Intent inverter refrigerator time

[Jefte]

I have been tryng to find out how long I can run my refrigerator on my 2021 Intent 29L without killing the batteries. Have been told from 4to 5 hours up to 10 to 12. I would greatly appreciate any feedback on this issue, Thanks Jefte

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by Jefte

I have been tryng to find out how long I can run my refrigerator on my 2021 Intent 29L without killing the batteries. Have been told from 4to 5 hours up to 10 to 12. I would greatly appreciate any feedback on this issue, Thanks Jefte

I highly suggest you install a Victron battery monitor so that you can watch the drain in real time.

That said, our Intent, when we had the OEM batteries, would last about 12 hours, depending on use, because you can only draw down the flooded batteries to 50% without damage, so I’ve been told.

After we installed the Battle Born LiPro lithium batteries, we can get 48 hours, at least that’s what we got last time before heading out for a trip.

Now mind you, the only real draw we had, since we were packing it up, was the coach refrigerator AND the outdoor kitchen refrigerator—no tv or lights to speak of, so real world will be less than that.

I ran a short power cord from the outdoor refrigerator over to the outdoor kitchen TV outlet, in order to power the outdoor kitchen off of the inverter as well. Otherwise, it will only run on generator or shoreline power.

[Jefte]

thank you for the info and the tips, very helpful.

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by Jefte

I have been tryng to find out how long I can run my refrigerator on my 2021 Intent 29L without killing the batteries. Have been told from 4to 5 hours up to 10 to 12. I would greatly appreciate any feedback on this issue, Thanks Jefte

The easiest and most accruate way to find out.

Bring your Intent home. Plug it in. Charge the batteries for a full day or so and turn on the fridge and get it down to temp.

Then, unplug from all outside power and see how long you can go. With the stock batteries and no solar I'd lean toward 10 to 12 hours - essentially over night.

If you do not have a generator that would be the most important and number one positive thing you can add to your rig. Sure, more batteries, better batteries and lots of solar would be a big help but even then you will need to have a infallible means of recharging your battery bank.

[Walkthisway]

Easy Big money! Victrons are well over 300Candian Pesos... you can get a shunt meter for less than $30 on amazon and all you have to do is a little tracking. For what you pay for a victron meter you can go buy 3 more flooded lead acid batts and not have to worry so much. haha

[Jefte]

I have a 4000 watt generator, but overnight on occasion with no electric and no generators from 10 pm until 8 am. Thanks

[creativepart]

I've found my 3-door residential fridge, full of cold contents, will run very little over night. When camping at altitude with cold night temps in the low 40's I can even turn the fridge off overnight and not loose any thing but a degree or two.

During the day... in 90 degree temps I can get 10 hours drawing 30% depth of discharge - but I have 4-100 aH AGM batteries and 300w of solar, too. I did the at home test and found I was at 70% state of charge after 10 hours (starting from 100% SOC) with nothing other than the fridge running.

With your generator you'd want your batteries to be at or near 100% at bedtime and then be prepared to run your generator in the morning to replenish the batteries.

As was previously mentioned, a shunt-based Battery Monitor is invaluable in figuring all this out. I have the Victron SmartShunt BMK which costs about $130 and has bluetooth functions and a phone app.

[AJMike]

I have a compressor refrigerator (Norcold DC0061) in our 2018 Winnebago Fuse and I also have a Victron Battery Monitor. We have done quite a bit of dry camping and found that the battery drain from the refrigerator (and the small constant drain from the RV electronics) varies from about 80-120 AH over 24 hours, the difference being the temperature in the RV. We generally make up most of the drain with solar, provided the days are sunny and we are not parked in the shade.

Of course Winter lowers the drain from the refrigerator, but also lowers the solar input due to the lower position of the sun, so it pretty much evens out.

[imnprsd]

This summer I replaced my 2.5 year old house batteries for the second time, and I thought I was treating my batteries very well.

...And by that I mean I would always charge my batteries up to 100% whenever they would drop to 40-50% SOC according to the attached chart.

...But apparently that was not enough as many owners who claim their batteries can last 3 or 4 or even 5 years.

...I also have a residential refrigerator so that constant use may account for this, but that fact has not stopped me from trying other options to help my regular GC2-Golf Cart house batteries last longer.

So I have to wonder if my older 2004 Dimensions Inverger/Charger technology was not doing a good enough job equalizing and pulsing my house batteries in order for them to live a longer life?

I decided to by the 17A Victron plug in charger/maintainer for $150 on Amazon, over other options, for it's advance battery charging algorithms, and because it gave me a change to monitor and sum-up my Amp-Hour (AH) use on my cell phone.

I also now use this 17A Victron charger as my main charger whenever I have shore power, and I am camping for 4 or more days at at time. Why?

...Because I understand it is better to slow-charge a battery then it is to fast charge it; and because the Victron uses more advanced battery charging algorithms. (We shall see. I.e., if my house batteries last 3 or 4 year, then I know this is true. So right now I'm only speculating.)

...And I also use this Victron when I put my RV in storage. How? I just connect an extension cord to it and turn off my inverter and my battery disconnect switch. So this is like killing 2 birds with one stone, since I also needed a good battery maintainer (not a trickle charger).

Final point: I also installed a $85 KeyLine VSR (aka battery combiner) to connect my house battery to my engine battery -- so my alternator charges my house batteries when I am driving -- but also, when I use the 17A Victron Bluetooth Charger on the house battery bank in storage, the Victron with the KeyLine VSR will also will maintain my engine battery bank too!

Note: You can get a 25A Victron Bluetooth Charger for ~$180 on Amazon if you want a 40% faster charge. ...I didn't care about this, because on those occasions when I need a faster charge, I will just use my old Dimensions Inverter/Charger.