Date:         Wed, 17 Apr 2002 16:21:20 -0400
Reply-To:     Tim Hannink <tjhannink@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tim Hannink <tjhannink@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: new non-westy fridge
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

These units typically pull 6-10 amps at 12 volts, so the average car battery
will run it for 6-8 hours the first couple times. As a car battery is deeply
discharged multiple times, it loses charge capacity and eventually will run
the fridge less than two hours fully charged. Deep cycle batteries are an
option, but there are issues with charging them correctly and paralleling
them with starting batteries. Relays, solenoids and isolators all have been
discussed at length and both have pros and cons.

If you only run it on battery when your on the road and switch it to 110 VAC
when parked for more than a couple of hours, an isolation relay and a
regular starter battery as a auxiliary battery will suffice. This is how VW
set it up on the camper models with the removable Dometic fridge
(12VDC/110VAC/no propane). Deep cycle battery(s) and more complicated
charging/isolation methods are required if you want to run it parked on
battery power for more than 3-4 hours consistently.

I would try it out on a trip to see how well it cools on 12 volts before
adding an auxiliary battery.

Tim Hannink
Goldibox - 1987 Vanagon Camper, Wolfsburg Edition
Winter Park, Florida
http://home.earthlink.net/~tjhannink/
http://photos.yahoo.com/tjhannink Vanagon Album


----- Original Message -----
From: joseph Trussell <joetruss@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 3:44 PM
Subject: new non-westy fridge


> Hi List,
>
> Please excuse my ignorance on this, but I got one of these 12-volt coolers
> as a wedding present:
>
>
http://www.target.com/common/catalog/product.jhtml?prodid=9701&navAction=jum
p&navCount=1
>
> and I have a couple of questions about it before I go running off to the
> mountains with it.  It runs through the cigarette lighter, so is it going
to
> suck a ton of power if I keep it going when I go camping?
>
> Should I look into setting up an additional battery and run it, as well as
> other accessories that I plan on adding like lighting and a possible
> inverter for a laptop, directly from the addtional battery?
>
> I've looked in the archives and know that there has been much discussion
of
> the second battery, but not much talk about the real neccessity of
> installing one.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> joe t.
>
>
>
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