refillable.
Barriesimpson can recommend a place in Northern Spain, I'm not sure where you are?
Barriesimpson can recommend a place in Northern Spain, I'm not sure where you are?
Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain (Africa really).
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
Join us or log in to post a reply.
To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun
Join MotorhomeFun
Join us, it quick and easy!
Log in
Already a member? Log in here.