12v Refrigerator vs. 120

windtrader · August 23, 2022, 07:54:37 PM

Ted - point well taken and there what is best for one is not for another. Like your case 33 gallon propane tank. I have two of the little ones and seems like every couple weeks having to fill them up. batteries work better for me. My main point on propane is it consumes a fair bit of energy. Clifford says a gallon a week, mine seems more. Either way, that is a huge amount of stored energy. Enjoy the ride!

dtcerrato · August 23, 2022, 08:22:01 PM

For several plus decades our converted bus was & still is primarily LP & 12 VDC. We like quiet boon docking and LP enables that completely. We carry four 30 LB bottles which lasts for months. They're all portable so usually refill in pairs with the toad. The best thing about the far NW is no need for air conditioners & that in itself is truly a game changer. Between the recent upgrades of inverter and supplemental solar we barely log hrs on the genny. 8-1/2 hours on it since April & that was to get out of the southern states. We've always run LP in all our campers while underway. No more dangerous than lithium banks IMO. We run all WLA batteries anyway all our wallent wants to shell for.. Different strokes for different folks but the term Bus Nuts is our common ground and unique. Yep Enjoy the ride...

luvrbus · August 23, 2022, 08:25:27 PM

Quote from: windtrader on August 23, 2022, 07:54:37 PM
Ted - point well taken and there what is best for one is not for another. Like your case 33 gallon propane tank. I have two of the little ones and seems like every couple weeks having to fill them up. batteries work better for me. My main point on propane is it consumes a fair bit of energy. Clifford says a gallon a week, mine seems more. Either way, that is a huge amount of stored energy. Enjoy the ride!

Do have the tanks filled or exchange the tanks ? if you exchange, they screw you paying for 5 gals and only get 4 gals

windtrader · August 23, 2022, 11:23:13 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on August 23, 2022, 08:25:27 PM

Do have the tanks filled or exchange the tanks ? if you exchange, they screw you paying for 5 gals and only get 4 gals

I'm a cheap bastard so I get your point. What works for me is swapping at Walmart usually. the price is so little. I run my down fully, then grab a new one out the rack. Prices change but it has been hard to beat the price and convenience.
The advantage of filling your own is you pay for what it takes. Half tank full, only need a couple gallons. the main factor is price per gallon and that can vary quite a bit. Generally, at best taking empty tank then full by the meter comes out about the same or near enough it's just a lot easier to exchange at WM, no need to hunt around and get on a regular wally run.

Jim Blackwood · August 24, 2022, 08:17:44 AM

I ran a search on ebay for over a year and finally came up with a 50 gallon Manchester horizontal propane tank that fits in one side of my genny bay. It's roughly 2ft by 32" long so it just barely tucks in to the front of the bay between the door and my front leveling jack. (which is centered) With that kind of capacity I'm hoping that refill intervals are going to be stretched out to seasonal or better. Conceivably even annual and that's if we use it a lot. I think I can live with that, especially since with that much capacity the propane guys will deliver. I can have them top off the RV when they come to fill the tank for my shop for instance. The bite is bigger of course but it's about like buying a couple tanks of gas for the toad. Or the season's fuel for the lawn mower. Just one of those things.

I think solar's a great idea but I'm not going to do a halfway job. If and when I might go that route I'll want to paper the entire top of the bus and maybe an awning besides. So it isn't going to happen until good flexible cells come to market and for me that day could well be never. In the meantime I'm pretty happy with conventional.

Jim

Glennman · August 24, 2022, 12:59:05 PM

Thanks everyone for the numerous and informative information. I think I'll look into the Frigidaire 1 amp unit. I have a 10 cf Magic Chef in my old bus that works well. I bought one for my travel trailer too, as I didn't want to spend $2000 on a replacement LP model for that. Since we only plug into a park with the travel trailer, we get it cold at home, stuff it full of cold food, drive however far to the chosen RV park, then plug it in. I stays cool long enough for the trip and works well once we get there. For the bus, I'm not afraid of using propane while driving, as I would assume that the factory RVs are intended to run that way. When I was a contractor, I installed hundreds of LP appliances in homes, and I have had them in previous buses and RVs. I'm looking for practical convenience and price too, but I really want what works well, and gives the most options for both boondocking and plugging in (in other words, I really don't have a plan for how I intend to use the bus!!!). I think it comes down to 110 electric, since I am doing a bunch of solar panels and batteries/inverters anyway. Thanks again everyone.

windtrader · August 24, 2022, 05:21:50 PM

Glenn - personally, i don't worry about the propane running the refrig while on the road. That'll be a thing of the past once going to AC only unit but it is an issue for some.

chessie4905 · August 24, 2022, 06:06:22 PM

I really paid through the nose refilling propane bbq tanks in Canada at two locations. little over 25 bucks a tank at Canadian tire and a Uhaul. Used to paying about 13 bucks in the lower 48.

luvrbus · August 24, 2022, 06:09:26 PM

It drives me nuts sometimes on the Oregon and Texas coast when a total electric coach with solar panels covering the roof running the generator all day and 1/2 the night charging his battery bank when it is overcast and raining for 2 days.I probably run my generator less than they do because I don't let by AGM's get low 2 hours a day and I am good

peterbylt · August 25, 2022, 05:43:30 AM

We have a 10.7 CF Whirlpool WRT111SFDM refrigerator.

We have had this refrigerator in the Bus for 5 years, has worked perfectly, most importantly the wife really likes it.

Measured with my clamp meter the refrigerator uses approx. 1 amp, 120 volt when running (3000 watt AIMS inverter), this translates to around 5.5 amps, 24 volts.

On our 604 AH, 24-volt LiFEPO4 battery pack we could run this refrigerator for days without recharging.

With 1500 watts of Solar Panels, running the refrigerator and other household items, lights, TV, microwave, charge phones, on a normal sunny day the Battery pack is completely recharged by 9:30 - 10:00 am.

We run the refrigerator off the batteries while driving without issue.

If you take the doors off, it will fit easily through the door on an MCI 96A3.

Peter

luvrbus · August 25, 2022, 05:51:58 AM

Not all RV owners can afford batteries at 1000 bucks a pop either for the lpo4 batteries

windtrader · August 25, 2022, 08:35:32 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on August 24, 2022, 06:09:26 PM
It drives me nuts sometimes on the Oregon and Texas coast when a total electric coach with solar panels covering the roof running the generator all day and 1/2 the night charging his battery bank when it is overcast and raining for 2 days.I probably run my generator less than they do because I don't let by AGM's get low 2 hours a day and I am good

You totally have a valid point.Solar works great when it shines and really sucks when it doesn't. For the first time, I had to cheat and run the genny to put some juice in the batteries. If you are not running the AC, then it can charge up pretty fast depending on your equipment and usage pattern.

Without AC, I draw about 3-4 kW, so it takes only an hour or two to charge the battery bank for the next day. I can go a few days wioth no sun but then it takes longer to do a full charge. Not a big deal based on where I stay. Cloudy days are a drag too, btw, rain not needed to put solar output in the dumps

TomC · August 27, 2022, 03:40:48 PM

On both my bus and truck conversion, I use the Nova Kool 9cu/ft refrigerator that has a compressor. When the refrigerator is at 35, the freezer will be at about 15 (freezer has it's own evaporator). Nova Kool makes a double compressor 9cu/ft that takes care of the warmish freezer, but is almost twice the money.
We also have a Iceco double compartment chest freezer that can have two different temperatures, but we usually keep the entire thing at 0 which does keep ice cream hard (very important). Both only take 5.5 amps when running at 12v and both have build in inverters for running on 120vac. They are very quiet running. Good Luck, TomC

Dave5Cs · August 27, 2022, 06:45:16 PM

My neighbor that just left to go to his new home in Wyoming left me his leased 250 gallon Propane tank with 40% still in it. I offered to pay him for it and he said don't worry just change it over to you guys. So it is not due for lease payment until Oct and that is 50.00 a year and they come out and fill it. Win Win for this winter.

Tedsoldbus · August 27, 2022, 07:19:08 PM

My neighbor in Alaska years back loved new things. He came home one day with the "Newest Thing". It was a dish that lets you get more TV channels! I helped him for a whole day setting the thing up. We have all seen them. About 8 feet across and once assembled it looked like it could track the Space Shuttle.

The dish attached to the corner of my house now is smaller than a trash can lid and we get.....hell I don't even know how many channels.

Remembering that got me wondering how soon before solar panels will evolve to where maybe one does what it takes 8 to do now? I am still sticking with what I have, but I heard today California is mandating "no petrol" cars be sold after 2035. Its coming. I guess I better warm up to electric things. Glad I will be 79 by then and perhaps ready to part with our beloved 35 foot asphalt annihilator. That is assuming we can still purchase diesel....