2019 Outlook 25j Refrigerator Operation?

[Blobby23]

I have a 2019 25j outlook and love it but is there a way for the fridge to work without running the generator? While I’m driving I’d like to keep some things cold in there but it doesn’t seem to work unless the gen is going. Am I josh SOL or is there a way to get it workinf

[powercat_ras]

Does it have a Norcold 6 or 8 cubic foot absorbtion refrigerator that can run on propane when 120 VAC electric from shore power or generator is not available? I run mine on prpane when on the road.

[creativepart]

I checked the 2019 Outlook brochure and it says, "two-door residential-style refrigerator." Which is not super helpful, but I'd guess it's a compressor fridge. Now, is it a 110v compressor fridge or a 12v compressor fridge?

If it's a 110v you are pretty much limited to running the fridge ONLY when you have either shore power or generator power supplying 110v AC to the RV.

It would be possible to install an inverter to power the fridge from inverted power from the batteries - but there are a number of "buts" involved in that. It's certainly doable, but it would take some effort and expense to make that happen.

Generally, the fridge should stay cold while driving even if it is not on. Hopefully, that is.

[powercat_ras]

I'm sure if it is a compressor refrigerator it is either 12 volt or Winnebago installed an inverter so it could operate on the coach batteries while traveling between campgrounds or between generator uses. Outlook was a lower priced RV line for Winnebago so I beleive it originally came with two RV/Marine batteries which when new together had a usable capacity of about 120 amp-hours if you are willing to run them down to 30% or so left. If you have not replaced them yet that's probally down to about 80 or 90 AH usable now after the batteries are 3-4 years old.

A small compressor refrigerator uses about 50 - 80 amp-hours per day so you should be able to leave on a drive with charged batteries, with refrigerator on you would use a lot of your battery storage but not all to drive from point A to point B. If it is a 120 VAC fridge it's OK to leave the inverter on so long as you monitor your battery level carefully.

Also, if your driving, the Outlook should have technology that allows the chassis 12 volt system to connect to the coach 12 volt system and use the alternator output to maintain and/or charge the coach batteries. That said, Winnebago cut some serious corners on the Outlook to give it a lower price point than the Vista line, so they may have left off this feature off.

If left off, you could add this functionality in the form of a DC-DC charger like this one I have from Renogy: 40A DC-DC Charger: and then there would be no worries about the refrigerator running down the coach batteries if left on when driving.

[Eagle5]

I have to admit that I am really surprised that the 2019 Outlook came with a Residential-style compressor fridge, while my 2019 Minnie Winnie came with an absorption fridge. I always figured the Outlook was the economy trim level of the boxy class Cs and that the Residential fridges were more expensive that the absorption fridge.
For my moderate climate, the absorption fridge works very well with Propane and very little 12 VDC power drain.
Eagle5

[Morich]

Sounds like a good time to get the books out and find what you have bought?
Are you aware of the inverter and what it does?

I'm seeing an inverter with the frig connected to an outlet fed by that inverter. If they are not working to feed power to the frig, there are some details you need to check. Does the inverter have a switch to turn it on?
If the inverter is turned on and plugged in, it should "make" AC power from the DC battery power. You will need to understand the limits of this inverter to avoid running the batteries down but while driving the two battery groups, coach and chassis will be connected together and kept charged by the engine alternator.

But for basic safety and to get the best use of the RV, reading and understanding what you have is very important!
Every RV is slightly different and understanding them is one way to avoid tearing things up or hurting somebody!
There should be a big bag of info that came with the RV and there should be a manual for the frig operation there.