Battery Power

[jkjourney]

I recently installed a Samsung RF197 residential refrigerator in my 2006 Journey. I have a 2000 Watt inverter and 3 group 29 batteries. On a recent 10 day dry camp that l found that my battery reserve was marginally sufficient. My question is what would be better: upgrade to 3 group 31 12v batteries or replace them with 4 gold cart batteries? (I only have space for 4)

[pasdad1]

Originally Posted by jkjourney

I recently installed a Samsung RF197 residential refrigerator in my 2006 Journey. I have a 2000 Watt inverter and 3 group 29 batteries. On a recent 10 day dry camp that l found that my battery reserve was marginally sufficient. My question is what would be better: upgrade to 3 group 31 12v batteries or replace them with 4 gold cart batteries? (I only have space for 4)

Well 4 t-105 batteries (golf cart type) wired would give you 450 amp hours

3 group 31 deep cycle batteries would give you about 345 amp hours

If you can fit 4 of the group 31 batteries instead of 3 - you can get 460 amp hours.

If you go with AGM type batteries, it may help with fitting them in your space, since they
can be mounted at any angle without worry of spilling. The AGM type is completely sealed.

[pasdad1]

Originally Posted by jkjourney

I recently installed a Samsung RF197 residential refrigerator in my 2006 Journey. I have a 2000 Watt inverter and 3 group 29 batteries. On a recent 10 day dry camp that l found that my battery reserve was marginally sufficient. My question is what would be better: upgrade to 3 group 31 12v batteries or replace them with 4 gold cart batteries? (I only have space for 4)

Already answered the battery question......so just like to add that putting solar panels up would also help with your boondocking. Even 200 watts would help.

[Pigman1]

In addition to adding to the battery bank, you might also consider adding a dedicated inverter to drive the Samsung. When running the refrigerator on the house inverter, you are also running a lot of things that you may not know about, ie: phantom loads, and the losses in the big unit are more than what you would see in a smaller, dedicated unit.

We run a Tripp Lite PV1250FC to drive our Kitchen Aid residential refrigerator. It also runs our 17 cu ft chest freezer and our 3 cu ft basement refrigerator when we take it to Alaska to bring down the fish we catch. The Tripp Lite will run all three at the same time, and I can go into boondock mode (just about only DC) on the rest of the coach. Of course running LED's for interior lights and any other power savings features are also needed, but the residential refrigerator will be one of your best mods.

[vsheetz]

X2 on an inverter just for the refrigerator. We have one large inverter and multiple point of use inverters. More efficient this way.

[Winepress]

Question to those who use a separate inverter. Do you use a transfer switch for when you are on shore power, or just run off the inverter 24/7?



Try and live up to your dogs opinion of you.

[Pigman1]

Dedicated 24/7, but we did re-arrange the electric receptacle so we could unplug from the dedicated and plug into house inverter if it became necessary. We ordered a separate control panel for the dedicated inverter so we could switch it off whenever we wanted to as when in maintenance or in shore powered storage.

[wa8yxm]

3 group 31 = 390 amp hours
4 GC-2 = 460 amp hours (Golf Car batteries)

Does this answer your question?

Part 2

Most Group 31's are Marine/Deep cycle, not true deep cycle (Though you can get them this way) Marine/Deep cycle are primarly starting batteries and not all that forgiving of a truly deep discharge.

GC-2 Golf Car batteries ARE true deep cycle, they are DESIGNED for routine 50 percent stat of charge and stand a very good chance of recovery even if you go beyond that as I did several times in the 9 years my batteries lasted.

So, there you have it.