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12-16-2016, 07:51 PM
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#1
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Seasonal Camper
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 262
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Winter traveling & friozen food
We're headed from central Indiana to Florida in early January & want to use the freezer in the Seville to take food down. it will be hard frozen and dry ice in with it as well.
We'd like to put some stuff in the fridge as well but won't be parked anywhere at night that has power to the camper & I really don't want to run the truck battery down. If I run the refrigerator on the way and shut it down at night, it hopefully will be ok.
I'd welcome any comments as to possible problems or things I need to watch out for. I know I have to be careful with freezer burn and handling that stuff but I think it will keep the stuff frozen until I can fire up the fridge on the last morning on the way to our winter spot. My only concern is that it could screw up the freezer or freeze the stuff in the fridge, hence causing a major repair or mess.
We'll not be staying in the camper until we park for the winter and will be airing out the unit before we stay in it.
Thanks
__________________
Al & Linda
2022 GMC Denali 3500HD SRW, Crew Cab, Std bed, 6.6L Duramax, Allisons, PullRite Superglide, Triglide
2011 Crossroads Seville VF35CK11 (sold)
2021 Alliance Paradigm 365RD
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12-16-2016, 08:10 PM
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#2
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DFW, TexUS
Posts: 1,032
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You didn't say if it was a residential fridge or rv fridge ....
What type of battery bank do you have ?
Shut down everything you can except the RV fridge,
switch it to propane and go for it... more dry ice can be bought along the way if needed and just put ABOVE the items you want to freeze...
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12-16-2016, 08:16 PM
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#3
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Seasonal Camper
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 262
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I have a single AGM 12v battery that's about a year old. I keep it topped up except when the camper is in storage & then the master disconnect shuts it all down.
The fridge is the Norcold 2117 double door RV unit. I pulled up the service manual & it looks like the unit pulls 2.5A - 2.75A unless it decides to go into defrost then it jumps to 15A which would definitely suck down a battery. Discharging an AGM below a certain point is a bit of a problem so I have to be a little careful with that.
I'd think it would power just the fridge all night but there is a fan that likes to run in the freezer. I wouldn't think it would pull all that much power but I haven't measured it either (something to do this winter).
__________________
Al & Linda
2022 GMC Denali 3500HD SRW, Crew Cab, Std bed, 6.6L Duramax, Allisons, PullRite Superglide, Triglide
2011 Crossroads Seville VF35CK11 (sold)
2021 Alliance Paradigm 365RD
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12-16-2016, 08:44 PM
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#4
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: May 2012
Location: N.C. Mountains
Posts: 2,411
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Doesn't yours run on propane also?
__________________
*2016 CAF25SE Cruiser Aire 5er. *2020 Chevrolet 2500 HD Custom
*Ted & Tricia (Mimi - Teacup Poodle/ Sailor - Maltipoo)
*I have tried to live my life so that my family would love me and my friends would respect me. The others can do whatever the Hell they please!” —John Wayne
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12-16-2016, 08:55 PM
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#5
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Seasonal Camper
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 262
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It does but there are 2 fans internal that pull about 1A each, the gas valve pulls a bit, the igniter, and the control board all take power as well. It does have the ability to go into auto-defrost mode unless I cancel it but if I forget.....
__________________
Al & Linda
2022 GMC Denali 3500HD SRW, Crew Cab, Std bed, 6.6L Duramax, Allisons, PullRite Superglide, Triglide
2011 Crossroads Seville VF35CK11 (sold)
2021 Alliance Paradigm 365RD
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12-17-2016, 05:29 PM
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#6
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Winchester, ON
Posts: 1,177
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We travel from Ontario to Florida every year in early December. Our fridge works fine all the way down. There has been lots posted in this and other forums about traveling with the propane on. With it on is considered to be a hazard, with it off means your fridge does not run. Although most people will concede that it can be a hazard, most actually do travel with it on.
So our fridge is on while traveling. We stop at two Walmarts on the way down and sleep in the unit both nights. We run the furnace all night long, we use lights in the evening, and the fridge is on the whole time. The battery works fine. We do unplug the truck just to be on the safe side. We would not want it to start draining the truck battery.
Since the unit is winterized before we leave, we have no running water and use water in jugs for washing hands, etc.
We replaced the battery in our trailer a year or so ago. It's always a good idea to make sure your battery is up to the job.
As for freezer burn, I use one of those vacuum sealers. I vacuum seal every steak and pork chop separately and freeze ground meat in one pound vacuum bags. I buy my chicken breasts at Costco and they come individually vacuum sealed.
You probably don't need the dry ice if your fridge works well on propane and the battery is good.
Turn the fridge on a day or so before you leave if this is possible as it takes time to get it working.
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2012 Cruiser Sahara 330SS
2015 F250 Super Duty diesel
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12-17-2016, 06:43 PM
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#7
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: WI.
Posts: 9,154
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Good post Loneoak.
Very well stated.
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12-18-2016, 03:45 AM
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#8
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Winchester, ON
Posts: 1,177
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lloyd
Good post Loneoak.
Very well stated.
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Thanks, Lloyd!
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2012 Cruiser Sahara 330SS
2015 F250 Super Duty diesel
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12-18-2016, 02:58 PM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: VA
Posts: 1,716
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Leaving it plugged into the truck shouldn't run the truck battery down. The battery that starts the truck is isolated from the rest of the electrical system.
__________________
2013 Silverado 2500HD LTZ CC 6.6L Duramax Diesel
2023 Rockwood 2445WS
Buster, miniature Dachshund
2023: 9 trips, 48 nights in 12 states, 2 provinces, 8120 miles
2022: 3 trips, 18 nights in 4 states, 2352 miles
2019: 7 trips, 43 nights in 6 states, 5336 miles
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12-18-2016, 10:43 PM
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#10
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: SC
Posts: 679
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavisK
Leaving it plugged into the truck shouldn't run the truck battery down. The battery that starts the truck is isolated from the rest of the electrical system.
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Only on modern trucks equipped with a tow package. Aftermarket configurations often run battery connections "hot."
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12-19-2016, 05:04 AM
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#11
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Winchester, ON
Posts: 1,177
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavisK
Leaving it plugged into the truck shouldn't run the truck battery down. The battery that starts the truck is isolated from the rest of the electrical system.
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We are aware of that, but Hubby likes to err on the side of caution. He also puts the front landing gear down while boondocking to take the weight off the truck. I don't argue, if it makes him feel better, that's all that counts.
__________________
2012 Cruiser Sahara 330SS
2015 F250 Super Duty diesel
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12-19-2016, 10:33 AM
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#12
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Breckenridge,CO
Posts: 975
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Well stated!
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CAMPGROUND "DRIVEWAY"
Breckenridge, CO
'08 Crossroads Sunset Trail ST30BH Traded
'21 Grand Design Reflection 31MB 5er
'22 Cougar 29RLI 5er
'23 RAM 2500 4X4 CTD
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12-19-2016, 07:00 PM
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#13
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: VA
Posts: 1,716
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MartyinSC
Only on modern trucks equipped with a tow package. Aftermarket configurations often run battery connections "hot."
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The O.P. has a 2013 GMC Denali with a Duramax. It should be equipped like my 2013 Silverado with 2 batteries and one isolated for starting the truck that cannot be depleted by an attached trailer.
__________________
2013 Silverado 2500HD LTZ CC 6.6L Duramax Diesel
2023 Rockwood 2445WS
Buster, miniature Dachshund
2023: 9 trips, 48 nights in 12 states, 2 provinces, 8120 miles
2022: 3 trips, 18 nights in 4 states, 2352 miles
2019: 7 trips, 43 nights in 6 states, 5336 miles
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12-20-2016, 04:03 AM
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#14
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Winchester, ON
Posts: 1,177
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Our truck has two batteries as well.
__________________
2012 Cruiser Sahara 330SS
2015 F250 Super Duty diesel
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