Hello all. I have a problem and hope you can help me. For some reason my fridge doesn't work on gas or 12 volt but runs great plugged into shore power or a genset. Right now I have a rv ready champion 4000/3500 watt output but don't want to run it full time if I don't need to. I can get a slightly smaller 1500 watt surge or 1200watt rated genset but need to know if it will run my converter, fridge and maybe a TV and DVR with directv dish at the same time. Everything in the trailer is original. The converter only charges the batteries at about 6amps. All lights are 12 volts and the water heater is gas only. The main draw would be the reefer. If the smaller, quieter genset ran the fridge, converter and tv stuff it would save me a lot of worry.
I would suggest a portable 15 amp battery charger to quickly recharge your batteries, but if you will be running the generator for 5 - 12 hours per day anyhow, then the 6 amp charge rate will be OK.
What loads?
350 watt refrigerator electric element
120 watt TV set (or less)
20 watt DSS or DVD player, or VCR
20 watt cell phone charger
100 - 150 watt converter / charger input
______
610 watt total
If you want to plug in a electric coffee maker - that will add another 1,000 watts, you could run the microwave to.
So a Honda 1,000 or 2,000 watt will run all of this and a little more. You can use the really noisy when the doors are shut and the A/C is on. I would not take the noisy A/C unless it is really warm out.
racefan1965 wrote: Thanks Fred. I didn't know the pull from the fridge. The genset in qustion is under 300.00 & only 60 decibels.
That means it is TWICE as loud as one that is 57 decibels. If that is 60db at a full load, it is almost as quiet as a Honda 2000 (59db). If it is 60db at idle, it is fours times as loud as the Honda (53db). You might want to hear one before you buy??
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I suggest that you carefully remove the burner and orfice for the refrigerator and clean then with alcohol and forced air. If you have the owners manual for the fridge this should be covered. If you are windy enough you may be able to blow any obstruction out. I use my air compressor. 12 volts is too hard on batteries to run the fridge unless on shore power. Good luck.
When running on AC most RV type absorption cooling units (Fridges) run on the order of 350 watts, perhaps as high as 400 watts, so yes, your smallest generator will run it.
However factor in the other power your rig will use, Example: Battery charger
If it's not working on gas then either 1: There is no gas, 2: You need to do a standard PREVENTIVE maintenance run, including checking the gas jet (Orifice) for obstructions and/or spider webs
If it is not working on 12volt odds are the 12 volt heat element needs replacement or the 12volt relay.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
I would suggest a portable 15 amp battery charger to quickly recharge your batteries, but if you will be running the generator for 5 - 12 hours per day anyhow, then the 6 amp charge rate will be OK.
What loads?
350 watt refrigerator electric element
120 watt TV set (or less)
20 watt DSS or DVD player, or VCR
20 watt cell phone charger
100 - 150 watt converter / charger input
______
610 watt total
If you want to plug in a electric coffee maker - that will add another 1,000 watts, you could run the microwave to.
So a Honda 1,000 or 2,000 watt will run all of this and a little more. You can use the really noisy when the doors are shut and the A/C is on. I would not take the noisy A/C unless it is really warm out.
Don't know if the Honda could run anymore or not. The specs on the 2000 output is: 120V 2000W max. (16.7A) 1600W rated (13.3A), so I assume that the nominal output would be a max of 1600 watts? Good generator, but the name with the 2000 in it is misleading. The 2000 watt would only be for a required boost or draw for a very short period, not sustainable. JMHO
Good luck on your choice, Hondas are quality, but there are lots of choices out there.
Happy Camping.
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If you're talking about getting a Champion 1200 as your second gene, I would suggest you hang tight with your 3500. I have both, and the little one puts out a somewhat more annoying noise signature than the big one. For once I think the "Honda or nothing" crowd has a point--the Honda 1000 (800 watts) and Honda 2000 (1600 watts), while they don't put out much power, are very quiet.
To me, the main benefit of the Champion 1200 is lower gas consumption, along with a somewhat more luggable weight (60 lbs dry). I originally bought the 1200 to strap on a backpack, if you can believe that. Having since been cured of that idea, I now keep the 1200 around as backup.
I would also suggest that the fridge draw of 350-400 watts is on the high side, and for the full-sized double-door fridge. My half-sized Dometic single-door is rated at 175 watts max, with generally 30% of that being the safe average.
My 1000 Watt Honda has the eco-throttle that slows down the motor until it senses a large enough load. Very quiet and fuel efficient. I plug in the generator to the trailer and it runs the fridge, lights, laptop and a separate automatic battery charger all at once without any problems. The noise of the generator changes a bit when the fridge kicks but it doesn't even rev up. I have an 07 Fleetwood Dakota 190xp hybrid with a 2 door full size fridge.
racefan1965 wrote: Thanks Fred. I didn't know the pull from the fridge. The genset in qustion is under 300.00 & only 60 decibels.
That means it is TWICE as loud as one that is 57 decibels. If that is 60db at a full load, it is almost as quiet as a Honda 2000 (59db). If it is 60db at idle, it is fours times as loud as the Honda (53db). You might want to hear one before you buy??
I think you need to research your specs as they are different than what I've read here in other forums. 3 decibles is not twice as loud to the human ear. 10 decibels is.
http://www.lowertheboom.org/trice/decibels.htm
And there isn't one honda running at 53 decibels at 23 feet whether it's under a load or not no matter what the factory says.I have friends with decibel meters and we know what the scale reads first hand. Let's be real here after all. And the 60 decibel generator I stated above is at full load by the way. It's the duro power brand.
Thanks all. I just need a way to keep the food and stuff cold for 5 days when we go camping at Infineon raceway in the 50 acre lot across the highway from the track. The reefer hasn't worked right since I bought the trailer for $2500.00 last year. I have no owners manual and when I asked a RV tech about trying to fix it he said don't bother as parts for a late 1983 aes dometic will be too hard to find provided I can find a place in my area to work on it at all. I don't know enough about the fridge to fix it myself and would rather leave it like it is rather than screw it up even more. at least it cools when plugged in right now. I have no idea what the orifice looks like or the burner tube or anything else and would have to guess what's what and with my luck...well...better safe than sorry.
Rick
Here are the symptoms if anyone is interested...the fridge lights on gas. Runs for about a hour or 2 maybe 3, then dies and never relights again until the next day then we do it all over again. One or two hours of operation then off until the next day. On electric it will freeze milk in the fridge if we don't turn up the temps.
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